417 replies to this topic

[CLM]

Well it's been a while, including a change of location mid-job Prior to the move I did manage to get the boot floor fully welded in, the valance closing panels fully welded in and even the rear seat back repaired and fully welded back in.. but dang if I can find the photos I took

Aside from the holes in the floor along the crossmember it could sit back on subframes at this point, however I decided I needed to put it on the back burner for a bit and work on the van some, put it in the little garage and opened a can of (tin) worms when I started digging into it.



in that one picture along I will need inner wings, scuttle panel, inner and outer a panels, door step panel lower rear quarter panel.. etc etc etc.

Previous owners musta had bodging in the blood... they had large unshapely plates randomly welded in over top of the rust in this van, It will be at least shaped correctly and devoid of rust when I am done

Bondosicles anyone?



droops of bondo under the scuttle end does not bode well.

I decided to try my hand at making some panels so started with trying to make a pattern.



Using that pattern I trimmed a 2x6 chunk into the shape and hammered out a panel... of almost 2mm steel.. that was thick... too thick...



and... well there was not enough curve and the steel was so thick it was resisting me trying to increase the curve enough to make it a satisfactory fit.



So I decided to try again, As I have the 850 which has immaculate inner wings, i used it to make up a pattern along with using a piece of copper tubing to copy the existing curve in the doorframe and reshaped my 2x6. I did have a hard time bending the long straight section.. untill it dawned on me to use 2x4's as a makeshift sheet metal brake.






This fit Much better!



including the little joggle at the bottom.



continued...

[CLM]

However I could not really fit this yet as I do need to get the lower door step panel from m-machine and I am still waiting for the shipping quote so I can make sure I have the money for all these panels ready so I went on to other areas. First thing I looked at was the horrible edge on the a-pillar. Made a pattern, cut old off, fitted new, welded almost all the way down, leaving the bottom wild for when I get the doorstep pannel.




And as I havent taken a gratuitous shot of the whole van for a bit.



Once that was in and cleaned up I welded in some more rust as the van didn't have near enough already...



...so that I could cut out both sides of the hole and have a solid enough chunk to make patterns off of lol. I made half of the patch panel and will have to make the other half another day as I ran out of time.




And on a side note.... This is going to be fun to patch



Chris

[CLM]

I managed to go over to my mothers house to get some current pics of the '60









It will be a while.

Chris

[hughJ]

Hi Chris - great to see you posting again - and great to see you fabricating again. You always do it the hard way - from scratch, but it is so interesting. Having two projects going is pretty tough. One is enough for me.
All the best

Hugh

[CLM]

Two? Oh two projects would be easy...I currently have 3 mini projects going on, not counting the non-mini projects... >.<

The third one is building a pickup, it is also not only the one I wish I could do first.. but likely the one that will take the longest... though I may have found a way to kickstart that, lets see come the beginning of next month if it pans out. Found someone who said they had a mini they could cut the bulkhead out and send me for the van, got to talking and it turns out to be a rather warped and botched up ridged roof mk1 tinny wagon that is supposed to be just a parts shell previous owners bodged it by trying to braze in panels warping all sorts of stuff. I am trying to get the shell to strip down and turn into my pup, as it would be much easier starting from an already lwb ini instead of... the mangled mess I was going to start with. The rear load floor is supposed to be in pretty good shape which wouold allow me to put it in the van... and conversely have the load floor from the van to repair and move into the estate/pickup. With the pickup panels I already have it would leave just bedsides, lamp panels, and rear bulkhead more or less to get. I should probably leave it a wagon and just repair the wagon.... but well, at least I am going to be getting another mini onto the road.

Chris

[CLM]

Not that much done, just a bit more work on the inner fender.



Chris

[johnsn]

Hi, I just found this thred and read it from the beginning. I was thinking I wonder how maney of those twini Minis got finished. I assumed your 850 was an attempt to make one.
Then I saw this picture.

I know who the moron that cut up that beutiful Mini!

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ME!

Let me tell you what I know about that car.
I got it from a guy Bought it new, or second hand. He let someone drive it, and they ran into something. Damn single leading shoos. >
Lucky for me and you.
He got another body and swapped all the parts. This was in the late 60s or early 70s, and Minis where cheep then.
I met him at PIR in the mid 70s. 74-78
He had never got the car running, so I offered to get it running in exchange for the original body.
So the's how i go it. No doors, hood, boot lid, or anything that bolted on.
The floor was wavy when I got it, from being moved around with no subfraims.

I cut the front sheetmetal off. It wasn't that bad. I should have fixed it. But I was about 20 then.
Gotta so now.
More later.
john

Edited by johnsn, 19 July 2011 - 03:22 PM.

[CLM]

I know who the moron that cut up that beutiful Mini!

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ME!

Oh, so you are the one to blame for that... deseaming attempt at the back!? lol. Everything was fairly straightforward to repair, repairing that deseaming still scares me somewhat so I havent done it yet >.<

Though I have the panels here to repair it as well as many early bits to go into the shell eventually. I am not sure I have the money to really do it right, but all the people who have stated intrest in buying it scare me.. I cant just see the thing modded willy nilly to cram large engines in it the prospect of chopping up that beautiful bulkhead gives me ths chills.

Chris

[CLM]

double post

Edited by CLM, 19 July 2011 - 06:06 PM.

[johnsn]

Oh, so you are the one to blame for that... deseaming attempt at the back!? lol. Everything was fairly straightforward to repair, repairing that deseaming still scares me somewhat so I havent done it yet >.<

Though I have the panels here to repair it as well as many early bits to go into the shell eventually. I am not sure I have the money to really do it right, but all the people who have stated intrest in buying it scare me.. I cant just see the thing modded willy nilly to cram large engines in it the prospect of chopping up that beautiful bulkhead gives me ths chills.

Chris

Forgive me Chris, for I have made a mess of it.
It was an early attemt at using a arc welder on body panels.... It doesn't work.
Post some pictures of my screw up, (I don't remember how bad it was), and I'll help figure how to fix it.
john

[johnsn]

Continuing the history of the body.
I had it sand blasted by a guy who was into cars, and knew how to not warp the panels.
I painted the interior etc. Ford sky? blue.
I wanted to build a twini Mini and you can see the results.
Also, deseaming seemed cool to me, but all I had was an arc welder. So I turned it all the way down and used the smallest rod I could find, and welded the seams from the back side. As you can see from pictures Chris posted below, it was still too much power, and I blew holes in the panels and and warping. Grate penetration though.
More to come.
john

Edited by johnsn, 23 July 2011 - 02:19 PM.

[CLM]

Well, I am pretty sure how I will fix it, you see I have this panel...




I figure the way to repair it will be to remove and replace, this panel is another flat window panel and has intact rear seams from almost the boot floor all the way up to the roof... I am just not ready to weld the exterior panels like that

I will take some pictures of the seams directly tomorrow, as the shell is at my moms house.

You wouldnt happen to be looking for a project? I have a fair share of early bits to go with this car, doors with early drain style and metal sliders, pop out quarter windows, front seat frames, subframes with welded up steel cones and built up welded swingarms, the correct hubcaps. I have tried to insure it has the early brazed on nut fittings for battery fuel tank and other hold downs, it has early style valance closers that actually date back to jan of 60 lol, the hood is original jan 60. I even have an early cream face austin speedo (which I need to replace with a Morris one... ) For not having enough to restore an early car originally I almost have all of an early 850 now.

Chris

[CLM]

As promised, the pictures of the rear seam.








They will be fixed!

Chris

[hughJ]

Hi Chris, I wouldn't even know where to begin remanufacturing the seams. I would have thought you would have to take the rear panel completely off to get a decent weld on it and grind it back down. I couldn't face that!! All the best with it.

Hugh

[CLM]

Hi Chris, I wouldn't even know where to begin remanufacturing the seams. I would have thought you would have to take the rear panel completely off to get a decent weld on it and grind it back down. I couldn't face that!! All the best with it.

Hugh

Actually Hugh, as I have the panel pictured above with good seams, I should be able to cut along both sides of the seam on both pieces and then weld in the replacement. not unlike doing any of the other butt welded repairs.. just a bit... more delicate being it is exterior panels I wont be able to hide It has to be done well and I dont trust myself to be well yet

Chris

Edited by CLM, 22 July 2011 - 07:27 AM.