1514 replies to this topic

[Carlos W]

Well, I'm now in my third year of this thread!

Next weekend I'll be on with a twisted wire wheel cleaning the underseal off the bottom of the car!

Today is being dominated by a hangover!

I'll post some pics when the bottom of the car is all clean and rust treated!

I'm still saving for a new heritage front end and I need to buy some new narrow sills too as I bought oversills originally and various threads on here have shown me the error of my ways!

[Minidarren83]

Hi Carlos don't bother buying more sills just cut down the ones you have it's easy that's what I did as mine came with a pair of oversills

Darren

[Carlos W]

Hi Darren, I think you're right, and if I mess it up i'll buy new ones!

[Minidarren83]

That's it mate no harm in trying

[grahama]

Carlos,

loving the hangover pal lol !! Had a fair few days off the mini with those myself. Three years is not a bad thing, When it is done then it's done, as long as it's finished eventually no one is counting the days except you !! Keep at it !!

Graham

[Carlos W]

Thanks Graham,

There just aren't enough hours in a day sometimes!

The Mrs works 3 weekends out of 5 which should give me loads of time to work on the mini, but there are always other things to do too!

You're right though, it doesn't matter how long it takes!

[jarrett1988]

Hey carlos just ben reading through this thread and the project is looking good and looks like your progessing well with it. I live in Gillingham so if help is ever needed just ask mate and if got the time will come lend a hand, plus dont know if this any good for anyone but i am a mechanical, electrical and hydraulic engineer, also use to be a in car entertainment specialsit for halfords.

Keep the good work going mate

[Jasonc]

Keep at it Carlos!

It will be worth it, I'm sure!

[Carlos W]

Well..........

I decided to start stripping the base of the car todayas I managed to get away from work a bit early!

Knotted wire brush on the cheap grinder (it doesn't fit on the decent one) and after a while I could feel the heat through the gloves, and noticed smoke coming from it!

It's just got no torque! Clearly the bitterness of poor quality lasts long after the cheap price is forgotten

So, the underside of the boot is stripped, and I've treated it all with Vactan (rust convertor and primer)

I'm going to look for another grinder so hopefully I can crack on and do some more tomorrow!

[grahama]

Crap job done Carlos, but I have gone through a bosch grinder on this project already quite early on. Replaced it with a B&Q performance one for under £20 and it does get warm but is still going. Work them till them burn is what I say lol.

Cheap and replaceable or expensive and just the same chance or going pear shaped, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, with grinders on a mini, replaceable is my choice !!!

Graham

p.s., get some pics up immediately lol !!

[Brams96]

Carlos, I got a £20 Screwfix grinder & it lasted longer than the Wickes's professional one! You could try replacing the brushes in it as they seem to be the things that burn out first, fairly cheap at around £3-4. Instead of white spirit use cellulose thinners as it takes off the residue quicker

[Carlos W]

<sub>I'm going for this one, tool station is only a couple of miles away and it's only £22.75, I may chuck some new bushes in the old one, I'll see how I feel!

Back to it tomorrow!</sub>

[Carlos W]

Went to toolstation this morning, and the computer says the grinders have arrived in the latest shipment but they haven't had time to unpack it yet, so can I come back later?

So I put a wire brush on the end of the drill and started cleaning the main floor area, did one half, but it's much harder going compared to the angle grinder, so I decided I'd paint that half/


Of course, the issue now is, I've got to wait until this is dry before I can wire brush any more! (schoolboy error)

and here's the boot

All dry!

I'm really impressed with the coverage.
I'll get on with the seam sealer then prime, paint, stonechip, paint (I think)

Edited by Carlos W, 22 September 2012 - 09:51 AM.

[myredmini]

You want very clean bare metal, etch, stone chip then paint.

Upol gravitex is great stuff!

[Carlos W]

I've got a litre of this on the shelf!

That's the whole floor cleaned back and treated with Vactan.

Unfortunately this leaved the rear arches and the outside of the toe board to do as well as some of the inner wings

I've just ordered repair panels for the front half of the inner wings