195 replies to this topic

[Minidarren83]

Your doing a great job on that box it's not exactly confidence inspiring seeing as I have the same panel to fit soon I hope my one is a little better fitting
Darren

[BusheyTrader]

Thanks Darren,

Maybe I should fabricated my own out of sheet steel like Rich2.

How difficult can it be to fold up and spot weld a box in a factory without one end flapping about when you prod it? The contours of the top flanges front and back were well out but a few cuts and folds brought the profiles close to the floor. Only a few more plug welds to do and it's in for good. The fabrication work on your blog looks fine so you shouldn't have too much trouble yourself.

Adam

[BusheyTrader]

Worked for a short while in the garage last night. I knew it was time to stop when my water bottle started to freeze up........

[BusheyTrader]

I'm at a crossroads on what I should do with Spike.

No.1 son and I just passed our ARDS tests at Silverstone. So, do I restore Spike back to OE spec as originally intended or do I turn him into a Mighty Mini or similar circuit car? Nearly everything on him has to be renewed or refurbished anyway.............

Adam

[Black.Ghost]

Original. I love the SPi Coopers though and am a little biased!

[BusheyTrader]

Well, the battery box is finally in and plug welds ground down. I wasn't expecting it to be so involved.

Turning Spike into a Mighty Mini doesn't look too difficult and he's the right spec since only spi's are allowed. If it doesn't work out there aren't too many mods to undo.

I've still got lots of bodywork to sort out before I can think of roll cages and drivetrains etc. hopefully we might have Spike on the road for shake down before the end of 2013. Haha.

Edited by BusheyTrader, 24 January 2013 - 10:07 PM.

[OfMini&Men]

Wow your done a amazing job! your getting me exited to crack on with mine again :) I'm working from Rear to Front

[BusheyTrader]

I guess I'm working clockwise round my Mini............I haven't made much progress lately due to a heavy workload, a sub zero garage this winter and recent illness.

After watching some rounds of Mighty Minis on youtube etc it seems pointless replacing the bootlid and doors if they're only slightly flaky as they're likely to get some contact. Still got plenty of rust to cut out and replace down the passenger side though.

Adam

[BusheyTrader]

I'm finally moving on from the boot floor and boot hinge panel area. If I was tackling it again I would probably buy a complete floor and hinge panel to save time and get a neater finish. But my lowly Mig skills have improved with all the butt welded patching that I've done.



It may not look pretty but it's solid in there. Weld thru primer used before plug welding. The better my welding gets, the less grinding to do. I never leave bare metal after welding so often I use whatever paint's spare in a can to keep the surface rust away.

Adam

Edited by BusheyTrader, 13 April 2013 - 07:24 AM.

[BusheyTrader]

The inner and outer sills are really rough on the passenger side but the heel and quarter panel are in much better shape than the drivers side. The factory underseal gloop was ten times thicker here so there's much less rot.



The rear wheel arch closing panel is the only part that's rusted away here (the other side was tragic), so I'm trying my hand at keyhole surgery and removing it without chewing up all the adjoining panels. It's a pain breaking and filing down the spot welds in a confined space so far but it could save lots of work on the other bits.

Adam

[Andy_]

Love the dedication you have!

[BusheyTrader]

I've picked up a new old stock genuine Rover front panel on fleabay for less than half the price of a Heritage one. Its got the original Rover and hologram sticker on it.

There's the odd bit of light surface rust on some of the flanges but these will be thoroughly cleaned up and coated with weld thru primer anyway.

Result. That gives me incentive to work my way down to the front. Just need to find some heritage front wings now.

[BusheyTrader]

I removed the rear glass above the closing panel. Surface water must have sat for a long time under the rubber and a few seconds with a wire brush in a drill revealed this.

Everything else around it is sound.

Adam

[BusheyTrader]

The key hole surgery to remove the rear wheel arch closing panel is done.  I used spot weld drills, powerfile, extra sharp cold chisel, angle grinder flap wheels, cutting discs and grinding discs to remove it but keep all the adjoining panels intact. I welded in a strip at the bottom of the wheelarch after cutting out some rot. 
 
I thought the heritage closing panel was duff initially but by clamping it in place on one part, then another and another the  bends and angles gradually fell into place.  However I needed some long reach clamps to reach down into the companion bin, so I bought these.
 

 
 
 
The companion bins can be removed under the Mighty Mini regs but doing so takes out the seat belt mounts.  I'd like to be able to refit the seat belts if I want to run it street legal.
 
 
Hopefully I'll have this welded in this weekend.
 
 

 

in this space from above

 

 

and from underneath

 

 

Adam

Edited by BusheyTrader, 05 May 2013 - 11:13 PM.

[BusheyTrader]

and the closing panel is now welded in to place.  Weld thru primer applied on both face where an plug welding takes place.  

 

I've had to weld from above, on a vertical plane and from underneath on various thicknesses of metal.  The weld pool behaves differently according to gravity as does the power needed for penetration.

 

From underneath.  The plug welds to the rear qtr panel about to be ground flush.  The factory welded along the open seams to the heel panel and the companion bin so I'll be doing the same.

 

 

Adam

Edited by BusheyTrader, 12 May 2013 - 09:50 AM.