195 replies to this topic

[minimuk]

nice job on that closing panel there Adam, keep it going....

Edited by minimuk, 18 May 2013 - 07:30 PM.

[BusheyTrader]

Thanks Minimuk, it took some time to extract and replace the closing panel, but by keeping everything around it intact I've hopefully saved a lot of time and work.

 

The BRSCC / MSA regulations for the bottom of the roll cage mountings require "Support plates that must be welded into position at the base of the roll cage feet at the fixing points, the plates must be a minimum of 2cm larger than the roll cage feet and a minimum of 3mm thick. (minimum surface area 120cm2)"  http://www.mightymin...ghtyMinRegs.pdf    

 

 

The bottom of the companion bin on the passenger side needs replacing so I'll weld a larger than necessary 3mm plate in whilst the there's no floor to the bin. I don't know the exact location of the foot yet as I don't have the cage, so a very large plate will definitely cover it.  Unfortunately the driver's side bin was repaired before the decision was made to fit a roll cage.  Again I'll fit a large plate but this time from above.  I'm used to Mig welding in an area with little access now.

 

Adam 

[BusheyTrader]

I've been cutting out rust of the rear passenger floor and inner sill and butt welding in fresh metal.  For a change No. 1 son and I stripped down the rear subframe and dismantled the radius arms and brakes.

 

Despite several weeks of soaking them in WD40 several bolts sheared off from their captive nuts in the subframe.  The radius arm subframes won't undo from the subframe.  I've tried the double locknut method on the free end but nothing's budging.  

http://www.minispare...64.aspx|Back to

The rear subframe support pin won't budge. I'll have to grind flats on the edges to get a grip with a large wrench.  There's nothing to grip on to otherwise.

http://www.minispare...MS.aspx|Back to

 

The brake drum retaining screws, those nasty countersink items wouldn't budge until I bought an impact driver.  The threads were badly corroded but freed up in just a few seconds each.  One brake drum was dry inside and looked in good shape, the other looked like molten brake lining had exploded everywhere.  Most of the brake hose fittings were seized so were cut off with an angle grinder and binned

 

 

Adam

Edited by BusheyTrader, 25 June 2013 - 10:48 PM.

[BusheyTrader]

I'm back on the Mini after several months inactivity.  Currently cutting out the inner sills on the passenger side and welding in repair panels.  Much like the driver's side the door step, inner and outer sill and jacking point are rotten.  

[BusheyTrader]

There's still no sign of any accident damage on Spike so I haven't come across any PO bodges, plenty of rust but no bodges.

 

But, someone in the past has jacked up the car under the front slinging shoe bracket on the passenger side and pushed up the floorpan slightly.  I removed the slinging bracket and dressed the floor flat with a hammer and dolly.  The inner sills have been cut awaiting fresh metal to be butt welded in.

 

Adam

[Archived4]

Great work so far. And those splits down the front inner wings are fatigue because the support behind isn't wide enough. Mine had them, aswell as every other mini i've had has had them

[BusheyTrader]

Thanks Smiler, our old Mini Club had an inch long split on one inner wing.  Spike has them on both from top to bottom

 

Rusty inner sill cut out.  Note the spot welds cut out from above to release the slinging shoe bracket below

 

 

Remainder of the jacking point

 

 

The inner hinge panel on this side isn't as bad as the other.  I'll fit the narrow inner hinge repair panel not the wider hinge and flitch repair panel since there's not so much rot and the larger panel was an atrocious fit on the driver's side (see earlier entries in this thread)

 

 

Adam

Edited by BusheyTrader, 02 January 2014 - 06:48 PM.

[BusheyTrader]

New passenger side inner sill and repairs to floor pan butt welded into place.  I've still to plug weld the front to the inner wing / flitch panel as there's some fresh metal going in there.  Once the doorstep panel is renewed I'll plug weld the inner sill to that.  I'm not that confident as others to cut away all the reference points at once.  I don't have a factory jig lying around.  There's a T section piece of 4mm steel welded across the door gap.

 

Some of these repair panels / panels are just a rough shape and need a lot of work since some of the folds are way off.  I've ground down the weld and sprayed whatever's available over the top to seal it against rust for the time being.  This time its baby pink!

 

 

 

Further along the inner sill

 

 

further still

 

 

 

 

Adam

 

Edited by BusheyTrader, 02 January 2014 - 05:53 PM.

[BusheyTrader]

Inside of crossmember cleaned up and protected with Electrox zinc primer by Bilthamber inside, etchweld on the tabs for plugwelding.
 
Just waiting for a fabricated repair panel to cover this and complete the repair to the inner sill
 

Edited by BusheyTrader, 12 January 2014 - 11:01 PM.

[BusheyTrader]

The inner sill is now complete across the passenger side crossmember with the repair piece made from a sheet steel offcut. The face inside the crossmember was coated in Bithamber zinc Etchweld then Electrox.  The rest with whatever was about to stop the surface corroding for the moment.  

 

The jacking point and pattern doorstep repair panel are up next.  If the doorstep is anything like the driver's side it'll need lots of work reprofiling it to a decent shape and offering it up up to the new inner sill countless times.  Its poinltless painting inside the inner sill, doorstep and outer sill until the doorstep is the correct shape ready for welding.

 

 

Not the neatest finish under but it'll be hidden by the jacking point and sill once properly prepped with zinc rich paint.

 

 

 

Adam

Edited by BusheyTrader, 12 January 2014 - 10:59 PM.

[Archived4]

Brill stuff as per usual

[BusheyTrader]

Ok, I have Heritage outer sills and already welded in Magnum inner sill repair panels on the driver's side.  

 

When offered up to the inner sills and heel panels, the scallops / recesses in the outer and inner sills don't line up.  If I'd lined up the scallops the inner sill would never fit.  It was the same on the passenger side: not only did I plug weld the outer sill to the inner I also welded the edge of the outer sill to the inner one.

 

I can't be the only one to have come across this.

 

Adam

[domdee]

good work shagger!

[BusheyTrader]

Cool, thanks I think.

 

 

I'm just just in the process of trimming the doorstep repair panel to fit on Spike's passenger side.  Luckily there's a lot less rust around the B pillar than on the other side meaning there's less of the dodgy profile on the bottom rear corner to accommadate. 

 

I thought rust always hit the passenger side hardest since this it copped more puddles and crud...........

Edited by BusheyTrader, 25 January 2014 - 04:44 PM.

[Hikari Warrior]

Looking good Adam, looking good......