Project Trig - More Fresh Powdercoat!
#166
Posted 19 January 2012 - 08:38 PM
<div>So after my laptop threw a wobbly and died I haven't managed to update the thread for a couple weeks! Safe to say Ive been busy!</div>
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<div>Finished Uni work 6 days early before hand in (had Xmas day and new years day off and every other day been churning out the design work) so I could manage a few days out at the mini. So today is day one of many this month </div>
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<div>When I arrived we decided to get the arches prepped. Before rebuild the rear wheels hit on the rear arches under compression so with the tubbed arches we need to take advantage of them! </div>
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<div>So I got to work with the air saw and cut out a segment of the aches so the wheels will clear the arch and go up into it rather than hit it. Cars going to be very low so this is going to help.</div>
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<div>This took balls as these arches are genuine OE Rover sportspacks worth £400 new. I didn't want to muck up the cutting!!!</div>
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<div>Then I prepped the rest of them ready for paint. Almost finished just needs a bit of final hand sanding to get rid of a load of stone chips in tight areas.</div>
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<div>I also bought a latch, striker plate and bonnet pull from kit car specialists Europa Spares for the bootlid. Decided to mount the handle on the rear seat support plate in the centre of the car. That way either passenger or driver can open the boot from an easily accessed place you won't accidentally pull on!!</div>
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<div>The spring looks weak but is beyond strong! Literally fires out the pin when it's released </div>
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<div>Also mocked up a bracket for the latch as it will need to align perfectly with the bootlid striker plate. Only made out of cardboard at the mo, will make a metal version tomorrow morning. Little project to practice welding on hopefully! :)</div>
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<div>Back to it tomorrow for another few hours! :)</div>
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<div>Another morning working on the motor vehicle! Major step forward this morning. Bootlid is done! </div>
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<div>Most will know by now that Im after internal hinges and catch for the bootlid so today we set about doing the hinges.</div>
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<div>Got rid of the paint on the bit we would be welding onto</div>
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<div>Then with a lot of trial fitting of the hinges and positioning of them/tweaking with an oxyacetylene torch we got it bang on to create this</div>
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<div>AS you can see it doesn't open as far as a normal lid but with still having the rear seam on the valence the lid would hit it if it were to open any further. As Phil accurately pointed out 'You've enough room to slide a crate of beer in!' which is pretty much the largest thing i will need the boot for </div>
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<div>Also got a test bit of stone chip underneath one of the front arches. Going to look pretty good!</div>
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<div>Out again Monday afternoon after I hand in all my uni stuff in the morning for the first semester. Next stage is reinforce the bootlid hinge mounts and then attack the underneath to get it ready for stone chip, then its paint time </div>
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<div>Another afternoon out at banchory today after my uni hand in.</div>
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<div>Phil and the lads had been asking what wheels were going on the car so brought a couple out. Safe to say they were impressed! Even though they aren't polished....</div>
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<div>And just because I could.....slammed/tucked Mini anyone? </div>
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<div>It will not be possible to run this low of course as it would need even more severe arch work and the front wouldn't be able to turn at all! Unless I go and get a Z Cars Monte Carlo kit theres not a hope!</div>
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<div>So with that out the way we set about prepping the rear valence/boot hinge area ready for primer. Chucked it onto a couple trolleys and set about fixing it. Welded and filled the bootlid and top valence holes for the original hinges and filled and sanded them down.</div>
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<div>Then MBX'd the floor to get rid of all the old stone chip/sealer put on by the factory.</div>
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<div>With the rear all prepped I sorted out the location of the boot pull handle. Had to locate it further down than first thought as it was hitting the seat because of the way it slants at that section. Means its more hidden and won't get knocked by stuff in the car though which is good! It will be fixed underneath the sound deadening/carpets so won't be floating in space as it is at the moment.</div>
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<div>Will get the catch properly located and a plate welded first thing tomorrow morning.</div>
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<div>So thats todays progress. Tomorrow is the biggest day so far.....PRIMER!!!!! Acid etch followed by high build to really smooth off the panels before the final top coat goes on with the laquer to finish! </div>
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<div>The end of the body shop period of the build is in sight!!!</div>
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<div>Righto! HUGE day today! Car is now in PRIMER! </div>
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<div>So onto the photos.....!</div>
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<div>Before we got that far we created the bracket for the boot catch. All of 30 minutes work</div>
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<div>Slotted holes so we can adjust the catch after paint for perfect alignment.</div>
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<div>Having then sanded down the epic layers of paint on the rear valence we revealed some stupidly thin steel. So we drilled out the spot welds and cut it off. </div>
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<div>Here you can see what was revealed. No point in cutting corners at this late a stage.</div>
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<div>We couldn't get another one until tomorrow afternoon at the earliest but we soldiered onto the main bit of the day. Priming the car.</div>
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<div>Masked off the interior so the crap inside didn't flow onto the fresh paint. This is just a test prime really with the final getting done asap. Its highlighted some areas we need to go back to which is the whole idea.</div>
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<div>Then it was a quick slide into the booth.</div>
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#167
Posted 19 January 2012 - 08:38 PM
Then Phil set to work on the primer. 3 coats for extra bulletproofability!
And tada! One car primed ready for some flatting back by hand......oh the joys!
Really happy with how its turned out so far. Theres only a few little areas need addressing so shouldn't take long. Phils getting the valence welded on tomorrow afternoon so will be back in the booth in a couple of days. Wont be working on it for a while as I have to work (helps to pay the bill at the end I suppose!) but should get back to it on Tuesday
(These are iPhone pics so not the greatest quality wise. I did take LOADS of shots with my proper camera but lack of laptop to edit them on means they won't be uploaded until my new laptop arrives)
Had another afternoon at it today after catching up on sleep from a 6 day stretch at work. Decided it was best to prep the floor ready for stone chip so we flipped it onto its side (with the aid of an old mattress we found on the industrial estate )
Before we did that though I had another little mockup. It's pretty much how it will stand stance wise but it will be raised a bit at the front. Going to look ACE!
So onto the flippage! The mattress was in questionable condition so to be safe we covered it with a poly sheet to keep us away from the nastiness.
Then a quick flip onto the side!
To expose the old horrible underseal. It's weird stuff, almost like a really thick candle wax kinda deal. No idea if this is factory done or simply 20 year old waxoyl but either way it's horrible and needed to come off.
Then after an hour or two with the MBX wire wheel and scrapper (needed when the compressor overheated....) didn't need any heat as with enou force the stuff chipped off easy enough.
Then Phil welded on the rear valence. Not a heritage panel unfortunately and fit isn't 100% but close enough in a hidden area.
You will see we welded up the holes for the fog lamp(s) as I have a plan for this which will be revealed later on.
So that's today's work! Was going to be another day at it tomorrow but Uni sprung a placement meeting on me at the last minute in the middle of the day so won't be able to go out to Banchory until Thursday and Friday afternoon. Got next week off work too so will get 8 full days at Banchory so hope to have the car painted within that week!!!
Phil was getting more seam sealer delivered this evening and intended on getting the stone chip onto it too. So I hope to have that surprise me next time I'm out!
Little backwards update. Got the photos off my camera and since I just got a new laptop onto them for editing!
First some paint booth shots...
IMG_1782 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
IMG_1787 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
Phil putting on the layers
IMG_1810 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
In the operating theatre!
IMG_1826 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
The paint prep area! Epic space that I'm sure could tell a few tales....
IMG_1861 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
Primer dried
IMG_1880 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
IMG_1898 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
Milk bottle crates have their uses!
IMG_1901 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
Then back onto the shop floor ready for next stage
IMG_1927 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
So that was up until today. But todays work was mainly engine pay sanding so no pics of that as it pretty boring but Phil did get the seam sealing and stone chip of the floor done! Looks and works great!
And that brings it up to date again! Only bit I now have to prep is the boot and then its ready for top coat! Can't wait!
I also came home from the body shop to find a package from MiniSpares again! Todays was seam strips for the body, lowered suspension shock mounts, handbrake cable bits and my favourite bit, Goodridge braided brake lines and clutch line.
#168
Posted 19 January 2012 - 08:56 PM
Heres a video Ive just finished of the car at the body shop almost ready for primer and final paint. Enjoy in HD on Vimeo.
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Sick video mate, what camera are you using?
This is coming along real nice as well, would be nice to have it as low as that mock up!
#169
Posted 19 January 2012 - 09:43 PM
Heres a video Ive just finished of the car at the body shop almost ready for primer and final paint. Enjoy in HD on Vimeo.
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Sick video mate, what camera are you using?
This is coming along real nice as well, would be nice to have it as low as that mock up!
For stills (proper not the phone ones! ) Im using a 450D and for video a 500D with some shots done on my mates 7D. Combination of the 500 and 7 to make the video
#170
Posted 22 January 2012 - 12:59 PM
These are from yesterday but forgot to upload them. Morning spent at the body shop and we got the roof prepped and painted in primer. Will need a rub down in a few areas, especially the back as it reacted weird with the old silver paint. Nothing too bad.
Monday is boot prep and final body prep :)
#171
Posted 26 January 2012 - 11:43 PM
We masked the car up late Tuesday night ready for painting first thing Wednesday morning and left it in the booth.
Next morning Phil phones me saying the lacquers not going to arrive until 11.....so instead of heading straight to Banchory he sent me to Aberdeen to Dingbro to pick up the supplies the head out. Saved us a couple of hours which let us get on with the painting! Dedication from the both of us!
IMG_2053 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
And a fancy shot in the booth before the painting began
IMG_2054 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
After Phil left me in charge of cleaning the surface ready to paint it (wasn't expecting that to be left to me, being such a crucial stage!) he got on with the main show!
IMG_2073 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
I took more video than stills as he painted, for the final video, but thats neither here nor there as this is what the car looked like after the colour coat!
IMG_2089 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
And to give you an idea of the gloss factor on it.......this is unpolished 'straight off the gun' before any lacquer went near it. Its even shinier now and just flatting and polishing to go! You can't tell there used to be the filler neck there at all!
IMG_2160 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
Kyle on the left, Phil on the right and me behind the lens.
IMG_2155 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
Then Phil shot a few coats of some modern 'anti scratch' lacquer onto it!
IMG_2169 by Andrew Forbes Photography, on Flickr
Didn't get out to work on it today as I had to service the Polo and give it its 6 monthly wash (no exaggeration.....) but Phil did text me saying the roof was painted in silver too! So thats something to lok forward to tomorrow!
Its really satisfying to get to this stage. After owning the car for almost 8 years now I never thought I would ever be in the position to get the car to this standard. After hundreds of hours at home and at Kirkton the results make it all worth while
Next stage is the tricky bit......putting the giant jigsaw all back together.
#172
Posted 27 January 2012 - 02:00 PM
#173
Posted 27 January 2012 - 09:55 PM
#174
Posted 27 January 2012 - 10:07 PM
#175
Posted 27 January 2012 - 10:51 PM
#176
Posted 28 January 2012 - 12:31 PM
#177
Posted 28 January 2012 - 01:49 PM
#178
Posted 28 January 2012 - 08:08 PM
epic thread read it from start to now well done being a student as well no how it feels to have no time or money half the time! just had one of my minis resprayed! keep going with it will be a stunning car when its finished!
So true! Watching it going on was ace tooThere's nothing better than seeing your car for the first time in fresh paint! Brilliant
Thanks!Top work love it
Aye looking back theres loads of work gone into it to get it to this stage!Wow, so much work on just this page of the thread! That paint looks stunning!
Everything is getting blue taped up when reassembling bits trust me! Zips on clothes taped up, no jeans/jeans with rivets etc etc. After spending on this there is NO way Im going back to get touch ups done from my mistakes!Well done Andy..(and team)..You knew what you wanted and it looks like you got it...Superb finish, For Feck sake dont scratch it during the rebuild..Trust me, there are going to be some very scary moments when your putting the "jigsaw" back together..take your time, and trial fit everything first..
Thanks! Phil the painter hates the colour but majority seem to like itLovely photos, the mini is looking great really like the red
#179
Posted 29 January 2012 - 03:03 PM
#180
Posted 01 February 2012 - 12:15 AM
wow that looks realy smart now and a great paint job as well
Thanks :)
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