712 replies to this topic

[ryan22_lgm]

Looking like you are going to have a van as good as new!  Keep goin!
 
(brings back fond memories of working on mine)
Garry

I'm hoping it will be as good as ! Cheers mate !
I can see a faint light at the end of the welding tunnel !

[ryan22_lgm]

Right haven't got much further done some grinding and cleaning up of the inner wings both sides and the front panel is fully welded up now. I went to put the drivers side wing on today but got distracted by something I bought ...

A mg metro tailgate with the spoiler! The only problem with it was the bottom corner! So I repaired it! Cut rot out

Repaired inner and outer ! Ready for a skim of filler and then paint!

Here's a pic of my inner wing ready for wing to go on

Will get the wings on as soon as I can!

Edited by ryan22_lgm, 27 May 2013 - 10:13 PM.

[ryan22_lgm]

Tacked the d/s wing on yesterday done some more today but its far to hot in the poly tunnel!

Scuttle gap is as good as I can get it and bonnet gaps perfect

And primed my gfs minis roof and then painted it speedwell blue!


Don't worry we know the colours don't match the whole car will be being painted the same colour!

[SAL 821X]

I duno it sounds quite cool blue and purple.

 

But then seeing it I might think its vile.

[JMCD]

Just read through this whole thread, truly inspiring. Really makes me want to buy a shell for my 18th in a month's time and spend a year building it up!

I'm so tempted to save and go for a full build also but this looks like it's going to be really good, how much have you spent so far?

[grahama]

Hi Ryan,

 

great fit on that wing.  Very neat holes for plug welding too,  did u drill them or have u got a cheating tool lol.  coming on nicely.

 

 

Graham

[ryan22_lgm]

Just read through this whole thread, truly inspiring. Really makes me want to buy a shell for my 18th in a month's time and spend a year building it up!

I'm so tempted to save and go for a full build also but this looks like it's going to be really good, how much have you spent so far?

Thanks a lot mate ! It's comments like this that really make it all worth it and give motivation to get it done!

All in all I recon I have spent 2500 so far. Still need about 250 of panels to Finish the shell and doors. I think starting from a shell is the best way to do it as then you know it's going to be right in the end with no bodges!

[ryan22_lgm]

Hi Ryan,
 
great fit on that wing.  Very neat holes for plug welding too,  did u drill them or have u got a cheating tool lol.  coming on nicely.
 
 
Graham

Hi graham the holes were drilled with a corded drill with a nice block of wood under the metal edge. The secret is old spot weld drill bits. I use a spot weld bit that's gone to blunt to take out a weld but they are perfect for drilling plug weld holes at 8 mm. Hope that helps! :) cheers mate!

[ryan22_lgm]

I duno it sounds quite cool blue and purple.
 
But then seeing it I might think its vile.

Well it certainly gets more attention than when it was all burgundy ! I'm still making my mind up on it :)

[minbin 69]

nice to see more great work going on mate..and that gap looks pretty dam good form here

[ryan22_lgm]

nice to see more great work going on mate..and that gap looks pretty dam good form here

Cheers bud yeh the scuttle gaps spot on just need to sort the front panel to wing join out now ! That means rolling it on its side again :)

[minbin 69]

not jealous or anything but they're better than mine i'm sure you'll have no probs sorting that out mate..had to wedge some wood between the inner wings on mine to hold it open

[JMCD]

Just read through this whole thread, truly inspiring. Really makes me want to buy a shell for my 18th in a month's time and spend a year building it up!

I'm so tempted to save and go for a full build also but this looks like it's going to be really good, how much have you spent so far?

Thanks a lot mate ! It's comments like this that really make it all worth it and give motivation to get it done!

All in all I recon I have spent 2500 so far. Still need about 250 of panels to Finish the shell and doors. I think starting from a shell is the best way to do it as then you know it's going to be right in the end with no bodges!

That's true! I've given a welder a go on a couple of bike bits before and I don't think I'd be able to trust myself welding parts of a mini together then to drive it knowing I did the welding haha, I was really surprised how well you smoothed it off after seeing how nasty the welds looked. You made it look as if there's no weld as all which is pretty smart man.

Ah wow thought you would say 4000 or so but that's actually surprising, I'd love a mini van myself. Maybe even a mini pickup van, seen one or two online and they look pretty unique.

Do you think you could fit a bike in the back of the van? Just out of curiosity, I'm a massive biker and was planning on buying or building up a 998cc mini and putting bikes on the roof but if this van can get a bike or two in the back with the front wheel off that'd be enough to veer me towards one! I wonder if you can get a 998cc van, never seen any below 1300cc.

I'm doing a motor vehicle maintenance course at college if I get the spot, so should help assist me with a build if I decide to do one. How much vehicle knowledge do you need to build a mini up? I have basic knowledge of stuff and am handy with tools but I'm rubbish when it comes to stuff like what certain car parts are such as the a frame etc which I read a lot about in this thread but was clueless lol.

Sorry for hijacking a bit, just you seem like an excellent person to ask as you're doing an amazing job restoring this.

Will look so good in grey/beige or whatever colour it was with black trim! :)

Jake

[ryan22_lgm]

Just read through this whole thread, truly inspiring. Really makes me want to buy a shell for my 18th in a month's time and spend a year building it up!

I'm so tempted to save and go for a full build also but this looks like it's going to be really good, how much have you spent so far?

Thanks a lot mate ! It's comments like this that really make it all worth it and give motivation to get it done!

All in all I recon I have spent 2500 so far. Still need about 250 of panels to Finish the shell and doors. I think starting from a shell is the best way to do it as then you know it's going to be right in the end with no bodges!

That's true! I've given a welder a go on a couple of bike bits before and I don't think I'd be able to trust myself welding parts of a mini together then to drive it knowing I did the welding haha, I was really surprised how well you smoothed it off after seeing how nasty the welds looked. You made it look as if there's no weld as all which is pretty smart man.

Ah wow thought you would say 4000 or so but that's actually surprising, I'd love a mini van myself. Maybe even a mini pickup van, seen one or two online and they look pretty unique.

Do you think you could fit a bike in the back of the van? Just out of curiosity, I'm a massive biker and was planning on buying or building up a 998cc mini and putting bikes on the roof but if this van can get a bike or two in the back with the front wheel off that'd be enough to veer me towards one! I wonder if you can get a 998cc van, never seen any below 1300cc.

I'm doing a motor vehicle maintenance course at college if I get the spot, so should help assist me with a build if I decide to do one. How much vehicle knowledge do you need to build a mini up? I have basic knowledge of stuff and am handy with tools but I'm rubbish when it comes to stuff like what certain car parts are such as the a frame etc which I read a lot about in this thread but was clueless lol.

Sorry for hijacking a bit, just you seem like an excellent person to ask as you're doing an amazing job restoring this.

Will look so good in grey/beige or whatever colour it was with black trim! :)

Jake

I'm happy to help ! I did 3 years at college doing car bodywork and refinishing so that got me started but I have always took things apart and fixed them so I guess that's an advantage !
Vans only ever came as 850cc or 998 as standard. All the ones you see have different engines put in.
Any weld can be made to look good but it's the penetration that matters else welds can snap or crack in future. As I say I kind of just learned by myself each part of a mini if you need help the somorford mini panel section on their website has good exploded diagrams telling you what each panel is called.
I did my first mini restoration with my dad at 17 they are very basic and can be worked on easily by anyone with a basic mechanical knowledge I have even started my girlfriend off and now she knows more about minis and painting than most boy racers would know about their saxos. As for the bike question I would not know ! The front wheel would have to come off and even then I wouldn't do it for fear of scratching the paint!

[SAL 821X]

I used to be able to get my trials bike in the back of my 850 saloon with both wheels off so I would thought theres more than enough room in the vans.