62 replies to this topic

[MarkMcc]

Cheers Neil,

They are on my shopping list!

[mk3 Cooper S]

Have you seen this?

http://www.theminifo...-clubman-front/

[MarkMcc]

Saw that, but I'd already ordered mine up.
Bummer

[MarkMcc]

Here's the state of play at the moment:

Can't seem to get the wrinkles out of the top.





The radiator grille is bent out of shape and the thinner bits are buckled and rusty. They are threatening to break every tiime I bend them. Also the cowling is pretty rotten where the spot welds are:




Should I leave the outer wing in place to line up the new inner wing repair panel or would it get in the way?

The repair panel goes back to just behind the damper mounting, is this correct?

Edited by MarkMcc, 16 October 2012 - 10:01 AM.

[mk3 Cooper S]

If it is a nice car then I would suggest changing the inner wing.

[sonikk4]

I'm with mk3 Cooper S here, its not cheap but if you use your TMF+ discount with somebody like Minispares then its not quite as bad.

The only drawback here is you really need to get access under the scuttle so unless you want to chop a new inner wing about????

[MarkMcc]

As you might imagine, this being a mini, there are some other areas on the car that could do with some panel replacement/ rust removal.

I have always planned a proper restoration, but I don't have the time to get further into this at the moment. In a few years time when I have access to a bigger work area and my kids are a bit older it will happen.
The garage is being converted into a garden sometime in the spring and life would not be worth living if I delayed that because of the mini!

I'm sure that once I have removed the full inner wing I would find even further areas that require some sort of work, then end up replacing scuttles and all sorts!

Keeping all this in mind the options am presented with are:

• new inner wing repair panel plus a wee bit of fabricating
• more hammering and pulling on existing inner wing and more fabricating to achieve something that I can weld the front and wing panels to. Kurust the rest!

I need to decide soon.

Edited by MarkMcc, 17 October 2012 - 08:36 AM.

[minidaves]

why dont people listern, if you had left the old panels on you could have smashed them to hell and back to help straighten the panels you want to keep.

[MarkMcc]

Listened to you, tried it, couldn't get it to shift.

Since I pulled a few bent panels out of the way it has been much easier to get at and manipulate.

I'm not saying it isn't a good idea, just not right for me and the tools I've got.

I would still try it again, though.

Edited by MarkMcc, 17 October 2012 - 09:22 PM.

[skoughi]

I would say splash the cash and go for the new inner wing repair panel. You'll spend ages trying to fix that and it'll still be a damaged inner wing at the end of it. Get the new inner along with a new wing and front panel and line it all up then it'll just be the join between the new and old inner. It'll save your sanity and tons of hours work.

[MarkMcc]

I have come to the same conclusion, skoughi.

It's ordered and will hopefully get here soon!

[MarkMcc]

Got my inner panel repair and radiator cowl/shroud thing.

The cowl was perfect, but the inner wing anel had signs of rust and scuffs etc!
It was only very light surface rust so I just sanded it off and Kurusted it.

Plug welded together and primed the bits that I had sanded back.




These are my first attempt at plug welding and I'm not totally ashamed of them! (Maybe a little bit...).
I welcome any pointers that may improve my novice welding skills!





After I sprayed on the primer I noticed that the Kurust had left runs that had not wiped off. I'll have to sand these back before more primer.

I was thinking of applying seam sealer all round where the cowl meets the panel. Is this a good idea?

Edited by MarkMcc, 29 October 2012 - 02:57 PM.

[sonikk4]

Yes seam seal those areas. Nothing worse than seeing rust leeching through.And krust will leave runs if liberally applied so i would always recommend flatting back before primering.

[MarkMcc]

So it has been a wee while since I updated this thread.

Mostly because I haven't done anything.

 

However, I have done something now:

 

 

Ripped out the wing and inner panel.

Cut back the inner panel to roughly where the repair panel will be.

 

 

This is behind the strut mount. I sprayed the metal black to protect it overnight but on reflection I need to keep digging as it does seem a bit rust kissed.

[MarkMcc]

Stripped back underseal etc on back of wheel arch (flitch?) to reveal a fairly rust pocked panel.

And the door hinge panel is totally gubbed!

 

 

more:

 

 

I am fearing the worst here!