285 replies to this topic

[1984mini25]

 

 

Jay and I purchased a few bits but imo there were less traders than last year so we didn't get half of the bits we needed
And don't get me started on the que to get out the place !!

 
At least I'm not the only one that thought that with the traders, as the last time i'd been to Himley Hall was 7 years ago. And although I got some bits, I don't think it was really worth the 190 odd mile round trip.
I also wondered around looking for the tmf forum stand, but I think the heat mush have fried my brain, as I completely missed/walked past it.
 
Also apparently that que for getting out started at around noonish according to the rents that chose to stay close to the car in the car park, as it would have been £40 for the 4 of us just to get in. How it didn't kick off with some of the antics I don't know. Plus I can't see why they couldn't have opened the gates further down so there was two exits rather than the single, only wide enough for one car at a time exit/entrance to help ease things.

TMF stand was over by the lake right at the back ( I had to mooch around to find it )
Yes I agree leaving the event was a right mess I'm not sure what was going on !!
I saw some very stupid antics from a few individuals and it has made me consider if I'll go again
Think the BMC need to take some feed back and look at this for next year

I also see the win a mini had been replaced by win a grand ( I wonder how successful that was) not really bothered as I have no luck with raffle tickets

Mark

 

 

Well considering Himley is one of the big shows of the year, the distance (witch I used to do in the mini), the entry at £10 per person (a lot of non-mini shows are cheaper and offer discounts for multiple entry and have a more going on) the antics and that the car park/people were emptying out 2 hours after the show had opened, I won't be going again. The last one is also partly why I stopped going to the Malven shows twice a year. As with the nearly 2 hour drive to get there (if no hold ups) to arrive at a show and start to see people leaving in large numbers and packing up just doesn't seam worth it.

 

Although the one bonus with it being quieter was some of the auto jumblers were more friendly and willing to do deals, or that could be because they were so bored, like the ones with the beige mini shell and landy.

 

And I'm guessing the 'win a mini' was replaced as they probably wouldn't have sold enough tickets to cover the cost of the mini? although I used to hear rumours that its was always someone who had links or some connection with the BMC who always won the mini anyways.

[Davey3legs]

Hi Marco, just spent some time reading through your thread, i'd like to say thankyou for taking so many photo's, my new project needs mahoosive amounts of welding, and especially sills, floor and heel board/storage bin area, your photos have helped me figure out how it goes together and what i'm looking at. Good luck for completing it and sticking with it through all the unexpected tinworm finds.

[Marco1972]

Hi Marco, just spent some time reading through your thread, i'd like to say thankyou for taking so many photo's, my new project needs mahoosive amounts of welding, and especially sills, floor and heel board/storage bin area, your photos have helped me figure out how it goes together and what i'm looking at. Good luck for completing it and sticking with it through all the unexpected tinworm finds.

Cheers davey3Legs

And thanks for taking the time to read my thread
This forum has helped me no end as I'd never taken on work like this before
I found the photos that other forum members had posted really useful so I'm just returning the favour
Glad there of some use
Cheers Mark

Edited by Marco1972, 15 May 2016 - 04:11 PM.

[Marco1972]

Well it was back to it today 😃

Started off by filling a small gap that was above the scuttle closing panel looked like it had been left from when the car had its replacement front end
I remember digging out a blob of seam sealer when I removed the old closing panel bit of a bodge by the previous owner



Bit hard to see in this pic but you can just make out the repair
With that done it was finally A panel time
Trial fit







Not to bad so 6mm holes drilled ready for plug welding
I used my Frost Cold front to minimise any distortion



Welded in and dressed down



With that done bent the lip over using the mole grip and block of wood method





Popped the door back on to see how it looked



Not a bad gap but I'll make this tighter when I replace the door skin
The door was a poor fit when I got the car so I'll definatley make it better than before 😃

Mark

Edited by Marco1972, 15 May 2016 - 08:28 PM.

[Daz1968]

Looking very good

[minimissions]

Panel gaps look great nice one :)

[James_eaton_thewholething]

Door to A panel gap doesn't look to bad to be fair.
Good work

[Marco1972]

Looking very good

Panel gaps look great nice one :)

Door to A panel gap doesn't look to bad to be fair.
Good work

Thanks chaps

[Marco1972]

Update time

Had a day off work to get ahead as I want it finished and painted

Got it out of the garage and into the sun





Started by finishing off the repair to the wheel arch



Made up the repair piece and welded it in ( forgot to take a pic of it in place )



Next it was time to remove the other A panel
Started off by grinding the outer edge with a flap disc then cut down the flange by the wing



Broke the top and bottom weld and off it came



Now bear in mind this car was never on the road since the last owner had the front end replaced and painted you can see how much rust was behind the A Panel so glad I decided to chop it off



I'm going to be replacing the inner wing and part of the door post as you can see it was repaired badly in the past
Cleaned off the under seal to reveal the old repairs











They had welded the hinge plate to the inner wing !! 😳





Chopped out most of the rot





Test fitted the new A panel



Fits well at the top and bottom
I have this repair panel which I will be using its magnum but to be honest it's not to bad and will do the job nicely



I'll repair the door post and trim this to fit
Looking back I initially left this repair what was I thinking !!
Left it like this and moved on to the shock mount



Thankfully this side isn't as bad as the passenger side
Removed the inner wing skin

[Marco1972]

Continued

This exposed the reinforcement panel behind the plan is just to cut out the rot and weld in new metal
Gave it a splash of primer until next time







While I was doing this Jay was stripping down the front subframe lots of seized bolts



Think I'm going to need some new cones 😳



Mark

[Marco1972]

Can't believe it's been almost 2 months since I updated this 😳

Anyway managed to get a few hours on the car today
Trimmed the repair panel down to size followed by the usual plug weld holes finished with a coat of primer





Clamped it in with intergrips and tacked in





Looking much better 😃

Got a small break planned but when I'm back I'm going to get this finished
Just got to replace the A panel and finish a few bits 2 door skins and it's off to the body shop

Well that's the plan 😃

Mark

[Marco1972]

Back to it

On the home leg with this now I've got this week off so I'm making the most of the time

Thought it was about time to tackle one of the doors



Looks ok but looks can be deceiving



Started grinding the edge with a flapper disc as you can see it had had a splash of filler in the past

URL=http://s1355.photobu...xerk.jpeg.html][/URL]

Rust lurking in the bottom seam





Edges done cheeky little spot weld here



Off it came
As you can see pretty nasty



Bit of work to do on the edges but I've fixed worse



Then it was back to the shock mount and I decided to recycle the door skin 😃

URL=http://s1355.photobu...sqzn.jpeg.html][/URL]

Recycled repair





Welded in
And yes I replaced the piece behind too just can't find the pic 😃



Did this little repair in between



Also sorted this out
I knew rust was lurking





Was going to buy a new one but bugger it gave it a good clean up and popped it back on





Back on



Plenty of penetration



Sorted the overhang on the inner wing / door post panel



Marked off cut and re welded





With that done on went the A panel

URL=http://s1355.photobu...ahno.jpeg.html][/URL]

URL=http://s1355.photobu...izan.jpeg.html][/URL]



Bit more grinding to do but happy with it

Whipped out the headlining its in good nick but I have a new one

Up for grabs if anyone wants it

URL=http://s1355.photobu...fhmd.jpeg.html][/URL]

URL=http://s1355.photobu...zd3w.jpeg.html][/URL]

Quite like this pic



Time for a tidy up today crap everywhere 😃 It was driving me mad

URL=http://s1355.photobu...sudg.jpeg.html][/URL]





Stripped out the rest of the internal fixtures hand brake ect and boxed everything up much tidier now
Almost see the light at the end of the tunnel

Mark

[Marco1972]

Did a bit more today

Finished grinding the welds on the A Panel

URL=http://s1355.photobu...qyuf.jpeg.html][/U]

URL=http://s1355.photobu...dq6j.jpeg.html][/URL]

Had a hole in the rear bulkhead so cut out the rust and made a repair piece
Then ran out of gas 🙁 Bugger

URL=http://s1355.photobu...xumo.jpeg.html][/URL]

Need to get primer ' tiger seal and gas before I can go any further

Mark

Edited by Marco1972, 15 September 2016 - 05:03 PM.

[Marco1972]

Back to it

While I was waiting for consumables I started refurbing a few bits
Steering rack first
It was crusty with split boots but had no play







Wire wheeled it down several coats of zinc primer and satin black job done

Interesting thing was ( after reading a thread on here ) some folks were saying they were filled with oil well mine was grease as you can see when I was removing the original boots



Re greased it





Anyway the ( almost finished ) item



My lad got some of this deox stuff that you soak parts in to remove rust so I experimented with my manifold
Before and after shots









Picked up some sheet steel ( 0.9 ) for the door repairs



Usual areas needed sorting







Wire wheeled it







Fabricated a new bottom flange







Removed the old flange



Welded up





Dressed and primed





Bit more dressing up to do then I'll paint the inside of the door before the skin goes on

Mark

[Marco1972]

Bit more of an update

Had some rust under the rear window inside the boot from where the screen must have been leaking
Thought long and hard about removing the rear shelf but you can't get them for some reason so went a different route
Used deox gel applied it over 3 days wire brushing in between coats works best covered with cling film to stop it drying out





After the 3rd day cleaned it all off wire brushed again and then several coats of zinc primer and some top coat
Much better





Found this small hole in the top of the rear passenger wheel arch when I removed the under seal so opened it out with my burr and made a repair



Welded in and dressed up forgot to take a pic of the finished repair bloody horrible welding upside down thankfully that's one of the last repairs on the shell

I've just been going around finishing of the odds and sods that need doing welded up the old wheel arch holes and a couple of other bits
The end is in sight 😃

Back on the doors this weekend with any luck I'll get the skin on and start on the second door

Mark