691 replies to this topic

[bangermadness08]

I'm doing the same tasks as you have done although I've self taught myself my build is going well. OK so my welds may not look the best best I'm sure once I've seam sealer and zinc sprayed they should be OK but following you're build really has help and with my car being of same age as well it's easier to relate to. You've given me so much more to think about with my build like making the little plates for the holes where the grommets would go keep going as I keep looking forward to seeing more of you're work

[alchall]

I'm doing the same tasks as you have done although I've self taught myself my build is going well. OK so my welds may not look the best best I'm sure once I've seam sealer and zinc sprayed they should be OK but following you're build really has help and with my car being of same age as well it's easier to relate to. You've given me so much more to think about with my build like making the little plates for the holes where the grommets would go keep going as I keep looking forward to seeing more of you're work

 

Thanks!

 

One of the reasons I decided to start this thread was that I'd got so much help information and inspiration from the other threads that it just seemed only right that I do the same in the hope that one way or another it might help others so it's really good to hear that it's helping you.

 

Welding was completely new to me when I started this but after some practice I've got a little better as I've gone along.

 

Do you have a project thread yourself?

[bangermadness08]

Yeah thanks for you're thread I'm slowly getting through it hope u don't mind but I've pretty much copied every pic uve got and printed them and made myself a kinda of a picture Haynes lol I've not got a build don't think I could handle people telling me I've done things wrong or royally cocked everything up lol.

[alchall]

Yeah thanks for you're thread I'm slowly getting through it hope u don't mind but I've pretty much copied every pic uve got and printed them and made myself a kinda of a picture Haynes lol I've not got a build don't think I could handle people telling me I've done things wrong or royally cocked everything up lol.

 

So if I've gone completely wrong you'll be following me   I've found people to be very helpful and friendly on here so I wouldn't worry about people telling you you've gone wrong, any criticism I've got has been constructive and helpful.

[alchall]

This weekend I've completed my work on the toe board, I made and fitted some strengthening plates for solid mounting the subframe and welded in the bolts for the fuel line shield.

 

I've seen various different means of strengthening for solid mounting the subframe (including some people saying there's no need if the floor is solid, but I decided better safe than sorry), anyway some people have fitted plates inside and others on the outside. It seemed to me to make sense for the plates to be on the outside and wrapped round under the floor since the original solid mounted subframes mounted to toe board and the floor.

 

I used 2mm steel and cut two squares 15cm x 15cm, bent over 3cm to the same angle as the toe board, cut an angle out to fit the profile of the entry to the tunnel; I did one side and used it as a template for the other so each plate is identical.

 

I had to cut another angle for one side so that it doesn't foul the fuel line shield but otherwise they're both identical, although mirror images of course.

 

I then got my helper to hold them in place while I marked up for the holes then drilled the holes using a step drill, to finish it off I rounded all the corners with a flap disc and the power file.

 

And the end result....

 

 

Very pleased with this, they look very neat!

 

So I zinc primed them then gave the inside of them and the toe board area where they meet a coat of primer and two coats of top coat for some protection.

 

 

 

Drilled numerous holes for plug welds and wire brushed the paint off to get a clean weld....

 

 

Bolted to the toe board plus some skin pins where they didn't quite pull perfectly tight up to the toe board, gaps were very slight but if I've learned one thing about plug welds is the tighter the panels the better the weld! also wire brushed the zinc from around the holes on the outside too.

 

 

Welded....

 

 

Even after I ground them down these welds needed no fixing up makes a difference welding thicker steel!

 

I then offered up the fuel line shield and marked holes for fitting the bolts to hold it in place, new zinc plated coach bolts pushed through the holes and held tight in place with nuts temporarily....

 

 

 

Welded around and on top of the coach bolts then ground down using flap disc and finished off with the power file so they are reasonably tidy and rounded off so as not to foul the carpet...

 

 

All then cleaned up and given a good dose of Electrox....

 

 

 

 

Pretty pleased with how this has all turned out, looks very neat and hopefully will do the job.

Edited by alchall, 29 August 2017 - 05:55 PM.

[ger]

Nice Job.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

I like them strengthening plates. Such a good idea. I made a huge plate on the inside wish I had done something like this as well.

[lawrence]

Just read the whole topic. Great build so far and will be nice to get some colour on the shell now too :)
Suprises you didn't get those strengthening brackets to line up with the rack mount tho!
What you thinking to hold the brake lines on? P clips?
Lawrence

[alchall]

I like them strengthening plates. Such a good idea. I made a huge plate on the inside wish I had done something like this as well.

can't take responsibility for the idea, just my take on it :)

[alchall]

Just read the whole topic. Great build so far and will be nice to get some colour on the shell now too :)
Suprises you didn't get those strengthening brackets to line up with the rack mount tho!
What you thinking to hold the brake lines on? P clips?
Lawrence

 

Interestingly the rack mount isn't a perfectly straight line so would have been difficult to line up perfectly and yes, I'm thinking P clips for the brake lines and taking the tabs off, I would expect this to be tidier and less prone to rust.

[lawrence]

I was just curious about the strengthening. It may be something I copy of I ever remove my subframe.
Strange the mount wasn't fitted straight but I suppose there are large factory tolerances on all minis!

You could also potentially run them inside as its all apart? Then they will be even more protected from both corrosion and collision damage

[alchall]

I was just curious about the strengthening. It may be something I copy of I ever remove my subframe.
Strange the mount wasn't fitted straight but I suppose there are large factory tolerances on all minis!

You could also potentially run them inside as its all apart? Then they will be even more protected from both corrosion and collision damage

I thought about doing inside and out too but have decided to stick to just out. The mount by the way just has a strange curvature to the bottom of it rather than not being straight, not sure why, assume it's normal and within tolerance as you say.

[alchall]

Small update this week, started on the doors....

 

 

And they ended up like this....

 

 

As has been the case throughout where there have been previous repairs the worse the condition, one door clearly had had a new skin and some patching to the bottom of the frame and this was worse than the door that had not.

 

Also surprisingly the top corners were not in good condition....

 

 

 

Although the slit was my fault!

 

The bottoms were not nearly as bad as I thought, this one (the unmolested one) probably will just need a bit of patching.

 

 

But the other may well need a new bottom section.

 

 

I think I'm going to get the frames blasted (also the boot when I've peeled it) and decide on how extensive the repairs need to be from there before starting the job of skinning.

Edited by alchall, 29 August 2017 - 05:57 PM.

[minimissions]

Those doors dont look to bad seen worse :) hope you get em done soon.

[James_eaton_thewholething]

My second hand doors were in worse condition than those. At least they are easy to repair