18 replies to this topic

[johnR]

Forget Google glasses,someone needs to invent some that can see through paint and filler! - great job, probably a good idea to do it in small chunks - keeps it manageable.

How is the colour match with the rattle cans - metallics can be a big problem?

John

[Sabre75]

Good to see it passed it's MOT after all and that the boot floor open bits were ok.

 

bet you must be pleased.

 

Ben

 

Thanks Ben - Yes it's good to have him road legal again (my girlfriend's car, hence 'him'); there are still some bits & pieces to do, mainly the front adjusta-ride setup, but at least he's a running project again now 

And yes, I'm glad the garage agreed on the boot floor bits! I guess this coming week's dodgy weather will show whether any more water gets in too! 

 

Forget Google glasses,someone needs to invent some that can see through paint and filler! - great job, probably a good idea to do it in small chunks - keeps it manageable.

How is the colour match with the rattle cans - metallics can be a big problem?

John

 

John if you can invent those I think you'll be set for life! This being the first mini I've worked on though I didn't know the trouble spots; when I get around to doing *my* mini though...   (after all the other projects and once I've bought it of course!).

Colour-match wise I was amazed to be honest. I used off the shelf Halfords paint; grey primer, Kingfisher blue and clear lacquer topcoat, and even knowing where the colour blend is I can't really pick out the join; I'll try to get some pictures tomorrow.

I don't know the car's history before we bought it about a year ago, but it's had a blow-over respray in the not too distant past, which probably helped with the colour match though

 

 

More progress as it happens folks; I'll keep you posted.

Tom 

[Sabre75]

Morning folks - just a quick update (it being 2:30am!) - Hamish has been running around for the past 2 weeks; Aimee's pretty chuffed to have him back on the road again. Wheel balance made running a bit smoother and the only problem has been a puncture.
So this weekend I decided to sort out the small rust-hole in the driver's-side inner arch ... and ended up cutting out yet more bodywork! The tin-worm's cut out now and the repair panels are made up though; I'll weld them in tomorrow night and hopefully get some pictures posted.

[Sabre75]

Evening folks; it's been a while since I last posted an update, mainly as I've been under a car all the time! Anyway here's the progress with Hamish of late.

 

So I found a small hole in the driver's side wheelarch and thought I'd cut out the rust and just weld in a patch. Doesn't this sound familiar? Why didn't I know better?! 

So here's the rust cut out of the wheelarch ...

ds-front-wheelarch_rust-removed by Sabre75, on Flickr

... along with the bottom 4 inches of the A-panel in front of the door!   - it turned out someone had had a go at repairing this area before, and the only way I was going to trust it was by by replacing the rust & filler with metal.

 

So as before I made up the repair panels ...

ds-wheelarch_repair-panels by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

... fitted them into place ...

ds-front-wing_panel-clamped by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

... and welded them in.

ds-front-wheelarch_inside-welded by Sabre75, on Flickr

ds-front-wing_panel-welded-and-ground by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

I put a coat of Rednox over the repairs ...

ds-front-wheelarch_inside-rednoxed by Sabre75, on Flickr

ds-front-wing-repair_rednoxed by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

... and then skimmed the panel with filler to level it.

ds-front-wing-repair_sanded by Sabre75, on Flickr

I thought the line wasn't too bad.

ds-wing-repair_sanded-and-aligned by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

I also seam-welded inside the door shut ...

ds-door-shut_seam-weld-and-rednox by Sabre75, on Flickr

... and then seam sealed the join.

ds-door-shut_seam-sealed by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

Next was a coat of high-build primer ...

ds-front-wing-repair_high-build-primed by Sabre75, on Flickr

... followed by grey ...

ds-front-wing-repair_grey-primed by Sabre75, on Flickr

... and then top coat and lacquer.

ds-front-wing-repair_paint-and-lacquer by Sabre75, on Flickr

(apologies for the dodgy photo, it was a bit dark by this point!)

 

And here's a shot of the work in progress ... along with a few other projects! 

mini-in-yard by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

 

I also sorted a few other bits & pieces while I was waiting for coats of paint & filler to dry.

 

A while back I'd started making a boot liner to give a rigid floor over the spare wheel & battery, so I finished that off:

boot_floored-and-carpeted by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

I also painted the rear speaker grilles to match the bodywork:

rear-speakers_painted-covers by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

And we fitted the new rear screen seal and trim:

new-rear-windscreen-seal by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

 

So after all that (and not much sleep on Saturday night!) Hamish was ready for the Cooper Day at Beaulieu.

hamish-after-beaulieu by Sabre75, on Flickr

hamish-after-beaulieu_back by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

Along with acquiring some comedy sun-tans we picked up various bits & pieces, including a set of opening rear quarter-lights; well, I like to keep busy!

opening-rear-quarterlight-and-seal by Sabre75, on Flickr

 

That's it for now folks; front suspension to sort next - watch this space! 

Tom