6 replies to this topic

[Will47]

Hi All,

 

I am completely new to minis and to the forum.

I bought a 1991 Mini Mayfair 998 automatic with 53,000 miles on the clock in March Mot'd until June and had over £1000 spent on engine and tuning upgrades, bad bits are the usual rotten front floors, offside a panel, front panel and nearside wing. Welding is something I always wanted to learn so I bought a MIG welder and got practicing,

 

I have spent a few days doing the passenger floorpan and repairing the inner wheel arch and I am in the process of putting a new A panel on, all fairly straight forward work for a beginner! I then moved over to the drivers side and uh ohhhh... OVERSILL... did not know what one of these was until I looked on here. Damage looks like new inner and outer sill required plus front and rear floor up to about the first groove, also needs new door shut panel and the back of the inner wheel arch all the way up to the scuttle corner (which is in surprisingly good condition).

 

So as you can imagine I am pretty gutted to have found all this and I am wondering if I can tackle all this work as a newbie, how hard is it and should I carry on? I currently have the front end off the mini and all the parts to go back on, I am just not confident that I can successfully transplant a whole sill!

 

Any advice/motivation would be welcomed

 

I tried to post pictures but they are all too big, is there anyway to get round this?

 

Many Thanks in advance

 

Will

[Mini_Ky]

For your picture dilemma you can either use a quick google search for an online picture resizer (free of course) where you just upload a picture and resize it so it's small enough to fit the upload requirement or the much easier alternative of using http://imgur.com/ uploading your picture and simply copy and pasting the BBCode (forums) into your post.

Beginner or not, anyone can successfully get things done if they put their mind to it! Frustrating it may be, but also a lot of fun and hey at the end of the day even if it's not a prize winning job it's your own work and something to add to the CV! So long as you don't end up looking like the flintstones pedalling your car haha!
Throw up some pictures and we'll see how easy this'll be ;)

(Also to hell with bloody oversills)

 

Edited by Mini_Ky, 01 May 2016 - 04:10 PM.

[New game mini]

Hey Will, welcome along! I have a 998 auto too..also with dreaded oversills . It's awesome that you're wanting to get it back up to scratch and do it all yourself. I'm know I'm going to have to sort mine eventually (though I'll probably just wait until I drop out through the floor on the M1) and I'll definitely be trying to do most of it myself with help from mates. It's not a race and if you get stuck there's plenty of people out there to put it right. Go for it!

[Will47]

Thanks for the positive replies so far! Good to hear that someone else has an auto Mini Mad! Does it do the weird flare thing between 3rd and 4th?

 

Anyway here is an attempt at some pictures.. I couldn't get the embedded in the post so have linked to imgur... think they are pretty self explanatory.

 

http://imgur.com/a/hw3da

[New game mini]

That should keep you busy for a while! Worth it in the end though! My auto box does flare a little between 3-4th glad to hear it's not just mine . MRA minis on here recommended using 10w40 ma2 motorbike oil in mine rather than the 20w50 that most manuals use. Best advice ever.

[Mini_Ky]

Judging by the work you've already done on the passenger side I'd say your way more than capable of doing the drivers side, that's tidy work! A little video I found on youtube of a guy doing very similar work if you fancy taking a look:


A good example to show regardless of how your welding skills fair it can always be tidied up with a little grinding. Just don't go plasma cutter mode haha ;) 

Oh and the City-E I drive used to be a 998 auto too! Missed changing gears too much and ended up converting it to a 1275 manual.

Edited by Mini_Ky, 01 May 2016 - 05:24 PM.

[Will47]

Yes I certainly have a little bit of work too keep me busy!!! Yes I have read a few differing opinions on oil in the auotmatic but 10w40 motorbike seems to be the favourite, is that what you use then?

 

Mini_Ky thanks for the compliments on the work, I have only been welding for about 3 weeks, hence why I am nervous about doing sills etc! Anyway, I think I am going to order the parts and get on with it! The sooner it is done the sooner I can drive it! Thanks for the video as well, that will come in useful.

Edited by Will47, 01 May 2016 - 06:12 PM.