104 replies to this topic

[racingenglishcars]

OK, Saturday I picked up my daughter from a 5 month school in Holbæk and in the evening I got some wood, thick metal and a since I don't have a bottle jack I used a scissor jack and then made the necessary arrangements. Wood frame at the back of the door opening, wood bracing to the rear inner wheel well, metal piece welded to a patch on the floor, metal holder for the front door corner and wood shaped to the front corner. 

 

A few turns on the jack, a bit of creaking from the body and it was about half way there. A bit more violence, more turns on the jack and the door opening measures exactly what the other side measures. A test of the door and everything is fine. The windshield posts are also now exactly parallel as viewed from the side.

 

I was to a retirement party at the office Friday and a guy said he woud give me some wheels for a Mini. I was so happy with the door frame result that Sunday I went out and got the wheels and tires. He still wanted money for them, but they were cheap enough. They are Bridgestone tires on "GB" wheels (BWA Racing)

 

Peter has also found an Allegro 1275 A+ engine and gearbox for cheap. I am wondering about the wisdom of using this. Worse mileage and the cost of converting to disk brakes.

 

I currently have a 998 and a 1098 both of which need rebuilding, a 22G1832 box and several 12G295 heads, all of which are standard overall thickness and drum brakes.

 

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[racingenglishcars]

A trial fit of all panels in the affected area shows promising results.

Meanwhile I have put a couple support rods in Peter's car. This allows the car to be supported by the new floor so the entire back end can be changed.

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[racingenglishcars]

Last night, on Peter's car we got the boot floor out and test fitted the new. We haven't removed the back panel yet for confirmation of fitment and because we don't have the new panel yet.

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[Vinay-RS]

Glad that you were able to get the car straight enough to fit the new panels. Those wheels also look really good. Nice purchase :)

[racingenglishcars]

Well, I'm back from a trip to the united bluff for christmas and new years.

 

In my mother's shed, I found a 1098 engine 10AMW-TAH with a 22A1522 gearbox and a 1275 Sprite block 12CD DAH. the inline block would serve my Sprite well since I have a 12V engine now.  

 

Is this gearbox really the same as the Cooper S of the mid 60's as is listed on the minimania website? http://www.minimania...e/gearboxes.pdf

 

It would be a bit expensive to transport these things to Denmark, so I was wondering if it really is worth it. What are your opinions? Is the gearbox really something I should have, or should I stick with the rod-change? 

 

I also found, 2 Mini 1275 cranks, several sets of rods and pistons at a friend's garage, and a Sprite 10CC DAH short block complete, but I have one of these already I'm not using.

[racingenglishcars]

Peter seems to be in Cyprus for a few days so I worked on his car instead. I began by trimming the back fenders to the point where the new ones can be fitted properly.

The post man brought a new back panel Tuesday so I started pulling off the existing back panel. I still have to do the spot welds at the top of the window and the boot lid latch mount, but so far all seems well and good.

 

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[racingenglishcars]

Well, I got the back off and cleaned up the former spot welds.

Then I had a chance to secure the inner A panel on my own car. I will again test fit of the door this evening.

 

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[FlyingScot]

Nice work there

FS

[racingenglishcars]

Thanks "Scottie"

 

With the little time I had this weekend, I managed to tack-weld on the left A reinforcement panel - wrongly. Then I removed it. The door opening was still not completely correct so I added just a couple mil in height. I mounted the door, and tacked the panel on again. It worked much better the second time around. Door is solidly mounted and, opens and closes correctly and the gap seems good. Maybe a bit more adjustment before welding the whole thing solid. Next, the scuttle panel, I hope.

 

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[racingenglishcars]

OK, Peter came by last night with his friends/helpers and used most of the time cleaning the rear side window frames. The flanges were cleaned up where the old rear panel was attached and the typical rust at the back lower corner was welded up. The rear panel now fits very well, just awaiting fitment of all relevant pieces before spot welding in place. 

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[racingenglishcars]

The weekend was filled with test fitting the outer panels on Peter's mini and welding the A-panel solid on my Mini and rust protecting it. 

 

I also had colleagues visit from India so I took them out to a friend's house where I have been working on a 51 Jeep for the past 12 years. We got it started for the first time since the engine rebuild test-start about 10 years ago. 

 

Unfortunately not enough work on the Minis but that will change Tuesday when we start fitting all the exterior panels and adjusting the floor panels to prepare for welding them in place.

[megamini_jb]

Any more photos of the Frogeye Sprite?

Edited by megamini_jb, 23 January 2017 - 02:41 PM.

[racingenglishcars]

There are lots of updated pictures of the Frogeye on my signature link.

The clutch broke so I pulled the engine and got a flywheel from apparently a "Ford Kent 996cc van only, pre recall," which fits the Marina crankshaft and standard 1275 Midget clutch. This is fitted but the garage is too full of Minis to put the engine back in.

 

Peter's Mini got a lot of work fitting panels last night. It's a major job making everything fit as it should. Unfortunately more rust repair on the rear side window flanges meant we couldn't leave all the panels attached for a photo. I will say, this is a lot of work fitting all these panels. The boot and main floors are now straight and level where they should be, though no welding yet. Wing panels are set straight, as is the back panel. The rear inner wings are not set in and apparently must be before the outer wings are set on. We also started to remove the front windscreen surround.

 

I have access to a proper spot welder at the local University garage which I will retrieve next week. 

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[racingenglishcars]

This weekend was more preparation of the rear wing fitting points including the side window surrounds and the front edge by the door.

 

I also fitted the seats and doors to the 51 Willys. It will soon be ready for inspection and then number plates.

 

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[racingenglishcars]

We have now removed the rear floor panel, wings and inner wings for final detailed finishing. Both wing front edges were trimmed to fit the original edge and top edge trimmed to the window flange. The rear flanges clipped to the new rear panel, inner wings clipped to the boot floor and floor clipped to the back panel and main floor so that everything fit properly. The outer wings were then tack welded to their trimmed edges. 

 

The front windscreen surround has been drilled for all the spot welds, but is still holding until the rear of the vehicle is tacked all the way around. The right side rain gutter flange was quite rusted and therefore removed pending fabrication of a new.

 

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