209 replies to this topic

[stickycreambun]

nice work. mad fool!

[Shifty]

Very nice work How do you align the doors? I have just put mine back on and they hit the latch and don't close unless I slam it.

Is the gap even(ish) around the door?

If it isn't then the hinges will need shimming, the shims are flat rectangular pieces with 2 holes that go between the door hinge and the pillar.

Where there any shims on the doors when you removed them? You should put them back on in the order they came off

You can usually buy the shims off fleabay or make them!!

If the gaps are even and then you may have to adjust the latch plate on the door pillar(3 phillips headed screws), an impact driver is the best tool for this..

Hope this helps

Seamus

[Adcuz]

Ecellent, that makes sense now. Thanks!

[Shifty]

Hi, well I've actually been in the garage working today!!

Moved Spudnik over so I could start work on the other(equally rusty) side!!

First off I removed the front wings and a panels

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This revealed a huge pile of rust!!

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It looks far worse in the flesh, the inner wing is totally shot as is the scuttle corner, all these will require repair replacement.

To do the repairs I needed to remove the door, the bolts were, as usual, totally rusted, but I have a secret weapon!!!

I have a set of sockets that wil remover even the most chewed up and rusty nut, ideal for door removal/subframes etc.

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If you look at the sockets you will see that they have teeth which grip the nut, simply hammer the socket onto the nut

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The nut can them be removed as per usual

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This allowed me to get on with the rather satisfying task of removing the rusty passengers floor!!!!

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I did manage to do some welding to the heelboard

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Hopefully tommorrrow I will get on and do some welding.

The end is getting closer!!

[clubby]

shiftyseamus, im pretty sure your mini will looks GREAT !~ CONGRATs to you mate... all the best next step k

[Shifty]

Hi, I've been a busy bee this weekend!!

I have finished cutting out the passengers floor.

This was considerably more rotten than the drivers side, I have had to remove quite a bit of the toe board/subframe mounts



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Once this was done I trial fitted the new floor - Disaster!! It didn't fit!!

The shaped sections on the rear of the floor didn't match the shape of the heelboard, I won't be able to return the panel as I got it ages ago, DOH!!

I can make it fit with some reshaping and welding but it still peed me off, so I decided to leave it and had a look at the flitch/scuttle.

BIG MISTAKE!!!

Oh boy is it rotten!!

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It was made mostly of filler and underseal, totally lethal.

I fabricated some new plates and cleaned back to the best metal I could find, this was then treated with weldthru primer prior to welding.

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Once I had done this I then welded in the replacement flitch panel.

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This is only tacked in at the mo as I now need to see if the door still lines up.

If all is well then I can repair the scuttle and get on with the floor, thats a job for next weekend.

I have also bought a good rear subframe, a 2nd hand bonnet, a new front panel, passengers door skin and a pair of wings for him as well, so I now have most of the panels needed ro finish the shell.

Seamus

[GreaseMonkey]

Looks good so far ! now stop cutting metal out before you have nothing left

[Shifty]

Thanks, Spudnik is back in the garage now so I will be starting work on him again very soon.

Got sidetracked with Humphrey!!

Must get my arse in gear

[bloomers]

This is sooooooo rude!

[Shifty]

It will be nice when its actually finished!!

I hope!!

I may even try and get the passengers floor in this weekend!!

[tedmcedd]

looking good!

its easy when you have the skills! i would be better off learning how to weld, then i can repair my front....

[Shifty]

Ok then, I've actually fitted the passengers side floor.

For some reason the profile didn't fit the heelboard so I had to "reshape" it at little, fits now!!

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I then fitted the door steps and aligned everything

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However the floor was that rusty there were still a few gap that I had to fill.

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Ran out of sheet steel and had to bent over by B & Q £13 for a sheet!!!

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Finally seam welded the inner flitch.


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I think i'm about half way through now!!!!

I am happy with progress and its starting to take shape.

I am really tempted to drop the subframe so I can tidy up the toeboard and properly paint the engine/frame etc.

I 've got a week off soon so we will see.

[clubby]

hye mate... need working hard.. good luck mate

[Jammy]

Hey, congratulations on all this work dude. Looks pretty faptastic!

But then I also secretly despise anyone who makes this bodywork malarkey look so easy!

[Shifty]

Thanks for the comments.

I hope I didn't make it look too easy, I have spent Hours and Hours just to get it this far!!

Its just a never ending battle against tin worm, however I am winning now!!

Shifty