44 replies to this topic

[ed4ran]

Just got me flip front today and work has already begun!

Off with the wings! (took 15mins!! abouts)
Off with the front!

and on inspection of the scuttle panel corners i find a bit of RUST!!! :gasp:
and on the drivers side there is holes and a big dent and LOTS of filler!!

has anyone welded in these corners?
if so do you have any tips? (it is pretty cramped)

and do you think it would be easier to mend the scuttle or get a repair panel??

(will get some photos in a min or 2)

[ed4ran]

DRIVERS SIDE

[ed4ran]

Passenger side

[Al*]

well they are repairable if you are into cutting out the rotten section and making new pieces from sheet metal.... but would be alot easier, faster, and neater just to get new scuttle end repair panels. If you have any questions ask as I've done alot of metal work on the mini.

Al

[Jammy]

Well if anything you've just found two pennies out of it!!

[Jordie]

For the scuttle corners you can get panels like these which u weld in when the old rusty metal has been cut on. This is for underside only, not the top (visible area).



Are you keeping the inner wings for you flipfront? or cutting them back to shocker mounts?(see pic below)

You do know that the car MUST have,
SOLID Subframe mounts (floor n towers)
Brace Bars (bolt to front of subframe and inner wing)



Good luck with it!

[ed4ran]

Yeah im removing inner wings,
Subframe doesnt look too bad (just surface rust)
but i was thinking of replacing it eventually (MINImum just mounts).
and i have brace bars.

How long did it take for you to do yours Jordie?
or is it still a work in progress?

Did you remove all the lips or leave them?

[Jordie]

Well you have to change the mounts for subframe to solid ones to PASS an MOT.

It took me afew days to strip the front, cut panels, and brace it up. I got a mechanic to do the subframe mounts as the towers require the subframe to be lowered from car a couple of inch.

Its still a work in progress at the moment. It goes for alot of rear end welding and new 'a' panels on thursday. Then its a respray and back on road.

I cut the lips from where the bonnet/wing/inner wing meet and also you need to cut/grind the lip along the scuttle edge too (i havent done this yet as you can tell in picture).

I recormend you paint or primer all bare metal edges so the rust doesnt take to it while its stood.

I dont get much time to work on it these days, but also during the flipfront progress i changed front and rear brake setups, engine parts etc so couldnt put a time scale on it.

I would say you would be best off adding a small rod behind the 'A' panel either side to keep it sturdy as you loose some sturdyness by removing wings and front.

I plan to weld a metal plate behind the A panel so i can put the front on and stick a locking pin thru either side next to the A panels.

I would also recormend using some rubber strips on the edges of inner wings and scuttle to stop vibrations cracking / vibrating the front and also covering any sharp edges.

[ed4ran]

Been playing with it abit, and its fitting better,
but still alot to do.
Just wanted to know where on the inner wings your (Jordie or anyone else with a flip front) brace bars go because mine seem to rest/touch the shock mounts!?!?! :sad:
Can you post a piccy of yours?

[Jordie]

Mine are pretty close as you can see.

[ed4ran]

When you bolted them on was there a gap (to the inner wing) or did they fit right?

[Jordie]

slight gap. the bolts pulled em in.

[ed4ran]

Got repair panels on order for the rusty corner!
Scuttle and under scuttle!

From this guy

[Jordie]

nice

Cant wait to get my car back, nerly finished now.

[ed4ran]

Guess i need to order some solid mounts for the subframe?!?!

Wheres the best place to get these, and which ones are needed?
the towers?
and underneath?
(thats all there is right?)