7 replies to this topic

[Pooky]

Some of you might remember that I was planning to fit a fibreglass flipfront to my mini and change the scuttle at the same time. I've started but kind of ground to a halt now that I've seen the state of the seam where the top dash rail, the bulkhead and the scuttle panel meet under the windscreen seal. I've got rid of the scuttle and wanted to possibly change the top dash rail but I think that if I try to remove it I'll destroy the area where it and the scuttle weld, leaving nothing to weld them to.

I don't know whether to just piece out the bad points in the top dash rail and treat the rust before plug welding the scuttle on.

Or whether to cut the whole lot out and attempt to replace the top 2/3cm or so of the metre wide bulkhead that I'd lose with a piece from a replair panel. I've got a joggler so I could flange the panels together.

Oh I don't know!

These pictures make it look worse, I think...


Corner of scuttle, this is one of the area's I'd like to replace the dash rail.


Extent of the rusty seam.


Top dash rail, this 12cm section of the top dash is also pretty bad.

What would you do?

Edited by Pooky, 07 November 2007 - 09:20 PM.

[Bungle]

this has come up in one of the mini mags this month as a how to guide

[Pie]

Welcome back to TMF stranger lol

Cut it out and replace with fresh metal. Should be fine. Failing that, locate another mini thats ready for stripping.

[Pooky]

Cut it out and replace with fresh metal.

Yeah I wish it was that easy! lol everywhere around this area is real intricate shapes with bends and folds that I don't think I could recreate myself. And piecing in a full width section of the bulkhead seems farfetched too.

Bungle: I've got that mini mag but it doesn't say what you should do if the bulkhead crumbles as you remove the other two panels.

Hmmm...

[Bungle]

Bungle: I've got that mini mag but it doesn't say what you should do if the bulkhead crumbles as you remove the other two panels.

fit a air box for a big webber carb

[Pooky]

Sorry Bungle, my mistake! They do explain how to get the dash rail off in that article, so that's what I've done!

I've repaired the bulkhead lip and ready to plug weld the new dash rail in. Then the scuttle will go on. Sorry to sound sad but I got a real sense of achievement doing this!

Another question tho, obviously I'm going to have to leave some bare metal between the lips to weld to but what's the best way to seal this area to stop it rusting again? Seam sealer on top, from under the scuttle and from under the dash? Silicone under the windscreen seal?

[duncancallum]

i would use weld thru primer on the weldy bits, run a bead os seam sealer across the the seam . and then paint it up as normal and when you fit the rubber use a sealent

[Mini25racer]

i had the same problem all i did on the inside of the scuttle an main body was get abit of under body tar an spray it in there.. that what i did on my other car an that was 5 years ago an still looks like the day i done it ...