25 replies to this topic

[edi57]

This evening I've cut out a previous poor repair/rusty area and now need to make up a repair panel.

I want to make sure the bends are an accurate match. Does anyone have any ideas how I can achieve this?

As a test I tried bending a piece of scrap over some square tube I have. It worked fairly well and is probably near enough accurate.

If anyone has any ideas of a more accurate way I'd welcome your suggestions!

[blue redtop]

have you got a vice handy?.could bend it in that and mallet it down with a rubber hammer. than a quick skim of filler to tidy it up.
or pop in to any welder place and they will bend it on there bender/roller. probably be free.
can you keep updating pics of the way you repair the bottom of your window as im going to be doing this to mine in a couple weeks.

its a very common place for rust and i think loads of people would like to see it repaired.
looking good.
cheers

Edited by blue redtop, 14 March 2008 - 11:25 PM.

[panelbeaterpeter]

You could always bend it so it's slightly more rounded off, then sharpen it off with filler. Not Ideal I know, but it would work.

[Shifty]

Hi do you have 2 pieces of angle iron?

On 1 piece of angle grind the sharp edge down until its the same radius as the one on the car, clamp piece of metal to be bent between the pieces of angle iron, a vice would be good.

Bend,shape hammer piece of metal around angle iron until happy!!

Job done

Seamus

[edi57]

I'll try and find a couple of bits of angle iron. Not sure that I have any though.

Otherwise it looks like the vice method for me.

[Geehawk]

Strikes me that almost every other day someone is scrapping a mini round here, and I bet they are not all rusty just there

Alternatively you obviously can weld so cut 3 strips and weld them at the correct angles, grind off the corners and you're done.

[mighty mini jack]

I did this on my mini, we just cut the peice of metal to the right size for th job then bent it round some box section and with some panel beating hammers tweaked iut when its tacked in.

[SMP]

Two questions.

Why do mini's rust there? Mine has rusted in exactly the same place - is there a metal clip under the trim or something that has scratched the paint? Not got round to looking at mine yet.

If you're doing a restoration I can understand cutting out the metal and welding in a patch. However if you want to keep your car on the road and tidy it up (like me!) does anybody ever have a go at rust treatment and body filler for small areas?

thanks
Steve

[blue redtop]

Two questions.

Why do mini's rust there? Mine has rusted in exactly the same place - is there a metal clip under the trim or something that has scratched the paint? Not got round to looking at mine yet.

If you're doing a restoration I can understand cutting out the metal and welding in a patch. However if you want to keep your car on the road and tidy it up (like me!) does anybody ever have a go at rust treatment and body filler for small areas?

thanks
Steve

there's only 1 way of getting rid of rust and thats cutting it out.

[edi57]

I've got quite close with making up a repair panel, but still not close enough and it's annoying me now!

Does anyone know if repair panels are available for this area?

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[_Ad_]

Mate that'll be perfectly sound once its welded, ground back and given a skim, you won't get much closer than that!!

[edi57]

Noo not close enough yet. I really need to straigten out the upper bend then rebend so that the "shoulder" area is smaller. All takes so long!

I suppose I should just get back down to the garage and get on with it really. A repair panel would be much easier tho!

[Shifty]

If you've got a lot to do, i recommend one of these:-

http://www.chesteruk...lti_formers.htm

I've got one and its very handy.

It will bend cut and roll sheet steel,saves loads of time and makes a top job of it as well

Seamus

[edi57]

Seamus, I really like the look of that and the price is good too.

Do you have the 12" version?


I made my way back to the garage and carried on for a while. Eventually I made something that was just about good enough.

Tacked it in, then carefully welded round the rest.

Now that I've had my lunch, I think I'll go and do a bit of grinding!


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[Shifty]

Hi, the repair looks good!!

I've got the 24" version of the folder, they sometimes appear on fleabay.

They really are a usefull bit of kit, also the guilotine saves an awful lot of tin snipping!!

Seamus