114 replies to this topic

[guywithvan]

re-drill the hole!

thats's a damn good idea,thankyou i will look into it

[camp freddy]

re-drill the hole!

thats's a damn good idea,thankyou i will look into it

that's what i did on Ratty, still strong enough, and I don't drive him gently!!
(ask 1275sprite)

[guywithvan]

well now my mini is in a garage at long last i've started to drag myself out there for at least a hour after work,got a site light set up so i can see what im doing but planning on running some power out to it when the house get's re-wired .

progress is slow but i've started stripping all the paint on the baulkhead and inner wings ready for fresh paint and stonechip,got a cheap mask for my welder so i can patch my one hole on the drivers side flitch panel and im going to weld up the fresh air vent's and lhd wiper holes,all being well i should get this done at the weekend.

im also thinking of chopping out the rear bins and seat base too if i get time in preperation for a 6 point cage,im unsure yet too on how im going to secure my bucket seats as i want them fixed behind the crossmember being that im 6ft 1 i could do with the extra leg room.

progress pic's to come at the weekend after some work is actually done

[guywithvan]

i have now aquired a safety devices 6 point roll cage im thinking of getting some additional bracing added like a harness and door/dash bars,but going to pre fit the cage first and check the positioning of my bucket seat's.

so far FRK's spec

-7x13 utralites with yoko a539
-drilled & grooved disc's EBC green stuff pads
-new back plate assemblys & mini fins
-g-max dampers and hi-lo kit
-braided hoses
-new cones/top arms/radius arms
-new rear subframe/front subframe powdercoated blue
-miglia arches
-f/g front end with 's' type bonnet


the 'wish' list

-carbon front end (sell the f/g)
-carbon roof
-carbon door skins (TDK )
-carbon bootlid


things to do

-TIDY THE GARAGE!
-remove all glass
-remove doors and boot lid
-cut out rear bins and seat base need to tidy up the edge's
-strip interior paint and etch prime

roll shell on it's side

-remove brake and fuel lines
-strip all underseal and paint to boot floor and floor pan
-etch prime underside
-strip and etch inside boot

put shell upright

-trial fit cage and mark fitting holes
-test location of seats/fabricate mounting


that should keep me busy for the next few weeks untill i can order some new panels/sheet steel

panels needed

- drivers a panel
-both outer cills
-rear valence (contemplating a carbon one)
-closing panel ^ for drivers side

large sheet of steel to do the following

-patch on drivers flitch
-patch on passenger door step
-brackets for removable front (bonnet pins & fixing point on a panels)
-tubb rear arches
-repair dent in boot floor and rust in rear corner

All being well i should be ordering panels next week

Edited by guywithvan, 22 November 2009 - 08:05 PM.

[guywithvan]

managed to get a few bits done today makes a change to the usual nothing!im afraid no picture's i have borrowed a digital camera but it wont let me upload onto my laptop

so far

-removed doors and boot lid
-removed all glass (no breakages!!)
-removed steering column
-cut back seat base and bins,still need to tidy up the edges and im going to fold a lip on the seat base

during the week i managed to strip the baulkhead and give it a coat of etch primer,im thinking next is the scuttle and around the windscreen.after that i'll move on to the inner wings and then the interior.

had a poke around the scuttle closers which are solid and original but it looks as though a little rust may lurk within so contemplating replacing them to be sure.

also as i now have a cage im definatly going with the carbon roof,so thinking of using the old for patches and to tub my arches no harm in recycling i guess

[guywithvan]

well small update,picture's WILL be coming at the weekend

shell stands in my garage like this now

-completly stripped out
-a panels removed
-rear bins and seat base cut back
-baulkhead stripped and etch primed

i know i need more practise and fine tuning of my welder but i managed to get the following done

-lhd wiper holes plated
-fresh air vents plated
-brackets for bonnet pins

welding is like pidgeon poo but im going to clean it up with the grinder and get some more practise on the welder did'nt help running out of gas and poor wire feed ,least it's nothing structual and gives me something to do

i've started stripping all paint on the interior and could'nt resist a trial fit of the safety devices 6 point cage,got dented front footwell's which are not helping alignment and the rear mountings seem a little close together and will need 'spreading' slightly to fit the arches.

im planning get the cage fitting right,then mock up my bucket seats and harness mounting points get everything that needs drilling/welding done then etch prime interior,im looking by next weekend to have the car rolled on it's side and start prepping the underside.


this will be on the road early next year (i keep telling myself )

[guywithvan]

another little update

was away for the weekend so no work carried out but spent the afternoon on monday playing some catch up

-dressed the welds on fresh air vents and wiper holes
-finished removing the rear bins and tidy up the seat base
-removed the cage
-got most the interior floor cleaned up,just front quaters and crossmember to do then prime

then i decided to roll the shell

now on its side and im pretty chuffed with the condition of the floorpan,the original stonechip/wax has kept it solid


just waiting for some wages then i'll be able to stock up on consumables as i'm in dire need of the following


-air compressor!!
-DA sander
-cutting disc's
-flap disc's
-welding gas

-sheet steel for patches
-filler
-wet/dry
-etch primer
-high build primer
-colour (still deciding)
-stonechip
-masking tape/paper

then i'll be ordering panels needed


note to myself-buy a digital camera and software to upload picture's here!!

[guywithvan]

well im back home from xmas with family,and returned with a few bits to help me along with FRK santa was feeling rather kind this year

got a 50ltr 2hp compressor and a air cut-off saw and i'll be visiting machinemart at somepoint to get myself a DA sander and possibly a spray gun .

havent been out to the mini yet but gonna give the garage a good clean and revamp before i start any more work.


happy new year all!

[guywithvan]

well i have a cunning plan...considering i cannot afford a digital camera at the moment im going to try and use my net books web cam to take some picture's ,it's a idea i did'nt think of but im sure it'll work fine

due to the snow and being stuck indoors i started cleaning up my front hubs and discs,the usual de rusting and fresh paint,then i'll be adding new bearings and ball joints.i also have my gear change split down so i can re paint the rods and clean up the housing.

all being good i should get out in the garage at a reasonable time tomorrow and get some pictures of the current progress,already having had a good clean up and sort out of parts.

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Excellent mate . You can borrow my camera if you like, its broked though

[guywithvan]

Excellent mate . You can borrow my camera if you like, its broked though

cheers for the offer Craig

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

No worries matey.

[guywithvan]

well if anyone ever reads this im now in full time employment so should have a steady income to feed my mini addiction got my first months wages this week so spent a little on the mini...

i've ordered a pair of gen outer cills,a pair of a panels and a passenger side doorstep (all from mini spares of course)so that should keep me busy till next pay day ,once i get the main floor sorted i'll move on to the boot floor which needs a few little repairs.i also got a universal memory card reader so will attempt some photos shortly

Edited by guywithvan, 12 March 2010 - 08:39 PM.

[guywithvan]

panels arrived today not sure how much gas i've got for the welder but im hoping to get something done this weekend even if it's just some photo's

[guywithvan]

well i havent been here in a while ... i got sacked from work a couple of weeks back which i'm not happy about and thats another story..

Anyway since having pleanty of time on my hands again i've been back out in the garage and starting to push on with the project,most of the bodywork has been stripped to bare metal..treated with KURUST then etch primed so far the rust is still minimal and im happy

i've already got some panels

-pair genuine outer cills
-pair a panels
-passenger door step

tomorrow i'm going to order the rest that are needed

-9" boot repair panel
-pair valence closing panels
-rear valence

and hopefully pick up some sheet steel for tubbing the arches and a few small patches that are needed


regular viewers will also be happy that a camera is on my shopping list tomorrow so i should be able to feed people's addiction of picture's