LocostUSA.com

Briggs - I might as well work on the Mini. The R1 is dead in the water until I hear back from SCDMV. I have a ready to drive car just sitting in the garage. The Mini project takes my mind off being pissed at the DMV

Bob, Minis are popular over here. It's a same that more of them didn't make it to the states, but in their day, they didn't stand a chance against the desire for a big gas guzzling V8.
I've been looking at replacement panels. Looks like anything I buy will have to come from a Mini specialist importer. There are 2 or 3 good ones and a handful of not so good.
Waiting on a shipping quote from New York, found one of the specialists with great prices on Heritage panels.

One more cup of coffee, then time to get dirty.

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Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

This outfit are good for panels http://www.minispares.com/shop/classic/ ... .aspx?0307
If you want them crated and sent just ask, I am sure I could find a reasonably priced carrier.

Bob

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Build Log viewtopic.php?f=35&t=16640&p=187700#p187700

Mancave http://s1116.photobucket.com/user/mypic ... ow/mancave

Today's work in the garage.
I spent the first half of the day getting the subframes out. Dropping the front took a little less than 2 hours. Only 8 bolts holding it in, but like so many other items, it fought me every step of the way. A little WD40 and some heat from the propane torch got them to cooperate.


I used the engine crane to get it up off the subframe, then lowered it onto jack stands.


Then under the car to get the tabs off the suspension pipes, battery cable and fuel line.
Put the rear end up on jack stands and pulled the 8 bolts out of the rear mounts. Loosen the brake line, remove the hydro lines, and battery cable.

It's out


Tis car doesn't need a mechanic, it needs an oncologist. Serious case of cancer that would have been terminal with a couple more years of neglect.
Here's the ugly part at the back. Removed the companion box, the inner close panel, and cut away a rusty piece of the back seat pan.


It's finally time to start working on the front floor pan.
I cut away the rest of the pan and part of the toe board. Cut away the front part of the inner sill while I was at it.


Time to offer up the pan for final fitment


Clamped the brake to the engine hoist to bend the angles.


And used clecos to old it in place.


All in all not too bad a fit. I'll tack it in tomorrow and make the toe board reinforcement.
Pretty happy with what I've done so far.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

1) I ran into Dyrk of Classic Motor Works today at Road America....we live only a couple of miles apart but we bumped into each other 1000 miles from home. I asked him about fenders and body parts and he says that he has them in stock.

2) Check out the classic mini front clip for sale here http://www.kijiji.ca/v-auto-body-parts/ ... nFlag=true. It is close to my house, if you want I can check it out for you and get more info and more pictures. Apparently he'll take less for it.

Bill

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Bill H
Winnipeg, MB, Canada

That looks like most of a Mk3 front clip. Won't attach to my car very easily.

I'm ready for a couple of Tylenol and a good night's sleep. Knees are achy from all the up and down and crawlin around

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

What??? You're out of duct tape and Gorilla glue????

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JD, father of Quinn, Son of a... Build Log
Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom

I can see why you need them. That's a lot of work done very quickly. Your floor pan looks very good too.

Cheers,

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Damn! That front slip angle is way too large and the Ackerman is just a muddle.

Build Log: viewtopic.php?f=35&t=5886

Man, really cool stuff so far!

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Ford 5.0 into an M3
mikaelvroom.com | @MikaelVroom

Spent a few hours in the garage after church today. more working, not so much picture taking.

A little final trimming and tack welded in place.

the brown around the edge is a light coat of paint to make final trimming easier.

A little measuring and heres a patch for the rotten part of the toe kick reinforcement.


Offering it up to see if it will work.


Then I put the cell phone away while I concentrated on making a patch for the inner fender. I'm overlapping the existing inner fender by about 1/2 inch at the top. I'll weld it both inside and out.

Also made a new front inner sill while I was at it.




It's about 75% welded. Using my 220 volt flux cored mig on the next to lowest setting with .030 wire. It's doing OK, but I should head out and pick up a bottle of gas and do it with shield gas instead of flux core. I could run a little cooler and have it smoother.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

I was going to ask if you were cutting the panels flush to the edge or with some overlap - I suppose if you're welding the overlap inside and out you'll minimize the potential for moisture to get trapped in the overlap and undo all of your rust removal.

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Ford 5.0 into an M3
mikaelvroom.com | @MikaelVroom

I decided to overlap cause I kept blowing tough with a butt weld. I couldn't get a heat setting where I could squeeze the trigger for more than a split second.

I'm going to button this beast up as water tight as I can get it. Then clean, prime, paint, and undercoat. I hope to get a few years before the tin worm reappears.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Those come later JD. Right now it's mig wire and band aids

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

I overlapped too because my tack welds are great and my butt welds are not so great. I used seam sealer from the local auto body supply shop to close both sides. I've got almost ten years of driving without any rust reappearing but my Mini lives in a heated garage and doesn't go out in the winter. I do drive it to work regularly during the rest of the year.

Great work on the patch panels! As fast as you are it won't be two years, maybe only a few months.



Duct tape is too wimpy. Get Gorilla tape.

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My car viewtopic.php?f=37&t=16434
1930s Style Sports Car viewtopic.php?f=36&t=16888

It feels like I'm moving in slow motion. The car has resisted so many times already. Rusted bolts, captive nuts that aren't secured, rusty / rounded bolt heads, parts brazed instead of welded or leaded...

The patch panel process is slow and labor intensive. The only good news is I'm getting just a little bit better at fitting stuff by eye or with a couple of reference lines from a sharpie marker. Practicing on parts for TETANUS and the R1 project were a good primer leading up to this.

Next Saturday I HOPE to fit the other front pan... we shall see.

_________________
Too much week, not enough weekend.

OOPS I did it again
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=17496

Blood Sweat and Beers
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=15216

Looks good. I'm following this one closely. I always thought with my new found rudimentary metalworking skills I've acquired building the Locost, I would tackle replacing floors and other simple flat surfaces on a rusty vintage car. Minis are on the long list of potential cars I always have an eye out for locally. Keep updating the facebook page. I may not comment much, but I'm enjoying the updates when I can't get on locostusa.com.