1990 Mini Cooper Resto & Lows!

[Minuki]

Parts arrived a day early

[Minuki]

i love minis

Got another good weekend on the Mini. Didn't get as much as I wanted to, but still made a good bit of progress.

Saturday was a really shitty day weather wise, It was all rainy and slushy and really not fun to be working in, but I got some stuff done

There was bits round the rear of the car that needed new panels made up, so I set to work on those. Got two of them made, just need another one that i'll do during the week.

This is the area that is needing repaired. It's all fairly rotten, so I made up a good sized panel.


It's a good job I finished these! Made a template up.


Cut it all out and trimmed to fit.


I decided it would be easier to make up a whole new heelboard panel rather than a small patch. So, I made a template again and cut this out.


Would have loved to have got them welded on, but I wasn't about to ask my dad to weld under a car in the pouring rain! I'll get them on next week though.

Got on with some other little jobs too. I put my new bushes in my bottom arms. Had to put them in the vice to squeeze them in. They still aren't in fully, but when they're all tightened down and in place, they should be fine.


My rear camber brackets arrived on Friday too. Got them for more than half the price of new ones


Today I spent most of my time grinding and stripping the front subframe. It's almost ready for paint. Going to get it all finished and painted during the week

[markshulikov]

i love minis

[Minuki]

Good work Scott, those welds on your subframe are awesome. It's at this point where you just seem to be cutting, making plates and welding forever, but you'll get there eventually.

p.s, I've done dumb shit like opening up a rad cap when a car is it hot, an I've been a mechanic for ten years! Just one of those things I guess

Thanks man Yeah, it's pretty time consuming, but there aren't many panels left to make, I'll probably get them all done at the weekend! And then it's just on to fitting the front, then paint

Oh, and my camber brackets arrived today

[nellydragracer]

Good work Scott, those welds on your subframe are awesome. It's at this point where you just seem to be cutting, making plates and welding forever, but you'll get there eventually.

p.s, I've done dumb shit like opening up a rad cap when a car is it hot, an I've been a mechanic for ten years! Just one of those things I guess

[Minuki]

seems like u really got started on this on now

Yep, fairly getting on now. Just need to keep at it

[P78]

seems like u really got started on this on now

[Minuki]

Yeah not sure how manage to get anything done with all wet and cold weather out there....

Yep. -10 when I woke up today

Well I ordered my panels yesterday and they should be here, hopefully, next weekend. Looks like I'll be eating a lot of noodles this month!

Oh, and my camber brackets are on their way too

[ZUBZ]

Yeah not sure how manage to get anything done with all wet and cold weather out there....

[Minuki]

Although its unfortunate what happened I got say LOL!!!! hahaha sorry mate....

Like the progress, and man you brave to tackle that rust....

No worries After it happened I was like "Did I really just do that?" Certainly woke me up anyway!

Thanks man. I'm getting there. Just wish it would heat up a bit, working outside isn't fun at all.

[ZUBZ]

Although its unfortunate what happened I got say LOL!!!! hahaha sorry mate....

Like the progress, and man you brave to tackle that rust....

[Minuki]

Got another good couple of hours on the Mini at the weekend. But I suppose I should tell you what happened to me during the week, quite possibly the most idiotic mistake of my life.

It was my day off on Wednesday, so I took my friend down to College to shoot some photos. Got to Glasgow and parked in John Lewis car park just across from College. Not long after parking I decided to check the coolant because the car had been using a lot, even though I filled it up the other day. I went get a bottle of water from the car, got back to the front and without even thinking, just opened the radiator cap...which resulted in covering my hand and face in boiling water. Not fun

Went to Hospital, which was really quite pointless, because they didn't do anything apart from check my eyes and badly bandage my hand. But I'm looking better, just look like I have a bad tan!

And now I'm really scared of radiators

Anyway, onto the Mini. Got some little holes in the door step welded and I made a panel for behind the rear quarter and heelboard and another panel for the rear arch. I was hoping to get them welded on Sunday, but my dad had to work on the Clio so we can get it shifted.

The area on the heelboard needing repaired -



Metal marked out


Some cutting


First bend


And after a few more bashes with the hammer..


I did plan on making it out of just once piece of metal, but as it was two curved surfaces it was a little tricky to get the fit. So I just cut it and half and now have two panels

Got an insurance quote at the weekend too...looks like I'll be able to afford it!...well some of it at least

I'll be working on the subframe today. Might have pics later.

[Minuki]

Believe me its money well spent, rather sleep in the car and eat bread and butter mate.... lol

As would I. I was about to order the panels last night, but didn't know how much money I had exactly in my bank. I'm glad I didn't, or I would have been living off £3 for a month! Just waiting for some cash to clear and I'll get them ordered.

Going to get some more welding done tomorrow, I made a few panels during the week

[ZUBZ]

Well, I got paid today and i'll be ordering the two panels I talked about tonight.

Now, lets see if I can live off <£50 for a month!

Believe me its money well spent, rather sleep in the car and eat bread and butter mate.... lol

[Minuki]

Well, I got paid today and i'll be ordering the two panels I talked about tonight.

Now, lets see if I can live off <£50 for a month!