1991 Mini - Project Trig

[Mini 360]

Righto! Panels (genuine of course...) ordered to repair!

Ordered a couple of other small items that shall remain under wraps until show season. Like the rest of the car, they are subtle changes, yet effective......

Started it up for the first time since the smash the other day. Took a few seconds to get the fuel through (mechanical fuel pump) and started first time. Strong, original, battery! Sounded a bit lumpy so will put fresh fuel in before taking it out again.

Mini booked in to get sorted 20th January 2014


(Still havent booked IMM ticket yet)

[Mini 360]

Bits are finally here. Week long next day delivery. Never use UPS.

Floor and inner sill are non gen as MiniSpares dont do genuine. Will never be seen so no great issue. All external panels are genuine. Gauge of steel is much better side by side. Couple other little bits not in the photo but will see them next show season

Safely tucked away in the garage ready to fit. Just need the inner door step panel once it comes back into stock. Oh how I have missed getting these deliveries!





The countdown begins...

[Mini 360]

IMM ticket bought! Now just to get the thing back on the road and source a back brace and industrial strength ear plugs for the drive down :lol:

[Mini 360]

Final piece of the puzzle acquired thanks to a friend with too many spares :lol:

Full Park Lane Door with all internals including glass. Will fully strip it down to a bare door and will possibly use the doorskin I have as its got a few spots of rust around the bottom edge. Its actually in better condition than the door that was on before it got redone :lol: Will see how it cleans up before commiting to the new skin though as its a straight panel already.







Week today it goes in for surgery

[Mini 360]

Cars ready to go out to Banchory on Saturday now. Ripped up the front carpet so it doesn't catch fire and realigned the steering rack as it had been pushed over to the left of the car in the impact. Steering heel is still off as the alignment is obviously far out (man)

Having a look at the floorpan and inner sill.....they don't look like they are going to need replaced. Considering what it looks like on the outside, they haven't buckled at a sharp angle and look (to my untrained eyes) like they will hammer back into place with a bit of panel beating. Could be wrong and I have the panels anyway but if its possible, its a bonus and will save me lots of money!

Realised I still hadn't bought a replacement sportspack arch but managed to find a set of genuine ones for £25 on eBay (they are £400 new....) so they have been snapped up and will keep the rest as spares. Hopefully by end of the month the car will be back and ready to go for the 2014 show season

[Mini 360]

Car dropped off at Kirkton ready to go first thing Monday morning. Plan is to get the door off then use a body jack to see if we can get the sill as close to straight as we can and take it from there.

Identified a couple of other bits and pieces needing tidied up that will be attended to at the same time

[jimmybacon]

Glad to see this is getting fixed up. Saw it a Driftland during the summer and it was looking cool

[Mini 360]

Glad to see this is getting fixed up. Saw it a Driftland during the summer and it was looking cool

Thanks man! Long trip down so wasnt looking at its cleanest but not a bad day. Disappointed with the turnout though....

[Mini 360]

First day down, a lot if progress!



First up, get the floor trued up to see what we were dealing with. Hadn't removed the door since the smash so wasn't sure just how had it was. The sill is pretty buckled but the floorpan was not too bad at all. The benefits of using 2mm steel for an inner sill rather than standard panels!



So out with the air chisel and bad bits gone.



Then with the selection of some precision implements...



....we got it pretty much bang on. Needs some minor panel beating but its straightish. Will line up better once the new doorstep is in place.



Tried on the new door. Not too bad a fit. Wasn't sure if it would need a new skin or not. Few spots of rust on the bottom edge so rather than leave it we reskinned it to be on the safe side. Glad we did as the mating face of the frame had a lot of surface rust and a few pin holes. All taken back with the grinder, holes welded up and then new skin on.



There really isn't much to a Minis door.....



Some of the rust that was between the skin and the frame. This was only going to show up down the line so better to be safe than sorry!



Bonded up and then folded the edge over on the new skin and back to trial and error fitting. Needs tweaking but we will get there.




In other news my new arches arrived. They wont be getting used as they are far too flexible and badly shaped. Glad I didn't pay too much for them! Tomorrow its truing up the door with the doorframe then prep the surrounding areas for the new panels. Hopefully have a welded up car again by tomorrow night. Then its back to panel prep before final paint.

[Minuki]

Glad to see the damage wasn't as bad as first thought. Be back on the road in no time.

[anth]

Love your positivity, keep it up.

[Mini 360]

Glad to see the damage wasn't as bad as first thought. Be back on the road in no time.

Hopefully! Get paid tomorrow so fingers crossed progress keeps on being quick and its back to me by the weekend

Love your positivity, keep it up.

Thanks! In a good place at the moment so in a constant positive mood. 2014 is good so far!

[Mini 360]

Day 3 in the big Kirkton house and Trigs almost ready for paaaaaaint. :lol:

Took the jacking point out of the sill. A big gaping hole in a panel prone to rust anyway is never a good idea and Minis should never be jacked on them.....thats what subframes are for.



Fleep went back last night to finish off the welding on the sill and then added a few dobs of filler to smooth everything over again.



Refitted the door to double check we didn't need to change anything.



Then smoothed out the a-panel with some stopper



I then flatted back the panels getting new paint. Scuttle/window surround, drivers wing/a-panel/side panel. Pretty much half the car....



Totally unrelated but heres how a Mini compares to an old 7 series. Very cool car in for a full respray



Needed to get the door painted separately from the car so smoothed off the skin with the body file to get rid of all the tiny lumps and bumps from fitting the skin. Its amazing the difference this makes.



Then with all the sill prep done we gave it a quick spray of etch primer to stop the bare bits rusting.



Paint ordered and should be applied tomorrow then flatted and polished on Friday ready to refit everything on saturday! Quick turnaround as expected!

[Mini 360]

Ooft

[Queef|Chief]

This looks really good dude! Great work