The ClubVan... Back in business!!
Turbo Mini Forums

Well chaps, its been a while... I ain't been on here for some time as my single garage has two cars in it (yes two!). Got involved in another project with a couple of pals and decided to store it in my garage.. Now I can't move in my garage as its jam packed!!

Had to prepare the garage first so dismantled my half built workbench and then spun the mini sideways and pushed it up against the back wall.. fitted in nicely with the front chopped off!



And then arrived this yoke making it unable to move in there..




So as you can see its pretty tight in there. The golf should be moving to another garage next week so hopefully I'll be able to get stuck in again soon.

It'll be good to be back!

Hi mate looking at pics of the car being moved im looking how far your wheels stick out and im ondering have you got spacers on as well as 13 x 7s or are they 8s ??

Cheers Tony

Hi Tony.. No they are not 8's.. They are 13x7's and they protrude about an inch and a half with no spacers..

Ok mate cheers hope mine stick out that far looks cool lol

Cheers Tony

Ok, finally woke up and smelt the daisies... Sold the Golf!! Yes, its gone after a stern talk with ones self and a bit of a reality check from the missus!

Also realised I'm not getting anywhere fast with the bodywork.. took Rob's earlier advise and decided to get the shell blasted before the welding starts (also getting a wee bit of help with some of the welding as a lot of its gonna be on show now)...

So off she set again today to the car hospital...





Over the next few weeks the shell should progress at a decent rate and then I can finally start putting it back together. Soon enough she won't be looking so sorry for herself...



Ready for blasting....





So really should start making some nice progress now...

Had various parts/areas blasted to prep for new panels...

Started with the bulkhead, revealed some 'quality' welding when the turbo box was installed.. but cleaned up nicely the crud & shite that was stuck in both corners...









Cleaned off both flitch's, again some nice patches were revealed...















A bit of general blasting in other areas that were grotty or the metal had pitted... The metal looks like it has grey primer on it but it's bare metal straight from blasting..















New door sill welded in place...



And finally for todays update... this is what I have lined up for the rear windows (or where they should be)... fibre glass panels I bought a while back on ebay, she's going to be a van! A 'clubvan' I think they call it...

Not bad, i like those rear van panels! Thatll hide the 'reshell' fact a bit more.. you goin clubby front or roundnose?

Dunno yet... was swaying towards round nose but at the mo I think I'm preferring clubby...

to be honest, I hate the rear panels; I much prefer the look of the estate as opposed to a 'clubvan'

each to their own though

Thats a shame Rob.. maybe you will when it's done? Window frames were too far gone to save anyway...

I hope those dirty fucking oversills on the floor in the last few pictures are going no where near your car.

Lol you have a way with words Andy...

They aren't oversills, it's the rear valance centre section and rear quarter repair panels that go just in front of the arches. Fear not, proper sills are in place and finished..

Looks gtreat, its a shame that you cant get the proper metal van side panels anymore. but I guess the fibreglass ones are as near as you'll get. What are they like on the inside/ how will you be finishing it off? no need to tell I'll be following the thread with interest. Keep up the good work, you've put a hell of a lot of effort in, well done

Thanks Wayne, yeah a fair bit of effort has gone into this.. a bit slower than I'd like possibly. They fit pretty well actually, they have pieces of metal built into them that actually grab the frame.. thats how they managed to stay in situ without falling off whilst I took the photo. They will be bonded on with similar stuff that I imagine body kits are put on with, 'sikaflex' or something similar... they need to be trimmed down also in a few places where they are overlapping and then blended in with some filler before painting.

Also, I just spied a nice clubby fibreglass front for sale quite cheap.. YES I KNOW, FIBREGLASS
But at a good bit less than half the price of steel panels it kinda makes sense..
I know, I know, I know... they don't fit so well, but I think I'll give it a try..

I fancy a flip front, I was thinking of buying both clubby and round nose and getting them both sprayed at the same time. Swap them to suit the mood :)

Edited by wayne miller on 10th Sep, 2014.

Yup I'm going for the flip front.. may as well go the whole hog..

So finally the shell is grot free! Yup.. not a sign of the dreaded brown stuff in sight. Started by finishing off the rear valance, door step and rust holes either side of the rear doors..





Welded in both flitch panels, windscreen corner repair panels and closing panels that can't be seen in the pics...









Finished off the tubbing to both arches, filled the gaps and seem welded, also both rear quarter repair panels finished...







And very pleased with the way my 'van' panels turned out. Bonded on, filled and rubbed down.. they are very solid and look like the real thing.. you wouldn't know any dirrerent!













And from the inside they look like this...



It's a nice solid shell now, grot free and looking good. Very pleased with the work, wasn't sure about the fibre glass panels & how they'd turn out but they really are solid.

Next Ill start working on the front, figuring out how to flip the one piece front upwards...

Like it!!

Thanks....

Whats the plan frontend wise? N when ya aimin to be done?

Cool beans... round nose or clubby? Even tho i love clubbys since your logbook (and new fibreglass van panels) say.. van it would look awesome as roundnose... people would only notice its not by the lack of exterior door hinges, yeah even tho black looks nice and mines also black.. black hides curves etc so mine wont be staying black.. look forward tl you building it back up

Ya a clubby, I was toying with the idea of round nose but decided to keep it a clubby.
Hoping to have it on the road by next summer, something to keep me busy over the coming cold months!

Yeah id love access to a nice big garage to potter in the winter.. that place in last lot of pics yours? Also now thinking back your car is familiar? I think i remember seeing a black clubby estate, old i.d, turbo'd for about £4500 either in bacl of minimag or good old ebay few years back.. is this the one?

Nope not my garage in the last photos, my garage is the one at the top of this page. This garage belongs to Vernon Francis and he's based in Harpenden near Luton.. I took it to him for help as he has all the heavier duty tools i.e. sandblaster and knew it would get done quicker under his watchful eye. If anyone is interested in his services pm me and i'll pass on his contact details. Regarding the mini you saw.. I'm not sure about it being in minimag but yes I bought it off fleabay, wasn't the price you said.. was a good bit less than half I think I payed?