Massive, uneconomical, rusty project
Turbo Mini Forums

Thanks for that, it supports what the pictures I have found show. The RH tank stand is just a mirror image of the left. unfortunately what that does mean is that the crease in my tank stand is in completely the wrong place. I suppose I'll try and correct it.

I've got all the welding inside the boot done today, it still doesn't look all that different but I'm not far from fitting the rear panel now.

I got the brackets in, I had to plug weld them as I hadn't thought ahead! That meant I had to spend ages grinding them all down.
IMG_0207 by Matt4475, on FlickrIMG_0210 by Matt4475, on Flickr
I also got the tank stand in, I managed to bend it straight as the crease was in the wrong place but I had a lot of trouble trying to bend it in the right place, in the end I just clamped it up and that seemed to work.
IMG_0211 by Matt4475, on Flickr

There are loads of other small bits as well, it wasn't until I removed the boot floor and arches that I realised just how much needs mig welding.

This is the current size of my scrap pile, I will have to weigh it in at the end just to see how much there is. Anyone want the Mk2 light apertures to convert their Mk1!
IMG_0206 by Matt4475, on Flickr

Edited by Flame Red on 11th Jul, 2017.

Waits patiently for Sprocket with his picture of the engine mountain...

great project mate

Only a small update, I should have got more done than I have as I've been on holiday for the last week but I've spent a bit too much time going out followed by getting up in the afternoon! I also spent most of today putting my engine and subframe in a shed which was already full, I can't describe how difficult it was. So those are my excuses!

Anyway, I've repaired the rusted edge of the parcel shelf. It was a very time consuming job to grind the welds down on the back but if I hadn't the screen rubber wouldn't have fitted.
IMG_0212 by Matt4475, on Flickr
I got the rear panel on today, I had to lift the car off the rear A-frame to be able to get it on. I also discovered that without the rear panel the jig won't support the shell without bending the parcel shelf up so for now the shell is supported with a jack until I finish welding the panel up.
IMG_0213 by Matt4475, on Flickr

Edited by Flame Red on 11th Jul, 2017.

I went and got some more panels at the weekend. I've got Mk1 inner A panels, I can already see that they are not going to be very easy to fit. I also have a pair of lightweight doors converted for sliding windows and reinforced for external hinges. I've got a genuine doorstep due to the issues I had with the pattern panel. I got all the other bits I hadn't even thought of initially such as fuel tank bracket, earth strap nut retainer and wiring tags. I have also decided to fit a set of Cooper boot board brackets.

I spent this morning removing the doorstep I had previously spent a whole day fitting, I just couldn't live with the fit though. I really regret putting so many spot welds in now, I ended up grinding the seams off. As much as I should have learnt to leave some reference points I still removed part of the inner wing and the boxing plate as once I started to remove the A post they just fell apart.
IMG_0222 by Matt4475, on Flickr
The new doorstep fitted without any problems, I've welded it along the B post and put some spotwelds in just to keep it in place, I'll leave the A post until I start on the front end, which should be soon.
IMG_0223 by Matt4475, on Flickr
IMG_0224 by Matt4475, on Flickr
I expected to get the quarter panel on today but I found the arch closing panel was nowhere near lining up, I tried drilling out some spot welds to see if I could move it enough but since I've seam welded 3 edges it just wouldn't move. I resorted to cutting a bit out and rewelding it. I thought I had checked it with the quarter panel fitted but something must have gone wrong somewhere, I've certainly given myself a lot of extra work by not checking enough. I'm quite annoyed really as it looked really tidy before.

Edited by Flame Red on 11th Jul, 2017.

My rear quarter didn't line up with new the arch closing panel. It clamped up OK though. My problems are at the B post, massive gap making for a bent panel...

I've spent all day on this today, I've got the quarter panel on. After cutting a bit out the closing panel it fitted quite well.
IMG_0225 by Matt4475, on Flickr
IMG_0226 by Matt4475, on FlickrI did grind down all the welds but just forgot to get a picture of that.

I also fitted the wiring tags, nut cage and tank securing bracket to the boot floor. I had completely overlooked the nut cage until I saw a picture of a newly fitted one on someone elses project, if it wasn't for that I'd have had a problem when I came to fit the earth strap.

I got the valance fitted as well, it went on without much trouble.
IMG_0227 by Matt4475, on Flickr
IMG_0228 by Matt4475, on Flickr

I'm getting a bit excited about how close I am to starting on the front end, I think I've only got a couple of bits of welding left on the back now.

Edited by Flame Red on 11th Jul, 2017.

Looks good. Is that a genuine quarter?

I think after my experience with the hopeless boot floor repair section and the nightmare rear quarter, I'm going to be doing exactly the same!

How far have you spaced the pool welds on the B post? Looks about 2" and a bit closer on the curved section.

I think I put about 50% more plug welds in than there were spot welds originally, I've ground them all down now so I can't measure them I'm afraid. The ones on the lower curved bit were really difficult to grind down I found, it's a shame it isn't possible to spot weld it.

hi Buddy, do you still have the back 1/4's and back panell? do you want to sell them??

Cheers

Jimbo

Team www.sheepspeed.com Racing

I've got one of these:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=390219901808

Gets into all the tight/awkward places and the finish isn't bad if you use fine belts.

I was thinking of keeping them to replace panels on my autograss mini (when the time comes)

Team www.sheepspeed.com Racing

The only panel which is near complete is the drivers side quarter panel, it also has no rust but the first repair I welded along the bottom is not at all neat, could be fine for what you want it for though. The back panel could not easily be fitted complete as I cut it away from all the seams. There are some quite decent sections which could be used though and it is only really rusty along the bottom. The passenger side quarter panel is not even worth thinking about using.

I don't mind keeping them and you can take them if you're nearby but I really wouldn't go out of your way for them as it would be a fair bit of work to use any of them as far as I can see.

I can get photos of the individual panels if it helps.

if you could get photo's that would be great buddy

Team www.sheepspeed.com Racing

.

Edited by Flame Red on 11th Jul, 2017.

Thats coming on nicely! I know what you mean about wanting to get on with the front...im fed up of working on the back now. lol

Have you got much to do on the front?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

cheers for taking the time to show some photo's buddy, but i think your right, I don't think they will be any good to me :(

Thangs again though

Team www.sheepspeed.com Racing

Matty - I've got quite a bit to do on the front, I've got inner wings, A panels, front panel, scuttle, A panel boxing plates and outer wings. I also have inner A panels which are pattern panels and not made to fit a Mk3 so I already know I'm going to have fun trying to fit them, at the moment it seems like the best way to get the hinges in the right place. Again it's all made out of filler or very poor quality repairs. I'd like to think I'm 2/3 of the way through the bodywork now.

Jimster - I thought that would be the case, at best they could make some patches. Had I known I could have removed them a bit more carefully.

Ah sounds like you're having to fit exactly the same panels as me then. Looking forward to seeing how well the front end goes.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fusion-Fabri..._homepage_panel

www.fusionfabs.co.uk



1/4mile in 13.2sec @ 111 terminal on 15psi

I've managed to put a few hours in on this over the last couple of days. I had a couple of bits left on the boot floor which needed finishing off, I wasn't sure what to do where the arch, floor and valance closing panel meet, it looked untidy as all the edges were different lengths so I decided to seam weld it.
IMG_0235 by Matt4475, on Flickr
I also decided to see how well the pattern inner A panels I bought would fit, I expected the worst but infact, after trimming a couple of bits and a little work with a hammer and dolly they fitted fine.
IMG_0239 by Matt4475, on Flickr
I've spot welded them on but I decided to plug weld them through the Mk3 hinge holes as well seeing as I don't need them.
IMG_0236 by Matt4475, on Flickr

I then moved onto removing the driver's side inner wing, it is a bit complex around the bulkhead making it quite time consuming to remove. I've got the majority of it removed now but I think there is still another hours work to remove the remaining bits.IMG_0238 by Matt4475, on Flickr

Edited by Flame Red on 11th Jul, 2017.

Loving the scrap pile, they'll probably just assume you've cut up a body shell to weight in!

Its getting there now at least.