Home restoration, questions
Discussion
As much as I love my mini city its just too tatty having been used and abused my me over the past year, It needs a new front end, A panels, sills and subframe, but other than that is in good condition (44000 miles). So how easy are these jobs to do at home? Ive got no experience of welding but youve got to learn somewhere and Im not overtly bothered about appearance. Ill have 3 months to work on it in the summer and have access to a garage with air compressor and can get other tools. Im thinking of buying the haynes mini restoration manual, can anyone reccommend other books? Finally what are the chances of being able to carry out a respray do you think I've heard its all about preparation and Ive got the time and patience. cheers guys
I cant really offer you too much advice apart from just get out there + dig straight in.
I'm in a very similar position to you currently reviving a G plate mini City. I've never done any real heavy work on any of my minis in the past so its a big learning curve for me. I'm determined as hell not to be beaten by this car. I dont even have a garage either!
Books will show you the way but ultimately its you who'll reap what you sow
I'm in a very similar position to you currently reviving a G plate mini City. I've never done any real heavy work on any of my minis in the past so its a big learning curve for me. I'm determined as hell not to be beaten by this car. I dont even have a garage either!
Books will show you the way but ultimately its you who'll reap what you sow
It's not too easy to do at home unless you have a really good workshop.
My advice is not to try to do it all at once. Work on a bit at a time.
You are not in a hurry, which helps, and you can consider each bit before you do it. The front is not too difficult as you can leave the sub-frame in as a jig, so the panel alignment will be OK. Cut off the wings and front panel with an angle grinder, repair the inner wings as necessary, then bolt the front panel onto the subframe, using new solid attachments. Align the wings each side (get genuine wings and panels, the repro ones never fit too well) and tack weld to hold it all in place. You will need a decent MIG welder for this level of structural work, anything less that 130 amp will not do the job too well (I use a 150 amp). The ability to borrow a spot-welder will also help with the welding of the wing to front panel flanges and the 'A' piller flanges.
The sills are a bit more difficult as the shell can twist if you don't do this right. Check to see whether the rear sub-frame attachments are rusty. If they are you need to fit a new sub-frame attachment panel, or just the end bits. Do one side at a time, end pieces and sills, and jack the car evenly front and rear from one side before cutting off the old sills. Use a new rear sub-frame as a jig. Once you have cut DON'T move the car until it's welded up on one side first. then lower the car and repeat for the other side.
The 'apex' panel will also probably need doing, inner and outer. This is not too difficult and you could do this last, or first, the choice is yours.
Email me directly for more advice if you wish. I'm not the best bodywork person around - Chris Spennewyn is, though, and I can always ask him if I don't know.
Where are you located? If you are anywhere near Hitchin you could come over and see how Chris does things before you start. He is very helpful, so long as you don't intend to 'bodge' the job, in which case he won't want to give any advice.
Don't be put off - you can do this thing if you have enough dedication to your Mini!
I hope this helps,
Peter
My advice is not to try to do it all at once. Work on a bit at a time.
You are not in a hurry, which helps, and you can consider each bit before you do it. The front is not too difficult as you can leave the sub-frame in as a jig, so the panel alignment will be OK. Cut off the wings and front panel with an angle grinder, repair the inner wings as necessary, then bolt the front panel onto the subframe, using new solid attachments. Align the wings each side (get genuine wings and panels, the repro ones never fit too well) and tack weld to hold it all in place. You will need a decent MIG welder for this level of structural work, anything less that 130 amp will not do the job too well (I use a 150 amp). The ability to borrow a spot-welder will also help with the welding of the wing to front panel flanges and the 'A' piller flanges.
The sills are a bit more difficult as the shell can twist if you don't do this right. Check to see whether the rear sub-frame attachments are rusty. If they are you need to fit a new sub-frame attachment panel, or just the end bits. Do one side at a time, end pieces and sills, and jack the car evenly front and rear from one side before cutting off the old sills. Use a new rear sub-frame as a jig. Once you have cut DON'T move the car until it's welded up on one side first. then lower the car and repeat for the other side.
The 'apex' panel will also probably need doing, inner and outer. This is not too difficult and you could do this last, or first, the choice is yours.
Email me directly for more advice if you wish. I'm not the best bodywork person around - Chris Spennewyn is, though, and I can always ask him if I don't know.
Where are you located? If you are anywhere near Hitchin you could come over and see how Chris does things before you start. He is very helpful, so long as you don't intend to 'bodge' the job, in which case he won't want to give any advice.
Don't be put off - you can do this thing if you have enough dedication to your Mini!
I hope this helps,
Peter
Thanks for your posts much apprecited.
Vasi, what you doing to your car?and what have you found most difficult?
Peter top post cheers
I dont intend to bodge it up, ive just accepted if I do have a go, its not going to come out concourse! Think ill leave the respray for now. I can imagine stripping but never putting it back a little at a time sounds like a good tip. Im in london/herts so hitching's reachable we'll see how things go!
Vasi, what you doing to your car?and what have you found most difficult?
Peter top post cheers
I dont intend to bodge it up, ive just accepted if I do have a go, its not going to come out concourse! Think ill leave the respray for now. I can imagine stripping but never putting it back a little at a time sounds like a good tip. Im in london/herts so hitching's reachable we'll see how things go!
Hi Mr Nipple or may I call you grease....
As someone with a bit of experience of old, with home repairs and recently commencing the restoration of an old family pet, Please look VERY carefully at the base object before commencing. You'll find (probably) that it's a lot worse than first thought and will cost you in both time and money, a lot more than originally budgetted. That said, the pride when (if) you get it finished wil be immense and may stir you onto greater things. If its worse than first budgetted dont worry, dont start. Spend your money on a better base subject. Now back to sweeping the garage floor, where's thatwelder....
It's a well known fact that there are plenty of unfinished projects out there.
Sorry if i'm being negative, get yourself an angle grinder, a good Mig and get out there. Wear goggles and get the elastoplasts ready....
As someone with a bit of experience of old, with home repairs and recently commencing the restoration of an old family pet, Please look VERY carefully at the base object before commencing. You'll find (probably) that it's a lot worse than first thought and will cost you in both time and money, a lot more than originally budgetted. That said, the pride when (if) you get it finished wil be immense and may stir you onto greater things. If its worse than first budgetted dont worry, dont start. Spend your money on a better base subject. Now back to sweeping the garage floor, where's thatwelder....
It's a well known fact that there are plenty of unfinished projects out there.
Sorry if i'm being negative, get yourself an angle grinder, a good Mig and get out there. Wear goggles and get the elastoplasts ready....
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