Wheel arches under way

Well this does feel good, a bit of progress.
Here are the other 3 wheel arches that thank fully don't need quite as much attention as the front drivers arch does.

 So after sneeking out to the garage a few times yesterday and today, the rear arches are looking much better and quite close to a final fill and working my way through the grades of wet and dry. You may notice that were the arch meets the car I have found some high spots and started to nock them back as well.

 

So yep, really quite pleased with how its shaping up. Just have to keep it up !

This seems like a good point to mention a you tube video that has been really helpful for panel beeting and filling. I thought I knew enough, but it was well worth watching all 12 episodes of this by mercedessource especially as today I was struggling with getting the filler smooth, until I got cold and turned the heater on and also put the filler near the heater. Hay preston it made the filler a bit more runny and went on even better (did dry a bit quicker though). Its always worth remembering that no matter how good you are there is always some one who can do it better/ you can always learn another way.

Probably won't post for a while now until I have finished the arches and started on the rust, which could be a while as I have privet comissions coming up (to help fund the mini) and a big scout camp to help with, so check back here at the end of the month fingures crossed.

The quite before the storm

Well I'm hoping it is the quiet before the storm !! Due to a delay with the log book (big sigh) I have been reluctant to do much work on the mini as we all know what that actually means, spending money.
So to keep the project running in the right direction preperation was unusually at the top of the agenda, as it always makes a job much easier, straight forward and the order of work is forward not "Oh s*#t I really should have done that first".
The rear subframe has been ground back and is painted except for the 2 spots that need welding. Sorting out make shift extraction, a modified floor standing fan with filter. Made a new large wall unit to stop the tools being all over the floor and inside the car. Spent hours on ebay checking going rates of parts and getting depressed at how far away they are from me as no one will post. Listed nearly all my parts ... wow now that is not my normal style, but it's good.
These crates are brilliant for parts, notice the make shift shelf for all my windows, me and breakables don't always get on so up high seemed a good idea for 2 sets of glass.

Oh there has been a tiny physical step forward, the boot is ....almost fully primed. Had to be done, far too much raw metal after the floor was encouraged into a shape that would let a spare wheel into the boot. Will do a picture later

After many sessions the monster dent in the drivers wing is finally out as far as I can with out finishing off the wheel arch. This dent was almost the length of the wing and almost up to the top with a good 1/2" of depth in the centre.

I have got through another dozen Mini World mags. Book marking many a How To and interior ideas.

So with a tube of Tiger Seal now ordered I just need to get some gun wash, well and recieve my new half face dust mask. I can get on with touching up the arches as all of them have had at least small dents, chips or (sigh this is why I am getting tiger seal) cracks. Then its grind my way through the surface rust, so that will be most of the car then. Then prime her up, easy, done by next week!

This is by far the worst arch I have to do. Remember do not lift a car by its arches.

If any one is reading this ? the arches are ...... different, to most other minis out there. As the pictures so far are not that great I can tell you that a previous owner (I think it is likely to be 2 onwers before me) really wanted a smooth finish, as a lot of work has been done besides the de-seaming to smooth the car to a pretty good standard. My self, I am a carpenter/cabinet maker and for this, I do know a bit about sanding shapes and balanced to the eye. The amount of hours invovled to blend the parts especially the wings I really do appreciate. As I have always wanted a mini with wide arches and have always liked modified over concourse (I do like the originals I would just be happier to spend on a better/stronger engine than a original tool kit to complete the car) so for me the almost super smoothed out is too much to fight and you just have to roll with it. AKA the blended arches are staying, I like the idea of the car evolving, as a car goes through different owners they all make there mark. Some times the new owner will remove a mod or add to a mod. With all of this the car evolves in a almost unique way to any other, which is great when there are so many "the same". This made me smile, like a adopted child I have accepted my little mini, warts and all. 

Just a quick entry today. So not much has been done but still slow progress is happening.
The boot has had more grinding done and a coat of primer. Still more work to do in there though !
The rear subframe has been cleaned up and a coat of paint (avoiding the small patch that still needs welding).
A lot of moving tools and supplies to the garage ready for the next stage of body work. Rubbish I suppose I need to get on and take the front sub out soon. 
Mini time hasn't been that much lately and will probably be limited for a while whilst I take time out for extra work to top up the funds, that old chest nut ... no time or no money :) will keep chipping away through and definetely have to make the effort to put up a few more pictures soon.

up date2.0

So since we last posted. The dent by the head light is finished, with just a little filler needed to crisp up the straight lines, run into a little trouble behind the dent where the inner wing meets the front, just couldn't quite get my tools in to get the last of it out.
The boot was next, untied the boot lid and took it off. Yay missing a nut, well 2 but found one when cleaning out the rubbish in the boot. Realised that the boot lid not lining up was due to a bolt hole being a bit big.

Should be fun getting the welding torch in there.
The boot floor was really showing that at some point this car had fallen off axle stands. With the rear valence in its proper place we now had space to encourage the floor down a bit. The centre dome to the spare wheel space was noticeably higher than the edge of the battery box closest to it, and that seemed to be a little higher than it should be.

The left 1/3 was relatively OK but ... this was starting to look a bit more of a challenge than the roof, there was so much flex in this until I got close to the right shape. But the last out first in theory for dents really does work, the key is having a nice part that is ok and thats your guide to follow. Really satisfying when a panel that feels almost like taught clean film suddenly becomes ridgid. Well the rigid part comes just after you think its in shape, just find the finer gentle dent at the far edges and flatten them out testing for flex as you go.

So here it is, re shaped and ready fro prep (the bare metal is now making it look like there are still creases, but its alright). I was supposed to get on with the floor pan next but noticed underseal round the wheel arch as it meets the boot floor, and dribbling down from the shocker mounting..... INSIDE THE BOOT !!!!! sigh, so scooped it all out.
Several days later I cleaned up the battery box and top lip to weld/plug the bottom left corner, which was now a hole with out filler, possibly from all the banging to get the floor ok !
The wing dent is getting there after a few sessions, but inside the wing is not much space to swing a hammer, so a dead arm kicks in quite quickly !
The rear subframe is all cleaned up now and only found one very small hole that needs doing when the main patch is done.

The start of it all

A Classic Mini Saga

So in early December 2014 we bid on a classic 1979 Mini Clubman, which is best described as a shell of a car with a few boxes of bits or "project".

  With nothing to do until the Mini was collected, I organised help & a loaned car trailor in 3 weeks' time. The game plan was listed. 1 sort dents, check/do welding, sand & prime shell, 2 source passenger door, sunroof and get car sprayed, 3, fit windows, fit subframes and axels hopefully some wheels as well, 4 source engine, fit wiring loom, fit engine, 5 buy/fit interior. Boom MOT and done!!

 Well what could go wrong with asking for a hours help to move a tiny car out of a garage and on to a trailer from just 2 miles down the road. Arr let the rocky road begin. A possible 3 car trailers were organised for the big day, 2 confirmed their trailers would be available for a very small cost so I played safe and accepted both offers. 10 days from the collection date the first trailer drops out when finding out the Mini has no wheels/ is not a rolling chassis, but it's OK we still have trailer 2. Enter smug mode for hedging bets by keeping 2 trailers at the ready.

  The big day arrives to collect the new toy, the weather has been watched very closely for the last few days and its looking good. Having finished my morning shift, I walk to my work neighbours unit to check his dad is on his way there (this would be 12.20 and collection due to happen at 13.00) ..... The phone call was made and "Oh I'm a bit busy, any chance we can do next week" arghhhh. Out comes the phone, trailer 3 option was quickly blown away. The thinking cap comes out ...... time to ring dad and convince him its fine to use his aging boat trailor with a minor mod (if I pull in a favour), or course he was out and his mobile was at home. Deep breath, he's with my uncle so lets ring him, 5 mins later 4th trailer is theoretically good to go.

  Feeling a little happier it was time to meet the seller on time collect the boxes and bits n bobs in my car, then break the news on not having a trailor. So with a content seller we arranged for the car to be moved a few hours later. Queue me rushing home unloading the bits n bobs, rush to dads to get the trailer, back to mine as I couldn't find a tail board for the number plate. Stripped my tiny trailers tail board and chucked it in the car. Time to pull in favour and get a make shift brace to stop the car rolling off the T frame trailer, with that done it was back to the seller. By this point ALL help had well and truly disappeared but being a man on a mission and the weather still good you carry on regardless.

  Back at the sellers with a trailer that should hold a Mini, myself the seller and ... his mum dragged the Mini out of the garage, stared at the car then the trailer and back at the car. We were determined it was going, so aligned the trailer for the shortest move and ..... collared some neighbours. With a little effort the car was on the trailer, lashed down and tail board strapped to the roof of the Mini (bloody cable was not long enough to reach the back of the Mini) I thanked and waved good bye to all that had helped then stopped just around the corner. The worry had crept in, adapted trailor, crappy lights and it was well and truly night time now. Out comes the phone to get anyone to drive behind me, well not really much of a surprise that people did not answer, were watching x mass lights being turned on or just busy. Just about to give up and chance it on my own when the uncle comes good.  Just as well he did, with only a few hundred yards to go the Mini slips, just a little, but just before a roundabout.

Easy ! well the car and trailor got dumped on front garden and the beers came out. Good enough for today.

  Having owned a few Minis before I know that nothing is that simple and with it now being 20 years after my last Mini I did know it really would  not be all that straight forward. But that was a really good/not very straight foward start.

  So parts are being cleaned and painted at work and in the evenings down in my shed. Then after a lovely chat with our fantastic neighbours its decided that if I help clear his garage the mini can live there for 3-4 months.

  Real progress. It's now 25/01/2015, I had managed to borrow a set of panel beating dollies, so after a few weeks the roof is just about the right shape. Thank you you tube for the guides on panel beating. This "just" leaves the small accident damage to the front, dent in the wing and rear valance to straighten out. Also in this time the sun roof and roof lining has been sourced and delivered, one radius arm has been sand blasted and painted and half a petrol tank sanded then painted. The latest part being a rear subframe donated to our course, well it needs a little TLC but a step close to goal 3 of having a rolling chassis.

  The dent removal is going well but the hands are feeling it, not a good day yesterday. I could be mistaken for thinking every other hammer blow was to my thumb.

Some pictures, not that good as they are just mobile photos, but if you look close you may see some changes.

Radius arm from the box of bits,

 Drums sand blasted,

 Briefly on the road, well 2 pump trucks and 2 palettes for the journey to the garage.

 Working on the roof dents,

The front of the roof.

 top view of accident damage benieth the head lamp,

Engine bay lip, grill fixing and radiator cowel straightened,

Half way, straightened side light fixing area and eased the crease, have paused to dig out another tool.

So I think that covers the last 6/7 weeks highs and lows, oh we did join a local Mini group. P&S moc very nice and friendly bunch.

27/01/2015 - Busy busy, clocked up a few hours now cleaning up the rear subframe. Front panel dent much better and the rear valance is looking not so squashed. Not bad

 Just noticed, the rear valance was only 2 cm away from the boot floor when I started. This was after the first "tweek"/pulled into rough shape.

The l/h side

 After a lot of hammering we now have a realtively straight bottom edge and the lip is now unfolded and flattened out. (picture of r/h side)