Irish Mini Owners Club

Thank Colin, I think the rear valence can be got from underneath too. I don't plan on putting the original fog light back on the car. I bought an earlier valence without the holes and nut for the external fog light.

What's everyone using in terms of paint for the inside of cavities? i.e. Inside of sill cavities, rear valence and front gusset closing panel cavities before welding them up? Everywhere else is accessible except for these three areas. Any help would be appreciated? I was thinking of just using 2K ep...

I haven't been posting much on the progress lately but I have been working away on the bodywork over the last few weeks. Finally finished the roof and here is the last section welded in place. I have joined up the two panels as I am hoping to not have any plastic trim on the gutters. https://live.st...

Original all the way too. You can make some enhancements to improve driveability and reliability but always loved the colour.

I used the Eastwood Ceramic Engine paint from Frost. Its brush on and produces a great finish.

colinf1 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 10:02 am Fantastic repairs as usual Conor, if the exams for welding bodywork you'd ace them!

Thanks Colin!

Almost there on the roof. I started with 9 repairs to do and now I have one small one left after today. This repair took most of the day. However, delighted with the results. The roof is looking good again. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53410578373_7cc07686e2_b.jpg https://live.staticflickr.co...

I have been busy studying for exams of late and haven't had time to finish the roof on the mini. Exams are completed now. I spent the last couple of days on the mini and have completed the rear passenger corner of the roof. The series of photos shows how I approach the weld. Keeping a ~1mm gap and k...

Marktoby wrote: ↑Tue Oct 31, 2023 2:22 pm Only new to the group, and to Mini ownership so I'm playing catch up on the work you've done, but its exceptional. Great work.

Thanks a million. There is a wealth of knowledge and support on the board so please don't hesitate to ask questions.

You don't see too many of them about with that original style grille. How close you hoping to get to original spec? I think you said that you'd be adding a few essentials like temp and oil gauges.... The car didn't come with a grill so might have to go looking for one. Alternatively, there is a bla...

Started the blending of the weld through on the other-side of the new lip of the patch panel. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53297578615_56eda27f22_b.jpg Job done. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53297480804_b47f50c351_b.jpg Final sizing and cutting of the patch panel to fit the roof. I wil...

I attended the Portlaoise Classic Car Show today and managed to pick up this brochure. It's the BL Cars Mini Brochure for the 1980/81 models https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53296020783_688d4d4297_b.jpg The last double page has the Mini City I am restoring albeit in a different shade of red (Cinn...

Bought this burr in Wurth in Portlaoise to tidy between the corner of the rain gutter and the vertical seam on the rear panel. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53277656166_ac1eaacacf_b.jpg It cleaned it up really nicely and it was super sharp. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53278124780_ce169...

woody wrote: ↑Tue Oct 17, 2023 1:13 pm Looks good. The seam cover will cover most of that weld

Agree, just need to blend it a small bit. I have an off-cut for the seam cover from another mini and I just need to create a radius in that corner.

Repairing this corner of the passenger side rear quarter has proven tricky. It took hours just to get this patch to fit and align properly. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53265019163_5e805b70d8_b.jpg It welded in nicely but where it joins the spot welded seams I don't have a tool to grind down ...

Thats a brave repair! I'd say yor were quite nervous doing that cut! Oh yes. The challenge will be grinding out the old corroded lip. At least in the corners you can get behind the roof panel and do a little bit of pushing. Also, the corners tend to hold their shape when welding compared with flap ...

Sizing up the patch panel for the rear passenger roof corner https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53230006373_7fba5f6c47_b.jpg Initial cut of the corner https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53230006358_6e1bff7218_b.jpg The lip of the existing roof is very badly corroded in this corner https://live.sta...

Patch panel is tacked in place https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53224752990_be0d1d6d0a_b.jpg Ground down the first round of tacks so I can get to the gaps in between https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53224245661_d9af0f0400_b.jpg All cleaned up and spot welds completed against the existing panel...

Here is the finished underside

I cut out the rotten lip of the roof panel https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53214526766_bc3b987363_b.jpg I always leave extra metal so it dissipates the heat better https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53215041115_f57bc0699e_b.jpg Tacking it in place https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53214835118...

I have started work on the driver-side rain channel. This will be repaired from underneath. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52955328380_20ca95ac12_b.jpg Remove the existing corner to make way for the patch panel. The lip on the roof panel will need some repair but the rest is solid metal. https:...

You are certainly getting maximum value out of your Mini before she gets locked up for the Winter. Did it not scare you having the entire family in the Mini? I have no seatbelts in the back of mine and I might leave it like that. My youngest is 12 years old so wasn't really planning on using the bac...

Carrying on from my previous post, tack welded in place https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53153871023_d8cf102961_b.jpg Grinding down the welds, it should require very little filler https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53153373026_40158d2ef6_b.jpg All finished inside the door frame https://live.stat...

Hi all,

Does anyone have photos of MKIV onwards rain gutters for both the front and back? I am creating repair patches and I want to match the original shape as best I can. Mine were so corroded I don't know what the shape should be like.

The more original the better.

Thanks in advance.

Conor

Haven't been in the garage for a good few weeks. Lots of other commitments took priority. Various stages of tack welding. I didn't weld the ends until the end because I didn't want the expansion and contraction of the patch to warp the roof. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53129497982_d1c361da38...