Time lapse full metal Broadspeed GT restoration/transformation

[Dr.Mabo]

It’s cutting time. The Broadspeed roof is a bit lower than the standard Mini roof. That means the B-pillar and the doorframe need to be chopped. The quarter light frames need a different shape and will have a lower height anyway.

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To bring the frames into the correct form I had to build a pair of templates for both quarter lights. With a shrinker / stretcher tool I modified the old frame to match the new shape. The rear end radius is smaller and had to be altered separately. Both parts welded back together are fitting nicely around the template. I wouldn’t have expected that before.

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so long
the Doc

[Daz1968]

Fantastic work, makes my resto look a walk in the park, looking forward to seeing the roofline come to shape.
Have been learning a few things from this and enjoying every update,

[mk1]

You make it all look sop easy!

[Dr.Mabo]

You make it all look sop easy!

Your impression seems to be right

so long
the Doc

[Dr.Mabo]

Basically on the Australian Broadspeed derivates I recognized that especially the details are important to shape the quarter lights in a way that they look right. In both Aussi examples the upper radius on the B-pillar is too large. The chrome frame was obviously taken from a standard Mini. And as the lower radius is tight and the upper is large, they didn’t change it for their Broadspeed derivates. But also the upper radius needs to be tightened. That’s why I cut the B-pillar section in two, reduced the radius with the shrinker/stretcher and welded both parts back together.

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To keep the strength of the B-pillar even after cutting and welding, I reduced the height on the inner and outer profile on different positions. Inside, above the seat belt mount and outside, below. Another benefit, it makes later alignment of the sections easier. With the chopped roof, the windscreen frame needs to be raked too. A little cut in the lower section of the A-pillar will do the job

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so long
The Doc

[mk1]

Hi Doc,

Are you doing this project in "real time" on the forum, or are you already a long way down the road to completion? I am staggered by your speed of working if you are doing the conversion as you post the pictures!

[roger mcnab]

hi doc
you make us all look like hobby farmers your skills are fantastic this car is going to be awesome keep up the pics and we will drool over them
cheers roger mcnab

[Prooij]

Very good craftmanship again! What is the yellow stuff (fluid) on the pictures?

[phil82]

It‘s not real time. The docu is catching up but still a bit behind...

The dedication to details and the perfect and clean work is stunning and for sure a target for own projects...

Cheers mate!

[morris-miner]

Totally agree with Roger's comments, your skills really are totally impressive.

[Dr.Mabo]

@Mark
Phil82 answered it already. In reality I'm a bit ahead of the docu.

@Roger
I'm also not more than a hobby farmer in bodyworks. I just eat the little slices of the elephant and try what I think could be possible with my skills and tools. I'm also surprized that is works in most of the cases.

@Prooij
The yellow stuff is Anti Corrosion Etch Primer. It creeps in every corner and protects the metal. Thats why I cover all the areas and surfaces as long as I have good excess. And one can weld over it without removing the Primer.

so long
the Doc

[Dr.Mabo]

The door and window frame got its new shape and are ready to go back into the shell. It is quite useful to have the roof in the old position. It is still a good orientation for the lowered frames and gives an idea of the reduced roofline, rather then to find the correct position in the middle of nothing. Noticeable is also the longer quarter light and its position comparing to the limousine. Both sides are already converted.

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so long
the Doc

[Prooij]

Looks great already! Your skills are really amazing, in a very nice shop

[Dr.Mabo]

Now there is no way back anymore. After 5 cutting disks the roof and the rear panel are gone. The roof will be modified to the new shape, the complete rear panel can be reused for another Mini. I removed it in a way that all seams are intact.

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The body looks quite naked. Not much left at the moment.

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so long
the Doc

[Daz1968]

Brilliant, can’t wait to see the roof being formed

[Charlynsane]

Incredible Work Doc, can't wait to see the continuation of the project !

[Dr.Mabo]

Before I can start forming the roof some more detail work is necessary. When I look at the Aussi all steel replica, there are missing some details to make it look right. I already mentioned the upper radius of the quarter light. This is too big and just left from the standard Mini quarter light. That’s why I choose the additional work and reduced the radius.
Next detail is the seam of the roofline. Usually the rain gutter of the standard Mini forms this line. But with the rain gutter removed it looks pretty naked. The Braodspeed has some kind of semi rain gutter or better just a bead. This visually connects the door windows and the quarter light. In my opinion it’s important for the correct look. Thus I choose again the additional effort to create a bead along the roofline. Unfortunately I couldn’t find a tool or clever solution to roll the bead without deforming the quarter light frame. That’s why I went down the long way and bend the bead step by step with a pair of pliers.

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so long
the Doc

[roger mcnab]

hi doc
well sometimes there is no easy way to do what needs doing except the hard way then we wonder what am i doing but keep at it and all will come right in the end cheers roger mcnab

[mk1]

JUST

Incredible work.

[Dr.Mabo]

Time has come to shape the roof panel.

My basic idea was just to use the standard roof panel and shrink it on the outer edges. Therefore I bought a foot operated shrinker with a deep throat of about 12 cm. This would reach over the outer curve of the roof panel up to the more flat area. I put symmetrical marks on the in and outside for orientation and to shrink the panel evenly along both sides. Unfortunately this did not work. It only creates sharp edges in the curved area because the shrinker should go a lot deeper into the panel, almost to the centerline. So I had to change plans.

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I still wanted to use as much of the roof shape as possible. Particularly at the front end. Thus I cut of the sides and start shaping the center area the traditional way. I used a hammer and a sand bag to form a mild crown on the upper side. This should bring the sides and the tail more down. I placed the buck in the bodyshell to get a better feeling while creating the roof shape. To handle the wobbly roof panel was quite a challenge. It had to go of and on the buck many times because shaping on the sand bag and the English wheel, rechecking the shape only on the buck.

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so long
the Doc