67 MkII super deluxe

[Ollie78]

I've been having a go at repairing the A post recently, it was badly bodged at some point in the cars life, this is what I found hiding under the filler.

P1070891.JPG

I tried to carefully grind away the welds holding on the replacement A panel but the metal was so thin a repair or new panel was needed so I have something to weld a new A panel to.

I made oak formers to the shape of the A post.

P1070892.JPG

P1070897.JPG

The top of the repair had to be cut and re welded to allow for the shape of the door.

P1070899.JPG

P1070912.JPG

[Ollie78]

P1070940.JPG

P1070941.JPG

I stitch welded inside the A post for good measure. I think the scuttle corner is the last rust repair needed on the body shell.
Nearly ready for the inner wing, I hope to get it welded up this Christmas.

P1070936.JPG

[InimiaD]

That's class, pure class.

[java gt]

Nice to see the A pillar repair,I have to rebuild mine and I will be using M Machine panels as there is not much left to weld to.Excellent work as usual,must be a good feeling to have all the rust repairs nearly finished.

[Ollie78]

Hi
Yes M-Machine do an A pillar repair panel, I think they also do one that includes the outer A panel, had I known about it before I might have gone this route but I had already bought the heritage panels. I enjoy the body work most when making new piecing's so it doesn't matter.
The A post with A panel is quite dear but it might make fitting up the door/A panel gap easier. My thinking was you could bolt it up to the door with the hinges, then when happy with the panel gaps offer it up with door in place and tack it in place, remove the door and weld up properly.

[Ollie78]

Thought I'd post up some pics of how I flattened out the lumps in the inner wing pressing.
I think these are to accommodate later wiper motors used in the later vans and pick ups. I decided to try and remove as they sit right underneath the earlier minis inner wing/damper mount stiffener plate and don't look right at all.
There were a few other holes I had already welded up. I use a copper heat sink clamped to the back then just fill with weld and grind/linish smooth.

I marked out and cut with a thin cutting disc.

P1080056.JPG

Then hammered flat on a block of wood with a nylon mallet, cutting more in the cross as the gap closed.

P1080057.JPG

Then just welded up bit at a time, quenching with water helps as it shrinks the steel so pulls it all in and takes up any slack introduced when panel beating the final shape.

P1080059.JPG

P1080055.JPG

P1080073.JPG

[swifty]

Hi ollie . I've just fitted the (A) panel with door pillar you've mentioned from m machine . Whenever I'm fitting a (A) panel on a restoration I always go down this route . It makes getting the door gap so much easier . Keep up the good work .

[nick@dunsdale]

Well I have my own bodyshop and worked in the bodyshop trade for around 25 years, don't know how many hrs you have in this project but your metal finishing is spot on very clean and tidy work,
I am well impressed

Great thread.

[LDR209H]

Probably the best thread (carlsberg)
This is the kind of restoration you always promised yourself.
DIY and get the detail right. If you have the skills of course !
Great work and keep on.

[bwi457]

Enjoying watching the progress on this one. I'm carrying out something similar at the moment on my 68 Mk2, bodywork is now complete so am concentrating on the rest of the rebuild.
Best of luck

[Ollie78]

Thanks for the encouraging comments everyone.

Ken, that A post panel looks like the way to go, I am slightly regretting my heritage A panel purchase now, nice looking project, what is it? I'm not sure how I'll proceed with the A panels actually, whether to overlap the A panel or attempt to butt weld the lip if that makes sense. I'll probably overlap for strength and accept the rust trap. What do you think?

Yes, I've spent many hours on the body shell Nick, no idea how many, I’m not counting time or money but I only work on the car on Saturdays and spend as little as possible.
Your comments are very much a compliment coming from a professional, thanks. This is my first full restoration, I'm a stonemason by profession and although its a totally different material a lot of the principles are very similar. Rust removal takes me the most time as I can't media blast at home with my little compressor, that and ill fitting panels.

I had always wanted to do a mini like this as you say LDR but I really wanted a 1275GT to replace my 1972 black tulip and red GT I owned and restored in my late teens early 20's. Sadly there’re out of my price range now. I've always really liked clubmans but they're a lot more popular now these days than they used to be. I suppose one of the beauties of a base model car is it seems more ok to modify to your own spec.
I bought this car on the day I decided to have another mini, an impulse buy on ebay, big mistake. It was described to me as needing a patch on the rear arch and the drivers floor tidying up from a badly executed previous repair, everything else was apparently very 'solid'

Here's my old GT that I loved and modified

img058.jpg

What are your plans for your mkII Bwi? are you keeping it standard?

Cheers and Happy New Year
Ollie

[swifty]

I'm restoring a very late 67 mk1 S . For me restoring cars is my day to day living 34 years and counting . What fascinates me about this thread and your resto is that your a stone mason and the quality of your work is excellent . I'm kinda hoping you paint your mini yourself as we'll .

[Ollie78]

Hi Ken
Ah ok, that's why your car looks so good. Thanks giving me the benefit of your experience and for helping out with the metal shrinking advice, it did work quite well.
I will definitely prep and paint my car myself yes. I painted a few of my minis when I was a bit younger including the black tulip 1275 GT in the photo, I used cellulose and will do for this car if I can get it, is it still available? Or would you recommend something else?
Unfortunately this car will be El Paso Beige I want to keep the original colour really but my wifes not keen and its hard to like it. Hoping it will grow on us as time passes.
I've never really been in a position to be able to pay for work to be done for me so try to do everything myself where ever possible. I enjoy the learning and I think it gives more of a feeling of ownership of the finished car if you do the work yourself.

[swifty]

Personally I wouldn't go back to the days of cellulose . Don't be scared of 2 pack paint it's really not that bad . There's plenty of people to who can advise on here ...

[Andrew1967]

If the quality of your paintwork is as good as the panel work, then stick with cellulose Ollie. It is still available through people like Ken and Lynn or Colourweld 2000. Ken and Lynn's is the best in my opinion.

The main issue with cellulose is shrinkage. I've heard that 2 pack primer can overcome this but have not tried it due to lack of air fed breathing gear. Allowing plenty of time between primer and top coats will help to reduce this problem.

2 pack undoubtably gives the most durable finish, but in my opinion it doesn't look quite right on an old car. I'm sure many will disagree but there'll be quite a lot who will agree.

[Ollie78]

I have for the first time been using a 2K epoxy primer, when I finished the roof and gutters in the summer I sealed it up with that, I also painted inside the sills etc. while I had access before welding up. So far as I've read nothing but good things about it and as its water proof and adheres so well it seemed the way to go. It suits my needs doing as bit at a time.

I shouldn't really admit this but I did paint a car in 2 pack top coat many years ago without a proper mask, it was a quick job done outside on a farm on a still summers day. It did come out remarkably well and considering no wet polishing/flatting back was done. On the down side it did make me sick, I was probably suffering from psycho sematic symptoms but I did feel very poorly that night so thought it best not to use it again.
I'm a bit confused by the 2K health and safety guidelines. The primer I have has no isocyanates in it and have been told by the seller its ok to spray in a well ventilated place with a P3 mask Are isocyanates a form of cyanide I seem to remember reading on the Gov website says no 2K products contain cyanide.

I'm waiting to get shot down now...

I have been proceeding with care and am not keen on poisoning myself hence my saying I would prefer to use cellulose if possible, that and the fact I do think the cellulose weathers down quite quickly which is the finish I'm after. I can't stand the word patina (mostly because I hear it said far too often in relation to my work and it irritates me) but I do want the car to look right for its age and not over restored... despite the fact it will be/is.
Are the modern water based paints no good, requiring an oven cure?

[swifty]

Hi ollie . It would be vey difficult indeed to use a water based paint as it requires a lot of heat in between coats for it to flash off. If you did manage to use it , only the basecoat , ie the colour is water based . You still have to put 2 pack clear lacquer on it . All the water based paint ever achieved was to cut down 50% of the voc content . An option if you like the look of cellulose would be to prepare the car with a good quality 2 pack primer . This will help with the shrinkage around body filler repairs . Then use cellulose for your top coats . It's the hardener that has the isocyanates in it . A good extractor fan is essential when using 2 pack paint . As your painting you want the over spray out of the room , not lingering about in the air . If your painting clear over base 2 pack , the thinners required for the basecoat is no more harmfull than cellulose thinner. It's the lacquer with the hardener ( isocyanates ) in it were you have to have a bit of common sense . If your compressor won't run a air fed mask and a spray gun , there is a good mask available called a gerson . When I hear of oven baking I have to laugh . In the real world of a busy paint shop the oven is only used till the paint is touch dry , then it's put in the workshop to air dry and the next car in . It sort of works like your tumble dryer at home . If you took your clothes out mid cycle there steaming hot , when the tumble dryer cools down your clothes begin to dry . ... Just my opinion and many people may disagree .

[Andrew1967]

Sorry to butt in on the conversation Ollie, but this will help me as well

Is this the mask you are referring to Swifty ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gerson-2K-Pai ... 4897.l4275

Can you use two pack primer on the top of cellulose primer ? Reason for asking is that i have a 5 litre can in the garage for use on the pick up. My thoughts now is to use the high build cellulose primer for most of the prep work and then use 2 pack primer over the top for final priming, before applying the initial cellulose colour coats. Then can 2 pack primer be used over the cellulose top coats for sorting out imperfections that usually only manifest themselves after top coat is applied !

[AustinSuperSeven]

Hiya
I've heard of people using 2 pack underneath, inside, boot and engine bay for hard wearing, and cellulose body for originality!
Just a thought

[Ollie78]

Thanks for the advice on paint types Ken, I'll follow what you have said and as I've already bought a couple of litres of 2K epoxy primer I'll continue with that.
I'm a way off painting yet but my plan was to deal with any obvious panel beating, strip back to bare metal and prime in the summer months if I get time. I'll be checking back in here for advice well before that though
I do remember shrinkage problems around filler areas when using cellulose primer, I also had some paint reaction issues on one of my minis so used some barcoat (I think) to seal it off.

No problem Andrew, I wrote all this so people could butt in and am glad they do, that's the great thing about this forum I think. I have a mask exactly like that Gerson one, I borrowed it from work, we use it to protect from fumes when pouring molten lead. I think its P3 filters for fumes.. instead of P2 for dust particles etc They don't fit some people that well though, depends on face shape and beard

Hi super seven, I stand to be corrected but not sure mini's were ever painted with cellulose from the factory were they? Was it not some kind of enamel?