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I am restoring a MK2 cooper, the car has been stripped and I am in the process of cutting out the panels that need replacing, the car is on a home made jig and is well braced as vertually the whole of the bottom needs replacing, complete floor including boot and rear arches also door steps, arch to door lower repair panels and companion panels have all been ordered. My question is haveing never tackled anything like this before is where do I start?

Don't cut it all out at once!

I'd start by getting the floor and inner sills, heel board good. Then start from the doorsteps and work outwards.

here is a link to the photos of my body restoration. apologies it you don't use facebook but you will need to be logged in to see them.....

https://www.facebook.com/lukasz.ostatek ... nref=story

half a floor and one side of cills at a time with some welded cross braces in the openings.

good luck!

Thanks for the fast replies, I should have mentioned that because the floor was so bad I have ordered a complete built floor from m machine so it's not going to be possible to do one side at a time, and as the door steps and lower rear panels need replacing I am guessing I am going to have to cut everything out and start there?

lots and lots of welded cross bracing i guess, which was amazing for me to see as its the first time i've ever had a car restored! maybe a few detailed measurements too, and hundreds of photos perhaps?

as i said - good luck! would be interested in seeing your restoration progress.......

I used one of these http://www.raygrahams.com/products/1082 ... wwodZ5UApw
and marked loads of datum points before I started replacing the complete floor, toe board, inner wings & rear quarters all were refitted within 1mm of where I started using my datum markings,
you will be surprised how much fettling you have to do with the panels.

Don't put it on a spit if doing whole floor. Best thing is to strip to bare shell and make a frame like an old fashioned gutter mounted roof rack and put car on roof that way less chance of lozenging. Get some decking and put it through front and back windows to form a floor so you can work inside and not damage roof. Cut out the floor in sections again to make it less stress full and easier to lift bits out brace as you go most important are the door gaps and one across B pillars. Weld in floor and book an MOT!

This is were i am at so far, i have also braced across the door from A post to B post then a cross brace between the two which can't be seen in the photo. I also thought a spit might be a bad idea at least not until the new floor is in. I have taken various measurements using the old fashion string line and plumb bob. Fingers crossed i think this should be enough?

Ive never done a full floor and tunnel all at once.

I do floors first, and healboard, as said, do one side at a time, but im guessing the full floor and healboard all at once would work quite well. Centrelines are a must, as has been said, plenty of measurements and pictures!

keep subframes and doors handy to make sure everything lines up before you weld.

These:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/cleco-cleko-s ... 4ae383b172

are a godsend, most used tool in my place. You can fasten the panel on and check everything, fast to take on and off (rather than the old skool self tapper, or pop rivet method)

Scary the first time! But now its all I seem to do for customers! Loads of fun!

Cleco , they look a handy tool to have

Ian

There's quite a few pictures of a full floor replacement on my resto thread viewtopic.php?f=6&t=6462&start=20

The restorers doing this built a frame that picks the car up and supports it on the front bulkhead crossmember, the scuttle, the front parcel shelf, the inner a posts, the b posts, the rear panel top and bottom. Not sure if I photographed that, specifically, but I'm sure it's there somewhere. They also took a load of detailed measurements and it's not moved a thou. I think it also picks up the front panel, but it's been a while since I've seen the car, which reminds me, I must pay it a new year visit!

Gary

Build new lower and attach repaired upper.