5 days holiday!

[charlie_mini]

here's how i've spent my 5 days holiday from work! trying to get charlie thru an mot! decided that the rust would be a major problem! but at least i've found where the water was coming from!!!

http://www.geocities.com/e_lonsdale/motupload/boot.gif
the hole flooding charlie's boot and the panel that should fix it (before it was welded in place!)

http://www.geocities.com/e_lonsdale/motupload/outersill-b4-after.gif
charlie's outer sil, before and after!

http://www.geocities.com/e_lonsdale/motupload/innersill.gif
now that's where the water was coming from!!

http://www.geocities.com/e_lonsdale/motupload/rearquart.gif
rust treated back to bare metal and then gone! hopefully for good!!

[charlie_mini]

This is what was left of my front panel!!
http://www.geocities.com/e_lonsdale/motupload/bumper.gif

This is the result of 2 hours of carefull negotiation with a big hammer and angle grinder!

http://www.geocities.com/e_lonsdale/motupload/frontend-primer.gif

and this is where she is up to as of 11pm tonight!
http://www.geocities.com/e_lonsdale/motupload/frontend.gif

[Gr4H4m]

well done mate... looks excellent work, and you said it was your first try !!! I'm well impressed :cool:

I bet you are happy with the results. :D

Did you teach yourself to weld?

[TONYELF]

Looking good Eric. Keep up the good work. Will get you some viagra (keep you up all night!LOL):D

[charlie_mini]

well done mate... looks excellent work, and you said it was your first try !!! I'm well impressed :cool:

I bet you are happy with the results. :D

Did you teach yourself to weld?

yeah its my first mini! had some very un successfull tries on my old nova but think i've got the hand now!
had a quick lesson off alistar about how to use the welder but its quite straight forward! nearly back on the road now tho!! :D

[Gr4H4m]

cool I bet you can't wait for the MOT now.

[TONYELF]

[QUOTE=Gr4H4m;5834]cool I bet you can't wait for the MOT now.[/QUNever mind the test, I bet you can.t wait for the certificate!:D

[Deano]

Spot on mate you done a really good job told you it was easy lol:)

[coddy]

Looks great, :D When can i bob my clubman round ??;)

[KAYE (Mrs Jones)]

Well done. Keep up the good work. Cant wait to c her :)

[charlie_mini]

well, she is finally all back together, some small patches welded in the rear arch, got her out into the daylight for a wash (but then it rained) the colour on the front end is spot on! well made up! all she needs is that bit of paper to say i can drive her again!
:D
hopefully tomorrow will be that day!

[Siano :)]

:D :D WAHEY!! :D :D good work eric

[TONYELF]

well, she is finally all back together, some small patches welded in the rear arch, got her out into the daylight for a wash (but then it rained) the colour on the front end is spot on! well made up! all she needs is that bit of paper to say i can drive her again!
:D
hopefully tomorrow will be that day!

I thought it was advisable not to wash new paintwork(especially out of spray cans) for a short while anyway. Read the cans?:confused:

[Gr4H4m]

I think a non abrasive gentle wash should be ok but no polishing for a couple of weeks unless its been baked dry, was the general advice I was given.

[charlie_mini]

it was more the rest of the car that got the good wash, just gave the bits i've painted a gentle rinse to get the dust off thats accumulated on top!!
Failed the MOT tho, the guy didnt think my upside down, blindfolded welding that i did along the bottom of the outer sill was up to scratch! and the ball joint nut was a little bit loose so he canxled the test! :(:( very devostated! he said it was held on my 1 or 2 threads! it was half un-done, took 5 mins to fix! Also he thinks my rear sub-frame is corroded but i checked it at the weekend, couldnt see any rot! might just have to tidy it up a bit with the grinder and paint tho! :(

[KAYE (Mrs Jones)]

Oh dear. Sorry to hear she failed her test. Poor charlie. Hope she gets well soon. Cant wait to see her :)

[Siano :)]

thats devastating, after all ya hard works, hopes shes road worthy in no time :D

[Gr4H4m]

it was more the rest of the car that got the good wash, just gave the bits i've painted a gentle rinse to get the dust off thats accumulated on top!!
Failed the MOT tho, the guy didnt think my upside down, blindfolded welding that i did along the bottom of the outer sill was up to scratch! and the ball joint nut was a little bit loose so he canxled the test! :(:( very devostated! he said it was held on my 1 or 2 threads! it was half un-done, took 5 mins to fix! Also he thinks my rear sub-frame is corroded but i checked it at the weekend, couldnt see any rot! might just have to tidy it up a bit with the grinder and paint tho! :(

Don't get dis-heartened, its just more experience.. At least if you do need to change the rear subframe its easier than the front...

Good-luck

[Deano]

Thats not to bad mate:) at least you know exactly what to do to get it thru the test now. hang on in there

[charlie_mini]

wire-brushed the rear subframe tonight! ended up looking like a chimneys sweep! thing for the guy to be prepared to fail it for the 'corrosion' on the subframe was well harsh! there was an awful lot of rusty coloured road debris (grit, mud etc) but once that was all off i've taken the subframe right back to bare metal all over it, inside edge and outside (just not on top coz i haven't unbolded it! also to make doubly sure given it a good coat of hammerite rust removing green gel stuff! the only actual corrosion i found was 2 very small patches (both combined were no bigger than a 5p!) on either edge, so goin to weld a small plate over them and see what the guy says!
also ordered my 'pear joints!' the guy looked at me quite bemused when i'd never heard of pear joints! after 20 mins searching minisport and mini spares i found what he ment!
they are actually 'teardrop' front subframe bushes for where the subframe bolts to the front panel, apparently they need replacing too!
ordered 2 with xpress delivery for £10! (about £3 each then highway robbery with the postage) should have all that sorted and my 'very poorly welded outer sill' (his words!) re-welded and the car back at the garage on saturday! fingers crossed!! :D