Turbo mini minus
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Got on alot better tonight than I had thought I would, only have a little paint left to romove on the door shuts (then its on with the sandind, joy) so I got itchy fingers and wanted to get the bulkhead box fitted, its all bonded and matted in, it just need a layer of tissue mat on the engine bay side to finish it off, but thats saturdays job.
Shane.

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What about bringing the engine forward very slightly and then tilting it backward, worked well with My speedster. U would be suprised how little movement gives good results.
U can also alter the height of the rocker cover neck, is soldered so removall and adjustment is a piss of P-ss.
Would be a shame to have that carb poking through the bonnet.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c248/spe...er1/mini007.jpg

If it a'nt broke don't fix it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good suggestions fella, and thanks, but pretty sure alll engine bay clearences are now resolved (famous last words) and with minimal protrusions of the shell lines
Cheers
Shane

Am headed away to work for a couple of weeks, so went out in the garage yesterday to have a clear up before I go. Had to wheel the shell out to clean up so I took some pics.
Paint is now all off, so can start rubbing down and filling ready for paint, a task I know I will not enjoy! But after a two week break from it, I might feel more enthusiastic upon my return.
Shane

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Couldnt be arsed to really get on with much today so took my tires to be fitted, dropped them off at 8.45 this morning, "they will be ready for you before lunch" my arse! just been to collect them and they still sat where I left them this morn, so had to wait an hour and a half for them to be fitted, great!! o well worth it in the end!
Shane.

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Tripple post, sorry

Edited by shane on 8th Sep, 2007.

Tripple post, sorry

Edited by shane on 8th Sep, 2007.

I have had enough of body preperation!! God only knows why people choose to do this for a living, Its definatly not one for those of us with no patients! So I have thrown in the towl, and decided to throw it to the bodyshop, it will be painted smoke grey, black roof, doors fitted with ally skins. But before it goes in I need to get the inside painted and the belly too, so still a little to do before it goes (and im off on holiday on thurs, so its not gonna happen soon!!). Been dicking around with a few bits today so not much constructive done, mainly front panel, and messing around with resins.
Shane

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Due to my holiday, and working an extra 20/25 hours a week to raise funds for the car and house purchase, progress has been slow, work on week nights has been non existant but have managed to do a little the last few sundays.
The underside and wheel arches are now all black, and the inside and engine bay has had its first coat of grey, need to get some magnolia on order tomorrow to get the base coat sorted for the headlining areas.
Arriving this week I should have a pair of ally door skins (at last!!) which means hopefully late this week they can be outed to the body shop, also the tubing for my cage!! Nothing will be done with the cage untill the top coat has been complete and has cured.
Its not alot done, but at least it looks like I have actually done somthing now, LOL.
Shane.

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Nice bit of work that mate

Shit Happen's

Looks well preped to me, :)
Bulkhead looks boss.
How much does it weigh with no bird cage in?
Looks too easy to tip.

Back once again like a renegade master

The weight is apparently similar to a steel shell (although im not convinced, I have no probs moving it around on my own) when the inside is all complete the shell will be weighed as my friend that runs the mini miuns register is pestering me to weigh it.
Well prepped my arse!! lol! the flowcoat im using is the nuts!! its nice and thick and self leveling so it hides a multitude of sins, should look better after the second coat, which Im hoping to get done next weekend (missus permitting, lol)
Shane

Hi,
Looking great!
I'm a little confused though.
Earlier in the post you say there's enough room down the back of the engine for a number of badgers (not where I'd want one, but each to there own )
So why the bulkhead box?
Cheers,
Gavin :)

VEMs Authorised Installer / Re-seller. K head kits now available!

WB/EGT gauges. Click here for customers write-up

Visit www.doyouneedabrain.co.uk

My Mini build diary

There is loads of room down the back when N/A or T2, if I was to fit the metro T3 (either due to killing the t2 or wanting more banans) I would need the space, and wanted to distance the blower to the grp as much as I could. I thought also if I fit it now, while its still being prepped and painted etc, it would be one job I wouldnt have to come back and do at a later date.
Shane

Hi,
Looks like you've had your thinking cap on and covered all the bases!
Top job :)
Cheers,
Gavin :)

VEMs Authorised Installer / Re-seller. K head kits now available!

WB/EGT gauges. Click here for customers write-up

Visit www.doyouneedabrain.co.uk

My Mini build diary

Looks good, you going to stick any lagging or stainless plate back there to help protect the GRP from the heat?

Got some .5mm stainless laying about if thats any good?

Shane, I think the shells only weigh the same a s a steel one when its got the full bird cage kit in.

Back once again like a renegade master

Bat its my second bare shell build so am trying to lerarn by my mistakes, and believe me there has been a few!
Rob, yes I have some of that heat resistant matting stuff to stick to the box (no idea with what tho?)
Cheers Jason that maybe plan B, I may end up sending you the dimensions and getting you to make a stainless liner up for the box? (thats if you dont mind?)
Ill be supprised if it weighs less as i have used 8kgs of polyester resin plus matting, and all the flowcoat I ordered is about another 7kgs (before anyone questions it, its supplied by weight not by the litre) Then with the cage, its going to weigh a tonne (cage now that reminds me, need to chase the bits for that as they havent arived......) Does anyone know the weight of a steel shell (bare) by chance?
Shane.

Buy some reflective sheet with "glue" from Demon Tweeks or similar. I've got a picture I could send you if you'd like. Easy to apply and a great product. I just used this on the Marcos I'm working on.

I have some of that material, but thank you for the offer V, what adhesive did you use to fit it?
Cheers
Shane.

SH*T P*SS F*CK C*NT!!!!!!!!! Its been one of those mornings! Went out to give the inside of the minus a second coat of flow coat this morning and found a few areas where the last mix hadnt catalised propperly leaving the areas tacky, not a problem as I was putting a secong coat on. Mixing the flowcoat I made sure (as I usually do) that my mix is the correct ratio, then started painting. I rapidly found that it wasnt the previous mix that was the problem it was what was under the first coat reacting with it! The previous owner had used a bitumen like adhesive to bond the inerior in, when I was prepping for the flowcoat the whole inside of the car was rubbed down but niether 60grit paper, wirewheel on grinder, or acetone (used for cleaning proir to fibreglassing or flowcoat) would touch the stuff, is been there since the early 80's and wasnt showing signs of moving, despite a lot of persuading, so I left it, IM NOW REGRETTING THAT DECISION! I tryed the second coat but the bloody stuff keeps on coming thru, I have no idea what to do now, and to make it worse I had the colour mixed especially to match the paint. I had only enough to paint the areas I needed to. All the areas where the black sh*t wasnt have came up fine! ANOTHER set back to get in the way off getting it painted!
To make matters worse (while sulking from my findings above) I started stripping my doors as they are going to be reskinned next week, I found the dreaded tin worm has taken a firm hold of them!! Now toying with Fibreglass ones and cutting them down, and returning my ally ones.
BOLLOCKS!
Shane

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Edited by shane on 3rd Nov, 2007.

Just a little taster of todays efforts, made a start on making the cage today, form the A to B pillars is all fabbed up and tacked together and in for a trial fit, but realised when looking in thru the front window I haven't bent the front hoop correctly so one side it nearly touches the a pillar and the other I have a chuffing great gap, so in the morning its all going to be taken apart so I can aneal the bends and Give them the tweak they nead to get it central in the window appeture, all that will leave is the rear legs and diag, and possibly a little thinking over where to mount the harness's, but thats all after I have fitted a new exhaust to the missus's fiesta, O joy!
Shane

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Looks boss. Im edging closer and closer towards a minus.
Is it reinforced with steel in the sills? Im guessing youve bolted through that.

Seeing the car a front footwell bar wouldnt go a miss either only to make it safe.......er if you dont care bout your feet.

Back once again like a renegade master

I wish it was reinforced! The only steel reinforcment there is, is a "roll hoop" that is in the b piller to take the seat belt mounts which then runs over the top edge of the door and down the a pillar. Fornt foot well bar? Uve lost me now lol, do you mean one that goes from the front legs across the tunel? like Andy waller has in his?
Shane