My rusty rebuild
Turbo Mini Forums

Thanks for the tips

By vent them do you mean leave a hole or actually pop some holes on bottom for moisture drain?

I have left jacking point holes so i can give them good waxoil and then put grommet in there.

Also this will be a weekend warrior and trackday machine so won't be daily runner and be garaged when not in use so will remove grommet also when parked up perhaps??

Rear subframe will be finished in satin black by end of day and hope to have rear rebuilt sub back in car next weekend. New complete backplates going on with radius arm rebuild kits and finned rear drums (cant remember name but the decent ones) all finished with spax gas adjustables and adjustable camber brackets

It's getting to point where I keep sneaking out there every chance I get and doing a bit more. Just need to get a rolling chassis finished and painted before colder weather arrives then the build will slow as the engine twincam conversion is done and the wiring sorted out etc.

I've just had a look at this on TMF so I could see it form the start. I see what you mean about the lack of replies, it seems certain people can remove the front wings and get 50 pages of replies while the decent projects get no attention. Just one of the many reasons why I avoid it other than to get my discounts!

Anyway, looks like you've made a nice job of the repairs and you're making good progress. I admire your effort for using all Hadrian panels as some of the ones I've seen look like they're for a different car. Every one I've used has required alterations, I'd rather spend the extra on genuine and avoid the hassle where possible.

If it where me I would remove the lowest face of the bulged bits, should allow plenty of drainage. Also some smaller drain holes lower down would be good, but make sure you clean the dirt out of them or you will just end up with the dirt etc rotting out

TBH you have ruined the shell in my opinion. Why have you fitted those sills. Think about all the crap that will collect in the sill just where it bends underneath the floor....we have all seen the results. Get them off and get some proper sills on...

I have had alook at genuine sill photos and it look like there would be a trap on the inner section of these also??

Not sure shell is ruined but yes couldn't get hold of original at time and my first build of a mini so learning along the way.

I won't be cutting these back off after painting underneath and whole inside in primer. Had I known a few weeks back I may have started again. The next one will be different


Just placed order for alloy subframe trunions along with alloy tower bolts and alloy rear hubs so looking forward to building up subframe now and getting rear end on ground again:)

Ok it finally sits on wheels again

rear subframe totally rebuilt with new brakes complete backplate assembly, radius arms rebuilt, new superfin drums and alloy rear hubs along with goodridge flexi hoses. track and camber brackets are fitted but what a piece of shit they are!! hole centres totally wrong so needed lots of modification. why cant they make this stuff so it fits!

anyway rant over here are the pics.

I couldn't get a reamer for doing the bushes so made one from a radius arm as correct size and lets you run through new bearing so you effectively line ream it true to bearing It's called a D bit reamer in case anyone doesn't know and is old hat now but model engineers still use them lots as easy to make to correct size without spending hundreds on reamers. i did grind it down slightly below centre line as didn't want to risk running too large until i knew it would work. All I did was hone last bit of material away for perfect fit.

Oh and have changed my mind 3 times on type of engine to fit so far as going to not fot the A+ anymore.

May be Vauxhall 8v with turbo bolted on or may be front mounted bike engine

On 8th Aug, 2010 CH007 said:

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

Re. the oversills, although I too would never use them, as you now have them I would suggest flooding them with waxoil/dinitrol on a warm day so it seeps between the oversill and the floor - then leave it a few days to make sure it all is in the gap - then cut the lower bit off all the "bulges" to replicate the factory ventilation.

The reason the factory design is better, even though it still partially overlaps the floor, is it is all spot welded at the factory so the gap is closed.

Seam welding even genuine sills will leave a gap for moisture to collect in, just not as big a gap as with oversills.....

The proper repair is to spot weld (or plug weld) standard size sills to make sure there is no gap between sill and floorpan for moisture to collect in.

Just my opinion.

Looking like very good progress overall though :)

Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ???

Thanks for the tips and comments:)

It's finally decided now as have picked up and engine and cradle along with chain drive diff.........................Yep it's an R1 conversion going in the front

Pciked it up of a bloke yesterday who made the frame etc himself and what a fine piece of work! Real skilled build. He did have subframe built as well but was with 90mm extended front end and I wanted to stay standard length front. so will be modding the frame to fit into my standard subframe.

I will get some pics later but need to now go and get the fibreglass panels mounted on car which should be fun