Andy's build thread - 1275GTS
Turbo Mini Forums

Santa has been good to me this year.



A Vmax Scart 274 Cam and a nice set of isky followers. Apparently there's also a fist full of minispares vouchers in the post. :)

I've finally managed to find sometime to work on this car. More bodgy rot repairs, but I suppose it's got to be done...













So tomorrow what's left of the roof is coming of. Can't wait to see what horrors are under that...

I've been getting a bit pissed of with myself as I have been ignoring this car completly. The odd half day every three of four months isn't going to get it finished. So I've set myself a deadline of Spring 2011 to get it on the road. I don't think I have the time or the cash to get it done any quicker. That said, her indoors is nagging for kids (still) so anything could happen.

I'd like to get the shell repairs/modifications done by the end of feb if I can.

Shit Andy.

That's serious !

Good job mate.

You gonna replace with carbon or steel ? Sikaflex or weld ?

Richard.

Minivanless, but reluctantly happy living with the decision. There'll be another one day.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=minimadmotorman#p/u

Steel all the way! Fiberglass is gay. The metro van currently has a brand new heritage roof skin sat on top of it waiting to go on this. There's a fair bit of grinding, cleaning and painting to do before it goes on, but it shouldn't be a big deal.

I bought a spot welder specifcally for this job. I've been putting it of since April 2008. The theory is it's no harder than a wing, but I think it needs a bit more thought and prep as it has to be done right!

what that cam like? similare tot he kent 274i or scarts own profile?

"Turbo's make torque, and torque makes fun"

"did you know you can toast potato waffles?"

Scart's own I belive. Quite a lumpy idle, described as being good for a weekend/racer car. Sounds good to me

Nice work mate , keep up the good work and the piccies comming please !

Over the last couple of weeks I've spent 20+ hours freesing my ass of in the garage, but I think the end result is worth it.











In theory the shell is now solid and I could send it off for paint, but I don't want to do that...

I wonder what's lurking under the oversills...

christ get those oversills off and see what you've got to deal with now!

If you look in the pic's you'll see a rather large stack of panels waiting to go on. There's a nice new pair of genuine short sills in there. The floors are good so I don't think there's too many problems lurking, just the usual MOT bodgery

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

Looks a lot more complete with the roof on.
And looked easier to put on than i thought itd be.

I was picturing tabs and spot welds everywhere. Looks well neat.

In boost we trust

Thanks. 18.5 hours of the 20 was prep! Welding it on was straight forward, but I now have one arm larger than the other and a quite stiff upper body...

Yes Rod, it will be getting some speakers. It's a road car and I like my music. It was a donor car's parcel shelf so I had to use what was available. That said, I will be investing in some hole cutters and flaring tools so the shelf will be getting some more metal removed. I'd like to try and loose about 30 - 40KGs from the car. I weighed a heater yesterday - 5KG. So that's 6KG of my target.

The oversills are barely welded on so won't take much getting off.

i replied earlier but my post cant have worked properly,

roof looks good mate well done,

i will ask you to reconsider ditching the heater though i did and in went back in not long after.. from a safety point of view you cant see shit out the windows when its cold...

good luck fixing the over sill problem too usually nothing but rot left after they have been bodged on

Yes i moved to the darkside

Instagram @jdm_brett

Thanks Brett.

The heater is going. It's only going to be a summer car. A foam demister pad weighs considerably less that the heater. A fair point if it was a daily drive though.

Over sills are the root of all evil, so I've made a start sorting mine out.





Could have been worse. While I was there I redid some of my previous attempts at repairs...






I've been out tonight to make a start on repairing some more MOT bodgery on the drivers floor pan.



Turns out the MOT man had welded a patch onto some body filler.



With Bingley just round the corner I thought it would be best to see what panels I need to buy. So I've had a dig at the filler in the rear quarters. Passenger side was 1/8" deep 3/4 of the way up the panel even though it's not dented or rusty



The drivers side was a tottaly different story. It was over a 1/4" deep!



Under the filler was a big rusty crease going half way round the arch. It's had a bump up the back at somepoint followed by a very bad repair. Explains why the boot lid doesn't sit flush at that side.

So if you see a Tall bloke in a TM T-shirt at bingley carrying a rear quarter panel, say hello

Top work going on here!

When you hoping to have it done by?

Thanks. About 2 years ago!

I had planned to get the body work done by the end of Feb, but there's no chance of that now. All being well it will be on the road for the 2011 Drag Racing season.

Its getting there. Looks like you had a lucky escape with the oversills!

I think the drivers side sill will be worse, but there's still plenty to do...

nice, getting to the bottom of things..

I have ordered a SC 265 cam.. just waiting for the re-grind...

Good luck with the build

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

Cheers Gr4h4m. Say hello if you see me at Bingley, would be good to meet you.

Will be interesting to see what differnce the cam makes to your engine.

Yep I'm at Bingley getting all of the bits to put the car back together...

I run a supercharger and I don't care the TB is on the wrong side.
VEMS + 12 PSI + Liquid Intercooler = Small Bore FUN!

Cars looking great Andy, getting there!

I'll be at Bingley, need to buy a few bits and pieces for mine for when I re-fit my engine.

Got the passenger side finished today.






All the cavaties have 2 coats of POR15, so hopefuly no more rust

More of the same on the other side I guess...

Edited by apbellamy on 14th Feb, 2010.