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 604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
10th Jun, 2020 at 07:05:47am
Here is another photo of the front panel mounting brackets. – I did not get exactly the same aspect on both brackets, but you get the idea.
Edited by Graham T on 10th Jun, 2020. ’77 Clubman build thread
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
8th Aug, 2020 at 08:35:36am
At last, 2 months later and something to report.
On 8th Jun, 2020 Graham T said:
…By the end of day on Saturday, I was convinced that I had completely screwed up the shell, to the extent that is was twisted beyond recovery. After all: the wings are the same length and the subframe appears square so how can this be possible: there was in fact a difference between the lengths. Because of the curves, etc its difficult to measure, but I got a 5mm difference at the red and green positions, and only around 2 – 3mm at the yellow position. 
So, is the passenger side wing too short, or the Drive side wing too long? I think the Driver side is too long, because I had to pack it out between the subframe and front panel mounting brackets. Regardless, by this point I had already done a load of work to the driver side wing, creating guides to slide the wing into the A-panel and welding on the quick release clamps. 
so rather than undo all that work and cut the wing to make it shorter, I opted to extend the passenger side wing. After all, an extra 5mm space in the front might mean that I do not need to relocate the intercooler when I move the engine across from the coupe. The gap between bonnet and scuttle panel is a little larger than normal like this, but that’s a compromise I was willing to make. Once I got this all mocked up with a 5mm pack of “shims”, I measure everything again and it was pretty much spot on. Height of the wings at the front were within 2mm of each other ( previously the passenger side was 11mm higher) off of the subframe. I had a datum set from the top arm flanges on the subframe, using a long aluminium level extending out past the arches in the wing. From datum to arch lip were around 1mm out side to side, and most importantly, measuring from the damper mount to the wing, these were now identical side to side. Previously, when clamping the assembly in place to the A-Panels, these measurements were all over the place, so gap from tyre to arch and how much tyre would be exposed side to side was completely different. Packed with shims: 
Take the plunge and cut the wing: 
Get it all welded up: 
What this of course also meant was that the top of the wing was wrong to the corner of the scuttle panel, so that also had to get some grinder action. 
Stupidly, I never got photo’s of that finish welded. So, as you can see, I had to bodge the whole thing to get it to fit anything like properly. However, the bonnet fits well, with a nice even gap down both sides and I feel happier that its all at around the right height with tyre to body gaps now at least being in the same universe as each other. Total time taken so far for the whole project, according to when I think I started on 12th October 2019: 301 days Total time fitting 3 panels that should not really have been that difficult: 63 days. For now I am putting the front end out of the way in the spare bedroom so that it can sit and let the paint harden before I try to screw up the paint again with WetOrDry and a mop. This weekends mission is to finish rubbing down the guide coat on the bonnet and hopefully get a top coat on it, then strip the black stuff off of the new roof and get that primed with Epoxy. if I can get that far today, then tomorrow its angle grinder action and cut the old roof off.! Edited by Graham T on 8th Aug, 2020. ’77 Clubman build thread
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
8th Aug, 2020 at 05:43:53pm
Bonnet completed for now:
’77 Clubman build thread
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 2619 Posts Member #: 1246 Post Whore Lowestoft, Suffolk. |
8th Aug, 2020 at 06:41:06pm
I appreciate its been a long road of late, but there has been some decent progress in a very short period of time. Its really starting to look the part.
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1142 Posts Member #: 10165 Post Whore Stansted, Essex |
9th Aug, 2020 at 12:45:04am
Very, very nice work here.... great detail 👍 |
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
9th Aug, 2020 at 08:55:48am
On 8th Aug, 2020 shane said:
I appreciate it’s been a long road of late, but there has been some decent progress in a very short period of time. Its really starting to look the part. Shane Yes, it just gets frustrating when something that you think should be straight forward turns out to take much longer than things which you think are going to be complex. Cutting this roof out and replacing with the new panel should be interesting! Also, Wolfie lent me his spot welder a while back and until now I’ve not used it. So now I have to learn how that works. On 9th Aug, 2020 evad1980 said:
Very, very nice work here.... great detail 👍 Thanks. I have my Father visit every now and then to check on progress and I cannot stand the shaking of the head and tut, tut, tut’s when something does not meet his approval, so its got to be right. (or well hidden) 😊 ’77 Clubman build thread
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 (2)[/url] by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/150672766@N03/]Rod Sugden[/url], on Fli) 5988 Posts Member #: 2024 Formally Retired Rural Suffolk |
9th Aug, 2020 at 05:38:50pm
Good progress.
On 9th Aug, 2020 Graham T said:
Also, Wolfie lent me his spot welder a while back and until now I’ve not used it. So now I have to learn how that works. Re. the spot welder, depending on what Wolfie's make model is, my best suggestions would be, 1 - make sure the ends of the "electrodes" are properly profiled and correct diameter. They usually have a tool to go in a pistol drill but I do it in my lathe. 2 - make sure the arms are parallel, ie the electrodes are not too short after repeated re-profiling to keep the main arms parallel. 3 - most important..... the electrodes are NOT copper, even though they look like they are. They are a copper/chromium/zirconium alloy that has a much higher annealing temperature than copper. So, if they are getting too short, use the right stuff. The only place I've found it at sensible prices in the UK is here https://migtigarc.co.uk/mallory-bar-3037-p.asp Schrödinger's cat - so which one am I ??? |
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2619 Posts Member #: 1246 Post Whore Lowestoft, Suffolk. |
9th Aug, 2020 at 10:01:06pm
On 9th Aug, 2020 Graham T said:
On 8th Aug, 2020 shane said:
I appreciate it’s been a long road of late, but there has been some decent progress in a very short period of time. Its really starting to look the part. Shane Yes, it just gets frustrating when something that you think should be straight forward turns out to take much longer than things which you think are going to be complex. Cutting this roof out and replacing with the new panel should be interesting! Also, Wolfie lent me his spot welder a while back and until now I’ve not used it. So now I have to learn how that works. On 9th Aug, 2020 evad1980 said:
Very, very nice work here.... great detail 👍 Thanks. I have my Father visit every now and then to check on progress and I cannot stand the shaking of the head and tut, tut, tut’s when something does not meet his approval, so its got to be right. (or well hidden) 😊 |
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
10th Aug, 2020 at 07:05:22am
On 9th Aug, 2020 Rod S said:
Good progress. On 9th Aug, 2020 Graham T said:
Also, Wolfie lent me his spot welder a while back and until now I’ve not used it. So now I have to learn how that works. Re. the spot welder, depending on what Wolfie's make model is, my best suggestions would be, 1 - make sure the ends of the "electrodes" are properly profiled and correct diameter. They usually have a tool to go in a pistol drill but I do it in my lathe. 2 - make sure the arms are parallel, ie the electrodes are not too short after repeated re-profiling to keep the main arms parallel. 3 - most important..... the electrodes are NOT copper, even though they look like they are. They are a copper/chromium/zirconium alloy that has a much higher annealing temperature than copper. So, if they are getting too short, use the right stuff. The only place I've found it at sensible prices in the UK is here https://migtigarc.co.uk/mallory-bar-3037-p.asp Wolfie left me a length of material for replacement of the electrodes, so I’m covered there I think. And a few weeks ago I did some reading using a spot welder and on profiling the electrodes. The profiling is much more complex than I had imagined it would be. With this spot welder, the electrodes can be moved in the arms after reprofiling so that the arms remain parallel. Before I get to that though, the next big challenge is going to be sorting out the gutters. This is just a corner as example, but the gutter is in similar condition around the whole car. I wish I had noticed this before I bought the panels, because I would probably have bought full side, front and rear panels. 
I think the radius of the gutter is ¼” and I guess I can form new sections. But welding the new sections in might be interesting… At least with the roof out of the way now I can also get the rust cleaned up above the doors and windows. 
On 9th Aug, 2020 shane said:
I can totally understand that having taken ten years to build, fit, and wire a new engine. Keep up the good work though, this really is a Stella effort. Shane ... Thanks Shane. ’77 Clubman build thread
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 1648 Posts Member #: 9038 Post Whore Carlisle, Cumbria |
10th Aug, 2020 at 08:44:24am
I feel your pain about the new front wings. My clubman estate has had a new front end (previous owner) and its a poor fit. The front panel is aligned badly so makes tightening the RH pear drop a pain. And the bonnet alignment with the wings etc |
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 6743 Posts Member #: 828 Post Whore uranus |
10th Aug, 2020 at 12:13:42pm
crikey this going to look good. Medusa + injection = too much torque for the dyno ..https://youtu.be/qg5o0_tJxYM |
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
11th Aug, 2020 at 12:34:49pm
On 10th Aug, 2020 hazpalmer said:
I feel your pain about the new front wings. My clubman estate has had a new front end (previous owner) and its a poor fit. The front panel is aligned badly so makes tightening the RH pear drop a pain. And the bonnet alignment with the wings etc That’s bad for you, but somehow makes me feel a little better knowing it was not just me with such a big issue. Even after moving the driver side front panel bracket, I still had to file out the holes in the brackets a little to let the whole front panel move around 4mm to the drivers side. I was probably over the top with getting the fit right, as in all honesty, getting the arch to tyre distances spot on equal side to side was probably not necessary, especially as I will adjust the suspension for corner weight anyway. On 10th Aug, 2020 robert said:
crikey this going to look good. I hope so Robert. I also hope that the engine out of the coupe will fit in as it is: I’m worried about the Intercool and slam panel. Also the bonnet strengtheners clearing the plenum. I’ve now got most of the remaining roof panel pieces and spot weld removed from inside the gutter channel , but I am still contemplating the gutter itself and how best to repair it. Making up new pieces looks a little complex, but I’ll give it a go. I have some 6mm steel rod and flat bar on order to try to make up something to form the new pieces, but my main thought is how to and where to cut off the old crap and weld on the new piece. I either have to: Cut half the gutter out, sort of midway across the flat part of the channel and then try to butt weld the new piece to the old – which could be a messy job. Or Perhaps only cut the radiused part off and make the new piece slightly wider so that it can be overlaid on flat part that the roof panel welds to. I can then spot that in place and perhaps tig along the length on the outer edge to blend the old gutter remnants into the radius of the new piece. That might be easier but then I end up with 3 layers of panel (including the roof panel). Possibly not noticeable, but potentially another layer to trap moisture and rot out. I suppose really the next step will be ensuring I can actually form the gutter correctly before I start hacking anything else out. ’77 Clubman build thread
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
17th Aug, 2020 at 07:10:34am
Over the last few days I’ve built up a former for the passenger side roof gutter.
Edited by Graham T on 17th Aug, 2020. ’77 Clubman build thread
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Site Admin  15300 Posts Member #: 337 Fearless Tom Fenton, Avon Park 2007 & 2008 class D winner & TM legend. |
17th Aug, 2020 at 08:55:02am
Hats off chap, super clever and skilled work making those gutter sections.
On 29th Nov, 2016 madmk1 said:
On 28th Nov, 2016 Rob Gavin said:
I refuse to pay for anything else Like fuel 😂😂 |
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
18th Aug, 2020 at 07:00:28am
Thanks Tom.
’77 Clubman build thread
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
29th Dec, 2020 at 02:22:41pm
After a fairly lengthy hiatus from actually doing anything physical to the Clubman, I’m back on it.
’77 Clubman build thread
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
29th Dec, 2020 at 02:23:09pm
So here we are back at it.
Edited by Graham T on 29th Dec, 2020. ’77 Clubman build thread
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
29th Dec, 2020 at 04:29:12pm
New Under rider in Carbon Fibre with only 5 layers of
’77 Clubman build thread
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2619 Posts Member #: 1246 Post Whore Lowestoft, Suffolk. |
29th Dec, 2020 at 10:36:31pm
Great way to make a come back Graham.
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 428 Posts Member #: 10128 Senior Member Dorset |
30th Dec, 2020 at 06:14:10pm
Good call walking away and finding something else to do! Nice job on the parts so far. |
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
9th Jan, 2021 at 10:33:41am
So yes, I am still trying to avoid the roof gutters at the moment, I have actually done at least a bit to the gutters, but I have been mostly busy with making the internal trim.
Edited by Graham T on 9th Jan, 2021. ’77 Clubman build thread
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Site Admin  9401 Posts Member #: 58 455bhp per ton 12 sec 1/4 mile road legal mini Sunny Bridgend, South Wales |
9th Jan, 2021 at 10:06:31pm
love the front bumper, fancy making me one?? Team www.sheepspeed.com Racing
On 15th May, 2009 TurboDave said:
I think the welsh one has it right! 1st to provide running proof of turbo twinkie in a car and first to run a 1/4 in one!! Is your data backed up?? directbackup.net one extra month free for all Turbo minis members, PM me for detials |
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
10th Jan, 2021 at 09:45:49am
On 9th Jan, 2021 Jimster said:
love the front bumper, fancy making me one?? Potentially, Yes. BUT, I do not want to commit to that at the moment. I’m still learning with Carbon Fibre layup, and I’d not be comfortable at the moment making anything for anyone - especially if the weave is to be on show. I think the voids I have in the outer resin layer that I got when making the first Bumper were due to: a) the wrong type of cloth – ie I used 12k 2 x2 twill 380g and from what I have read since, I believe I really needed to use a lighter weight with something like 3k tow, for the initial layer, which is less stiff and more able to conform to the complex curves I am trying to mold around, then move to the stiffer and thicker 380g 12k to add stiffness on subsequent layers. b) My consolidation technique needs some more work/ practise. c) I’m struggling with keeping temperature up in the garage. I am also worried about the stability of the shape – will it move over time, especially as it was fairly cold when I made it, and will it move once temperature starts to rise… Also, I have a plan for the brackets and bonding them to the Bumper, but I have not got that far at the moment, so I am not sure how successful it will actually be So the bottom line, perhaps in a few months time… ’77 Clubman build thread
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604 Posts Member #: 1106 Post Whore Hungerford, Berks |
10th Jan, 2021 at 11:18:37am
Before I go out and freeze my nuts off again today:
Edited by Graham T on 10th Jan, 2021. ’77 Clubman build thread
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 967 Posts Member #: 3228 Post Whore North of the Netherlands |
11th Jan, 2021 at 01:33:06pm
That's impresive Graham! Dazed and Confused.... |
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