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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 2, 2010 20:36:56 GMT
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 2, 2010 21:04:29 GMT
Started work today. Removed the tired gutter trim (with my little helper) that was falling off. May replaced it with a chrome one or just leave it as is. Also removed the classic bendy aerial so that we can get the cover on without fear of it being ripped. Got a chrome retractable one on the way. Moved on to remove that stripe!
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 2, 2010 22:00:28 GMT
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Post by clambod on Aug 3, 2010 7:27:54 GMT
Even a stripe on the lower dash rail. You can see the ghost stripe on the bonnet but T cut will sort that. I would not replace the gutter trim as I've found it encourages rust. Looking forward to the next instalment.
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 3, 2010 9:15:33 GMT
The stripe on the lower dash rail will be gone soon too! Here's a picture of the cover we have for the mini. It's a 'Stormforce All Weather 4-Layer Car Cover'. Made to measure for the classic Mini, waterproof and breathable. It fits really well, and even has straps to tie under the car although we don't think that we'll need them. Costs about £120 but I do feel that it's worth it.
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Post by clambod on Aug 3, 2010 10:44:21 GMT
I have a similar cover but it was much cheaper than yours. It's about 2 years old and leaks so have had to put a tarp under it to stop water getting into project Asterix. We both have what looks like a baby elephant on the drive.
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 5, 2010 20:27:23 GMT
The mini has now been named 'Thing'. Inspired by the comment under the numberplate "it's a mini thing - you wouldn't undertstand". It's name does seem to crop up a lot in comversation too - - "you're not going to work on that thing again!" - "that thing is costing us a fortune!" - and so on... ;D ;D ;D We started out on Thing today with the intention of cutting back the paintwork using G3. Then it started to rain... so we fitted some rear seatbelts instead. These are brand new retractable ones originally bought for Pootle but never fitted. The car already had the anchor points but has never been fitted with rear seatbelts. When the rain did stop we cut back the paint with qualified success. Most of the ghost lines left by the stripe have disappeared but the ones on the bonnet are a different kettle of fish. Looks like the bonnet has been resprayed badly at some point after the stripe was fitted and it's now two different colours. The doors have also been sprayed badly at some point. The paint of them was rough and dull and once the cutting paste was applied no amount of rubbing and water would remove it. To me it looks like someone sprayed it with red oxide primer and no topcoat! I am thinking of rubbing the doors and bonnet back with some 1500 wet and dry and then blowing them over with a few rattle cans. Hopefully this will come up better than what we have now. The rest of the bodywork has come up great considering it's nearly 25 years old. We've got a few marks on the roof where the paint has pitted a bit but that's to be expected. I'm going to finish the paintwork using G10 and then polish using Turtle Wax Colour Magic to get the best finish that I can. A full respray is planned for next year.
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Post by (minisniper) on Aug 5, 2010 21:18:26 GMT
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 8, 2010 17:47:08 GMT
Thanks for the advice Lea - we tried red t-cut but unfortunately it didn't help! I got a friend to pop round and give me a second opinion as I am not the world's greatest authority on paintwork. He also thinks that the doors and bonnet have been touched up with red primer only and not top-coated! The solution that we're going for is to lightly sand the doors and bonnet and blow them over with rattle cans. This will suffice until we can get the bodywork sorted properly and the car resprayed. I've got a week to get it sorted and the trim re-attached before "Thing" is sent to MRA a week on Monday. Over the last couple of days we have been all around the car touching up as many of the paint chips and small marks that we can. We've also tidied up the patch of filler on the scuttle that we uncovered when we took the stripe off. This has been primed and resprayed. Just needs to be cut back now. You can see how bad the bonnet is in this picture. Today I sanded the bottom half of the drivers door (where there was just primer) and sprayed it over too. This needs to be cut back too. Tomorrow, weather permitting, I'm planning to sand and spray the passenger door and bonnet. Back to the original job of cutting back and polishing the paintwork once that is completed. We've decided to replace the door locks, number plate light and windscreen wiper fittings with chrome/stainless steel bits as we put them back.
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Post by (minisniper) on Aug 8, 2010 20:36:52 GMT
Hiya Sorry to hear about the doors and bonnet. The door is looking good and I hope the other door and the bonnet turn out ok as well. Is it the gearbox you are having done with MRA? Anything serious? Lea
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 8, 2010 21:15:45 GMT
Hi Lea
Its off to MRA to look at an oil leak (not a massive one but much bigger than you usually get wth a mini). We believe that it's coming from the torque convertor, in which case specialist tools are apparently needed to repair it. A local garage has declared the repair to be beyond them (and it's beyond me). It's running well and changes gear fine but I have asked Martin to give it the once over and let me know if he finds anything.
Fingers crossed he won't.
It will need to go down on a trailer as I'm concerned about driving it 60 miles with the leak. But I am hoping to drive it back after it's repaired so it needs to be put back together before it's taken down.
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Post by clambod on Aug 9, 2010 6:23:29 GMT
Looks like you did a good job on the scuttle panel and drivers door. I hope that MRA don't find anything that's too expensive
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Post by (minisniper) on Aug 9, 2010 20:13:16 GMT
Hiya Paul I've got my fingers crossed for you that Martin doesn't find anything more than your oil leak. Keep us updated on how you get on!! I have to say it's a first for a garage to say a repair is beyond them, normally they would have a go and then charge you through the roof for their services glad to hear you have a good garage by you!! Lea
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 9, 2010 22:30:23 GMT
I'm not sure about a good garage! The car was taken there by the previous owner. I got a bt concerned when he began talking about a transmission fluid leak and had to point out that the engine and gearbox share the same oil. Still he didn't charge to look at the problem and declare it to be beyond him. I'm hoping that Martin doesn't find too much wrong with it either. At least it's going to someone who does know what they're doing so we can have some confidence in his findings and work. Today we sanded the bonnet and passenger door and sprayed them using Halford's finest spray cans. These pictures don't really do the spray job justice as they were taken after we cut the paintwork on the roof. This makes a right mess - you can probably see the spots on the bonnet and door. We continued to cut the old paintwork back and then moved on to the drivers door that I sprayed on yesterday. We flatted the paintwork and then cut it over. The colour match is good and the paint has cut back fairly well. The only problem is that the sprayed paintwork is nowhere near as shiny as the original paintwork. You might just be able to make it out in this picture I sprayed the bottom half of the door. This is possibly the downside of using rattle cans. I dont want to flatten the paintwork and cut again as we were told to leave it 2 weeks to harden before using a cutting paste on the rattle can instructions. I will probably have another go when it comes back from MRA. Tomorrow I need to do some real work (the kind that brings money in rather than sending it out). On Wednesday I hope to move on to flatten and cut the bonnet and driver's door.
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Post by clambod on Aug 10, 2010 6:00:51 GMT
That's coming along quite well now. Yes, I'd leave it longer before cutting and polishing. 2k paint can be done the next day as it's a chemical cure.
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 11, 2010 21:04:48 GMT
A good day today Finished cutting back all of the old paintwork. Then moved on and polished the whole car using Turtle Was Colour Magic. Here's the finished result: I'm not 100% happy with it (the resprayed panels are not as glossy as the existing ones and the polishing has highlighted many more defects in the 25-year old paint) but the rest of the family think it's a massive improvement now that the stripe has gone and the oxidised paint has been dealt with. After it comes back from MRA I may flat back the resprayed panels and cut them back to try and improve the shine. I'm sure it will be fine until respray time. Tomorrow I hope to begin to put the trim back on.
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Post by clambod on Aug 12, 2010 6:51:49 GMT
That looks pretty good. A very definite improvement. I bet the rain "Beads" nicely now.
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 12, 2010 20:49:58 GMT
Today I set out to refit all of the trim that we removed when we began this stage of the makeover (removing the stripe). True to form about 5 minutes after I took the cover off it started to pour down with rain - and yes, it did bead nicely The rain did let up enough for me to refit all of the trim with a few improvements (a bit of "bling"). 1. Fixed the sheared bolt in the rear bumper and refiited both bumpers. 2. Fitted a new chrome number plate light. 3. Fitted new chrome boot and door handles/locks. 4. Fiited new badges on boot and bonnet. 5. Fitted the new retractable chrome aerial. 6. Fitted new stainless steel wipers/washer jets etc. 7. Refitted the grill and bonnet trim. 8. Refiited the rear number plate 9. Refitted enamel Union Jack badges on A Panels. Here are the results: The light was fading when I finished the front end. Thing is now read for his trip to MRA Minis on Monday, although there are a couple of other minor jobs that we might do before then.
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Post by clambod on Aug 13, 2010 6:56:59 GMT
That's looking really good now. You have been putting some time in on the "Thing". I hope all goes well at MRA on Monday.
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Post by niceboy1275 on Aug 13, 2010 8:20:53 GMT
That looks great! Your putting in a lot of effort, very good to see. Hope you enjoy getting out in it!
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Joloke
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Post by Joloke on Aug 14, 2010 11:28:28 GMT
You have done a really nice job but regarding the panels you sprayed not being as shiny as the original,when you t cut the original paint did the cloth turn red? By the time your Mini was produced they had started doing 2 stage paints More to the point when you t cut the new paint did the cloth turn red? if the paint never went very shiny its probably 2 stage paint and needs lacquer as well Also for a perfect match i steer clear of Halfords your better going to a dedicated Paint Factors who will match your aerosol to the actual weathered shade of the paint not how it was when it was new At paint factors you will normally pay 2-3 times more for the paint be its inevitably a closer colour match that gives a better finish as far as Lacquer goes you can normally buy huge generic cans for a few pounds from paint factors or motor factors When i touched in Boris using aerosols i used "High Solids" colours which need no lacquer only thing is over time the colour faded Using 2 stage paint works out more expensive but usually give a superior finish in the long run as your painted area still looks a little dull I'm guessing it is 2 stage and needs lacquer Also regardless to what is often said its much better when doing localised areas like you have done to buff all the good original paint first then prep and prime then Base coat (Red) followed with Lacquer then just use the car for a month or so then flat back the areas you painted with 2000 wet and dry nice and wet until you have evenly sanded the shine off it Then Buff Back using Farecla G3,T Cut or similar until you get the shine back If using a Electric polisher use lots of water so you don't burn the paint if by hand you can use it as is but keep the cloth wet Heres some pics when i tidied up Boris to get him over Winter the first year we had him All done as ive outlined above,all out of a Can!! He was of coarse fully restored the year after (Please note i went from using the Local Rag to Using "Posh Brown Paper" to mask up ;D ) The Whole front end was sprayed up to the masking and both door skins and A panels and i drove it like that for a Month then it was Flatted and the joins in the paint flatted too and buffed to make everything match like in the last photo Hope this helps? Huggz Jodie
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Post by asahartz on Aug 14, 2010 14:40:13 GMT
You have done a really nice job but regarding the panels you sprayed not being as shiny as the original,when you t cut the original paint did the cloth turn red? By the time your Mini was produced they had started doing 2 stage paints More to the point when you t cut the new paint did the cloth turn red? if the paint never went very shiny its probably 2 stage paint and needs lacquer as well I've never met a flat colour that needs lacquer. They do that in the USA, but then they spray much thinner than we do. Having restored a Mayfair of that vintage in the past, I know I never used a lacquer on it. Just a half-decent paint coat then compounded - came out like this: I did the car for a neighbour who sold it for a grand - if I'd known I'd have bought it for the £35 he paid for it!
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Joloke
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Post by Joloke on Aug 14, 2010 15:20:38 GMT
I agree with what your saying and that Mini you've done looks really nice i just know i got offered high solids or 2 stage at the paint factors i went to theres a small motor factors near me that still sells car plan paint and they have now gone over to 2 stage Another factors who sell the old Holts Dupli Colour their new stocks are 2 stage too and they are solid colours non metallic I'm not sure about Halfords? the first touch up i got can from halfords though the correct shade it was miles out theres also wouldn't go shiny at all which makes me think it may be 2 stage? Its easier with loose paint to fill a gun but with aerosols its often unclear these days if your buying base coat or high solids one coat style system Yours looks fabb though
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 14, 2010 16:21:10 GMT
Hi everyone, thanks for your comments.
The cloth was red after we cut back on both paints. But we did cut back the Halford paint too early it should have been left for 2 weeks before we did it.
What it's worth bearing in mind is that this is just a tidy-up - the car will have some panels replaced and be fully resprayed next year or perhaps even earlier if funds allow. This is why we went to Halford rather than a paint factor.
According to the instructions and my friend who is a bit of a paint whizz the Halfords paint is not 2 stage and shouldn't need a lacquer. It's actually a good match colour-wise. Today in the rain you couldn't tell that the resprayed panels were less shiny. They are more noticeable in some lights - like when I took a picture at dusk using the flash.
We will leave it another 2 weeks or so then flatt, cut back and polish again to see how they come out. If they are no better then we may have to learn to live with it rather than throwing more money at it.
My friend also suggested giving it a few more coats of the wax polish as this will help the shine and make it less noticeable.
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 14, 2010 16:35:40 GMT
Just a couple of little jobs today.. The last bit of stripe has finally gone!! My daughter has been cleaning up some old Rover alloys we had in the shed. Here she is fitting them... "45 pounds/foot!! What's a pound? What's a foot?" And the finished result... No more jobs to do until it's back from MRA
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Joloke
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Post by Joloke on Aug 14, 2010 16:41:41 GMT
I think youve made a really good job of it Just wondered if the halfords stuff was 2 stage? If you feel up to it or know somebody who can spray you could at a later date and flat the whole car back and give it a "Blowover" just to get a constant shade From past experience if you can teach yourself to spray or have a friend that can its the best way The Cost of Resprays thesedays is getting out of hand and they often cost more than the car is worth Ill never pay Paint Sprayers Rates again The Cost soo much you expect to see them signed as Michael Angelo ;D
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Post by clambod on Aug 14, 2010 17:13:52 GMT
My daughter's cost me £2,000 two years ago to get it resprayed. I bought a big compressor and Have taught myself to spray. I can see why it costs so much. The paint, thinners etc has cost me about £160 in total. However, I've spent countless hours sanding filling sanding Etch primer, more filling sanding, 2 pack high build primer. More sanding and filling. "k top coat, flatting that, compounding etc. That is why it costs so much due to the the time getting it right. I have saved myself about £1,500 to £2,000 by doing it myself. Plus, I've learned a lot in the process. Next one will be easier, fingers crossed
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 16, 2010 14:57:40 GMT
The Thing is off to hospital for a short stay today all packed up and ready to go. checking in... ..hopefully for a short and inexpensive stay.
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Post by (minisniper) on Aug 16, 2010 21:02:29 GMT
Hope it goes ok at Martins and I hope he doesn't find anything too bad. Will wait for your next update!! Have got my fingers crossed for you
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Post by shoutforjoy on Aug 24, 2010 8:50:30 GMT
We've had an interim report from Martin... The oil leak is definitely coming from the torque convertor. Unfortunately Martin has been unable to get the torque convertor out with the engine still in the car so it's an engine-out jobbie. Apparently this is a very rare occurrence. The good news is that he's road-tested the car and thinks that the auto box is fine. I've asked him to service the car while he's woking on it. This is something that I'd usually do myself but as he's got to change the oil anyway he may as well finish the job. Martin will also check and adjust the cables on the auto box. When he's finished it should be running A1. Off on holiday for a week after today. Hopefully we will be able to collect Thing when we get back.
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