Mini ST Hotrod

[MiniDave]

Yes but.......running the car higher adds angle to the axles. I think I can get by with 7's - the 6's that are on there now are on a 3/4" spacer, if I take that out then it will only be 1/4" wider overall than the way it is now, that's do-able. Tire size will dictate what wheel I have to run, and I want to get plenty of tire back there if I can.....currently on 175/50-13's, but I know I can get 205/45 or even 225/35's and the overall diameter is still pretty close, so they should fit OK.

I like the Sport Pak flares, but I have so much more work to do to the structure that I'm just going to concentrate on that for now.

[MiniDave]

Next project - try this bad boy out!

220V Miller spot welder. Several issues.....

1st, it's heavy as hell, 30 lbs is my guess. Trying to hold it still and clamp down in the right spot, time the weld etc? Fraught with peril! Need to dress the tips before I try it on anything too.

2nd, I'll need to wire up the appropriate plug, I do have a circuit available and a long extension cord.

Lastly, learn how to use it to get good welds.....I guess I have enough scrap metal around to practice on before I attack the Mini body. Probably should have used it on that back panel for both the side seams and the flange at the bottom, but I know how to weld with the mig, so I thought in the interest of getting it done I should just use what I know.

We'll see......

[MiniDave]

Had to go buy an end for the extension cable, but Home Depot had one. So I gave it a try.....

After welding these two together I could not drive them apart without tearing the metal, so it seems to work. I only gave it about 1 second of power too. I tried it a couple times for maybe 1 1/2 second but it made a lot of sparks like you see in the movies.....using 1 sec it didn't.

I'm not sure where I can use it at this point, maybe at the top edge of the side of the floor panels where they meet the door step....wish I had tried it earlier, it would have worked great on that back panel!

[94touring]

That looks nice!  Borrow it or buy it?

[MiniDave]

Belongs to a Mini buddy of mine, local.

They're like $800 to $1500 used!

[MiniDave]

Been working/thinking/planning on the q panel work, first I had to cut another 2" of metal out above where the patch will go as it's too rusty to weld to. Then I'm trying to figure out how/where to cut to lay in the new piece, plus I think I'm going to have to remove the A panel as the door step fits behind it - maybe I can just cut the weld at the bottom and slip it in behind the A panel.....these things are never straightforward!

Next I cut a patch and formed the edge using my flange tool, this way the patch sits flush with the panel it adjoins and I don't have to butt weld the two together.

I was hoping to use the spot welder but I can't get the tongs inside this area square to the metal.....so I'll have to do as I have on the other panels and plug weld it. To that end I punched a bunch of holes in the outer panel and will weld thru to the patch.

Before I weld anything I need to make sure I've done everything that's inside of this area as I won't be able to reach it once things are welded up. I think I've decided to weld the door step in first, so I'll have something to weld the floor panels to.

[MiniDave]

So I cut out the door step and now I'm trying to figure out what sequence to do the repairs.....I'm also trying to decide if it's a better strategy to remove the entire floor panel or only the parts towards the outside that are really rusted. It would be nice to have complete clean non rusty floors but I can't decide if the outcome is worth the extra effort as the panels I have won't do the entire floor, I will have to patch in a few of the missing pieces.

When I did the back panel, it was only after I had removed the old one that I found I could have bought a repair panel for just the bottom couple of inches - that would have been FAR less work than changing the whole panel and I'm pretty sure the results would have been just as good, maybe better.

Like Binky, I could have bought an entire new floor and welded it all in one piece.....but I'm past that point now.