It's an English car, the suspension will be rusted too.

It's not simple - all the compliant rubber bits are harder than diamonds, all of the structural metal bits are softer than cheese.

Are they motor mike lifts holding it up? can you supply some info? thanks

Hydraulic quick jacks - 1500kg capacity each

More bog and bodgery....

Think looking for a better shell is going to be the way forward, the list of issues with this one just keeps growing

If anyone comes across a decent Rover shell, then I might well be interested

Looks as if the inner wheel well as already been replaced. Malignancy evident in rear valance.

_________________
1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

That's the better of the two rear wheel wells, and that one is pretty nasty if you look behind that patch panel....the rear valance is largely held together with a mosaic of patches and bog when you look at it from the inside. Can fit my hand between the rear seat bulkhead and the other rear wheel well!

Not as bad as it looks these panels are not hard to replace if you have the right equipment. The body will have to be supported correctly even before you remove the rusted panels. You will need a good MIG welder if you don't have access to an Inverter Spot Welder. All these panels need to be trial fitted and TACKED in their correct position. This allows you to trial fit all the panels you replace ,always stagger your welds using the trigger on off method and wherever possible use plug welding. The cost of the parts and labor will dictate if the exercise is worthwhile. I used to teach rust repairs when I was teaching Car Restoration. I do not know why people on the site call polyester filler or plastic filler BOG it degrades the repair. I have NEVER had any come backs on my body filler work. The soft fillers are great to use eg PPG.Recently I had to repair the front of my caravan I had to use body filler and I spread the filler over the edge of the paint which had been lightly sanded. My neighbor says the van looks like new at the front. This is a skill most Panelbeaters and Spray Painters have. When I was invited to the Lindsay Fox Car Museum, the Panelbeater there was using polyester filler on all the rare cars you cannot file finish all panels because of access etc. Someone on the site mentioned use lead which is usually a 66 33 mix of tin and lead solder is 50 50.I never use lead anymore. I used to use it on the Rollers mostly where the panels are joined.
Body filler will not adhere to lead so the lead wiping job has to be perfect.
P7676

I tend to use "bog"where the filler hasn't been used for cosmetic finishing of the panel work, but where it is used to conceal the absence of panel work.

Here is the other wheel arch as an example - the finishing panel between the arch and bulkhead is missing because there is not enough metal to weld it to!



There is a crease in the rear seat bulkhead that is bothering me a fair bit too - whilst each of the individual items are clearly repairable, and I'd be happy to tackle it does look like every structural panel is going to be replaced or substantially reworked with the exception of the roof and upper firewall

fark... this car just gets worse and worse...

can we see a photo of the crease in the back seat?

_________________
did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Doesn't photograph well from this side, will try to get a shot from the other side over the next couple of days..

Given the amount of panel work required, one has to wonder, if it is repaired, whether it would be structurally sound.

The quality of the welding (penetration) would be critical. In this regard, the factory spot welds are (or were in this case) immensely strong.

_________________
1967 Cooper S - new front bearings to do.
1965 Cooper S shell - Slow progress. No time or money!
1966 Deluxe- next rustoration!
Mk 2 & XJ6 Jags. Less said the better.

That's just a question of proper technique though, no reason why a substantially restored vehicle shouldn't exceed the structural standards achieved on a pretty basic production line

Separately I will post details of the Mini body shell welding specification as documented on engineering drawings. Those who haven't seen it may be surprised at the attention to detail on the location, number and type of welds used.

The end result is a very strong monocoque body that has proved itself in race and rally events over a long period of time.

Here's some images of Mini body assembly on the Zetland production line.

_________________
ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43