Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Sat Apr 25, 2020 8:45 pm

Tich731 wrote:"Been there; done it; got the tee-shirt."

Seriously, keep going and eventually you will have a presentable finish.

Great thread - I am always checking for your latest posts.


Much appreciated Tich - posts such as yours give me the push I need to continue. 8-)

Having not had the time to go back into the garage last week (still working full-time), I did some sanding on the bumpers, and whilst they're much better than they were before, I found a few cracks I'd missed and there's quite a lot of lumpiness where I ground out the fisheyes. So after a bit more grinding I used a bit more P40 to get it as flat as possible, then couldn't bear to do anything else with it.

What I had done though, was to read up a little on what I was doing wrong when I tack welded the exhaust together. I put what I had learned (different setting, less wire speed) into practice on the scrap pipe I had cut in order to teach myself how to do it properly. I think you'll agree it's a fairly good looking weld, especially when compared to the previous ones I wouldn't show you...

I was quite please with myself so put a few tacks on to the actual exhaust. I like this melting metal lark!

More cracks....

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...and lumpy bits. A bit more sanding to come, but I won't be showing that for now.

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Test weld on scrap pipe looked pretty good...

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... so I put a few on to the extended RC40.

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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Tue Apr 28, 2020 3:46 pm

I had the day off today so went back in. There's not much to show, but I have been busy.

I decided to finish off welding up the exhaust extension, and bar one minor mishap where the pipe came off the gas cylinder, it went together nice and easily. I then ground down the welds to make it a little more presentable. I am pleased with what I've done. I will get on with welding it to the back box when I next get underneath the car to measure up.

I also got the sanding block out again to knock back the P40 I'd applied to the various bits of the bumper that were - shall we say - troublesome. The good thing is that I was MUCH happier with what I ended up this time. There's only a few low spots and minor bits that needed extra attention. I used masking tape to note where I needed to fill and then gave a gentle smear of P38 ready to finish it off. More sanding will doubtless follow, but it will be of the happier type!

Ground down welds on the extension.

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And bumper with P38 on it. End is in site for this pain in my rear!!

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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Sat May 09, 2020 5:53 pm

Today is yet another tale of bumpers and sanding. However, it is a HAPPY one.

After the last lot of sanding I grabbed the front bumper and had a look at it. It seems that this was the bumper I had done most of the previous work on so aside from a few cobwebs, it was in MUCH better condition than the rear one. I spent a while looking at the minor imperfections on it and after some gentle work with the sanding block and some P38 I was relatively happy with it. It needs some very minor bits doing but it won't take me nearly as long.

Moving to the rear of the car, the other bumper just needed a little bit of further fettling. I got the Dolphin Glaze out (man I love that stuff!) and spent what seemed like 3 days getting it super smooth. Let's just say that I needed to hoover the workbench area 3 times, and my shoes are now an interesting shade of grey. Daisy the kitten came in at this point, gave the Midas the once over, pronounced it ok and flounced off to chase squirrels.

I then put the rear bumper on the stand, took it outside and gave it a coat of primer. Aside from 4 or 5 very minor blemishes (each about the size of a pinhead) I am very pleased with how it's turned out. I have DG'd the front bumper too. I shall sand that later.

Front bumper needed a lot less work.

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Daisy's CAT scan revealed all was in order.

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And rear bumper in primer. AT LAST!!

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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Sun May 17, 2020 5:01 pm

Apologies for not posting much for a week or so. I lost a very close friend last weekend so haven't really felt like doing too much car-wise recently. We had a big curry on Sunday to give Tracey a decent send-off, and although it's desperately sad to lose her, she was in a lot of pain, so that release has been a merciful one. Rest In Peace Fancy Pants x

Back to the bumpers: I have looked at the rear bumper and given the small imperfections a further dab of Dolphin Glaze - a further coat of primer will follow. The front bumper has been well-sanded and chucked on to the stand. I have given it a coat of filler primer (it was on the shelf and I thought I'd use it). As expected there are a few minor imperfections - about 6 in total, so another bit of filling and sanding and all will be hunky-dory and ready for paint.

A contact through the Mini Forum has sorted my gauge issue by sending me a voltmeter and oil pressure gauge. These are in really good nick and come out of a Reliant, hence the "R" script on the face. I actually really like this so I might just leave these as they are. Thoughts?

Front Bumper in primer, Still a little bit of work to do.

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And new gauges courtesy of Ian. Cheers!

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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby dusz » Sun May 17, 2020 6:15 pm

Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend although I hope that you can take some comfort in that as you say she is no longer in pain. The same happened to my sister 20 years ago last weekend so I can understand not being motivated.
However, you have made a move to work on the bumpers and they are gradually getting nearer to being finished, just like my middle son's house. One day it will be finished and you can enjoy your labours. I would leave the gauges as they are.
My problem is that I am helping my son on his house and then his other cars but not getting the jobs done on our house, or the service on my everyday car, or digging out the Midas to recommission it and get the replacement seats installed.
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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Sat May 23, 2020 9:07 pm

Although I have done a little bit more final finishing on the bumpers before paint, that's boring. Nope, today I will be talking about... cables. Or, more specifically, handbrake cables. The one that came of the car looked like a much bodged Mini rear cable (it looked like it had broken and had been somehow put back together using a huge bolt) and instead of a front cable, it had a solid threaded bar and a homemade pulley thing. It didn't look like it would work very well. Plus the handbrake on the car had no button. It was, for want of a better word, knackered.

I made enquiries on the Midas Faceache page, and Mk2 owners said theirs was standard Mini, although the front cable was shortened a little. So I went internet shopping. I already have a standard Mini handbrake to go in (with a bit of modification to the mounts) so I got myself a Mini rear cable, the compensator bracket, the front cable, locking nut and the little plate that the cable goes through. What did I forget? The little forked bracket that attaches to the rear of the handbrake itself. I took a look and thought there's no bleeping way I am paying £4 postage plus another £4 just to get a piece of bent metal with 3 holes in it. So I made one.

"Simple enough to put together", I thought. I grabbed a small piece of Jaffa Cake packet and made a template. As luck would have it, I found a piece of 2mm sheet almost exactly the right size. I used the pillar drill and step drill to make the 3 holes, then used a bit of 1" square metal tube as a template to bend the ends to the right angle. Then I further bent the "arms" using a bit of 3/4" bar in the vice. It's now in paint. And rather than shortening the cable, I will just site the handbrake a little further back. A good evening's creating.

Cables - I now have 2, along with a bracket and a nut.

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CAD template and conveniently sized piece of 2mm sheet. (I did trim it a little before the picture)

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And finished bracket. Everything fits. Yay.

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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Sun May 24, 2020 11:13 am

**Edit: It was pointed out to me that the hole on the end of the bracket needed to be large enough to accept the flange of the special nut for the cable. I have since enlarged it :)
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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Mon May 25, 2020 5:09 pm

Since the last post I have been doing a number of little things.

1) I finished off the handbrake forked bracket by making the rear hole big enough to accept the special flanged nut on the cable. It fits beautifully, the flange sits where it should and it can be adjusted in situ. Success.

2) The bumpers have had their first coat of paint. NO MORE SANDING! Whoop whoop! I am now out of paint, and they do need some more but it's nothing to worry about. More paint soon!

I have started doing some further dashboard work, but took no pictures of this. I am deciding where to put gauges, switches etc. I think I will need to do some serious reconfiguration. I am expecting much head scratching. More will follow.

Nut in right place. Works perfectly. Good.

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Bumpers painted. Yeehaa!!

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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby Tich731 » Mon May 25, 2020 8:06 pm

Well done for persevering with the bumpers. They are going to look great.
1981 MkII Midas Silver
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Re: Mk 1 Project Zippy. Looking Like a Car.

Postby MrBounce » Tue May 26, 2020 4:13 pm

Both bumpers need to be properly mounted and the painting finished, but... here's a little tease! 8-)

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