This was a learning project for me that took about ten years start to stop. I had a very clear idea of what I wanted, and it took a load of planning and figuring it out as I went along. I'm really happy with how it turned out and thought maybe others would be interested in seeing how I did it.
It went from this: (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dmb7mL2FQY6eeSOWp0L-S0tevQ2-u-mJcdv9BK3Xq6ldJ1PlmJGBBXo5uLQIiJsfZCbCfoTjRmTWVBPdPUDSGdggT1uRxibGS8ehOreJKApAWfaJ4NbpmKeXoC39zpfjaW2_iMIbAqI9oZwex1Mu4Rfg=w600-h224-no?authuser=0)
To this: (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fGpD3gZ7B_U_HJzRUnIwzvxS44e3J8y1x3lPB7g2STUXJTjJ5IR0ph0YSqL-sRCxhVowG2YrPBNy8U9xO-sztRv5IX3d-4J9Ew7P8z4TKBG0mdD01MymOVzlp2ySeONrnE826JcQ-TgAwxqFqYj0xfOA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
From the time I first got my Elf, before it was transformed into what is now known as Kreacher, I had the idea that it would be really cool to have a matching trailer. Like the Mini ones, but Elf shaped. I started keeping my eyes peeled for a donor, but figured it would be about like finding the holey grail. But one day while looking through the posts on one of the Mini forums (I think it was North American Motoring, but I could be miss-remembering) I saw someone had shared a Craigslist post. Paraphrasing, it went something like this. "I found this car that says it's an Elf. Is this some kind of Mini? It's near Athens, Ga, and they want $600 for it. I don't really like it, but maybe I could modify it into a Mini, or something. What do you guys think, is it worth $600?" And the link for the Craigslist ad was included.
I called, made a deal to pick it up the next day with cash in hand, and replied to the post: "Yeah, I think that's probably a pretty good deal." The original poster then replied that someone had already bought it. Dang.
Next day, I loaded up the trailer, stopped on the way and picked up Eric Gibeaut, and headed to Georgia to pick up the ratty green Elf, or what was left of it.
After getting the Tacoma and trailer down a steep driveway, through a gate and down into the pig pasture in the holler, we drug the car out of axle deep muck, pulled it onto the trailer, and since there wasn't room to turn around, backed the trailer out of the holler, back up the hill and the driveway and for good measure, all the way out to the road. Don't tell me that Tacoma wasn't a tough little truck.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dR8cN1xOaeqtTatNKQ6gtLrzg5Shg-o3N3sqd_SNZ_pNiRyUcdAc53MGYM9asi1nzl68FXdxYOm3fDebDLjSVjpHvvuGHPMmF6Za8v3wU6T-BwoQ2nThBfP1kcJ519QXY0Dj6axVx2myehx81pu-53FA=w640-h480-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3edhpS3V33TCPMw27eWL9roTt6Q3leUgU-_sKVyrf3pD9ohc_Kt6phz1HoypnqV5spx0p5pKFmwQriXCMm8d7PQLFHkvnbXrMmoWSXjovuRfpkHxdyrUABAC2zgOMqQhNZc_Z1fkYStdmmZGaIGiwumeQ=w640-h480-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eVdUbIHB9r9JNItxTwdNjaQNFkVODwH_tqhQgeuCpymiCDZcH2H3zc6BbpRKsjebYO6pu4NrT5V0QJEiHB-owCq6Rf-KcW91x2Ig2tpqVrOPRWyxibR9YEWSKaboiExQbHuMxk2WsmR2BmGpl3D5pXmw=w640-h480-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eyG_qskATts2WM5nVw3Ah1bz_dJoKSw04OB0y3z3U4BAYV4zGZd1heEmNN9BNDfIQfVdr-bxVBYJkG8j82xT7_a3Csqmu4LhuzDHv-uvEbFBLfKwoprepkUeddVlFAtEZxZGurm6bLVDGnDt2NFCyDLA=w640-h480-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eHd_o4kPkw5hyAlM0wKSpnyJgfLEPV_mxK6xxkqtLKj2KI82jmRxLmPToY18gx7IMj4YHL4H9dqoJH9bKgxb2NcIKciXd4K0rgxqZ89EzGs-Oyq_VmbdoYEITVqnY0Hr_m19r0ctEzsYC_iIpViadaHA=w640-h480-no?authuser=0)
Really cool setup. Always liked Elfs.
Once Eric took the sawzall to the little green guy, and rescued what parts could go to help resurrect some other cars. I got down to evaluating what I had to work with.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dKsYUZgkzBgXvL4l2FzhUYYiE0Ky4RwPT_Rf0mJ6kjBTGMicp_dLFLcA3Ck4fYexLZdlQgRjwiDdzidfc8PZ3QU38_6aSvDDlSUKg8A2IHFfcykmrLkZx_o0ED36DoVG2aAGFz_kCPPhJUfUJgKZD2uQ=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dMOdzmsd4IVeQXOTuM5tKNXdrmz5EFRon2nvKsMU66XZ118x4IuhS6OFaSelGsX2k84KCgiWiwoCOpbIcG91m-bmU78ekjST2snb8Kq-GCPIYdy05H97tBQGjOh09ZeG-5aEDWdcuGUs0AagwU5VoI7w=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3co55K3OD9ZpKZANYmxz8MiNG4hBz5bf1Kb7O12dw_JDPIQ5J-72hzJakWMX5Lh9axSkUEuaoO-_NZGLtJfnK8y2bF6C5yTAu7DfafmccVGyVdjz13CoEcyBQwH_haIimTa1ewfie7fGWQXm_8jr0N4mA=w705-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dhPbx-g39DxfRfsmC9lZqzyemfeIhCYFT2Pb4oumqy1nbrX0qryOOoRnvJKmPTC1lcGtgN1RYKURSJMSa0yVPnAFV9p2g3LtxZmDtVP_3TXkaxMALmk6H5iKAQtDMRxzjlYCPdLgDRUUH6_rTkWAIEqw=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eChcMuSmeTZXE4ziUQBozavmhVtUcZBzOB1ib2mThixG-AgEzA8TyMmNscPAoL3fi8iETXqW8TsDz4ayxJHmTiLOLGnwYLgn2iGR4s4n8SxJcOnTLva9lfDbMtrTPk17qM-PBTiuLJs8fRNaf78FK8vA=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dIxMTY9LXrR9ulOInGVqOq1hi_1eTqksJIUvFYfK-9b0jWpuxn4eFSfkf3C6BFjR6Wy31dlqJVwFjoFdwPXfw-km9fqSGwJdWkV6AAl3YWu6oMnvTl2Fly9Hh36nOcJZSnlOo9yW0yMX1BbWsU6cgW1A=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fo06kSrTcrX0g-8H60wOz7op8Fl9LhgRhkPc456wLDgvysUbbw-VsVMC8S8dndobm3EbsuBBrLWkdoukIterRXloNC0ocuS13SMvGC_cvK4WkBLUSX7aHDsz6Ph7thlW9e-E4XQ2lXL_bsiOXEbLHgpQ=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ejIBV9_WfSvA3kMT2tJZ0WsIdSCMk_njm_HBEQ-JRiwJf2DH1a-5ZhJ_sV0JrCFecwHlJD-AR4IyWyo-1jy8WfskgwPf1uzsOHbNGT1g6rZaVy6eN6bBPehZ0_pEJXwxJcKJDrVog1CY7qBv80VNiKRw=w705-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eYkj1Dnkl4nNYTQfufNHs7rcYLIPFireA2g9xILRsvF9-swMR53Ucgc4oFADA2uwaSdIdyiW1ZlNL5Op_-acKiN3jJWHfwFLJrOInc7oZkN5OosWvEnFZJ-e5DqjnIVXcJYFQKMo8GI7jpdrZuEm8gVw=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cj0yNz6s7yUEOHn16lYFMR8_P6Telp74gmx9twQX6WfCVe4iOYpDUeCncLMDitDSfOpY1ZCu46Vle-qd0wFijjkWlfdH6R_DfSNwYOixq6fqYJzvqnXKBggnCNMq6v__dHvooFVdFujFnJeldTg0juFQ=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0)
I stripped everything off that I could and started figuring out where to start. I decided that the bonnet would attach to the rear bulkhead, so that's my first reference point. Not sure at this point how much of this old front clip I can use, but it's a start. It's definitely going to have to be moved back, so the door frames will be going. I thought I could use this little utility trailer for a frame, but it's way too high in the air. But it's a good starting point and the overall dimensions work for tongue length and wheel center. So after cutting off some more metal, I've got the basic layout that I'll be working with.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cLWZ_VEK-Bpw_CSrq3lIFdp1oyxOHpiII6b4tdmJX3yaWsS-aM-h4dlaO82EqDRsYJO3v0RM30LwCU4bv4BryZwr9s9C1LDkb-WFR9Nb6zoEaYRu_vobJU8G1u4jt2Q0NZaf_SL8aD9qcnezMRnE82ag=w705-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cj0yNz6s7yUEOHn16lYFMR8_P6Telp74gmx9twQX6WfCVe4iOYpDUeCncLMDitDSfOpY1ZCu46Vle-qd0wFijjkWlfdH6R_DfSNwYOixq6fqYJzvqnXKBggnCNMq6v__dHvooFVdFujFnJeldTg0juFQ=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fzAUqk6M3QV4m7uofUbvb0nU4wv2r7wTK0fsTZPGByiMoCnmPRLpv5eC0Y6Vd3YY-YVLoDwXwqQmj_-CsgcMhahUXUmPX1MkCt1QNgi0RY3kL0lDcZtrdUdJS1NVYgPAwvsNzXGxR_WU7smNDN60pOCA=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e8DSXwrBrBnAKxUTFrN9KOXwLIeBZ7zF-5BK8wHvAYXSdkG_o0GXFXJRTdHjsxb-a9d6cLQL-yqQcTe9HK1T1FqCbQ97X1vYA5fGPusg36JFawqF6mh3aLUq0K3UImBLRadBbJyC_-E_ETbJNPLMhlTg=w600-h1024-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ezmQpK60ZmAD-NF4iMb2M5uMDw-yGNP5nAn0TSr35p5IW5ks406nxKKHJR7nOHTM6dEJ2GiIjrId_KUOiVfKnSxX6DNJ--S5aVwvuVNDkGUANKv1B4LiNHv4wqzEFxEdWvU1w26ti5DXGcC9zfkRt2gw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fJKLf50ya8es_NJQQ3wo8ysxrfuhRFLnrfyBgkYU9z3xmrRa-WWMsWoD5oL2YISEcg6N7v9ue7ql77epwWykssXc2cL48_SujMApMhy0zdht6tpbHVZDWRubpundyKBR-GBeS_bsnPas7Iuy2uuj322g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dxcyUaEpDRceMh4RWGvYjYem6Dn1IoM48cT6C2hxNHBRmQd0Q4y576WXrV3EIh7I8r600S66X6KVbjbK1aBsGQW5Xx1PwBjGfJiGo1eyHoRtu878DCe11XW3e5lQeFcjKncayQmFl5ZKXvz22hnhbL2w=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
OK, it's starting top make sense now - but lots of work yet to get it all straight!
Nice idea - lots of room inside, but lots of work to get it! But the final product is really cool!
I needed to get this huge dent straightened out, and absolutely no chance of getting a repair panel for this section on an Elf, so I put some pressure on it to see how far I could get it, and maybe save some of the boot floor. No way I was going to get the floor straight, so might as well cut it out along with what was left of the rotten valance. Now I could get somewhere with un-bending the boot lip.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c1H430K3CaCCrGjmBbveVvqBUyepBBXE9Dgf8MrskONFB4cWKI947vj7n0fLKFCkBb7UxY94HqH50ESJIxcLT-9wmpSwRbb8p8HNE7cy5pOMuyfF_hDJWb5z4l1hm-YZ4gH5glaIndtGgP2JmEOjkPqA=w633-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cK-klnP4dr7BllJCLDTL5z90exrRB_WpNnC5zMTL23DVJTB6iTyyV3JToHA8Z_9J66TWqncni25vg2-_xAzeXqB2LRk6lXpb5yV_QYBMPzJyH1_h9Snx0BCWzqUzOIvHsL8KV0gL0iXr7SbzBX1QY0AA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3efwF3OAQgZhOy_B8eyzFOAEce8LYaUzOIr_wKcbC5hzT14uwnjx6EgQNvnbsNhDkKo7PLmoSpZ5RFAzeWWKLtJ7Sm16rnfzj_Lj5TBhtKtIh45qvFm-yKtXvqoUqVNJWijIuOQZieJpHJRi1U-hmBkYg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eQEDuBzM5ztss3gVFPlJgWdyvQZ3J-Xmn7fiYcO0q_1oWJZ7zUkr32TrlfWNvUSJUKW91ZA22i7q6CQWKqVfWLfeqHpC-BpPzgT1C8P5EzXA4GHcy2kLeRyT0UIF8IsXsb2HxEinJ4Z10phpdXdGtwpw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cT9GNU9X-LWvDi_AQ8dmn45R4IycdtvKK7VOmILR8aOUPyMKvssoDS4uUxs-3h5LDlYrTRqLI6_8FaDIguVfWBMjTrc1Wue2uxnmFyl4UfWrv_OMIoU9QAKWzv2shlb6n3Z1-J9ue6XqozP_eEbhDMWQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fpV2NYSZKf6LzVNgGQp_ZzUce5YPnCeCiJzPzUENTK-J5B71-qpc0F6NaZRIQLn_0gRO4ktahebm1vADfcUPVfEvS-MExbB-WsUuu8xq7q0rw2BGHpfSg42odROJPPXaVZ_SyiWpoY4vBLKlsyaqq07w=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ev8milj-a1KCbxbd_yxWT9L1F1HFjGHrj8GuMbjPe6FaEUHvejNMZE7qiU3OmQ2mqWrbAU3_kb-Zqm_Fk-Y7bnu1AwcK6kdMurgzo6wZ-s_dHh6M-Z7z22JB-yeafNS5ED_lCkgukvEFo2eu1IP-aPlA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eFNnu7JmblUPtJR2ax9sv4Ru-Y_f-TWXBT745ory1fEIiCuUfE12xLVRkON35hbCwgJp1uuIM5R7eR18LnG_izWkFtgl3j-L9gPWYKsmEBp9J-pX1Hgey_7HHJeCnVKn_oxylBWqWpouYRffSu4PXdww=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
Next on the list was getting a frame figured out to get the trailer down closer to the ground. I had seen an article in Mini magazine by Keith Calver on making a beam axle out of a rear subframe, so I thought I'd go in that direction using the pretzel shaped hydrolastic subframe that came on the pigpen Elf. Started by cutting off the bent crosspiece, then cutting off the rest to get it down to just the front beam. Then cleaned it up and seam welded the places where it was two layers of metal. I added some gussets and also welded some short pieces of pipe through two holes along the length of the beam to add two extra mounting points. I stripped all of the brake parts off of the radius arms, then made a couple of backing plate spacers to take the place of the now missing drums. I had the arms rebuilt with a fresh set of shafts and bushings, and had the stub axles swapped out with a set for dry cone suspension Minis, since I was going to need the shock mounts which the hydrolastic arms don't have. Fresh paint and like new. I also modified the existing bump stops with a set of control arm bumpers to make them functional.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eGH5z0av5N_gWAy2Z4ecgvHzrciNiTsKKrEE5XEN8dK6YZuS1GLE0NAqnaSV59suSAGXK_rJveSOl-vHKNeSMPVaxInjNAeU_vQFBihVgWvz7CvQRUedQ1DMClRggslrQZsWXJfTnt5Dl6ndP5ncAHFw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eK2KBmbORDnCalkZV2cpVif2_XiqbPedgG_E5cpKTIC2qA5npkow5ooP1uAw9tVkIta7VFlQXb0BwL9-lqekaeiUGSFHO6b0vHmyotuVDyDhjRcq8h59bjQ-3P4RXR_hoPshR10Bmbw63wIWMYwQCbOQ=w633-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cKpl6bp0YTWnKHzSJuq7xUn77YN6N6s9-8aTfs_qmkwwN5xa5a9AXtu4IF4tpHct7EEATb6FG5BSS3K1N4mUpTmzKb96pqwO9wTqwN6JdtxxioMzmSvIp-0B8bk5PJvpxohAty153Vbl0Ibxyt3KcuwA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fOTONJDs7bXMhmDbjBrPTa9LTWMt6z-hxWdVr91QYbpiVWa_2mPCycSEnJUMJhpUFCRmaqm-9zheHtWQtYg18jwyPNGV1HB6x6Hu-EjW9iwWtRrjJOzBv6PkYEerhfeOsfQyIJn40FadaSkReHRdiIbA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e3FNdwu36fXDqJZM8hl7VA_YgTFcDxM8uNx4k77jNhD-wHgDcuWPEdj1meU89o0xfZtgk1m_P5HWDlN1F2ycLYaGCJ1D9xFGKRZdiUmEMv8IyRJ4EXUytL1M3uNZjpUG-3ogu66KT1qskrCpf9Xi484g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d4Mj4MosD2tEL7y9BVPD2MIivHV1N0OdBUrAmlXFr1bP55gtAIaeSUgqGvOwXh3QLlHiAcBzbOGYMu1AXRzSC1o4vgs8ykDiWOEKGC8TVyaaTjP3Qzbq8S8TN9ikvcJ_zOPLtyjMqYoI2CtG5oADyVbg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ecw8kQM_FNvxy9g8cun760x-wRU0_UT7ZFcZEZqbhJ29bBE0_yIDDxP6SezQxzh74dAVaB7t8_kRb_9EjjOP79xJzopoocWZCGoVK0YK-FgRYv5mT1o4lntwiTVC7OhmSjuOUgFPLChc9jVywIAVlfpA=w1404-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dfnuWrX_x8-QE-RLIJ4TfXrbmRhseWF9KeaYCMZZHMH_dk0PPFiEoYPvzVZLE1Czzj3zsKW2bRqprv4WPDcydZgZjhPD7uOKP1VmkUOkuZ0N8FNbMKp0Vr2s2pkz9knggv0hoAWg7hmE7eJrqCEBtAwA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dZ_quLwql00hmvbxXtR63lBrLco9uDNNsUo4O3he5GBnHqsjYyVeLQWWwDQJsiHbC3VVacCGBspx5TPeoxqSGhysevT77Mwr1SYie-AxDOljgn8nn5rA_om8xPJW6QIarQ4LGqK5SiL29HuDuBJBnVwA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fxJQM3Dwal9K6LavLh0OyTqd26juwJSPX6GvG-M1FzlySZGwnUk9weL0ERWhjVhTgM03IWlPqhMTvfY8_VAQRO_nH5dQKae7OftxzB-AuMp3WSU-EFkrQcXHxaQOPusNsBL6T7g3KQrBzxnFozlDY1iA=w797-h600-no?authuser=0)
Now I needed a place to attach the new beam axle to. Unfortunately the ends of the heel board, along with most of the surrounding metal, were MIA. I ordered a pair of patch panels. They were the wrong ones. I think these were made for a van. Oh, well, I can make it work. I just started welding patches in until I had enough metal to weld the heel board ends in. This was pretty much my first welding ever, and I was using an old borrowed flux-core MIG welder, so I was learning as I went. Hey, you gotta start somewhere. I knocked up a pair of temporary shocks and got it on its new set of old 12 inch Minilite wheels. I think I got the ride height pretty much where I want it.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ddwqJ8ldq2aUotW8CohCKllywetDsg3g5n7epTLTn3sx3LyV5evAdgXSzPBJoH9vjbYXRDNUzXBc49RI9tMENGOKPFo1zo1Aur_skBQRfCUj8InBCrDSoUqrkYmxR4yRlsenMAo22Ai5_fFfot2FGZFA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fWkWDgIAW4bx7chwYEnPUeul2CEYWtjR7vW_6rXThxR_KPpdUIs3HRRlepBWKiS1lJMeoZCGc76xw3m68o-4-nA0q4k3RSJaUC--CXelXeRhAE7KUle6KsJBvBzodN85tz1f00WzaD2F7Ln5W9UQdBeg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fJJKGCRWDWqWao9F9J37y3ks6j0H5IiD0XX1o-MYCQgu9HlEWQrhcQanXfa1SHR9u3dy9V1H-R-BS5BDagpbgQDu2wE4Uajrqp1KNXKfXURsTn1vgjzOtqRnycRMjYsn7kiTFys-3oJ339U_5N00FIrQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eb_nPKF8Y1BXFOR1vOFonCLqfWVYsXa7dlpCNLa3FrAuQr-cKb-zOq1656aH6XtjGYyrgJlYkuP5S_0lId5uiKWsGy1OxeVnEN_4Emo7fcfI2bOYsm0jjB9M5R2V8n2OhAZWOZTvxUpJGviDYAvAH_gg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dEoX0CI977RiqrKDD9_MS6UWMWv1AbyNppf3eZyNzyj73llsvxrJ4qf8_Y07DgqKLSd5wiGThGWOa7MuECZ95YVX1BVaTAd1kbzMSkZZrU4nizuGa3FYHHVDYWLTroAh2TiYnjNesN8e9hQuj9eaN0yQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fDoRTYoqHiODXJizE0P4lBBpL9gorx0WQqgbbG9LhBkiai6_nF1vO1c_wxPzJ50R5aXGQp-XQq6cccTm7Uf0X2gnlvIIWQP2KAAo9ZcsAfsBwaRoox6rwBczcybomD28aXbdHUh5zWs6tJzGUlVVnN5w=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cXpUEWQct7ftI06gqIXcbYV_Tvye7Z9ZboBym0_CRjeEmdM8G5JZTmAohLZHq7W9DALKUWRcgpcVYHLWEATfEDRdTwzRivUezfyVyMl8wJKFJy7EoeeGARVqFSrFbeYPf2_bmNq9ubP8k6s1LckvUs-Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eJW0r0mpaPr7NZjnYsKBOW7XwEMjp2eqgK59jsYDBMXCveZ5BvASIipOE2haKd5i4R0OkbgLuQT6Ori_c4hCtHeqGlI0406XUEm9WII_EB8r2REBa0ZFlxve7WjnXtyVgOuEidyS40XQuYeT3-NcFCkw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3elQ_0c0Xr8ByOM9wtiqaJwqkgol92ln57tPNDLuYmnL2cnqipinitw6FE_S0px7hhH1W-YVo4Ye6YxYz1OXMdISHwP5qgTuKvES8bOebpSpED-Dwk6__CWexT8BUK8KziKrUWVbHgwWJUbPqAg7xVMBA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3egXJI8YHdi9m3hm1KUwcLdu1p0sQpwqjtOqUHcGIZJkL3qb5Z_jkZPHta-1rzElNEbUVj5A7XEOodovfC3oW-6NcGYRJdi9ot_dhl3wrDXqj18jTVYSzX1KeOUpWSXTkYbssIHj56OP-M2OgBf4O_A7A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f00ZvpBXx2KUcfwx8sT3Jk0mTpjfuXdidEg_FebkvZlI6Mjj4GboAKlJvKmenKvBjtkUnM5JLNlQ1xzbhJ658JvBGdcdC58vbTDcOlJkRckGjPd-j5zrvQFuq3xFmb0ekFI3zTDV79DxaviSK_XJQKzA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d0T2sZt3rGdgg5bQY44SLYqUpVFYZKCKx3HyzxIx_lWrSkauxomjE9o_q4D2fku_hb0MydJCV4XQo8wWHET40xDo8WzPyeO5p5fAOolHAasGr20fp1m8wetoFG0xu7ONBdd7KqVzbC7CicuSrTrym_bw=w633-h600-no?authuser=0)
I needed to fill in that huge hole in the boot floor, so I needed a nice big piece of flat steel. A trip to Habitat for Humanity netted me two nice old gov't gray filing cabinets. Nice.
After trimming back to clean(ish) edges, I decided that the best way to tackle it was with two pieces. After a bunch of questionable plug welds, and some better looking spot welds, I called that job done. Then, on to the rear valance. once again, no new panels to be had, so I ordered a van valance, hoping I could make it work. It's not at all the right shape, but with some cutting and pounding, and some more not so pretty welding, it almost looks right. Nobody ever looks under there anyway, so it's good enough.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cWQwPCsgl85aLdSRufxpTUfGa6T29HiZo4piBEeT2IksTYFB31kVI7FOvr7tFukHBu15Ezn8_StHPFkNanZMwXsoBqPOKeDDwPuQO5DwqulzI9w3eBhSxj2NymyO1fcEtWdFan5AfDCBZX_wxa519mCQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cHGK5fcdqSssl2_LwJLywGb0FCyZvGTmSuncsNeDcxCMFYzbQzG-wBXOJkukzLDKQPRUVTVKpjw5HdxFyuiO8qsrPZNghtzuKcD6sMphWbBYDNW48gkhxfhWHyp0STtkrn93pSQKQFC1HKTum_IEp9gA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cbMd0_sQb_asjwfhDvZ0fWeaJFSDBurs8bWjxa_965Yzd4hJP7G4wnuL1hhsJVXz69idepUNGVm1_gcOriGbhB-p6nv7hu8t_i8_PjMilpSRZFR-zRteYHntH82bwl-jjIPmipQf_gWzoukTOzofQhFQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c4v_i7WgMz-uqDAbjFiKvuUx6qXP3rEul4SbB9JIJmgn8CcHjbmUoAprcN3pwe7VMHJrXpBjhrCN7UUNARUXsLdX3ilgWlo_m7CKhuLgbwzLoNBWwqzmNCVKeEQU_AoIaeqbWQGay5_KoW57xUlULm6Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eJT2g8r4WM356-8XLfhXEV2658FZ252ox5wrC5f21GdAheLJuJxAvQlQS-nDC_1HCbGZcUgq6P58AphuV4chIR9I6SYS5nYr_5DPWfAwmcy06vM_0PGf6fmuUATKyyZBwPtEvC36tTzDyx4EkEDAs0Hg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eU-LtyZ9jiP27oD0GggCwFVPGtFskSPZorc0suwYt1DK7QGUdiet70XaVqJROXhLCDiKLeII8Q88sYrOhpK4g8lNSP7ZQYxQR1doB_qh_5JPC10SKEDvJPMlk22-0oZQLd_CNVjFIEenHcjbOwtyCCew=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3duvqfCEGX5lBpe3xE_4by2Oy1K50hsmnUFogQonPOZy30cjBwCWROsnFE587A8P7C99qcFoP2zgokhbX-AqscYu1M8m3lHtfZ9-kvCX5dopLz0B70gEy63KUm3ZiNou0kvAFlnNl1a2JtG03UAxlA0Ig=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fYHd-62Jp1-xazptMKJ-yTWaFSh-Tcq4xBWZspMjHCWlAFjNieEbBYLKXNfLoKOddj7O3cPheWG-EQ6cQt2YbmmIj-UpHeylzHp5QOrtgbzSRGVhSCEk-SUd-KL8028HuJKg6M_AY3vBpmgObXoeYeYw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f2EWgyEA6kEcnzsn60a8jDqu3PZJKn1qUBD5sM8yCMnzl1Cvg6kHpYrO4hOeLGi7VO45PHmlvPxsKhcSIXKH8uvy9WO8UKjDDuypeLCxlxidiYMXLLcKPVZ9gxfkQaFPtVubTUC7IU9vrenHAeyfI7Ug=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dWzzHYTlp_wA_DTlyMB6N2KzSO1LPzPUU68qHcPDiRkThEkn8SwKv87T1SwpE5A_n9aCmO9QnBZl4u9Z1oXuDtvR2qWBcubTnXvYBmPFgbszDyVMpc3MVXskobLWkEOsM56tVrvfcJHONCPNrkY599hw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
How well does that spot welder work? I've read mixed reviews but I like the idea of it and the clean results it should give compared to the flux core welds.
Quote from: MiniDave on July 23, 2020, 11:41:03 AM
How well does that spot welder work? I've read mixed reviews but I like the idea of it and the clean results it should give compared to the flux core welds.
It does okay as long as you don't try to go through too many layers. It didn't like the triple layer putting the valance on, so I ended up using my spot weld nozzle on the MIG welder to do the valance. The tips that come with it are crap, but it's pretty easy to re-thread the arms to take better Miller tips.
Very cool to see how it was done.
After many hours of precise measurements and a few best guesses, I got a pretty idea of where the bonnet needed to sit, and mounted the hinges to the bulkhead. I had found a full set of usable front wings, and trimmed the front clip down to just the grill panel and valance. Then it was lots of trial and error to get the jigsaw puzzle more or less where it needed to be. I had to trim the lip of of the wings, since they needed to blend into the rear quarters. There was lots of sitting and thinking before I took a deep breath and starting cutting into the quarter panels. I needed to blend the mostly flat rear into the round front, while at the same time filling in the area where the wheel well used to be. I finally settled on a diagonal and curved cut going from above the rear arch down to the front corner of the grill panel. Then lots more measuring and clamping and fitting before cutting into the wings to prepare for butt-welding.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cQXe-MrwIj20SCVUGmC5Vuklu4_RcpCoEYHf40smaR--Ek8RIomgT9uupoqAVP3wnUvSYIiQN9vHqogRj6lMbEWP0MbzwZVgaAk6i--j_GHtjm1iSIzuKFnrk6TGVC40fNp_tFOJjy76jtpdbNCsoeRw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3edY0OXVr7HHLnJks7Z7An9sAodeUbbZVPp7Lmr8H3ia5iZbrYO-rLgSshBY0eW-fflAc-oLuWIzc858AdLFhKFdEIBAMPBr4wbX1lZnpfAc6xXdnoaicqkaoFRqkF-J2uxGIFm7tsGclI5SWTTPyEpxw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cPLLOdedLTQq11yRcT3A_EJcpTgR691HAOM9DDtQ3xBrNb0xtnFiQlS4dLDwr5VMMPqcHZ8tNsCVv96awV-k3Tu6Iq_yQQiEUTzcIDR7hzz0BZdqHgAyfo0yy9r82EVRV3zfQnJ14yr1Wvi2TGFfdknA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dnyBJV30M5tZI3aZv_udoEwXMyIvNZ8EC3VKa6h0cVwsS7GLhtVQH-FD7OGsK-PULMyak-fYvG7Tmp-dfU_U2f1qB1FcphtL6SyK2vNqIFAytHMAqJWFbAeIkmp77ZkmzxHDlvetlosUtae5tA8wIKjw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eXhBtnsV5S_laiimlOH6QJ3rLzjVr2toe8FiRtnIZ-DHtk5n6uW8XHhLVZrW-YBZPbAMVGYYDX4Cv0a1b3qBcZ0Hj_NJE3UlYJhoXMFryOA_orPQaJ1I7_mszhc8j7rkiRszvoWulCyBidrY57-dkbWg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c21DVFAOwbUlkCLyU6BI9IjQ9slNPq07FDyneTtwByviZlwbFdY9o73k-k7LlD0ypbzw8FvRATeA8xEsU0r9Rkg70m6ev-I4AMB1X_FmfAWGDczHOBW6w7UVPh5F24p-pYnTFvCrv1nCECcNh5nSIyXg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fbU6P1pULLCRH904xD0ifBaqGMRfFQ84t25jh-TMNENZGNV5DMNjNzm0670za7J3yPmt00MQpDZAmrtrUPth9OfYzrNBAKzzD2us3WjWA8fzfn-GSTlxLVfZpvrnZwRfKxe_NXU37OVxRtrddJ6Jrb1g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
I got fed up with the flux-core welder. Time to upgrade. I went through a few ideas to give this thing some suspension. The wooden shocks were a bit too bouncy. I tried motorcycle shocks, junkyard struts from some kind of BMW, and finally bit the bullet and ordered a set of GAZ coilovers for a classic Mini. They had two options for weight and I went with the lightest ones. They wouldn't fit inside the stock shock towers, so I needed to make more space. I cut out the stock towers, leaving enough on the sides to weld to. I didn't think the filing cabinet that I used for the boot floor was heavy enough, so I cut up the old rusty steel garden trailer that I conveniently had behind the garage. Never throw anything away.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fBNUqmCmJpIT_gHzgC9y8UYfv4iDE8lxgDNZ3j4DCCOHmjC7TPyWNSkBno1xU8kMDv1THsphhSSIpVDzARH7a8FgHohduDXhU9kEaVnynCgS8xNJFVNgciPbAL-u7aarZDUHqYTqkMcZA3qiCFMcgTOA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e_F6FNdf1ZoX5w7nEXiu3s_Xg-hX7wWLsZw5g0CzU1YyTae0xK2NHIBJplxVZv5HXXwU0J8ZP3pJvqhVfCo_AmqxW6Ntxii1SCnQ19O0a8zoSrvw-s83rYJKXXudCtDUWgHjH62It0tlTqWRZrcd0P8g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3etfuYVmehXf-5LWXswt9w0BRR2uUPLa0RudNhJUFm27LYx8lgY3LLarCNJn86H2opRrr5V7_m6nqG5QTALpIOdhRoloqHfYZiZCds1FZKQDxcumQTzKSQNx34_-Sbe6_Q1kEjtJnsxiU6vDKmGaZXQvA=w793-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cQf3YX5YNDAWAlI-GsCCsoDrhBHR03sdYqCtRuNx5dewcPY6Snn6PQHJDB02Z59xNEffQIhPUyU7bnMhyOhiyEUO7uKiAW5tiHScJAvB70SNOae6wDhrK5o7R2Mtkh676JAGBBa1OoQf4fISxqIpjIOw=w600-h450-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f_EmDPqCQE-wkj0b_5WtUso4bV08fhCX4cLMZ59mRN4AKcX-Dtflk03Ucbw9DqY7eP4OBAVKXjPp4QNZqsuI5BeenHeP0LkFRPXvQ2YY56CkWTUgyRYTGM7QgEFXh2-b8iHfmTh9Tac9q6Em96hfQN9w=w600-h450-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dsHYFpBJLMqt3TLtT2Kr0BIetcllzTP4wfuoHRE-qkyzoR1wyh6p3yaJOhZR6xZSdsI-3zFWwQ2RBwhCx8dktdINcF0daxoMs9kLp5WVIlF2NZNWUX5IRi2JNBoc3ssw8XvaIWIGqNQaBxJaBS93RpsA=w450-h600-no?authuser=0)
I needed to finish the frame under this thing, so I hit the scrap pile again for a piece of 2x2 square tubing and a another piece of lightened 2x2 that the county road sign guys conveniently left next to the road.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f47PDCZ91svX224wGlnxoNLtyT39N2NaJ_g5UQIQcjPTjXpJXLgClQnqIbHjKLeB0Ji9-zoiRbgx_EhUnWviSNEa47F7HOWC9ZK1FrlUp_1GyL5PN4MuNeuXLHReqg4UKvZD1uOnsOfSjHAz-apEDB2Q=w600-h450-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dE12LGr82q7NYb_VdSCczeN4BojRL64mUqmxNPuoOY3AdO3-uSA51OSKhljYOViQTw-TJncX2KgZ4yGRL_gfQfF5uZ4dl88gtkQpqrrpd2y_APRZ6i4qsGL08kUEMlLzUZjCr6akx6zfCK0eOaqH1yNQ=w600-h450-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fFll67oZlo7Mo0uRMJJzZtRo0W6OUJLw_EZRPm6C9ilA5oujAh-tevAJVLZZeytZo2_ufBpNPkpSVDaeIJZWXdlLa-0ZTkBMZYmgNVi6EdJzSg0mPiL_cnkXJfJKTDcVK5JDDvLHQ1-CnrvaAeB6Il-Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
More welding up top. I turned filing cabinet parts into bracing under the wings. Then worked on fitting a Mini scuttle panel to close the gap behind the bonnet. There were some gaps at the sides, so patched those up, along with the redundant fuel filler hole.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d4OdQvO0Vp70dhFlAPrCj5AvW2f0Erpt89ZmGQ0itQSibrlx2Z7MqA1mrVPqww-T3-omUzo8N2K-A8s4YixFH21o8LjTCHdKfA-4832yWu9Lwx60GSqs8RWgYJbAPyH4sskkI_EFYBsWnXAQrE7fjo6Q=w793-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fUEeHLPTz94TBWGirlLGP0_nGhQWw4Bss34PWzxkF86Rfm9TsZ3B0LuYQUtG2ZyklX_evV6hF7zabzblg1l1xF5ZW_ZjZHyHMqE4WJ_XOcVCzBhpzgo8z6zEZKNZ7oKnzwIdYqi0rIDuWUEjt2Uqk68Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ef2ZD3DqIEHa2gU8H4KtPuRVFD8Jaw9RwW_FYIhx4hKKaSWaDttLdEA9Hbmy4Vy_BntO1RxjOVVTV4llvGQr6oP_Fr5e6-WmWs3skPlW3wBdZowyy6chicraZTa99job-UY-rAdf0fZ9mZ0i93jCJTyg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cNOpOyZl1TKgmdH7D2Vl-TE16BCBVulSWHKu8C4ompiZUerbVtJmS0efKpj_YEALjCr5cyKREjFefsBl91K2kx9z6_lvu6YBIJUiDwhRGOhEGVYUmV3mAu_BQVl0TfM9I_cEKRY7p44FT9wMhUOV9pwA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cUgVKoIQELSYLJHnoJR83IM5CqcWLIdM3HqmuTLM0b2vcF6WM6BmXgLCtyYzhenh0A3VPdLHRVRhAMa5OCBwnVsuDgh8nfDLtyvtXr6pR7dWDirkqzy8Re6cgaJFBLBn3KxHTJrOJEU-F8p-yD9VEJmw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fDB1mInY7-wWR2yv6TiLBKJMaThBVh7-hGY8G36ujBZGFG0vH3-kVIshgxzTs6jNVvhMVb5P-yhtYtYhwhGddITYrc9MHujMQpdKHOXJ6OobTYG85s9GN_ScPPBm36VDHEL0vRDapXwluj5AAepvi1XA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ck7Jcb8SZdjOZY0Nv_WGsRUtsBQA7wQlolwrqDnPDy-ZHHV_e_IDt8tpdnVTI8ba5sAL72c8JU9SPjDsYwEp_ZuBvPv3OIou4xZNMBaG2CXHUFDx2Wecg8enooedT_ceUakIQWPVpsHaRdDppmNJY8Jw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
I needed to fill in the hole in the floor in what was now the front compartment. I started by bending the front part of the rear seat pan down to make a front cover and box in the heel board. The I cut up more of the good heavy steel from the old garden trailer and built a floor in five sections. I decided to use the inside of the front grill and valance panel as my attachment point and bring the floor down from there as sort of a skid plate. That's the bottom of the trailer buttoned up.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eyAiGqz1A3l3xNLLrp9yjPP9LzMpTw-_me0EkjMRBKrtXO8-DGl2bICwBmVvbVfguzKdWZ1u2CvlpXG9RjSxksymuAZ80kBZhcf07c-uzdawadZxKZxclzs6fjepDiCO4En1xM8Vdi-u41hwwB6o6V1A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dMoRXsyAjNfLZeYbjXHEtgdK03Nlu6Vk3ThFwC29nHorTctBpEsL9CWUeQWtuVTU6AlTXWTqrBVD8_NOft0K4g_xN8tBNPPEDvuNNc6xiR06iOBfpV0-K94YD1ZzmrK9UTaFF8cZw86GQIifm45ZPgPA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eynNLURP7AgIwpJ-Zvu3NFek-Kg_7xkqTt2SmsTqeXIv155jQUFChsKN-bKNrIkQRKqEaPuJWxY_erRgnMr7NIV3_WfR4hLMztLKGUkvpJeM8ML7qCqgA-k5_-kbXy3ZUl3jyreI04Q4Ig96hfg8R58g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dvg70TYaJzcNY2L63ekhykwAVRSwZrGilKZa--Tu7nqva6U83PJWJIxT8QhqRgL_s7cmzdpkEpzcRU3RePDbXBH9QvPmZhm-vdB7EeIKdcvZQBLv6Yt55vtzsRsqM1cJYRfrBAkJn6POCko_kBvDeMVQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3czCgJV4NclEXkWMgcGpvQ-Ewby6v0VG-0bTfALcE2e0x2AaoblVgIACOyktM2ZsR8ECooLv5Pu-_odegpI8zNPEggiQnLZqrNWrow0iIYbwSWWJhjr1eDpj-KIDiaOpYl4Nsr4cuufGO_Czs5udHCS0Q=w793-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fte1RNFYT_wgzv5iWaTAXRVRQfIzORAoWH0moC0oVO1FYemKhFcpuvDPuZSQR7GeMSkbWp4k77L8R6WJBxfMp-L4Gl4Zea3KneMIk4sRF70AHWs2qURKmEk2UsUIi9VbYXj_-lStJgGV6JiGw6w9D81Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dHTQD8tN5GeGhlYqOn-WQCeBsd8uNfRdXPszUW1dZW_70tWa28A2OFfcEguKktkKoBq3oVNy_30GUuz1NC7efKVNNTg-LDAYDgEl3uTcdc4zQzOUrGjDGr0U480V6s0BgPFjhFFRy1gAjTCCHXRlzREQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3doaVm9YAc-8gH3P-P36zVYZcUUX6BWwUuEgPQxNntJr6Alw0MA6XxIprgysFok6RNK2aFGgKaCZw23mprfS1FW8DTERhIAae2qInR0nHV6-Oc2GbYZpnCvrZBs2JP_pvIt-ubahwPuXNGknnx2gVZSOQ=w793-h600-no?authuser=0)
I don't need the grill opening, so time to button that up. This method is used to convert a standard Mini front panel into an Elf/Hornet front, except in this case I'll be leaving it closed up.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dWcA5kq0LmrvvGdSGUOU_azqejH1HEXGQEaliWD5_xJAnzNW2EOjxBZmQ4aFfNK6W5kHZ3AEVzg7plLYU_VzC4ys4TPQEIZj5oExJRxjvYbVfipnqMLdeWZEYjGj-RuerWGnBdnnyHOzmgjUtn7Viw5w=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cSBbq2MW5XRtPnSZl4Jchv5-7g_PcTYFCy50ux5Wpg6OWdFlHlhkwXDq0dz4aaNEgYcl_0vqOwOHkzLWxms0dxixVPVvmve8C1ElfSENG1ja6ISdft-6o0UMSF3yT8rSU_EZAwHJgZtz35-ODdgcRvWA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dSw7Mt5zoFzeE52dUPJ9cFp5wIqEqD5mMaumtFIp5ogQHzPuihb1cLNuJMTSaQ8L3fihHnqhumNP92GMna_i77xLntQRA600lIoW1lAS2t50qjgW7AERMQN5gT7wyEbKHu7JBG-KqJxevJ1S7s-fwS0Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cZnD0TINgmfQZix12QJ45um0v3RRk_5gcSATi0uQJ-YlWl2kDADP3mY_yb43C0ZLmOiFK3sRhrEkaT_6SH_pZKYgImtIbsssijr0vwkrRb8So8iyEMGw1RUI5JJD9B5LlYRD5DoYGIqmY0kka8CbaMKA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3daIJtZE9tExEvB1LbI1sBYllxaYNyr1pGTjUpzeH8yd69r4vRvx8MJ0enl4JFiTDBix2wcPTJxqP-lM0onEU5utu4Zrc0ezuCcoGMgyJmxnQSjPe3Cm1B6XrhGEMGo9LVNCIrNmCUTkzwdwWrBOgkIDg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
Many hours of seam welding, rust-proofing, and seam sealing later.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d6LSH8kzuAjMWqY0pXT9zf8ieKz2y923qpeHg2fYnmsaRPHVZ6y4uS0BSKDkVz9605K4znWRYUwzTdSnqoFnwH4FOdOWtBMXHGJvm00iTNcSh0BZiNITJjnDd8kMuTk7BCa8YkduPhmPZ5REHEcIBAgw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cdKzpD33OjCmkuxv7W-eqY_BT5MPneegLBbGd4T5jlN4Cuv1N2xSEDaxbumIO8Woji3YU7gcO3Y1n3W1ZhB-hyS6rByS-9oPKsYQh-0ODeF0w_uLX6nAq8QAiVg113NVc4o6pwAQfVyaNG4SdVl0PYLg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fDgPitFZNpTlna8cpiCGbhMcL7clK5P4z2gFQolxmh-U-2VLs3IRa8lm3ZIJtOGSwr0g0jaQWFbFWgNWL0N_xEQlCo0Yro8I2x4GO3yEUcS3F8MqNakGCbvKThkU6r2EmCRe96ddqTNfqPaoAM49R4Nw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eGnKbr2d_0Pq2zzKdIAoTqQi3m4lpeuPMyRWw9DF3lPheTCK3boYGf0I4z4S3V-qb78vuwacNVr9DowUb0lOhJeWDxtdB7lcKOCMWS26dTgPPGgz7od5XAPVXe-bi4EJYR1rqsJGTjBcCg5i-61BNy7A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e_nGUpsXamYRtMLhw8xkvAIZK8zdg9hRvMTUZKUeUQRnivCZ1T_s2_z7H62sR45rSFDVjscU5COzEr5acw7LhLlSD8IiR7ExVKOHyBbL_vvo5m08ayXbEMTkOq9cPJfc1f6IR17ABoNm-_3YNuuw9FVw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eOBwiHH1XA11ZoSyfEpG7TH1nC0tGZVcLYLQ5pQdUS4qjycD1-BYrq2yVGUnPLG72QuUkyWwip8fuyzJn2r6YRXRwiqA1Kw3ZLfbk3Jkosnu1lDRVFYb9Uy-QyyxZ1I3iJ7EhCnB08IE5GyHz3yC_DJA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
I keep hearing "Eric the Half a Bee" in my head when I read the title! ;D
I'd be curious about the hitch on the tow vehicle too.
What do you carry with you, just stuff for a weekend event or something?
So you have two "chambers", one in front and one in back?
A good welder makes all the difference, doesn't it?
My plan involved keeping the parcel shelf intact since that's what the boot lid hinges mount to. So I needed to bring this edge all the way around. Then I needed to make a rain gutter. I ended up making some special tools to do the bending. I really wished I had a shrinker-stretcher for this job. But I made it work with what I had.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fef08o-PZTnYzJYm02zynF4yDh5UuSBlaytJYV60r4CHjc9nVEvy21E4lD5JaAwAckmndRFK8FN3ywXEFVyirNujnpNGJuigdSftoyUfhAjH_zYlUrZvByqSLljriQ2S0pjacVnvJOvfjnrGaQo8Mwyw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dg9LGMqD1VaNPIQr8XexJdJ0Z5ahypac23-qbRXZS_imDj10DkuYSN-tHzBZC0E35OejqAkixKDR1SfU4dukwhdyNxc_YWQ1Mx8QMu7ncGXb_19J9w7U0NVFB0IMH3udGAqp7l00swUn6_6Lhtwts46A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c_n5SB580sBEQo1DIUtvY5z1UprmU1lCHbH8F93GrnxD6uGIZMu73v9daxvSqWFA9TxXt6zY1q-eGWI_lmaA7wRbMXTAq2gn7wYc1hN8PhG4VPx3CuRfwhBnwJQITVoOGW_LTw6fhl8KAZbVzKbUmH3w=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dSRNM7-23sMU3n2xBkxmidGi5y7bvZiLOta0oRJdSY63BaWv0E_mognAOky_neL4mBhqH3F6t9NXep3uECyIaGtvmE9Ucu7MBlKTVSfisOFl0wpJ-6sjZgr5c_GZz54RIS3IxlWYYB5Wabab6uy_RXRw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3chWHkJU0ref7OLE0csUHPj0TjW6VjUVnSeZHfeU8IpMX8md9PPThusxHQCAv79BPnl4NEQojAJd0GgfJTJlRPoHGJ0tjcdindK_aNGlMIbVKtt85TohimiX1GU_KHowxL4vA45nBlV1Vz5driO8MPsQQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c9N1uxxfaTIQIOH1FiLxP1_yuj4SxfyrmcxKrAwborlSSjfrgVh6zErMCPVmyIg4YUiMNmgTefHi-9lkEjRCFul5duau0Cdj9ksMfEqq7WbuYTVCZ4MX14e_HkEfCGxO9jxJPqI8iNOLBveJBKbp4dKw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
Quote from: MiniDave on July 24, 2020, 11:47:35 AM
I'd be curious about the hitch on the tow vehicle too.
What do you carry with you, just stuff for a weekend event or something? Stay tuned, I'll get to that.
So you have two "chambers", one in front and one in back? Yep.
A good welder makes all the difference, doesn't it? It does if you know how to use it.
Outstanding job! I have seen the trailer, but didn't put much thought into what it took to build it. Next time I will check it out with much more appreciation! 4.gif
After some pondering, I decided that the flat boot floor was too floppy for my tastes. So I decided what it needed was an inset box to make it more rigid. It would also give me a place for the big red beer cooler. At this point I didn't have enough steel left over from the garden trailer or the gov't surplus filing cabinet to make a box, so I decided to use this large sheet of flat metal that I found next to the road. I wasn't sure what kind of metal it was, so I decided to pass on the welder for this part. I got some aluminum angle from the farm store, and pop-riveted it all together, then cut an appropriate sized hole and riveted it in. I seam sealed it and threw some paint on it at some later point. The cooler fit perfectly. Too bad I didn't think about trying it with the boot lid on.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3djQIzh-2ZI2mQLWdxcp5Tf4WKOE92kYYTSkHy2Sq9bqisdY3TEKhOxly25nWZTrHT7WHPRr0Gu-RZQLeFPY7O4nMrg_qTTqh1mTfdkXFLZcqfn0pkxi9C7DPl6dfSEVfVBbCuWbuMCK9E6L4KaAw_XzQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ffExfeP28ZDrmBNXXPVFOVsXeahzOfBezNvzp27M3TKw8TuVJm1bs4hEAGlysCe6U79Xh0txE1okOQk-F8rwVyRVAQnGpFK7V2X3HNNBErPPU-UMb2LILN-6WCsjqu1StGdXuzwjdg9Ac1JaymG1Pl3w=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ficAWMTenyL5KyCcnrnm-tTzUsf0GAV-gNNQCzb6TnrITV6SS_50B89T292YF2aUXiwNgfsiuzBHB8j_JsXHIovBBhYRYRYq6ZxEop0w6jIcwAqpRcyskyNewgxZLZdZ1kVes_25glMU31IFKdfQYO1g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dTImPjtf4V-d7e_PF3EqGuDD8K1vuVdDtDM1XrNlLkPGXH-KVf5YtHx6lBNVkwzscezrfphL77-MNVxORW6LhH1uhPsHo6kEPXzDfaHFBnFkWSazHs6mBUbBsmcZBRX_Nh-C2uKoWEs-FFirJbnF5-_w=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
Oops....it's always sumthin, isn't it?
With a cooler that size full of ice and cold beverages, you'll need to make sure you have an appropriate amount of weight in the frunk too, you don't want it light in the front.
The bonnet and boot lid that came with the car were in pretty poor shape. The boot lid had a huge patch of bondo attempting to fill a massive dent, and the bonnet was so scary and twisted it was giving me nightmares. When I found the pair of gray front wings that I used, I had also picked up a better boot lid that came from a Wolesely Hornet, so I had that covered. The bonnet came from the shed of the person who originally sold me the Elf. It started out being picked up by courier in Minneapolis, then when the guy drove directly into a tornado on the toll road in Indiana, ended up inside the car destined for the crusher at a salvage yard in northern Indiana. The driver eventually was able to extricate it from the salvage yard, then carried it with him on a Greyhound bus to South Carolina, and eventually I drove two hours to his home and picked it up from him. All at a cost of 60 bucks. It was still in better shape than the bent one that I had.
Anyway, I needed a way to hold the bonnet and boot lid up, so I made these.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fr6gcGH7M-mRVDbUBbbijq7ooCc6DZslJouO_ogtRDK7jIq_d8UItbijWerWGRwNZQ25LyeVMJo2fgOas-LW9dulBj_W5OF6xsgb43ROp2dQKJC-FfTkTi2wrvosFVLvpByJXsqYMGZ_-OhwjdCp2b0Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dF4UMueK8lQoctgFqgBXBQD1-CdBOoQHnVTHRG62Vhss335yxPZ7NrRizwvYNRntOzbrFoiduy7YvMb1Ii21VxtR8Rqwk335u8NjZjR5UnXNJiFXGQ6F1Dfj-9Fs4oWJyoBNvbDEzgozwfvIB4wfY4sg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c8Pp1rRd_x9FWWZM_8tY-RtQ3b0GBQcalofAcAEPZgMn0cH58w6WP5MIG_GFxm_eAibevniU2sEj2yMiccVHgwlUzs0dU5_IjkV7z6zIhbS3-A6JWaZIwbjDT6_zg-7sWrOxM2GZhK1VBS_MA6QNKQrg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fdcn0qciotLE7iVWsWAY3_kwwfr7BbvIGIK-vso9ol5TAqrCHyCS7MSEknqsSY1j4xVZ5R96vKsxyrbInHy-iAKwkyGtfbsp-khzI2CaQ_AIk6fv9L8iKJNqAr5S0W1tFxmKhjQo48VL8n2JBStLdqPA=w793-h600-no?authuser=0)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eFtKxQOPttjV_8qqCAxLN7lsMONIqeLocfiF87VVB5JxoRk5ctVBvzoNltGHz5meu6EifXKsxTpGMETpRQEJ8pNCQSLWs3pydlTvJlsiEgmCGXR-5LkfGLp7PyeIfep7as9lq41d6myMGI1nMC3y-Y1Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f-0Lz5R668rxBPE9Ygxy-BfBGzfbGzW3FTOB1pm-pmCZsYhNPg5Ynlf3A5mG5NP4mq49v4ZiOmEbbpbwIAph4q326bTjY6pvEWUn_Odc3oQ083rXFstYYWni0gc2zMrBKbPfz7YEKcQk8fxbCFoGqn1Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cj-asKULhNxelCn_kR4TPw0dPRsJSC77PaPL0MXnndM3Ln1Ah_QkoLSryVE4gFntgMIlTyHN6OlcuiMLBtDLcD8o-7d1nkObyLtu9vkt2z-olM46rRx4tI_8-iQwjd4XydGOb2Fq1CX5YoP9U3QNrqCA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
At this point the majority of the welding and major assembly was done, so it was time to make it all one color, then throw some trim on and see how it would look. I even wired the lights for good measure.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fQ56wj_adqFnCPxcNSnomeXWfkGeKl_LTwivj-tiz4Do-NF_OKk6ADVWE4fa2vGH2veBFGFUeQsOVQ895jHyuSGny69DX7FR0P5o3vBdVB1uZ7qLTK-mo4z2jDZtZX67IczagEznSeIPalSboJsDBSDw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cLjkNmtRFnP4UQOXb0s1wtcqnnjivcIcjF2XagwdLHnmnBeZUh1jypY9tquAEV4Y1OB2CVJc7QlIiyZiGBJBrse1X3r6nJEpzKmpXBsEQnkhB8w2iam9EV-kRrgYCnwE1fd3Gjm2A80YTmWFUoaSCefg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3diCvDTmADCxsmlVmLazBK4ILdUFZsA2fWa6W1CsszGAKuzPVCAA81Ox70eM1u5Ao2VckmizNkbey0KnypLeduPuJJPZi9G2y3hRpzELffimqvinEkswCTwQwcD4g-LMvncEqw0Nj07tVgZh__uTxmhzw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f33lqy_Dil4eYRDvZMm4ueiT8N2vAQ91MT74_LuQHJYr1UxFRxH3Pigv5Nvrg3r3KJUUxUfjhfMC8vRhsEF020onRIvj3d4rqtb-Vq6zGmxdW1D3M14FikENJgpoI-4c7EiGxlmn-GufGPpAt6IIChXQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fUUMJlx4ZfDRXQEw1Kq_GzCOxDBr3UBMs3UuEWBzHeETD1iQhgJ6YbtH9k5bC52Yd0YVHLfeiVwdo7y8mN87d5b1eDxrjlLW7K3VxGAiDkfrhZ38G3xK-BehDmOcuSM2tNDw-G3swrXU6qksoojcX3GA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
I had thought long and hard about how to finish the top, and finally decided to just go for it and try to do a fiberglass dome in one shot, without building a mold. So I started with insulation foam glued up. Way too much. Lots of filing and shaping later I had what I thought would work. I had done a lot of research online and thought that fiberglass directly onto the foam was the way to go. It might have worked if I'd had the right kind of foam. Nope. The first attempt could have been used as a prop for a Flintstones movie.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e-Sg1hMDBlLafBgueNqvt7ypp1cfn5WvCaJi2JsEfMPJ-NFyb-9H7Ig5v8O3-43in_1v3V-gbg7E3zlc4zDjKmfnlx1lERTUNrdzs19QpOaYergJviqzBa0xrklX5Njd7g2fensjsWdEseAjzteTNucA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cm9YLlAWrdYKx1v-bmUhkbpSL2f8QhPvRVBcACIDHPtuGhekCr12q1tH6IK7MgmubwsEba_JCFYnP0COLyRsg16BzpigALi4ucY4ocCa-M4_QXlifkB4-KYxiyI8h2sgsiIJ2b7PTWRnbKru2gfHZKmQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fDu6V8NXCGiNGpIfnv21FuWi8jU2doCb-h2z0kPnz5IXNK6_WcGPcm5i0pWJwKudofBVJKcuDOiRKYXJO1fdYz0PzaLgXfvh130P-9pROilaD35ZbG8IORvCW8wEbtAnFmSwo1v5DWaeAwtk30jQmOLg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fRk8kHmSN5TXIJQJmvjhq3-fV1UhhVn5_l9QNWsyVaZ5ZwWihrQkH_mtKL4WsC7dEV5M52lHkwuZLJLIrydMHYA0Kn1nlZzygV9fo7DLmp25d74iCyhkSgI0JOBaZNciipXgNHfNZEqDJfchf299ntZQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3erv4sml0x0895fF5V-SqR-ANkt2CzFXwQKrVXb4ZBG2maM0gjd63S0kIYQzNYGIh7TjQymruCq-NiZGVHQNW75sUwolgBdgrU_t4fLW750BiEAdbBhvTd1McYfrL9gdWbdfHYN1aodtH_2tTtvtb05gg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
So, second try, this time I reshaped the foam and covered it in Bondo, then painted it in several layers of primer. I put 4 layers of glass cloth on and it came out pretty darn good. After I trimmed up the edges and dug out the foam, I had the final top/dome/roof. I used panel bond adhesive and used all of my clamps. By the way, this blue no-mix skim filler is crap. Don't use it. I wish I had sanded it all off before I painted. Oh well, live and learn.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fFxeEovzhDE1EvStNK3wIgqQndp_fS7kapsw77xhpSTeNH_8iabJfQ1qAkVJm0ul2ee9c9BwE0c4sG9BRMIILz7eX4PYKu2W3pzpbzPc7teJZdkEX6X7QHwHTNN5f7qksodr_4nsOfcXhS7DYNxIbT9A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3en-DmIHbEUgt-D-YNMuxwk_m312xghCWTWbdrN179rHqd9iU_GN87WES-ZNFrwwbIJL2fOl1-HFPSSsxSAyBrNHKywa0FL3D3xRHCZ2ts8jEv8Cyi7000jRfGFjPojtPj3FWSUCxdG_8klsgeQQtZWNg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cITUj8s21mWwyQVBxLZTNe-fICdAXBYzwTCw_9huQ-kfOlzqWabyAJF8U9hhrhvTUy_H3RY680asEk7wxstZfBeTfmV6Z-aqDeHnHhW9DNEirPdqs7x1sOxfjkVm07oMa1gVDg5_AkIg7BtZpkAjaI2A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fAdQif9Kna1z_HmCLTgQ6xjWt5ZMPAcRlzl-Um0hajVl4GYeF40QxVoR6pBWp1rKs8wuph0Ykh3vgDWdOUIaDZVGLUp1tfxYQj0c_T4-l4mF5yLNYuo2ACxp-pcMKsY9Xcvot4X61UeIvOUxSH7eDbgQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3czZmw6onM9mnp6RsTOpvCqzMB-4Q5k54gWJeqdeCZsChGJpTqUhS8WB1rTRHFuVpaKpkRxDzdOWq3fxv_YRgsKWg9U5xttsWgYl5rlhR3LtM0QJAZRrUMw-PBq6cvpy27zKDw_yIabJ1yZozG-SNLquQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ey1U0GXI3V8FdDGLI7_VHCd_Ga8CHA_ph8-2jTUdr_hozjH-Jc4e_-Ht0Z6kjuhi5kzffX10wlT5sssCyGrXFXzGRTC3eyaxv11fu8Qze5mrJXp52NjW01mma1wdxvRXWqIhbsXttMKpElqQ7Ucg9TVQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e0T_u3QkY-8KB7HXl9yLdEFXq-nmkyGzqhGhGoJ_sFaey4OVSGrrFtAGPVG-N9cfptCdZEB2RbdLI19guUGQI4GtAP6uRT82OYc4nlC_FosXMt7Qq1vON2Njwjo0mXrsqwgXvRehdLJSXAQPOMYrTk9g=w793-h600-no?authuser=0)
Okay, before I get to the end of this build, here is the towing setup. I heard of a guy in Texas making a batch of these Class II 1-1/4" receiver type hitches for Minis, and I asked him to make me one. I'm sorry, I can't remember who it was. Does anyone know?
Since the Elf is about ten inches longer in the rear than a Mini, I knew I would have to make some adjustments. I know there is some argument about the proper way to put a hitch on a Mini. This one attaches to both the body and to the subframe, so it should equally piss off both camps. I look at it as adding another structural element to the subframe, tying it into the body at two more points. Anyway, since the receiver sits forward of the rear valance, it's almost invisible when the draw bar is off. I had a trailer shop make me an extended draw bar, and also added a second hole so it has two pins holding it on. I was slightly worried about the extra length causing some kind of weirdness when towing, but the trailer tongue is so short and the trailer follows so close that I've never felt any evidence of the tail trying to wag the dog. It works really well.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dXgCVUMtsC1anT6cZimdTgmvvAyDCUk4W6sGGTrwGufCgvJI1dru60ogzo3-rz8SNTxhk9MdNjKcT3XOQHnluPh0XSPsjF_36GoAlM48JziM8DQkbukAvu2J7OdQpJ0KK1JMhIU-P5LfcM_Cy2JOaoOw=w600-h600-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eJTA6pDduVlEZ7WAImwRIY4E8C8umYzxGHx3BMx3lDMlWsPfk6NynIExfTD55KrEQv-T6H3RHsMWYBQSwEgDqxjCOS8FdnY3tWZsABR51cAzdwH3qYF5q-sn_VDjAeeF1lFEvUXMrT6qE4ge0sHyvwUg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eynxZAjSUuhXLQ6gFY1pnQJDxag4ctAnCwMYM2tcDjOOcByTd4rVkljnJIrdHo29tPFtYmqOymRiUeRq6HPEoTRaH8iOTHD_AwdJTynnaVBjSSDibgIBkSjtdMeRswUAOrE_3053_ZIPBmKI1jid-t_A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e-D_aaDeoov_h_wU3yg8QgnnYxKsbmxD7W1aZyCxv4CN2bj0C-uaIFGzmaTZJ5p_FKjW1vfw0Hkqax_reZ_dbYos4hR7vXV-AlaWYT7tuN3Hmvjs1ErC45QKopfW5-uDkEJKdUdmTnNjv9O2Y3HC3xSA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d0Oz9-eeTAfqUP4M6DlOJX_2d4xZcKn5JyrE7b_4mE3UCNO2a-IM1vb0fovg3YrWGWwFTMpmR911_rjfZfuXSUkA3HFDzNBY1vw9snP7DN4orK7JaOMqHe3SBuFi-orJ3yi6nbDu-z2STtKvHRFZSsHA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eFKMcelNaI5row-ykuoFlrGhnX7qdVsvBRrg967q3Hy6qHqimFEUHN5U5UfUruNr-2DbXprfDtZpqxOTKlR11yNr8XXEmXzgPk0k8Sw10b0UmbcsqgPbvbAJee3M25MSbXuhpTizqhiQ9gFlDaZRFs_A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3epirfd3_VqD2whMu599DQF4RgMdrXCvOe59DSVVGaXRvIB_OAj6Wb0MSznzN-RyMnX0FemlAqSrvZKzddpaKj1NEnyuxAhOqbuTECRBV9zBfMHqx-DLmRg19w5F94q773vo681CL02Pn6CbxwRFLpUyw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
As for the wiring, I used a 5 wire trailer harness and tied into the stock Elf lights, plus added the side markers and the headlights into the running lights. I modified a pair of cheap ebay halogen headlight kits to use standard single filament taillight bulbs. I also added a third brake light strip with a blinker module so it pulsates when I hit the brakes. If you ever need to add trailer lights to a car, this module from e-Trailer works really well. https://www.etrailer.com/Wiring/Tekonsha/119177.html It runs the trailer lights off of an independent fused circuit so they don't pull current from the car lights.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e5lHrbrkOI0aeifuv3UQTSuRG2uR2HtA9GmfFBZX3XUP4ZCGxo2tVZTdLrbUhDnKu1SyDfYHtA_rQqZMRcsFDZa0L0t6-G74fVzMi7DVckGvOR3RU2xepbX41zyGY_koryt9wsRTVQEKYCN1dyA5m0uA=w1000-no-tmp.jpg) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fD8MMYdnRRmSmYC23o1xY9i8yeYd9mpbmL2NXVoFRAFR0zsS1y-IuJF5QXULFRSoJKFssCGeSeFPej9D2MMeqWrYqaZS02vFQxh5HpZR80ZARBZEFUhAI5F66WqxSrgCrNp3ayWSm65m2wBI_SQMmEpQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e0Jb6XA1D8yK2beKorPHkQLB-CTeyXSdx4LOEuYw2_oesZek0pelh04Az9S_Kmj67zZdhb9Bp3JzDSRviIuMFbzScR61zd7fhuKUhcmkkQxfjAmwj7gqUPV1rvmHfS01D_798H9JpdVdQChx05rx2W8A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
I wanted to run the trailer with similar wheels to the car, and I found these 12 inch Minilites for super cheap. They had some bad curb rash, and I thought I could get them presentable enough to just repaint them, but I wasn't happy with my attempt to sand out the rim damage. I took them into a local wheel repair shop and they did a really nice job welding up the rims and powder coated them. The color isn't a perfect match to the Superlights on Kreacher, but they look pretty good. I had this brand new set of 12 inch Yoko A539s that I had bought specifically for the trailer that had been on the shelf for probably almost ten years. They matched the 13 inch ones on the car at the time, but now I have Nankangs on the car. Oh well, they are pretty dang nice for trailer tires.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cOFxeq8xq9ryswg0b-V6-9rvM2fycXme1SQ0C7b4tctexPyYzxJG8KY45Rcp7iT5h1MGKx3Tkv3kOW_PCEDyigrQS-rc9T-TicWcotWN3O2mfpwjCydalyhYfooedXzxCIiRxtaNQ2Vi53kO6rTx_grg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f7AOlz0YPTECQSZyAEYkACoK1xETGTIE-7QQU0fxRJafz2liDdE-VVac9-Pz9qbRX6sjnK1GKplqU90FILNB45ECrG8ESDCcLI3tMKagZVLyHqhOJQhapxvtWGS3JqQsc7z3tKzwFpDVIzfIiPr07EoA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eXin0FmzxQvZ3mvy4kvRA-fYeMtSDayO8ZK4JXfPoSYOGMXUpFMgo5DFn5uv4kk-xLJUfSmOYT3iRWJTgC0BXe_XcTQoe-5kiTPh5IC3yvx6cFlMa5MSBMcLqzIwr19zfXHyvlI0WsNd3YWK9zbKp58Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3coEhpCMi1m44z_inVC3wSIjoX7cBWldF8ewRjcx2CWQaEDm54m5RUJBBBb3aH3CGTJxI20S5X8nxwz0K-nXo5eo6kCPCGygy07pMhhe1dsXsiL1cfOubENAoIyKy5BoJ8fY-szum-n_tZtk8MCwGG7QA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eYDSnLPBtznDAd74l5orgk7-0DVek4XsSk6ioT2jLtK8RFNnBFYegIg52GmCU1uyNzBsuyLpEi_kQETpVxoSW-YtiM6FRTl3vJnd-5tlMplLipW4auMWqZkIlHpKDzBM8cIqaOpEMBt40j9nwTlCDxAg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3de1zG9-nU_DaYV8-UuIG17d1NaYfUb3BZGo0WauzuXISUAP4fY_pokueRtUQPilJlONaLkE-KM34EVr_2AExhK5jYYLETrEasLc92M1JtNj3n4_GCAjZxciMY7DzwbHt1aj7O26LU5SGHhyXvpzgYUuw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
After spending a considerable amount of time with the hammers and dollies, and doing more welding to close up pin holes and gaps, I had it to a point where I started doing some surface filling. I have to say I'm pretty damn proud of how close I was able to get it to being smooth. I spent the most time getting the transition on the sides between the round front wings and the flatter quarters to blend together. When you look at one of these cars closely, you realize that it is wider in the front than in the rear, and the shape is very different front to rear. Getting that transition right took some work. The heaviest areas of filler ended up around the front corners where I had to combine 4 or 5 panels, and the area where the top of the wings and the scuttle come together. Even with all of that, I don't think there is more than about 1/8 inch of filler anywhere. Not bad for a beginner. Once I had it as close as I could get it, I dropped it off with my friend who is the Auto Body instructor at a vocational high school here. For the cost of paint and supplies, the students took it on as a class project. I think they did an awesome job on it. Better than I could have done it, for sure.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e1_kJ548UPwjEGaMakuHcHR0cnp8gBhl7VRat8cIlb7uR3lEU7f8NHwFNSbWFzliQniN4K_DnLp2NL_UW_vuhoPgEETg26xu9vCD-vXtAEAXVyU1zZpqH5tLvyIQJ_vUzzcX-PEU0NVPWCnmSqzMca4Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fD4Gt4VnREh6KCZTGiSJIehkJD2hzcc7b_tnN-uTZGpQ94c3PE7BWWnOGGTeHBN8WR_TM4Wd64blfgedstgd39aXOm21mvx8QHBaFBH-sMqEg2d_8aLNdd84hpOcvKnG3c_Eayq7ahyerQXb9Garhlcw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cB_igH1ZYlfkrFBNRB9MP2a_9Qwvu1digYlME8QIj1OXOgoO0qZBVKDjoODBQXTEf13TZscVpVmf1nfPxIMQwDqHm3cDecRGJUG72YmUR-NvL7FhgcdneegxvotFRWE58fId8HfpHS78ik5UHC3vABcg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dej4FwraNTXuhdXldLVbeRL0xlI_X3gsvAKx2XTnSMZSRHeLdNu6uBxeYb7FGh-Mcr8Z5DLN5Hr8IMvFzT0tmaXgQVEdDD3kDA2dnk3Rh2DzlnZ-nfE3uU9JTOT-7a-jgc9DtPi6jLVGWljMKtEQww9A=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fQZaohSy1qcwbj8NkaOkGp4bzdJHxjvWaYFK3KPXF7P_NrFvYi-zH4IR2RGzrhDI5_EuusxQwsQEKh2zwDiP7X__Cv-gi0LnwLLCOhF0UWiF4J6DiECJKseo2AFW_eOeapLBcbCHVRJFE8HCSc8Xs18g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dmxEEVuSG-pAMZkGb5byN8NfmE13HQkwKLJQfBNM457WyFgMWkEef37mtYbZl6SL4ceNBioVIavvFnzFUK14-HxHSLIQJrWpIVSugJ5qXU-_O14S9sw6vPBsx2L3_mABpe9YoLWgx5zeX9ttj8omxpYQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d9jtB1P9pFH0lm0OUvmlypkLioVZFSbHgipWHeKhsLAapASqEKjweSoWEmiGBJa15ltKvkKvYJtWx9IZnSdxWlTS5eIkVsfK5FfTbwA7sJHR3migroiTXaqvDLvsePgic7IWAe8P7fjLWju9sQQTleKw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ezF7p5T7Q6iJ0fucIAB9TROduXR0J48mAzBJxrJeh3UOefmjkX2MtrFlAHyrSTOpOTtW4UYRVwSfuE0M5q9IVR94HHqAGnygX_8RkufLFGNHwQ5aEW9nkbQ-75_mvYT3Pkj8jvct6-thksuVsg2_1eJw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
Over the course of collecting parts and putting this project together, I had come up with a few finishing touches to take it over the top. I wanted to do a custom name emblem, and I thought about just making a sticker, or trying to do some custom painting, or something. I ended up designing a name badge and having it cut out of chrome faced plastic. It turned out pretty good.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d0LTbyra7uGkuIRul07hvE06si9hRIXc8vwR2_xLYljxqUEVpYwDajfufrzDOjwW8maDe5T16Y8uLH_90NBGiiFYOsdajfAJuHrEaYyvlaKoRlen1gHlMH24NYS3jqR2e8J7tQb3sAHstVUewmkEPj1g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
I run a vintage 1968 plate on the car, and I wanted the trailer plate to match. I already had a permanent trailer registration but I didn't want to use the new style plate. I found a really great company that does authentic reproduction license plates for collectors and the TV and movie industry. They are https://www.licenseplates.tv/ I had them put the new trailer reg number on a repro 1968 SC trailer plate. I can't imagine anyone ever checking the plate since SC doesn't require trailers to be registered in the first place, but if it's ever checked, the number is valid. And it looks cool. Boom.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dZFWED5ClHkarQtkC3TcDXFQBNyC9spwRD0lGqLMSyg-dPrEwbg-7Ewyj2d6ZdkEt5S6yihu_nPZeh0qzDGNPWG8zbqvDkQeYovbkEPcili_EROo8PWwilagQG8SjYz4m_xF6i_LIKP7ovXk-q28GiNQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
It just so happened that the Charleston British Car Club's annual show was the day after I got the trailer back from the paint shop, so I called up my neighbor Richie Hartley and he helped me throw it all together in a couple of hours. It's nice to have an extra set of hands to keep the cussing to a minimum when trying to mount the boot lid and bonnet. I already had the wiring mostly run, so it didn't take too much work to get it road-worthy. So we made it to the car show. Woohoo!
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fsE2szljoiGZ25flaKriwlhQ6jjNswvUHADtA3sCw33qCwqi5b16o8Yf4W2iImL3pyRKd5i35G2zWrQBqePXEyNv3gHv9jjbLXjlSQ6osd0slxtV443XQ_InKye_Pc-CO_7DnH7c9tqgSPgLJvWIoayw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fvfQPIgcn5nFeV1vwBcEmMTS0j7oW8MtzZBortC-4ul96RyoEydul_g5_y4ShKULj2pvzyFMMMZ5NCT-s4t7vvulWQi1uwCAnLMZ8NIDpBwSRglYGR39O1X58XLRVDiB2GQJRC9PD2nRTdUWUcSuE-gw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d4OXWF61iCow7U8cIe12wE0MVH1-QGxDc5ifQtu_Ni8YLPnHacmJQx5Z41yhpilb5tem8g5nDnqTPdLOs0PHc3YGAU9XZTk2xdA-Up1xS1eTu2kwwPvRImOYQgx4dELO0yXW101PcJ_zI52aDXJFL0vw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3cApEiZh42RZnaI2WcysqIWvhmVr5NXfBF32fVdSK5ELaTqUjz_joARhqayRPfqOC1AehECWvxq_Iu_s2ojSu-rMTMdKhVYgeHckIA97WrIxEQE9ckXxh88PmyUkTNL2fT4vuciIqbIWy5XuB7H_havqA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fBwlRj0t4pEDrEMQ8hqAQ_jEDXqMCVSWKkWY479xuwxb09vNmC416mL2ENsDHNJRt8Bs_23tIAKhjLW4UYtMuXJ7nY0YC6PKRr0BVeKRfCZMFciu3GbT7B9eLsoCDOYvOSqD7QnpCRT46j3u7SFv2EjA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eGEFS8-fqrSJ64SqlvEUS-TweElVel1WAUVeqO3X3p7T70_l2T__SRiTMqLvQh9z8OqiUt1fG-KOt8HnqXF1OeUO908n6JEe4OkgzpDOggEvBnln3hsSjviEbAsuXMi3bZxw8CxAKejA_mg73aW0vOSA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c684R-DasePArzhGht8F1GzSv0X3-ao8zxtvrWkQxwbdBevEcL06MMuNnO-r1PHqpFoIDFWC5KPBuUJ0J5wYwR6garMetjAmaYo4TENycSeM8gCIdbdMmNthxIWIMLBMDPchaF41ZVKi5wkqUMv6RxWg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
I still needed to finish up the interior. I made a mount for spare tire in the front and put in some mats and carpet. Then mat and carpet in the boot. I added some tie-downs in the boot and came up with a configuration for a smaller cooler and my spare parts/cleaning supplies bucket. Other than a few tweaks here and there, tidying up the wiring, and fine tuning things like the remote bonnet latch and boot lock, it's pretty much done. I've had it to quite a few local shows, but was pretty bummed that we didn't get to go to Mini Meet East. Hopefully things will open up at some point and we can do some longer distance trips.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fL0SO2PT3vdEgN-6a3WKItfvjJPcAS6juq9TZtxKq8x5nq3otm1cKIc6skQillcxaLJPqCwYagMjrNC_rPo_n1AGGpycL7w5L0K88Qi68f9Z-ymx-FZtQgpgRuabgHZ2J3qra1a-w6kC69jz0Q7sdbdQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fv0tnQLAmqZDbuL1pkxq02nZStg7SMz8cOlRhlHF9kauRj0V3z52kxSd5AIZ-gFFQY66mFr_neZdhJZgR279ZNofFuJe4uIjkBx0tbQ6oQn-knHZ6o1rLNM0B-Wr8kVD_NLGH89fj3FYH7bmU8hBbk_g=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dPzxE3pLWO-phz18y2VUxarxDpO97zxF_DADlX9ns5gwdPcAdnNmv5ogACF2OV8KXPsgwzts_pWPZBizRLOZC5e9fweiaWeWfAWRykyU8Dp-ywXW-yd4ZtKEk8tbH_4O47DwwBHGs_WsRH2c2R0dQVBw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d5paN-J3NnK4fyW5nFFrjVq2GJfSFrYkxqvdCxdH1zcVldIdkIuCSDtCWBEV4aZKgyIfXysFXTlkIlm8ytYypvHcsoZ_6I6FCDXSDEF1KV6tPb1LbGRctjRdFlXTy5D6Bf_874ldfGxjWp_qzllBRWOw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3d8bhWKkIpn2g4Esv2oi7ApARCfAfI2E1qkTO4E23YK91_RM_74jqj8WkU80o9i93Oj8oNlWRmv31tz-ovMhHNK-f_JAAY64qe4u01TIbN59JjlGVlFD7IjbnejLosgbL3TtXkU7Kkg_Vkdpqp7Xz4OsQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ecYPDx1LuQNCkyOfYADi-ZUlNxLOEMt2nOxnPbsyuLSBfCVF1FIUn-fotDDJLlPAzZEBxebNK5xcvxUsKGSFo7JkouqZBLWcOBhnA3PGkof-tGJVqzrkR_YPpGf2HJQ_qkjh2dHoMQaCLKrSp712vSZw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fvz65jydnMBE7mT3e_SsOsag_1yHAWCITIoD7u-htKih1GNOY5cS8DGpCrjWbG-J-IGedT7pSw2LPqsnzJP_xIFe25IcJ-pxzE6KfmeiKkviTeffgSp7J2dVJhezmIgYyrRCCXwowI9t3TTlxb264Tfg=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3fnqnpidh29aYRzXDy10YShiSVIDXnII8p7B5bSpXeRSgj9NIaoYar-nwvZRVeiMFo9yQtF0kUkHhzpDhEcLXNxFfQSZpgFN1l6U3H-ul-0WwJx-oXLJWHMRb7OKTKo5ZIx3S0QCMozqiJAdbv28dgB2Q=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ebcc7LWaXJOIAkLiDLm0BvDaqMjdp2gpABP2vkd_k-36uTX5NznOdnvggCQOcnnbTGrwY7SthqcAeJ6JGM7dYj9rthc1obyePgV-SzB61KrYCzSLFHobSmzsro1BjpCFfJUvb-rEBJ7AYgagqFfVaswQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dktofbsd9Y5L3L0xqQ6wjF5b_PgHK9bmAmNXLWuf7Ls1dqp1ClaLSj4t_64rIjg9FG6-zfOanE1MVwMm7eQbDk93CCxkMGoBlNdfswfIsyqCbtIW-bqIZNLubKd6XVjlT2EQME9g8b8MTq8eDesgXZSw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3c12daYn9-2CjbbgzUQdgOhj6gf1ycorqluT8-OZh8pMtm9KYa-hw8dl3YkHXJzHE9PPUHr8FcgLXXpJhMHJSKwC7Ag7xAAcZ_82yTl3RKLqeDx1hYGOnmwD5gPs11CxY57MxXqWUGYWM5hpBddgOExSQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3e8mSTVkU0TpUmvwB3aHN0Fl4RAKJBkhI-4ehi9BlVpHM2pCUI-v43-AHuIk6nrMD1HBa9wetS9hIUpJ6F8n-eF49UYDstJulszW11UE-PekdtUy0rdOBrQxsGH8_vZiJVLXFhMD4m6qB6HO2kA61sHnQ=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3dA9EA8WTXXDDC7Hi4lQe_epNbCW3M826MfFp2quG37L4P-ZELkTQPo7Xo7TVKOJ7DGRL2l_RDbyfOPAAy37bUnn1csJB6rBxof-SyRLOfEeL5HRVsCzjfRAhHTRnZeZUEg38yEFnzE3CmOKYqw1nV-CA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3eSlHk3wS8NkoDs3W-qjXH_0zx9Tbd520d1PJB7gxwLq0peZptsqD1H8kgvanchK4TXU6g60UtLLFM8ARM5b7xf7CzfUBWD_tmv-SXHlmhVaBvDJWQKGlLOHln26mbsOzPhazC6jrJex9v--dSc07sxiA=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3coYpxhoHwLyUbZLd6sqozDnDKzcYdZkWu4k5nfP6WjJOWV200HgZ9wFkvZ_cELKLy4GLnGVLOXudEeS2sOnsVTtNVeLwKF7nbWz5_EdxivfRdVMfICtlrZ40sdN060vdXx6nE8nNwFdgLVCgPJM1rquw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3ffQZ7QHOqhlbfWLUQQHfwodi0o4si0oBVbfm7snPuNK7rxKDrPJIfVV4cpOZT1Qw4oRdJMayBgHoOEfzle9f7uLGCPK2HNPS_FMo6Ldbk-D6HBigxjscBESChbXy3lOLK5hLfVSWimZgG52hGybMftCw=w600-h1057-no?authuser=0) (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/ACtC-3f2ALOsiTAUSIspH9nKI1CpJfApbpmI8klGCxnnv6ky0US88S3fnqBHJsy68IvdhGbhI6BizzVnShQ0psgUNuj_Bql_Jl_-mveH_4oWHMnb98PWxoS4JKwf1pJB5g_Pm89k5nghbRQiYjNTpnY-kBEioA=w1600-h600-no?authuser=0)
I think it turned out great, most of them are just the back half with a flat front.....this is odd looking with the little white bubble that matches the roof on your car but it's cool how you did the front and back, and kept the lights.
You decided to just leave the inside in red primer?
I think it turned out great, most of them are just the back half with a flat front.....this is odd looking with the little white bubble that matches the roof on your car but it's cool how you did the front and back, and kept the lights.
The thing is that the shape of the front and back are so different that if I had cut the parcel shelf out, I don't think I would have had the metal working skills to make a panel that would have looked right to fill the gap. I would have had to build some kind of support structure, plus I would have had to come up with a different way to mount the boot hinges since they attach to the parcel shelf. The little roof seemed to be the best option, and something I thought I had the skills to do.
You decided to just leave the inside in red primer?
It's actually the same color as the outside, but the students didn't spend any time on the inside, just sprayed over the green or whatever was there, and didn't clear coat it. I might go back at some point and do some trunk paint or bed liner on the inside.
Nice job it turned out great.
just read through the thread. total respect for your design and work.. simply a great job!
Quote from: Jimini II on July 27, 2020, 09:56:44 PM
Nice job it turned out great.
Quote from: Lone Star Mini on November 12, 2020, 12:04:59 PM
just read through the thread. total respect for your design and work.. simply a great job!
Thanks! It was definitely a learning experience, but I took my time and I think it came out pretty close to what I wanted.
Your mirrors are pretty goofy.
Quote from: LarryLebel on November 13, 2020, 09:29:38 AM
Your mirrors are pretty goofy.
Gee, thanks. Have you looked in yours lately? :-\