Lone Star Mini Restoration

[94touring]

Post pics of the rust and I'll tell you what the best route is.

[Lone Star Mini]

For my record of learning how the Inner wing attaches along with any/everything that attaches to it.... (I don't know the names of all components).  With respect to the pictures below: 

A:  Was a bracket that mounted to the front panel
B:  Had rubber plugs in the holes - what could these holes be used for?
C:  Where the inner wing is spot welded to the front bulkhead toe kick panel I think
D:  Spot welds to the dash board tray
E:  Spot welds to ?  Bulkhead Cross member ?
F:  Spot Welds to support bracket bulkhead cross member
G:  Spot welds to shell number plate (need to find the decoder ring)
H:  Spot welds to

Then there is a rusted out bracket that appears to have been a bracket to hold a heater air hose ???   

J:  Spot Welds to the lower A-pillar support (I think)
K:  Spot Welds to ??  Have to figure out what structure is between door and Inner wing
L:  This appears to be some patch job
M:  Spot welds to Wing flange
N:  I know this is the suspension support bracket attach points, but have to figure what is behind this rust area.

As can be seen there is horrible rust at top and bottom of inner wing near the bulkhead and A-pillar.  The front of the inner wing is also eaten away with rust along with a couple of the thin segments at the inner wing vent elongated holes. 

To replace the entire inner wing or not?  This is the question.

[94touring]

So yes, lots of welds to break and redo if you should choose to take the entire inner wing off.  The middle non rotten section is the most difficult area to work on.  So you will need to decide if its worth it to you.  It will be cleaner if it's done in one shot, but difficulty level is high.  Parts you probably need from a glance.

Also not shown cause I'm out of attachment space would be the scuttle repair.   Be sure to mount the doors prior to buttoning up this door repair section/inner wing, as it's very easy to screw up the door frame dimensions.

[94touring]

Behind N is a hollow void. 

[Lone Star Mini]

Thanks Dan.. what are the names of Images 2, 3 & 4?  From watching other videos, I think there is a triangular support plate that goes inbd of the inner wing that does NOT come with the complete inner wing (perpendicular to the triangular support in my pictures).

Hmm..  so then what is the best order?  Should I replace the floor bits along with the inner sills before tackling the fwd inner wing?

[94touring]

INNER WING L/H 19.5 DEEP REPAIR MINI
DOOR JAM AND FLITCH LARGE REPAIR PANEL
INNER A POST 

I'd tackle the inner wing and door jam/a post first, with a door mounted prior to welding it all solid.  Having the wing and a panel tacked or a few sheet metal screws holding it in place along with clamps is wise also.  If you have 1/4" too much length on your vented inner wing section your wing and a panel will never reach each other or the a post lip.  It's a big balancing act. Sill and door steps can be done last, or somewhere in the midst of the inner wing/a post construction.

[Lone Star Mini]

INNER WING L/H 19.5 DEEP REPAIR MINI
DOOR JAM AND FLITCH LARGE REPAIR PANEL
INNER A POST

.....  Having the wing and a panel tacked or a few sheet metal screws holding it in place along with clamps is wise also.....

Note quite sure I understand this statement.  Do you mean I need to tack on the actual wing to the inner wing?
If I go with the complete inner wing, does it include any of the parts mentioned above (19.5 deep repair and flitch).

This is what I'm concerned about in replacing the entire inner wing..  too large of gaps and nothing lining up.  I can't seem to find any proper videos out there that speak to this so I can't decided if it's as big a problem as my mind is making out to be

[94touring]

I'm saying before you get carried away with welding up all the inner wing work, fit the outter wing, a panels, front end, and bonnet isn't a bad idea too.  Getting a front end to fit perfectly is no small task.  Takes a lot of blood sweat, tears, cursing, hammer throwing, and more cussing.  I use a lot of vice grips and clamps but also will use sheet metal screws in various spots.  Screws along the wing lip to keep it snug against the inner wing and scuttle is extremely handy.  Otherwise you can get sloppy and end up with too big of a gap not only with the scuttle but with the bonnet.  You'll want a subframe mounted too to assist in alignment. 

Yes inner wing includes the vented section to the flinch.  You can buy it in one big piece and cut sections off you decide to use too. Several ways to go about it.

[Lone Star Mini]

Definitely seems like a big job replacing the entire inner wing...  must think and do more search.  Thanks Dan

[Lone Star Mini]

I guess I should ask outright..  with the shown rusted areas, what is recommended - repair rusted areas only or replace entire inner wing?

[MiniDave]

Yep, that's all the usual places they rust.....check the bottom seam of the bulkhead too....

As to whether to replace or repair, I'll leave that to the expert - but if you don't feel comfortable replacing the whole thing and getting it to line up properly, you could buy a new part and simply cut out the bits you need, and weld them in one at a time.

[Lone Star Mini]

Thanks Dave..  I'm watching all the videos I can find on the subject to glean the smallest of hints/techniques/tips...  If I go the route of replacing the entire inner wing, then I'm back at a stopping point until I can order all the necessary panels (wings, front panel assy, etc.. )

[94touring]

I'd buy panels 2&3 that I posted and use the minimum amount of panel 3 that fixes whatever rust you cut out.   Also...poke that shock mount metal.  Looks like it may crumble.

[Lone Star Mini]

Holy Moly.. the Door Check panel is 721 quid..   The "WAS" price was 28 quid so I'm thinking something is not right with the Mini Spares website..  ??   

[94touring]

Ha, someone had fat fingers when they updated the prices.  You'll have to send them an email to make a correction.

[Lone Star Mini]

While I wait on panels to arrive, I will be removing the factory sound dampening from inside the shell along with cleaning the R/H inner wing.  Meanwhile, I'm beginning my search on Rust preventative.
- I've read much about WAXOYL and yet I don't believe it's the best product.  Various websites for Waxoyl are both in the UK and USA.  Our environments are so drastically different that it's easy to get confused.  Just maybe Waxoyl will work better here in the southern states of USA.. (I'm not sold).
- Of course there is POR 15.  This seemed to be a big product a few years ago, but for some reason, I've seen less of it on the shelves of our local body supply stores.  My brother-n-law swears by it, but that is because he was told about it from other HOT ROD restorers..   I have not done enough solid research to know
-  I do believe I want a zinc based product.  I've contacted a few companies, but waiting to research their product(s).

Bottom line is that I simply don't trust advertisements because they are only selling a product.  I hope to learn about the true chemistry behind the product.  With that said, I live in Texas.  We don't have much salt on our roads and the temperature are typically hot.  Therefore I feel in all honesty that whatever product I use will be acceptable.

Would love to hear of tests or results about products people have used... 

[BruceK]

Anecdotally I've heard tales of cars coming from the UK that had been treated with Waxoyl and when they hit US with our higher ambient temperatures the stuff kinda melted and weeped out.  Not sure that is true, but based upon what you were posting recently about the differences between working on a car in the UK versus Texas I could see it possibly being true.

[gr8kornholio]

Overall temperature is probably less important than humidity and dew points.  These both can cause condensation and less evaporation which leads to moisture standing around on metal surfaces.

Of course my non meteorologist statement maybe complete nonsense. 

[MiniDave]

I built my Jag when I lived in Sandy Eggo where it is warm and dry - it was an absolute rustbucket when I started repairing it and I was determined not to have it rust again. This was in the early 90's and everything I read said Waxoyl was the stuff....so I used it extensively and to this day there is no rust anywhere on my Jag, 28 years later. I moved to KC in 94, so it's been in this salty wet, humid hot climate ever since, and I have driven it in all weather conditions too.....so, applied correctly it definitely works.

I also saw the articles where on a hot day it would run out of the cracks and crevices, but I haven't experienced that. But I'll let Dan weigh in...I think if you prep and paint the car properly, use seam sealers and such, you'll be fine - especially in your climate.

[94touring]

You want the metal sealed from moisture, and there's probably dozens of ways to do it.  I always use an epoxy sealer primer on bare metal.  If all you did was sealer prime and set the car outside it would be rust proof for ages.  I have been using por15 on top of epoxy primer on floors, depending on the project.  In my mind it doesn't get more water proof.  Waxoyl in sills and within any area that has an open void from the factory that likely lacks paint coverage to begin with will do the trick.  Some cars had access holes on the inner sill to be able to spray waxoyl.  I have gone as far as rubbing bearing grease inside pre painted sills/voids before reassembly, just to have something oily in there.  Door skins should have a seam sealer around where the skin lays on the door frame.  Door skins rot from moisture getting caught between the two metal surfaces.  Not only do I use a sealant but I'll slosh a cup or so of sealer primer or por15 inside the door bottom after things have been crimped together.  I tape off the drain holes before doing so and remove the tape after things have dried.  Any foam on the bulkhead and in parts of the A post goes in the trash.  It traps moisture and eventually causes rust.  It was popular on later minis.

[gr8kornholio]

Ok, so I won't be replacing those foam pieces I removed from my car.  Thanks for the heads up.

[Lone Star Mini]

Thanks all..   You guys ROCK!!     honestly, I will most likely do a mixture of everything.  I will use a zinc chromate primer as best as possible in perhaps all areas..  I will use POR-15 and I will powder coat some items. 

So..  lessons learned today while cleaning the R/H Inner Wing.  First, I do plan on repairing vs replacement and I quite enjoy cleaning all the oily grime/whatever off.  Perhaps when I've done 3-4 Minis, it will be old hat, but right now everything is new so it's fun.  Besides I actually like to clean so it's kind've therapeutic for me.  Lessons learned....
- Definitely wear goggles or a face shield
- Seriously think about wearing a mouth/nose dust shield
- My air tools do not have the same torque/power that the electric tools have
- Electric tools get quite hot
- The head of the electric drill hurts/burns like a @#$% when your finger rubs up against it during use
- You end up like a metal porcupine after pressing hard with the metal wire abrasive brush
- You also end up like a coal miner after using the abrasive wheel to clean oily dirt
- It helps (I think) to heat up rusted bolts when trying to screw/drill them out
- To keep your finger clear of vice clamps because they too hurt like #$% when they grab your skin after clamping down on a rusted bolt

I have started keeping a video log of my work and will attempt to capture something of everything I do for my own memory/record.  There are a lot of you knowledgeable people out there so my video log will be from a novice perspective.. with the idea of giving hope to others like myself.

[gr8kornholio]

Luckily I haven't coated my face like that.  Body and work bench yes. Another tip but it's almost a catch 22.  I twisted my wrist up pretty good when the wire brush attached to my drill caught my glove.  Thought I was protecting my skin.  Luckily my drill flew out of my hand and shut off.

Should of seen me trying to clean all the sand out of everywhere imaginable after sand blasting the bottom of the mini.  Full on props to Dan and his abilities to do it. 

Keep up the good work. I'm learning a lot with this assembly process. 

[94touring]

Yeah look like a coal miner!

Do enough minis and you buy all the tools and use any method that makes it easier.

[Lone Star Mini]

Panels?
Right or wrong, I've read and watched videos that tend to say the following:  Magnum panels are not that great.  Panels from M-Machine are really good, but the best panels are the Heritage.  When shopping via Mini Spares, how on earth is one to know who made the panel.  I have already purchased a few panels - Scuttle is Heritage, but my floor panels are Magnum.  I've noticed that the Mini Spares P/N vary.... some P/Ns start with 'M' (Magnum?).  some P/Ns start with 'H' (Heritage?).  some panels start with 'MS' (Mini Spares - what?)..  some panels P/Ns start with 'A'.  Can anyone educate me on how to shop for Heritage panels?   

Sand Blasting Media?
With the Texas area, can anyone point me in the right direction of purchasing Fine to Medium Sand blasting media that is reasonably priced?  the Fine Sand at Home Depot or Lowes is questionable and I figure there must be something out there... 

thanks