:popcorn:

Good Lord this is sick. Sub'd for the sexy.

Sooner than I had expected the all aluminium roof has been made, I collected the car today and I am so very happy with it. I have the panel bond ready then it will need to coats of primer to seal it and paint but I am going to get the car done before it is painted. The roof is so light its crazy. The skin is so smooth and as you would expect from a professional. Glad I had it done as it really makes this car very special now

Was a long drive home as I drove the slow route so not to damage anything. unloading and loading the car on my own has mostly killed me, decided to duct tape the panel to stop the wind getting under the skin

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-I...807_130441.jpg

Looking Good! I'm loving this thing. I'm just glad I'm not the one doing it :wink:

So here we go,

Old roof off again
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x...823_111213.jpg

Oh God we are back here again...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-f...823_111158.jpg

Aluminium roof about to go on
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7...823_111223.jpg

Aluminium roof now bonded on
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-J...823_162213.jpg

Look at the planishing on the inside
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-y...823_162239.jpg

Crash beam cut out
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5...824_133104.jpg

Big plate and bar twin pass cooler about to be welded in
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Y...824_134335.jpg

Only place left for the oil cooler which will have air ducted from the front and out through the wheel arch
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4...824_160127.jpg

Decided I needed more room in the engine bay so I ended up reworking the boost pipe from the cooler
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1...826_182732.jpg

turned on the DRL and I liked them, I had forgotten about them but I am still pleased with them
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-a...826_184014.jpg

Got to have a look at the bodywork again as the blower pulley is a little close but still 5mm
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Y...826_153051.jpg

Loving how it is coming together too, I am still pleased with how it is looking and thankfully I still like everything I have done
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-a...826_182032.jpg

Shaping up nicely! Are you planning on trimming back some of the body since the blower pulley is so close? Do you think the engine will rock enough to cause an issue?

Yes I will be chopping out some of the body work and welding in another section in - would probably be OK on the engine mounts I have but still I want a bit more room

Wow… that looks insaneLY AWESOME!

Did you abandon the carbon fibre roof?

subscribed to see the rest of this build!

I wish I had the skill, time, and money to do something like this!

Glad I just found this build thread. I would have gone nuts if I had to wait years as this has been coming together to see this amazing car.

Awesome job! Now I'll go crazy waiting for it to be finished.

Loved reading through this! Forget your other projects and just focus on this one for our entertainment :P

Keep up the good work

Subbed!

Judging from the activity, this must be another featured thread!

What wheels are those?

I don’t come to the site much anymore but do have to say this is one amazing job you are doing. This has kept me spellbound for 7 pages. I’ll have to come back some time and see how it all turns out. Great chop bud.


One true master mechanic.

Thank you all. Its been a passion for so long but now I am hoping to see it complete very soon. Maybe even driving next week :)

I did give up on the carbon roof as I just didn't have the skills to do it, well I may now but did not then. I have just an all aluminium roof skin which is so light.

Its the nice comments and this photo which are driving me to finish this build;
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-a...826_182032.jpg

Sub'd. I have to see this finished, and I don't even have my mini anymore :o(

Have any pics of all the engine stuff?

I swear your build, and mine have beed the longest going continuous builds on the MINIwebs! But both are truly unique and just plain badass!

^ we need to have a chat at some point as the body work you have done I want to do similar to another car

Any time! I will clear my PM box...

Just a small update.

Thought I had an electrical fault so I pulled the whole car apart only to find it was a few dead cells in the battery giving some add results. Only took a day to sort it and stripping the interior back out meant I could do some other trimming jobs which would have been harder in the car.

Other news, radiator is in though it is a temporary unit for the time being, intercooler pipework is coming on well too, should have all the pipework finished for the end of Monday ready to stick fluids in and play

Decided that I hate alloy welding laying on the floor. I get there just I have to stop every inch to reposition myself ~ I do respect those who do this every day.

Lower intercooler pipe showing but it will be behind the grill
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6...928_172320.jpg

Intercooler pipe behind the radiator
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-t...928_172342.jpg

Radiator brackets all made and in, I have started with a VW polo rad which is used in westfields but I plan to get another made at work which will be slightly bigger, this will do to get me running especially as its a twin pass core, just going to have to pass more coolant through and run the fans more often...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1...928_172351.jpg

All the work you have done here is simply amazing... I can not wait to see the future progress...

This thread is more fun to follow than the Housewives of NJ (my wife forces me to watch)! I wish I had this kind of skill and patience to build this. I love the look.