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Roof chop mini

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Old Jul 20, 2014 | 07:03 AM
  #151  
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Grizld700
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From: E. Iowa
 
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Old Aug 6, 2014 | 11:07 AM
  #152  
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ChickenBreast53
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From: Asheville, NC
Good Lord this is sick. Sub'd for the sexy.
 
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Old Aug 7, 2014 | 01:05 PM
  #153  
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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

 
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Old Aug 7, 2014 | 01:08 PM
  #154  
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Grizld700
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From: E. Iowa
Looking Good! I'm loving this thing. I'm just glad I'm not the one doing it
 
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Old Aug 25, 2014 | 12:36 AM
  #155  
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So here we go,

Old roof off again


Oh God we are back here again...


Aluminium roof about to go on


Aluminium roof now bonded on


Look at the planishing on the inside


Crash beam cut out


Big plate and bar twin pass cooler about to be welded in


Only place left for the oil cooler which will have air ducted from the front and out through the wheel arch
 
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Old Aug 26, 2014 | 12:46 PM
  #156  
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Decided I needed more room in the engine bay so I ended up reworking the boost pipe from the cooler


turned on the DRL and I liked them, I had forgotten about them but I am still pleased with them


Got to have a look at the bodywork again as the blower pulley is a little close but still 5mm


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
 
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Old Aug 26, 2014 | 12:56 PM
  #157  
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From: E. Iowa
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?
 
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Old Aug 27, 2014 | 12:42 AM
  #158  
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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
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 12:59 PM
  #159  
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gotsmart
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From: Toronto
Wow… that looks insaneLY AWESOME!

Did you abandon the carbon fibre roof?
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 01:08 PM
  #160  
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From: Irvine, CA
subscribed to see the rest of this build!
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 01:39 PM
  #161  
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RDY4TKF
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From: Aurora, IL
I wish I had the skill, time, and money to do something like this!
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 01:51 PM
  #162  
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MotorMouth
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From: Mililani,Hawaii
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.
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 02:04 PM
  #163  
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Fir3Chi3f
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From: St. Xavier University
Loved reading through this! Forget your other projects and just focus on this one for our entertainment :P

Keep up the good work
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 02:10 PM
  #164  
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Saltysalt
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From: Dover, NH
Subbed!
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 02:15 PM
  #165  
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Grizld700
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From: E. Iowa
Judging from the activity, this must be another featured thread!
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 02:23 PM
  #166  
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BackcountrySkier13_inAZ
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From: Arizona
What wheels are those?
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 02:36 PM
  #167  
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sndwave
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From: In the Tube
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.
 
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Old Sep 23, 2014 | 11:51 PM
  #168  
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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;
 
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Old Sep 24, 2014 | 02:06 AM
  #169  
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From: Bournemouth, UK
Sub'd. I have to see this finished, and I don't even have my mini anymore (
 
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Old Sep 24, 2014 | 05:37 AM
  #170  
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DICKS GARAGE R53
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From: North Denver Colorado
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!
 
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Old Sep 24, 2014 | 11:34 AM
  #171  
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^ we need to have a chat at some point as the body work you have done I want to do similar to another car
 
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Old Sep 24, 2014 | 03:48 PM
  #172  
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DICKS GARAGE R53
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From: North Denver Colorado
Any time! I will clear my PM box...
 
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Old Sep 28, 2014 | 01:27 PM
  #173  
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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


Intercooler pipe behind the radiator


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...
 
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Old Sep 28, 2014 | 03:52 PM
  #174  
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Morrissey25
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All the work you have done here is simply amazing... I can not wait to see the future progress...
 
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Old Sep 28, 2014 | 06:34 PM
  #175  
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From: Near Gaithersburg, MD
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.
 
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