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PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:24 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:22 pm
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Location: Evansford, Victoria
My original cowl has seen better days, and one side has split in 2.

I purchased a reproduction cowl (which is pretty) but I noticed some very minor differences.

I want to restore this mini back to original so.... I am wondering would something like replacing the original cowl be seen as a no-no... or is it ok to replace it?

I know that there are those in the forum who don't like cars being put back to original because they think that they don't get driven. Let me put your mind at ease, this will not be driven around on a trailer (unless it breaks down) and it won't be collecting dust in my garage. It will be driven.

I just want this car (a 68 AUTO) to be as he was when rolling out of the factory. My other 66 is already a mongrel so it won't be original at all.

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1966 Morris Mini Minor Saloon (Dot) - 1275 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini Van (Ivan) - 998 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (George) - Original
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (Charlie) - Original


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:33 pm 
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Causing or creating vexation

Joined: Wed Jul 21, 2004 10:32 pm
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I would fit a new cowl. The old ones are all shagged these days.


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 10:59 pm 
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Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:31 pm
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Location: Sydney - strangely, I am glad of the sight of hills!!
Be careful where you get it from. There are some pretty awful cheap chinese copies around that simply don't fit.

cheers
michael

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the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates ;-)


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PostPosted: Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:07 pm 
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Yay For Hay!
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Location: Wodonga - Vic/NSW border
I prefer to refit the original - even if it's not perfect, it's correct...

or at least have the correct original part in a box in your garage like where most of my original bits are!


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:17 pm 
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848cc
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:22 pm
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Location: Evansford, Victoria
Here is a photo of the cowl... split in 2.

Tomorrow I am visiting a mate who builds models, I am hoping that he will have some ideas on how I can go about restoring this -- and the other half.

Image

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1966 Morris Mini Minor Saloon (Dot) - 1275 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini Van (Ivan) - 998 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (George) - Original
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (Charlie) - Original


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:47 pm 
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NAV-MAN
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Location: Nothern Brisvegas
JTR850 wrote:
Here is a photo of the cowl... split in 2.

Tomorrow I am visiting a mate who builds models, I am hoping that he will have some ideas on how I can go about restoring this -- and the other half.

Image


I would be using some fibreglass matting on the inside and some plasti weld on the outside. a little body filler and paint it satin black.

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 9:51 pm 
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Causing or creating vexation

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The stock plastic gets brittle and shrinks. The top half shrinks more than the bottom half which twists it as well.


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 10:08 pm 
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Location: Emu Plains, NSW
I think Paul Gulson makes repo ones and sells them on Ebay from time to time.
Cheers Pete

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That means, on average, Australians get about 41 miles per gallon

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PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 1:49 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:22 pm
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Location: Evansford, Victoria
The repairs have started. I went to the hobby shop at lunch and purchased some Tamiya Cement (used for sticking plastic models together).

I have painted both sides of the join and have stuck them together. The pieces are stuck with sticky tape to my desk so that it doesn't move whilst drying.

The next stage (if this works) will be to sand the back back and add some eproxy to it - for support. After that, another sand, and then I will use some surface primer - suited for plastic.

Finally a top coat of satin black (as suggested).

I will post progress shots when I can.

_________________
1966 Morris Mini Minor Saloon (Dot) - 1275 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini Van (Ivan) - 998 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (George) - Original
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (Charlie) - Original


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 Post subject: Steering cowl
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:11 pm 
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848cc
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Joined: Wed Dec 01, 2010 2:11 pm
Posts: 120
Location: Goulburn NSW
I'll be interested to see how you go.

I'll finish restoring mine once I find a way to do it.

Mine looks like it's an old bakelight job, so it don't like any of the modern paints/primers I've tried.

I've read somewhere to give it a coat of thinned down epoxy to seal it so I'll give that a crack sometime soon.

Ian

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1961 Morris 850 (being restored)
1965 Austin 1800 (daily driver)


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 8:12 am 
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848cc
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:22 pm
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Location: Evansford, Victoria
Last night I left one half of the cowl at work drying, and the other half went home to get sanded and cleaned.

The tape residue is a real pain in the neck. I used WD-40 to get the main glue off and then tried to sand the other bits out of the plastic. I also soaked it in warm soapy water too.

This morning I put some more cement on the hair line crack in cowl half 2. The idea being that the cement will melt the plastic and give it some strength.

Today a mate is bringing in some styrene strips. We will lay them across the main split in cowl half 1 and cement it in. Tomorrow I should then be able to sand that cowl half. (That's the idea anyway).

Picture below: Cowl Half 1 with Cement and Taped up

Image

Image


Picture below: Cowl half 2 cleaned up still with hair line crack

Image

Picture below: Cowl half 2 hair line crack with cement applied

Image


Picture below: Tamiya Cement used ($4.00 AUS)

Image

_________________
1966 Morris Mini Minor Saloon (Dot) - 1275 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini Van (Ivan) - 998 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (George) - Original
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (Charlie) - Original


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:35 am 
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1275cc
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Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2004 6:31 pm
Posts: 4663
Location: Sydney - strangely, I am glad of the sight of hills!!
I use tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil to remove tape adhesive. It's the ducks nuts for that sort of thing. Won't attack the plastic or paint in most cases. And it smells good while you are at it.

cheers
michael

_________________
the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page
66 Mini Minor sponsored by http://www.lifeonthehedge.com.au/ The Dog Harness Specialists
It was a pleasure ausmini. I'll miss all you misfits and reprobates ;-)


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 4:57 pm 
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Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2006 7:03 pm
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Location: Near Avoca Vic
Avoid using WD-40 anywhere you plan on painting ;-)

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;-) Pete...
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1968 Deluxe 1275
1969 Deluxe 'Scruby' 998 Looking for a roof skin...


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PostPosted: Fri Apr 29, 2011 11:01 pm 
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the King of Bling
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Joined: Thu Jun 03, 2004 11:11 pm
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Location: Baulkham Hills
Tamiya Cement..its good stuff and used it alot when building plastic Aircraft, Tanks, Cars & Boats models when I was young. Easy on the sanding / light handed till you get the differance between the cement and the plastic

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PostPosted: Mon May 02, 2011 9:12 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 1:22 pm
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Location: Evansford, Victoria
Im nearly done with the restoration of the Steering Wheel Cowl. I've just done my first base coat in Satin Black (as suggested above).

Photo below: Cowl 1 just sanded
The following photo is of cowl 1, after it had the plastic cement sanded back.

Image

Photo below: Cowl 1 Rear Support Patch
I added a rear patch for added support. I ended up purchasing a Styrene strip from the local hobby shop and used the same plastic cement to fuse it in place.

Image

Photo below: Cowl 1 with Putty applied and sanded back
I purchased some plastic putty (epoxy) from the hobby shop too. I applied it, let it harden and then sanded it back. It may not be perfect but it seemed to do the job.

Image

Photo below: Plastic Primer applied to Cowl 1
You may notice that some primer is missing from the cowl. That's because I dropped it whilst I was painting it... duh! It actually cracked the plastic and I had to patch it and reapply some more primer. (lesson learnt). One good thing out of that was that the original break held up.. no stress cracks or anything.

Image

Photo below: First base coat applied
This photo was taken of both of the cowls (side by side) after the first base coat of Satin Black base was applied. I am very happy with the results so far.

Image


Next I will apply one more coat of Satin Black... then I will apply a clear gloss coat. Thoughts?

_________________
1966 Morris Mini Minor Saloon (Dot) - 1275 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini Van (Ivan) - 998 Auto - Mongrel
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (George) - Original
1968 Morris Mini.Matic (Charlie) - Original


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