Hey all,

Hoping that there is someone out there that can help.

I have zero experience welding nor do i own a welder . I need to get my replacement battery box welded in this weekend. The car is located in Newtown Geelong and i need to get the work done on Sunday.

Anybody interested in dropping over to help out? Beer will be provided and even some take home beer if you like!

Old battery box will be removed, all i need is the new one welded in.

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I'm guaranteed to break something every time, but there's nothing like getting under the bonnet and having a go!

You could always pop rivet it in and seal it.

I have done this to save re painting the boot

Thanks


Kiwiinwgtn

I did the battery box before I had a welder - same as kiwiinwgtn pop rivet with plenty of mastic then once in a couple of coats of paint on tar both top and under the car to thoroughly seal it all.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Somehow it makes a lot of sense to me to pop-rivet the battery box in.
It's a fairly sacrificial part of the car anyway.

I'm going to be doing my battery box and painting my boot soon too, and i'm likely going to just pop rivet a new one in, to remove later when it rusts out

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You're so square
Baby I don't care

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

This is a great example of why as soon as my boss' back is turned, Ausmini suddenly appears on my screen!

I will pot rivet the thing on and i have plenty of sikaflex left over from when i put the seams back on to seal it up. Anyway, still have to give the boot a coat of paint as well so this should work a treat.

Does anyone have advice they would like to offer on the battery box removal? I know that i have to drill out spot welds but thats about it. Is there anything else i should be doing to make it easier?

Thanks again for the suggestion on this!

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I'm guaranteed to break something every time, but there's nothing like getting under the bonnet and having a go!

I would wirebrush the area, ie where the box is spot welded to the boot floor, so you actually see where the spot welds are.

Then get yourself a spot weld drill-bit or cutter and drill them out, but because your pop-riviting it in try not to drill right through the floor as well, only the battery box flap.

You may need your angle grinder or dremel (if you have one) as well because i have found that they can be brazed on the corners.

Hope that helps

brenton

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I ran the angle grinder around the right angle edge then got a large screw drive/cold chisel under what is left of the flange and with the help of a BFH it came off ( couple of spot welds needed some help with the grinder) then clean it all up with the grinder (after all you are not trying to save the old box) - give all the bare metal some etch primer before putting the new box in.

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David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

I wouldn't drill them either - hold the angle grinder flat against the lip of the old battery box and grind them thin, then peel off with pliers

Spend a little time making the new box fit nice with a hammer and dolly and make sure all the flanges are painted with some anti rust paint.

Also space out the rivets nice and even this makes it look like a professional job and use stainless rivets