JEM RESTYLING

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Work Under Way

The first thing to decide was the angle of the new sill line. The aim was to alter the side elevation massing by increasing the "bodywork to glass-area ratio" at the rear. (Take notes if you like - there will be a short test later!)

I did lots of mocking-up with paper and cardboard until satisfied with the result.

The new rear side windows and door pillar profile were outlined in ply and the area skinned with flat sheet epoxy fiberglass. The flat sheet was layed-up on a laminated bench-top surface and removed before it was finally cured, then draped over the area and glued and pinned down all round the edges. After all this had fully cured the outer edge was sanded smooth. The result is a seemingly moulded panel with a smooth finish. The gap between the skins was later filled with expanding foam to form a strong rigid composite. The rear hatch had been made several years before, but in keeping with the overall clean-up I replaced the Mini hinges with purpose-made internal ones. The rear edge of the hatch window was raised and reshaped to continue the new side sill line

This also helps to add more apparent mass rearward, keeps the things in the boot out of sight and reduces heat build-up inside the car.

The doors were built with 15mm plywood frames with lots of interesting shapes and angles which I first made from thick cardboard and transferred to the ply. The pieces were glued and screwed together using epoxy resin and glue powder mixed to make a paste that sets as hard as rock. I used stainless steel hinges and Mini 850 door latches.

When I was happy with the fit of the door in the opening, I skined them with flat sheet epoxy fiberglass, adding filletes and another layer to the inside to strengthen everything.

Even without the inner panels they are imposible to twist and close with a reasuring "thunk".

I had decided from the start to use removeable door windows that can be stored in the boot. This is because although I use the car on a regular basis, the majority of the time the weather here is such that the windows would be open anyway. I removed the top frames from the original doors and will fit stainless steel sill members with dowels and tube fittings. The flat glass side windows will have small openings with sliding covers.

Some years ago I had destroyed the front of the car in a racing accident, and using the original moulds I had built a simple flip-front that went all the way over the original bodywork back to the door hinges. This was removed and became the basis of the new flip-bonnet. The picture on the left shows the scuttle pieces needed to raise and blend the existing windscreen base with the bonnet. The curved piece was cut off the existing bonnet wing and the flat piece made in the same way as the door skins. These were glued on to the existing bodywork and blended into the wiper shaft area at the base of the screen, up the A pillars and back to the doors.

I spent a lot of time getting the front of the door to rotate inside the fixed scuttle panel without touching it. The geometry is really quite simple once you work it out. It's all to do with getting the hinge center line correct.

The angle of the top of the wing was set at the same as the new sill to continue the line through the side elevation. It's actually only a slight difference from the original line.

Wheel Arches

The wheel arch flares were made with epoxy fiberglass, using an inner tube from a quad bike to make the epoxy female mould.

First I inflated the tube to the correct size and masked up the approximate size of the flare. Then painted it with PVA release agent and when dry I layed-up several layers of epoxy fiberglass. When this was dry the tube was deflated and the mould release washed off. Presto, one mould ready to lay-up four new flares.

Choose a tube with little or no markings on it and your finishing job is that much easier.

They were glued to the new bodywork and the area behind sealed to the existing inner wheel arch with fiberglass after the gap between the skins had been filled with expanded foam. Not a job for the faint-hearted!

I also used this mould to make the roll-under panels behind the rear wheels that blend with the rear light panel. The deepening of this area also adds to the illusion of having raised the rear end - which I didn't!

Windscreen

The flushed windscreen was achieved by adding a section of fiberglass to the opening, forming a new lowered ledge to sit the glass on. I first bolted a strip of aluminium to the underneath of the opening and then layed-up several layers of fiberglass onto it and the surrounding bodywork. I then wrapped the screen in cling-wrap film and pressed it down onto the wet fiberglass to make a flat bed of the correct contours. I added a mixture of fiberglass and filler powder to produce the new required shape level with the outer face of the screen.
The screen is later held in place with double-sided tape designed especially for the job, but aim for 100% touch all around so the tape has maximum contact area. Mine hasn't budged since I installed it, nor leaked a drop.

Front End

The new nose section was made in a purpose-made mould and grafted onto the original flip front, the whole thing being hinged on a new steel frame that protrudes in front of the radiator. The new wider front opening was moulded with a rolled edge like the original which gives it a fuller and more substantial look than simply cutting the hole in the front.

Because the whole bonnet ended up being about 10mm higher than the original, I was able to dispense with the bump over the engine and only needed to add a couple of small bulges over the brake pipes and oil filler cap. I used a Mini hub-cap as a mould....keeping the BMC theme going.

By making the front face vertical I was able to set the radiator upright rather than slanted forward as it was before, giving better access to the front of the motor.

The side sills were made by laying up epoxy fiberglass around a 100mm PVC pipe and then wrapping the lot with cling film till cured - then removing the tube. After they are fully cured they are then cut lengthwise to produce a "C" shape that is glued and screwed in place under the doors.

continues...

© 2004 Paul Mitchell, Adelaide, South Australia