Project: 1979 Austin Mini

**0arbreaka** · 22nd July 2007, 22:58

Um dont know how much this will help, but brake fluid strips paint, havent done this myself but I was made very aware of it as I worked at a prestigious car company as a detailer.

**Disco Dan** · 28th July 2007, 01:23

Originally Posted by Busy

While sand blasting it yourself "could" be cheaper it is very time consuming unless you have a very BIG compressor. So, two options I'd suggest is 1/ get it sand blasted - there is a crowd down Henderson valley road who does it, among others, fairly reasonable, or 2/ get it acid dipped - kiwk strip is down Partiki Road and is probably cheaper but they have a smaller tank, probably could take a mini but wouldn't take a full car, closest place for that would be Rotorua.

The reason I say it could be cheaper is because if you buy say four bags of real sandblasting sand and seal the room your in (to recycle the sand) you could probably get away with just the four but it will take at a guess about a month and a bit after work and weekends with a 15cu compressor. Thats if it's the original paint, otherwise add a few weeks and it wont take off thick (rubbery) underseal and sealer very well

Cheers for that, I have found great place in Henderson that manufacture sanding disks of all descriptions for angle grinders and power drills. They are 1/3 the price you would pay in hardware shop too.

I picked up a couple of open weave paint stripping disks for my angle grinder and got to work... did the trick on the roof alright! straight back to bare metal without damaging the surface. Took me most of the afternoon, but one disk will do half the car... so for about $6 I can strip the entire car... nice

**Disco Dan** · 28th July 2007, 20:38

Update:

Engine is back and going back together, still waiting on the clutch to be replaced. Rear subframe is out now, and started stripping it back and getting all the surface rust off it.

Got my thinking cap on regarding stripping the underseal off....

**Busy** · 28th July 2007, 22:39

You should of given me a call today, wasn't doing much and ended up going for a cruise up south head.

If your home tomorrow give me a call, I gotta go up the road tomorrow to get some smokes so could take the long way to the shop (which is at the end of the street off mine)

**Highlander** · 30th July 2007, 14:13

Can get the fly wheel off without a puller. Pig of a job though. Have to put a bar through the hole the starter motor fits in and knock it with small hammer then turn the wheel and repeat. After about a morning of muttering and smacking it pops off.

Good luck.

**Disco Dan** · 30th July 2007, 22:40

Originally Posted by Highlander

Can get the fly wheel off without a puller. Pig of a job though. Have to put a bar through the hole the starter motor fits in and knock it with small hammer then turn the wheel and repeat. After about a morning of muttering and smacking it pops off.

Good luck.

Yeah I tried that but after about 40 minutes I was bored. I was thinking of getting the blow torch on the flywheel and heating it up so it would expand off the tapered spline then hit a block of wood with a huge pair of heavy bolt cutters I have lying around...

(already tried that method minus the blow torch)

**peasea** · 31st July 2007, 16:04

Originally Posted by Disco Dan

Yeah I tried that but after about 40 minutes I was bored. I was thinking of getting the blow torch on the flywheel and heating it up so it would expand off the tapered spline then hit a block of wood with a huge pair of heavy bolt cutters I have lying around...

(already tried that method minus the blow torch)

It rarely works, trust me. I've seen those solid wee flywheels warped/buckled by animals doing that, just find the right puller, which has a large ram to bring up to the crank snout then a smaller (usually grease-filled) centre ram which you then wind in, and there's an almighty 'bang' when the taper lets go.

Ring around some engine reconditioners, I'm sure you'll find the right tool for the job and you won't bugger any parts. Patience........

**skidMark** · 2nd August 2007, 16:33

Originally Posted by 0arbreaka

Um dont know how much this will help, but brake fluid strips paint, havent done this myself but I was made very aware of it as I worked at a prestigious car company as a detailer.

all i heard was...

Originally Posted by 0arbreaka

wank wank,,,,wank wank wank....brake fluid ...wankwank wankwank wankel rotary engine ....wank wank wank prestigious car company as a detailer.

**avgas** · 2nd August 2007, 16:55

Originally Posted by peasea

Or did I go too far?

No not at all, i would have said, move the firewall back a few inches and get some real big fat dual carbs, really milds cams (something that smoothes out over 3K), dual coby system from split headers, 1318 kit, 10x10" rears, 8x10" fronts.
It was the only thing that used to shut me up when i was born down in Scarfies turf apparently. Used to piss the neighbors off though.
Kinda sucks the old man blew the motor up for the 3rd time and gave up. Then we had the Ford Thames.

**avgas** · 2nd August 2007, 16:58

Originally Posted by 0arbreaka

Um dont know how much this will help, but brake fluid strips paint, havent done this myself but I was made very aware of it as I worked at a prestigious car company as a detailer.

Yep works real good, someone put "Asshole" across someone bonnet many moons ago, and slut across someone elses.
It had to be all sanded back.

**Disco Dan** · 29th September 2007, 12:03

Spending the day working on my MINI,

If anyone wants to donate some time... gimme a text/call on 0211601457

sanding the body and waterblasting it etc...

bring ya sanders!!!!