Car D.I.Y.

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Fastpedaller

Über Member
I’ve spoken to a sign writing company and it’s still cheaper to buy them off the shelf, and the aftermarket versions don’t look quite right.

Maybe try Ebay for vinyls? When I wanted some (albeit before covid) vinyls supplied from an Ebay seller were first class and a fraction of the cost from a local sign-writer.
 

Hicky

Guru
Just removed a pair of 15 year old knackered bonnet stripes off our Mini, what a nightmare! Heat, patience, and fingernails got them off, white spirit removed the residue but after a clean and polish the colour difference is really noticeable so I’m going to have to replace them which I didn’t really want to do at £90 a pair.

Would a good machine polish help?
 

screenman

Legendary Member
No, it’s lacquered metallic and the 15 year old original paint has faded on rest of the bonnet. I’m going to bite the bullet and buy replacement OEM stripes. A local sign writer has quoted £30 to fit them for me.

I am glad you are having them fitted; it is not easy to get the stretch right.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
At £90 a pair, Mrs Gunk doesn’t trust me not to f**k them up!

I do not blame her, I used to be a sleeping partner in a tinting and wrapping company, I could not do it well enough for my standards. I explain it as this, get an orange, a flat piece of paper and wrap the orange without getting any creases or folds in the paper.
 
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Gunk

Guru
Location
Oxford
Trial fit with the Brompton today, made to measure!

I strapped it in using the retaining eyelets in the boot and it’s completely secure.

IMG_3282.jpeg
 

Tom B

Guru
Location
Lancashire
At £90 a pair, Mrs Gunk doesn’t trust me not to f**k them up!

I'd be of the view that at that price as they dont affect the working of the car I can live with the inverse fade stripes and who cares what it looks like. But I am a tightwad.


My fettling has seen me replace my 4 standard wheel nuts to replace my worn looking lock nuts,
The main stealer quoted £30 per nut. Local scrappy quoted £5 for 4.

I also took the Mrs FNS to the tyre place to get the bead cleaned up and resealed i even got a cup of that 'golden vegetable' instant soup form a vending machine that I thought hadn't existed for 20 years.
 
OP
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Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
Fitted a "rear seat delete" kit to my mini. The back seat has quite literally never been sat in, and the car spends most of its life with the rear seat down so I can get amp, basses, mando, stands, gear bag, etc in there.

The seat delete gives a nice smooth floor and preserves the rear seats for being damaged. If I ever sell the old bus the rear can go back in and the car returned to OE spec in about 15 minutes.

Insurers classed is as an accessory rather than a modification as the rear seats are designed to be removed without tools and the delete kit just rests in place. They've noted it on the policy for an admin fee of £25, which was a bit of a pain but its all above board and kosher now.

Photo13-06-2021_112906.jpg

It looks like this, although not being a boy racer I didn't pay for the K brace. I wanted the delete kit for the utility, not to look like Johnny Spottiebum trying to pull the burds.
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
That's a really good idea, but why didn't the designer have the red frame just behind the driver seats? That would make a large open space. I suppose you could strap baggage to the rail
 
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Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
It's a kind of chassis brace, there are some threaded hard points there. A bit chavtastic for me. A bar and net behind I'd river woukd be good, but I'm not sure there's anywhere back there to bolt it too.

If they'd made an electric Clubman I'd have snapped their fingers off, but now they don't even do the Clubman at all.
 

Badger_Boom

Veteran
Location
York
Fitted a "rear seat delete" kit to my mini. The back seat has quite literally never been sat in, and the car spends most of its life with the rear seat down so I can get amp, basses, mando, stands, gear bag, etc in there.

The seat delete gives a nice smooth floor and preserves the rear seats for being damaged. If I ever sell the old bus the rear can go back in and the car returned to OE spec in about 15 minutes.

Insurers classed is as an accessory rather than a modification as the rear seats are designed to be removed without tools and the delete kit just rests in place. They've noted it on the policy for an admin fee of £25, which was a bit of a pain but its all above board and kosher now.

View attachment 731761
It looks like this, although not being a boy racer I didn't pay for the K brace. I wanted the delete kit for the utility, not to look like Johnny Spottiebum trying to pull the burds.
I thought that Johnny Max-Power would find not having the benefit of a back seat to be an impediment to attracting the laydeez?
 

Gunk

Guru
Location
Oxford
The Clubman was never a big seller, 7 hatches to 1 clubman. I’ve always liked them, especially the earlier R55 with the strange suicide door. They really are a unique little car which are just a bit of fun amongst a landscape of boring generic cars.

We sold our 2008 Cooper D a couple of years ago and missed it so much we’ve bought another.

IMG_3283.jpeg


IMG_3250.jpeg
 
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OP
OP
Drago

Drago

Legendary Member
The Clubman was never a big seller, 7 hatches to 1 clubman. I’ve always liked them, especially the earlier R55 with the strange suicide door. They really are a unique little car which are just a bit of fun amongst a landscape of boring generic cars.

We sold our 2008 Cooper D a couple of years ago and missed it so much we’ve bought another.

View attachment 731780

View attachment 731778

Gunk Frederick Salmonella, and you received the plate for your 92nd Birthday?
 
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