How easy is it ?

Post by **iandromiskin** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:08 am

I was wondering last night how exactly easy is it to basically do everything on a Minor yourself ? I'am talking about a complete beginner who has no experience of mechanics, welding or engines at all !

Its one thing I think I would love to be able to do, ie welding my own floor panels etc and actually restoring a car myself instead of paying someone else for it. But how long does it take to master and is it easy, because I've seen a lot of talented and skilled people on here posting pictures of their work and I just feel that it is too specialised to master.

Post by **dunketh** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:40 am

Mechanics are simple. I'd never looked at one til I got mine - a couple of years later and I've replaced/repaired virtually every component on it myself.
Electrics are equally simple.
Welding? Well thats a skill in itself - I guess if you can weld you can weld, whether it be Minors or anything else.
You can get all the panels and whatnot as well as some very clever 'repair' panels that save a lot of hassle and DIY panel messing.

Post by **chickenjohn** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 10:11 am

See if there is a restoration course at your local college (do they run these in Ireland?)

Join your local club and befriend a friendly welder. get them to show you how to weld.

Its not that hard, its one of those things that when you can weld, you wondered what all the fuss was about!

Get a Mig welder, some 1mm steel and have a practise. Start with overlaps as these are the easiest to master first.

Post by **stevey** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:16 pm

well they should do welding courses down south. I tried to get into one up here last year, but they cancelled, not enough interest. still everything else is easy on a minor, but welding is the key.

Post by **iandromiskin** » Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:17 pm

I'am in the Irish Club all right so I must ask around. The guy who does work on my car lives in Kildare, which is a bit far from me for welding lessons. I'am sure if I look hard enough some local mechanic will take me under his/her wing and show me one end of a mig from another. I have to say I have never heard of welding courses, but the local college has courses on every year so I must look in their prospectus.

Post by **stevey** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:11 am

the local college has courses on every year so I must look in their prospectus

they may not have it listed specifically weld, might be under a vehicle restoration or maintaince course.

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:41 pm

hi iandrominski!

good for you, it's so satisfying to work on your restoration yourself

I am a complete beginner but as I've gone along I've found a bunch of books which have been really helpful, I posted a thread in the Useful Tips section giving details of them

Best of British - and remember it's soooo much easier to put it back together if you have done really anal photos and/or drawings and/or notes of how you took it apart and how it was all fixed in place!

wibble xx

ps I still know nothing about welding

Post by **Kevin** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 1:51 pm

You may not know about welding Juliet but the 17,500 ( and increasing ) photo`s taken from every possible angle must help a little.

Post by **wibble_puppy** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:02 pm

cripes you know i am too scared to actually count them lol........ might need another computer at some point to store them all...

Post by **Kevin** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:13 pm

Dont need to do that just but an extra hard drive with a memory capacity of intergalactic proportions that should suffice

Post by **iandromiskin** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 4:32 pm

Thanks Kevin and Juliet,

I found the thread detailing the useful books on Minor restoration so I just bought three of them

. Fun reading ahead.

Post by **bigginger** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 5:38 pm

I'd also add that no matter what skills/tools/facilities you have, it's never 'easy'

Post by **chickenjohn** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 7:15 pm

Agreed, its not "easy" but not as hard as first seems.

Post by **jonathon** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 8:21 pm

I'd say the main ingredient to be successful in any of the disciplines mentioned is patience and an analitical approach to every aspect of the job. With welding its no use just learning how to lay a good weld, more important is the skill needed to understand the vehicle structure and the potential distortion that can ensue from both lack of proper support or heat build up from the weld.
Mechanics require specific methodology and sure knowledge of the item being worked on, and making sure you have all tools required and the time to effect a lasting repair.
Painting, an understanding of the principles of the actual paint used celly/2K etc. the time required to perfect shaping and prep of all bodywork prior to initial coats of paint and top coats, time for flashing off and correct procedures for application.
Even with the aquired knowledge one may find that your just not suited to any one of these disciplines, or that the practical application of your knowledge is too difficult to apply.
I'd always try to work or be taught along side someone actually doing the task in question, rather than rely on technical manuals alone. But the basic advice I'd give is have a go and try to enjoy every minute, also never mess with something you are not fully confident that you understand its workings, always start with simple ,none life threatening jobs. Lastly never be too proud not to ask or admit defeat.

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:01 pm

never mess with something you are not fully confident that you understand its workings

I tend to find out how things work by taking them apart...

That's probably why I prefer cars without a lot of 'software' - dismantling an ECU isn't a good way to get it fixed

Post by **jonathon** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 9:06 pm

dismantling an ECU isn't a good way to get it fixed

Quite true, would never attempt this , nor really should there ever be any need!

I tend to find out how things work by taking them apart...

Okay so long as you can find all the bits, that fell or sprung out that now litter the floor

Post by **bigginger** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:27 pm

rayofleamington wrote:That's probably why I prefer cars without a lot of 'software' - dismantling an ECU isn't a good way to get it fixed

Isn't the ECU 'hardware'?

Post by **jonathon** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:23 pm

Post by **rayofleamington** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:33 pm

Isn't the ECU 'hardware'?

they don't seem that hard when using the hammer technique.

however, you're missing the point of what I said - I prefer taking things apart and being able to tell how they work. You can't see what's wrong with the SW even if you get the cover off the ECU. Generally the SW gets upset by a missing or faulty signal or faulty ECU - or all too often just due to bad coding.

For the ECU hardware itself, most likely failures would be capacitors, and/or dry joints (very modern ECU's are less likely to have dry joints as the manufacturing is a bit better) or stress cracks in the PCB. After that would be faulty processors, however these are hard soldered so not much chance of fixing any of it....
Thank goodness for proper nuts and bolts classic cars!!!!!!

Post by **bigginger** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 11:55 pm

rayofleamington wrote:
Isn't the ECU 'hardware'?
however, you're missing the point of what I said!

I wasn't, you know