Don't bother, you will only fill it up with crap.
I started with a single garage and over the years it has ended up 4 cars long but a single width. I still can't get a bloody car in because of all my "valuable" rubbish. Trouble is as soon as I have a clear out, the things I have just got rid of I suddenly need.

LOL. I know exactly what you mean, there is a 'spare' washing machine, fridge (my beer fridge), freezer (the 'BBQ Freezer' full of reduced price meat) and a builders bag full of firewood (just getting ready for next winter)!!!!! in my garage.

4 cars long - that is either 4 very short cars, or a very long drive / garden!!!!

We just moved out of our house after 25 years. It took longer to sort out the garage than either the attic or the house.

I've been here for 21 years, I still have 2 tea chests full of "Valuble" tools in the shed unpacked. I know if I throw them away I will need them next week.

Jag - Sorry I meant to reply to this earlier, but forgot. :rolleyes:

However, seeing you mention it again on the "SWB Crack" thread reminded me.

From my limited fibreglass experience, the key to a good join seems to be tackling it from both sides.

Here is an example of my Before, During & After work on one of my wheel arches.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-M...o/DSCF5024.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-w...o/DSCF5050.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ui...=w1154-h865-no

There is no "feelable" line in any part of the wheel arch above.

And here is some more detail of the process I used taken from a different arch…

The inside of all the joins are covered in fibreglass matting.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/b5...A=w648-h864-no

Then the outside of the joins are ground out to be much wider, in a very rough "V" shape.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_j...=w1152-h864-no

So that when extra matting is added on the outside, they cover the both sides of the original fibreglass and the join.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/vq...=w1152-h864-no

The arch above, is still work in progress and more matting needs to be added.

But by the time a layer of fibreglass filler and then "normal" filler are added, the joint should be "as good as new". < Touch Wood >

Hope that helps, Paul. :)

just back off hols and noticed the new thread,well done, lots of interesting info. glad the up-rated struts were a success, we spoke about them at Stoneliegh when you showed me the trims. I was going to do the one cut to bring the bonnet in line but have now decided to go the multi cut route.The car is currently at my mates body shop he had a spare bay so much better then working in my single garage) what we have noticed is that the doors cant be opened to the 2nd door stop when the bonnet is in the down position, we positioned the door to its optimum position then removed the metal check strap form the a post, cut a section out and welded it to make it shorter so the door wont catch the bonnet. Looking at your pics I always had a soft spot for the Mitsu GTO I ran one for a few years and often wondered if any one had done a body kit conversion for them. I must try to post some pics (not good on pc will have to consult a younger member of the family) keep up the good work. Trev

I have a cunning plan on the door opening problem, watch this space! Hopefully will have the time to have a play over the weekend.

The bonnet cut.

The bonnet sits about 1cm proud of the sill at the bottom edge. I wanted to avoid the 7cm cut method as I thought it might cause too much stress on the bonnet.
I tuned the bonnet upside down and measured across, 1695mm at the rear and 1680mm at the front. Cut two slots on each side of the bonnet with a 2mm cutting disc. Don't plunge too deeply or you will catch the vent on the other side. Take the slot right to the ends.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/z3gto/ag.jpgThen put a ratchet strap on it to curve the bottom inwards, just a little pressure takes it in a long way,I was surprised how much. Release some tension and measured across again, tried 1670 at the front and 1680 at the rear, simply because this is what it came too with a little tension. Attach some builders band across the slots front and rear with self tappers.
Trial fit and adjust the bands if necessary, I was lucky, it was just about perfect, I thought if I tried to improve it I would only make it worse. If you look closely at the gaps you will see that I have had to close them up only slightly, next time I would start with a 1mm cutting disc.
Apply some CSM between the builders bandshttp://i803.photobucket.com/albums/y...unnamed-29.jpg

Let it dry and remove the builders bands and apply more CSM to the gaps.
I find 4 pint milk bottles ideal for mixing the resin, use disposable brushes and use the last brush used which will have gone hard for mixing the resin.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/z3gto/aj.jpg
Gloves are for pansies!
Refit the bonnet and check the line, you can fine tune the fit by putting pressure at the hinge when tightening the fixing nuts.

Almost perfection if I must say so myself.http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/y...r/z3gto/ac.jpg

Well done!

Nice one. This is what the forum is all about!

Thanks for posting. Good photo's and description!

Good job but its a shame you have to do this on a £5k panel kit. Tribute should really get the mold sorted out for future kits.

Small adjustment, took about an hour, this is the cheaper convertible kit. No complaints so far.

Jag - Thanks for showing us how you did it. :cool:

Can I just check if those slots go all the way through to the "sunny side" of the bonnet, or do they only cut the inner panel?

As I must confess I got the impression you needed to cut off & reattach a section of the bonnet to make it fit. :rolleyes:

Hence the example I gave above of working on both sides of the join for extra strength and no visible joint.
( Happy to edit/remove that post if it is not relevant to the fix required. )

Good luck, Paul. :)

PS
Guess I'm a pansy then. :icon_wink:

It is simply slots in the inner skin only although you need to slot the returns to allow it to bend.
It feels a very solid panel, I was surprised how much it came in with the ratchet strap.
Before you start measure how much the bottom edge of the bonnet stick out past the sill, I had about 15mm. I pulled it in 25mm at the back and 30mm at the front simply because this was where my first tensioning of the ratchet strap brought me to and I was just intending to use it as a first reference point expecting to have to tighten or losen the builders bands before glassing the slots up.
As I got it right on the first attempt it makes me a genius......or it could be down to luck, but I prefer genius!

It is most important to measure across the bonnet at the front and rear where it meets the sill to give you a reference point.

Door Handles
 

Looking at Eric's pictures I decided to try and cheat.
With the door skin attached with a couple of self tappers I drilled through the GRP and steel skin together. I simply guessed at the centre of the hole using the mark on the door. The mark on the door is just where Chris has obviously filled in the hole where he had fitted the door handle and roughly filled it.

http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/y...unnamed-30.jpg

I then pushed the drill bit had and the door popped open:humble:

I did the same on the passenger door but this time it didn't pop open, never mind.

I then removed the skin and used a 40mm hole saw.
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/y...unnamed-31.jpg

You can see where the drill bit hit the opening bar, you just push the bar to open the door. I now just have to fit a small metal plate as per Eric's guide.
If you were to guess the centre of the hole on the GRP skin and there lower it 5mm I think it may well hit the centre of the door push and you might get away without fitting the plate.
When enlarging the hole with the hole saw you will find there are two layers of metal at the top, drill and remove both, the second layer is something to do with the lock and can be removed.

I intend to glue a larger diameter slice of plastic pipe above the new hole, this is to deflect any water running down the original door skin and entering the hole.
I was quite surprised at how much water had collected in the bottom of the new GRP skin, lots of drainage holes will be needed.

Use the small drill hole in the outer GRP skin as the point where the door handle push goes through. Use the gasket supplied with the door handle as a template.
On my door handles I cut off the door locking lever, it is not needed and means you can keep the hole in the door smaller. You can dismantle the handle but I cut it off with tin snips, that way I did not have to remove the push on fixing, they never tighten up as well when used again.

For clarification, when you lock or unlock the car using the remote key fob, when locked the new mini door handle will not open the door, use the fob to open and the mini handle will open the door so there is no need to do any extra work on the locks. If your remote fob doesn't work I would suggest you get it working first. If the remote locking breaks after you have fitted the new door skins you are *ucked! Most likely cause for failure is a flat battery so I intend to leave the boot with a manual key lock so I can get to the battery. I also need to try and fit an emergency release cable so I can hopefully open the door in case the remote locking packs up completely, job for a later day.

I really am enjoying your no nonsense approach to these tasks. Simple solutions to simple challenges. Too often we can over- think some things.

Thanks for this thread. It instills confidence

Dave

Thanks, It has helped by having to wait 6 weeks to have the kit delivered. It allows you to get things ordered and get a plan of action on how to tackle things. I couldn't wait to try my Velcro door cheat and it even worked!
Having read Eric's build so many times gave me so many ideas as he covered it all so well. It's great that everyone is sharing tips.
I did notice someone had a cure for Andy's roof crack, he hasn't shared it, just stated he knows how to cure it, very helpful for the other forum members. I would bear in mind if you decide to go for a "professional" build.

Jag, great work, straightforward plan, execution and description. Just the kind of thing i need.

I think Nubodi mentioned something , perhaps send them a pm.