Hi all are the rear quarters flat from the top roll down to the sill seam or do the roll in slightly towards the seam

flat

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

I would never wish to disagree with simon k, but for the sake of the question, on my '66 S, the rear 1/4 panels on both sides roll round and down until they reach where the inner guard meets the outer panel (about where the flares would sit if there were flares) and then the body line straightens down to the seam, leaving a slight but noticeable change of contour line. My son, who's a panel beater and also has an eye for interesting curves, has noticed this and it is the only mini I have with this 'slightly odd' panel shape. I thought it might be from minor accident damage - pushing the wheel arch section into the body leaving a flat segment.
In preparing to paint the panels, I have attempted to blend out these curves/edges into a flatter surface.

if we're on the same track here, it's pretty common, I see it a lot too. My car has it.... It must be from a knock at some point that's hit the seam above the wheel arch and put a crease around the wheel arch that follows the same curve - maybe 2" diameter bigger than the wheel arch? the car in this photo has it, in the green circle



the blue line I've put there is where the panel should be flat down to the sill seam, it shouldn't curve inwards - if it does, the panel has been stretched (like my traveller )



go for it - people disagree with me all the time and they're usually right - I learn lots by talking out of my bum, sometimes it's good to be wrong just to get a discussion going...

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

It`s "Normally" from a little slide into the gutter or hard spot, the hit to the wheel pushes the whole subframe just a tad & "sort-of" kinks the body as it smacks the subframe over extending the subframe bushes & it`s very very common to see on the back arches of minis

& yes it`s a particular "shift" & varies between minis, obviously dependant upon how hard it hit

generally this particular kink (for want of a better description) is not caused by anything hitting the body tho,,, you can tell from the very lack of panel damage around the whole area is just not evident.

so,,, it`s usually from the road wheel sliding into hard things.

It`s actually one of the first things i spot looking at minis

the eye ball is a wonderfull thing

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No offence intended here but--> anyone writing a book about minis 30 years ago may not have experienced such worn or stuffed-with components as we are finding these days.

You should put your heart & soul into everything you do.

My 66 S has this also Bill. Thought it was very funny as curves down and then just flat.

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go for it - people disagree with me all the time and they're usually right - I learn lots by talking out of my bum, sometimes it's good to be wrong just to get a discussion going...[/quote]
I hope you don't think I was trying to be smart with my comment; I genuinely appreciate your comments and knowledge.
The green line area in your photo looks like a knock. My 66 S has a distinct and neat crease line on both sides, following where a flare would cover. As Bubbacluby has a similar crease line on his new find, I am tending to think this is deliberate and built into the panel pressing from an early period of Aussie production.
Where your blue line is indicating, I find that area is usually a bit concave (even though it is meant to be flat), due to distortion in the pressing of the panel in that bottom corner.
Not sure if this is helping "ricksmini"!

definitely didn't think that - quite a compliment



well actually, that car has had a knock on the other side, so rings true with what Matt said. However my car has the flat on the drivers side, where it's had a fair bit of damage at some point in it's life, so I'm going with bad repair in my case.



it'll be helping someone

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?