These are the screw holes that hold the piano hinges of the flipper windows in place to the body, problem is they're over size so the original diameter screws are worthless... I've tried a larger diameter self tapper screw but still no good as they still don't bite into the metal and tighten down so an even larger screw while might work wont fit the countersink of the piano hinges... before you suggest brazing the holes or something like that the paint is new and I really don't want to be doing that except as an absolute last resort.

I've thought of speed nuts in behind the pillar but there's no way of getting in behind there... not that I know of anyway. I've also tried to grind down the head of a larger screw to make it fit the countersink of the piano hinge but no good either. I've even considered converting to fixed windows!!

There has to be a solution... any Ideas please??

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Jenk.

Drill new, offset countersunk holes in the piano hinge, and then drill new suitably sized holes in the body.

Rivnuts won't work as the piano hinge needs to sit flat against the body.

Otherwise only other option is to braze/weld up the old holes and re-drill.

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Steve

not knowing what access there is to it from underneath, insert a plate from underneath, or cut some slots between the holes to feed a small plate in, and try really hard not to drop it....

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

Surely this has been done before by other car restorers? I reckon a product that somehow clips around the hole to reduce its diameter. Haven't time at the moment to Google it but there's some amazing little bits and pieces to solve problems a simple way.

Or is there a glue/adhesive/filler that is strong enough to fill the holes, be drilled and then hold a self-tapper?

Or maybe I'm expecting too much.

EDIT: Or, if originality isn't important, large pop-rivets?

Another edit - small versions of those white screw-like plugs for plaster sheet walls that take a threaded fastener?

... and another addition - these? http://minikingdomonline.com.au/product ... st-badges/

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Trouble is finding something strong enough to hold the screws as it's only the thickness of the sheet metal that the screw will bite on. If you hit them with a MIG you could probably do it so that the paint that shows wouldn't be damaged but then you have the problem of the weld being much harder than the surrounding metal and the drill will wander off........... Easiest thing would be as suggested already, drill new holes offset from the originals and super glue heads into the original holes to hide them. Then go beat the snot out of whoever took the windows out and didn't notice the holes needed fixing................

They do make flush fitting nutsert/rivnuts. I haven't used them but can't see why they wouldn't work. The M3 version needs a 5mm diameter hole. You could then use M3 c'sunk head screws.

When I took the flares off my 850, I needed to fill the holes.
I cut the pointy end off the self tappers that were in there and screwed them in just the thickness of the metal. Cut them flush with the Dremmel, wound the amps up on the Mig and one Zap and your done.
Use cloth reinforced tape with a hole in it around the screw to prevent smoke/heat of arc burning the paint.
Grind flush.
Centre pop and drill to your hearts content.

Make a practice sheet first

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Find a job you love and you will never have to go to work !

Countersunk stainless pop rivets?

glue the hinge to the paint with sikaflex 221 or 252, they do a primer/cleaner and activator for stainless and for paint (the activators cost more than the sika) (205, 210 and 206 i think are the right numbers, check the sika web site), you will need to green scour pad the stainless where the primer, activator and glue contact surfaces are.
Only do this if you never want to remove it and are rich (the 221 is about $20, the cleaner, 205,206 210 will cost about $200).

Personally I would use countersunk rivet nuts!

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Roundy Sedan project with/for daughter

I reckon that would be the easiest way to

Some really good suggestions here! I think rivets are the go... why didn't I think of that!

thanks guys

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Jenk.

Blue tac and race tape......that fixes lots of things.

Rivtnuts?

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Nick

http://www.ausmini.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=86675

Yes I'm leaning towards Rivnuts now thanks again guys.

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Jenk.

UK Mini got rid of piano hinges after Mk 1or 2. It was a flimsy design from the start.
I say go rivnuts.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.