ok this is a really stupid question but what is the big hole in the middle of the fire wall used for

[img][img]http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j211/badassmini/DSC01003.jpg[/img][/img]

_________________
Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

It was used at the factory, but for you, it's the hole you pass the wiring loom through.

There's a similar shaped one in the rear seat squab.

_________________
SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Wasn't it the hole for the rotisserie at the factory?

so in other words its used for nothing and you don't really need it.

another question the other large hole on the drivers side of the fire wall

_________________
Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

The smaller hole is the 'fresh air" duct hole for the air hose for the fresh air heater when fitted.

_________________
David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

so i don't really need that either

_________________
Cheers Dan

FIRST COMES THE MONEY, THEN COMES THE POWER, THEN COMES THE WOMEN.!!

I'd say 90% of Minis have a round plate over this hole fitted at the factory

_________________
David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Aussie roundnoses all have the smaller hole, with a cover plate fitted expect for the last Mini K and Cooper S with a Clubman type heater and maybe a few earlier Coopers?

Clubmans have the ducts under the guard to the heater, so the hole was deleted.

The larger hole was for use to dip the shell in the factory. It is also serves as access to the back of the speedo on Aussie roundnose models. Aussie clubmans had a recessed plate over the hole from the interior side. In later UK cars this hole was deleted completely too.

_________________
Brett Nicholson
Greendale (near Ballan) VIC.
1971 Morris Mini Moke
1966 Austin Mini
1965 Morris Mini Traveller
1973 LR Series 3 88
2007 LR Freelander 2

Later Oz Clubbys had the speedo hole deleted. No rotodipping on Enfield product, from about 1974 on. No hole in my 77 van.

_________________
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.

my 78 cluby doesnt have a hole in the middle it is recessed but has no plate just a solid firewall.

Also what is the dipping process????? was it to clean it before it was primed and sprayed??

My 76 shell has both the holes.

The rotodip process was to clean it up, rustproof it and prime it.

Yes I think about then they were still using old panel stock.
The other use for this hole is to put the car on a spit for restoration. If no hole, the pole has to go through the screen area, as that's higher up it makes the shell heavier to move and hold at an angle.

_________________
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.

wouldnt the pimer get runs in it??

My mate made a rotisserie (we've got it at the moment )

It is like a big tray on wheels then the tray has uprights that bolt onto where the rear shocks go and the front subfrmae ( ithinK). At the ends (front and back) theres another two another upright bars and cross pipe extending from each. These cross pipes slide into two stands and the whole thing turns easily and smoothly no movement in stand. . you can then take it off the stand and roll it away. Better than the big pipe through the middle i think.


Brenton

My 75 clubby has the hole. Pretty pointless though. Except for rotisserie work, but I'm not gonna do that anytime soon.

_________________
1964 Morris 850, 1330 Supercharged - 81.8hp atws.
1975 Leyland Mini S 1100S powered - Nice and reliable.
1977 Leyland Mini LS - Project LS-T