Would someone be able to enlighten us to the purpose of the extra spot welded strip on the lower half of door B-pillars?

Appears to have been fitted to early Deluxes (gone by mid-late ’67), and Mini Van until at least ’69. Also seen on a very late 850.



Would they be something to do with the sealing of Morris wind-up doors?

They might have been ‘deleted’ from the Deluxe when a new pillar was introduced? – the later cars I’ve seen have a strengthened upper seat belt mount and the catch area redesigned (note separate panel under catch on left).



So my questions are:

Does anyone know what the extra strips are for?

Following on from the current topic of wind-ups on 850s, does anyone have an 850 (type YMA2S1) with the extra strip? Perhaps the strip was fitted if the cars were to have wind-up doors?

Thanks

I've got a 66 deluxe (I'll have to check the owners manual for the delivery date) and it has nothing like what you show in the photos it is exactly like my Mk1 Cooper S?
Cheers
Rod

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1967 New British Racing Green Mk1 Cooper S, 1967 Lake Green 1275 MG Midget, 1969 Jet Red / Crystal White Mk2 Cooper S, 1972 Gambier Turquoise Clubman GT (ex police), 1972 Camino Gold Clubman GT, 2009 JCW Challenge Edition, Megane RS265, Clio RS220.

Perhaps it was only early 1965 sedans that had it? I have seen it on Deluxes up to about number 3000.
I then have a large gap in my cars/numbers - it's not on cars 25219 or 29215.

I'm not familiar at all with Cooper S sorry.

mini_fanatic,

Been chatting to John Smidt and our theory is as follows.

If you look at the side by side up-close pictures in your post you can see the B panel on the left is made up from a side panel, a striker panel and an internal B panel (my names), all spot-welded together. These are the UK designed panels used on virtually all the Minis built since Australian production began. The angled piece of metal you've highlighted and the flat plate spot-welded behind the striker plate are modifications needed to accommodate the wind-up window doors until the Australian designed one piece side panel (the one on the right) came into production. I'll try to find a reference to when that was.

So we reckon you are right. Hope that all helps in your search.

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

Thanks for the thorough reply winabbey and John.

Perhaps some extra confirmation that some late Morris 850s did come with wind-ups? (whether or not they were special order or for all of them).

(Should just note that my photo of the strip and earlier catch panel are actually a van, as you may have noticed, hence the side panel is also spot welded on.)

Evan

This is Car number 60542...1966, 850 which looks like it had been fitted with wind up window's with the damage to to latch.

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