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Door Hinges, Windows and Fibreglassing
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Author:  Rising Star [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:11 am ]
Post subject:  Door Hinges, Windows and Fibreglassing
G'day everyone
I'm only fairly new to this forum so if these topic have been discussed already i'm sorry.
I was wondering if anyone can help me i am currently doing up a 73 clubman panel-van
I am trying to make a highly modified mini to compete with all the new "fast fours" so any help or tips on how to do
1. inside hinges on the doors
2. where to get 1 piece glass for the doors (removing quarterglass)
and how to modify window regulator for bigger glass and possibly electric windows
3. Also any help on how to fibreglass would be greatly appreciated
(I currently have a fibreglass front for my mini however it has been in storage for a while and either wasn't made properly
in the first place or has shrunk as the front where the bonnet goes in is 1" to short so the bonnet doesn't fit without jaming it in very hard)
any help anyone can offer on these topics would be greatly appreciated

thanks wain
Author:  68matic [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 1:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
wain
wow you've got alot floating in the air right now
so i reckon you should do whats hardest/important
so i say: windows.

to be honest, im not sure if you can fit a motor to the door without allowing good room for you to fit. the first minis were so jammed inside theyd cut out the inside of the door for more room for elbows and thighs
and have sliding windows up the top
i havent heard of anyone fitting electric windows, yet.
Author:  mutant mini [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 2:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Electric windows are possible. There is a how to in one of the latest UK Mini Magazines or Mini Worlds. There used to be a guy with a round nose (yellow) mini who had electric windows done at Northern Mini Parts I think.

I actually have an electric window kit for mutant but decided to get her on the road and add the kit later. One day maybe....

You can buy fibreglass fronts from Mini Mac's in Werribee (contact details on http://www.mini.org.au

Don't know about changing to inside hinges, seems a little hard.
Changing glass to one piece. Don't think that is possible either. UK shells have both of these but think the doors are actually different sizes.
Author:  68matic [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 3:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
thanks jan
i stand corrected
how big/small is the window kit?

with the one piece glass, one of the later english minis marquethree i think
had windup one piece glass

i dont think i like the look of them, the quarterlight gives it something to look at
do you like the look of it?
Author:  WhoDat [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 3:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
Elecie windows available as a kit from the UK supply sites along with keyless entry and alarm systems. Anything that is available there can usually be obtained from your local supplier if you don't want to do the import thing yourself.

As to the doors, I suggest you get a pair of UK internal hinged doors with glass you like. As jan says i don't think they just "fit" the Oz cars, but your doing quite a bit of body re-engineering anyway so make the hole the right shape and the hinges attach to something solid and your done. It might pay to get a pair of matching door striker plates for the B pillar if you go down this path.

Good luck.
Dat
Author:  mutant mini [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 3:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
Not really sure on the size of the electric window kit. Never took much notice. It is still in the box.

As far as the one piece windows go. In the UK Mk III onwards (which mutant is) had one piece windows.

I think they look a more modern especially if he is after the Fast Fours look.
Author:  Rising Star [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 5:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
sounds good so it sounds like the way to go is to get my hands
on some british doors mkIII or later and see if they will fit
if not rip em to pieces and try transplant the hinges and winding stuff
to my current doors
hmm who in aus would be most likely to have the doors?
Author:  WhoDat [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 6:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jan's got a pair on Mutant! :wink:
Author:  JC [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 6:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
I would be intersted in finding out how you go with the doors. I have always liked the UK internal hinges and single window thing. Plus, I need new doors too.

Jan, I don't doub't you are right about them being "different sizes" but that would mean that all the panels around them would be different too, right? Can't see that (manufacturer of Mk3+) would be so silly as to change too much?
Author:  drmini in aust [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 7:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Whitestriped63 wrote:
I would be intersted in finding out how you go with the doors. I have always liked the UK internal hinges and single window thing. Plus, I need new doors too.

Jan, I don't doub't you are right about them being "different sizes" but that would mean that all the panels around them would be different too, right? Can't see that (manufacturer of Mk3+) would be so silly as to change too much?


We were `silly enough' to do it, look at Clubman doors and B pillars compares to earlier... :wink: :lol:
Remember that the bottom front of the internal hinged doors is different too, it's square not rounded. So the A pillar needs mods.
The A panels are different structure too.

Lotta work, good luck! :wink:
Author:  Harley [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 8:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
The doors won't fit without a considerable amount of work. The Mk3 door shape in the wheel-arch corner is square, where-as the earlier ones are round. The square part could be cut-off, but the hinge position has to be considered.

The big problem is the hinges. I don't think there is enough room between the two closing faces for a hinge. A big gap wasn't needed scince the original hinges are external.

With the newer shape, the gap would have to be increased to make room for the hinges and the part of the outer door that enters the gap when the door is fully open.
Whether the door was moved "back" or the inner guard for the hinges was moved "forward" as well as strengthened for the door weight, I don't know.
You'll need two cars side by side to compare.
Maybe wind-ups could be retro fitted to a Mk1 door with Mk3 glass.
Author:  sweep77 [ Sun Oct 03, 2004 9:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
If you wanted a real ricer and show stopper go for a lambo door conversion
:D , or maybe suicide doors?
Author:  68matic [ Mon Oct 04, 2004 2:27 am ]
Post subject: 
can someone explain how we got the term "suicide doors"?
and are they specific to doors that have hinges in the rear and open from the front?
Author:  drmini in aust [ Mon Oct 04, 2004 6:38 am ]
Post subject: 
68matic wrote:
can someone explain how we got the term "suicide doors"?
and are they specific to doors that have hinges in the rear and open from the front?


Yes, it just means rear hinged doors. Nothing really suicide about them- before WW2 they were very common, particularly on rear doors.
Makes for a more elegant entry/exit by madame and monsieur.... :wink:
Author:  mutant mini [ Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:16 am ]
Post subject: 
The easy way would be to get a front cut from a MK III onwards and replace your whole front section.

Doors would probably be available from either Northern Mini Parts in Melbourne http://www.miniparts.com.au or Brickworx in South Australia.
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