Just started offering up the replacement A panel to mark out where to cut and it appears to be too narrow I line up the hinge holes - line up the external seam and wheel arch and the inward turning lip that is supposed to go around the door jamb is about ½" short all the way down the jamb - or am I looking at it wrong ? Also the top is about 1/4" short of the seam crease at the scuttle panel.

Correction: Now I've actually bolted the panel over the top of the old one the top is near enough to the scuttle seam. But the door jamb side is still about 1/4" short all the way down.

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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!

Hi wombat,

That sucks, replacement panels are seldom ever an exact fit, they usually require work, but its not often that they are too small.

Do you need to replace the whole panel? If its just a section then just cut out that section and weld it in.

Are you able to post a pic?

do you mean that when you line up the A panel's seam with the wheel arch seam, the folded edge for the door jamb doesn't reach the door jamb?

I had that problem when I did mine, the door jamb edge ended up forward of the actual door jamb and I welded it that way - ended up very neat

Have to replace the whole panel now I've hacked most of the outer panel off. Pity I couldn't see between the inner and outer cause the inner is pretty good - just the small bit that had rusted through both inner and outer - couple of spot welds gone bad ( although why they were in the middle of the panels I don't know)

simon k wrote:

That's it - I may have to do your trick as well

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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!

I have had that same problem on a car. The bloke who owned it bought replacement panels, I warned him but!!!!. Threw them in the scrap and made new ones. Cut the original panel neatly down the middle of the radius on the very out- side of the body.
The panel will then fit the door and will now distort when welded properly. This is the easiest place to dress the weld after. If it is inside the first step then it is a bitch to grind in to the corners

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Research is the difference between speculation and investment. Anyone who copys some one else will always be second
www.minisprintgt.com

Pain in the arse isn't it David. I usually make my own replacement sections, its cheaper and you know that it will fit. As far as panel destortion goes, here's how to avoid it.

1. tack weld the panel in there, after each tack "planish" the tack to relieve it. This will stop it changing shape to much

2. When you start welding it, only weld 1" at a time, and planish it like before.

You don't need to hit it hard so don't. Just 6-10 LIGHT taps quickly, if your gentle you can relieve it with out need for a dolly behind the panel (as you can't always get one in there). Avoid using MIG, reason being that if you MIG weld it you will need to grind of all the filler rod, if do a neat oxy fussion weld you won't need to grind anything AND its easier to beat than MIG welds

Thanks for the tip Phat Kat - but I'm stuck with a MIG

David : "please explain" but I think it is too late - original panel is now very much scrape

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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!

Slowly winning. Got all the outer off, including the spot welded strips - few cuts through the lip of the inner in places that will need a touch of the MIG to fix. Just have to nibble into the corners with a dremel to match the new one up. The wheel arch curve is not the same so will need to 'modify' the old inner to match the new outer. The original outer looks like it returned on the inside of the door jamb. anyway I'll have to return the new one inside the old one anyway to take up the slack but I think we will get there. The more I've removed the closer the fit - but it's not perfect.

I am takeing photos as I go - won't be a text book 'How To' - more like 'One Mans experience'

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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!

[quote="Wombat"]I am takeing photos as I go - won't be a text book 'How To' - more like 'One Mans experience'[/quote]

Wombat, you know why so many people like these cars? Because each one of them has it's own personality, they're all different, you could get two side by side both made only hours apart and you will find differences.
So it's very hard to write a "text book how to" because they are all defferent and all have different problems, so your "one man's experience" will possibly be more helpful to people because it can show them how "one man" thought out side the square to make it work.

A lot of problems begin at the out set before you start, its hard to plan one of these jobs if you've never done one. But once you have you'll know all of the little problems you need to look for and plan for. I recon you learn more when you don't have someone to tell you how to do it the right way, cos you won't learn what can go wrong! But planing is everything.

Look forward to seeing your photos!

For someone who's about to undertake this repair (front right guard plus inner and outer A panel) who in Oz supplies the best panels (i.e. are BL Heritage panels the ones to go for; which of the Mini parts suppliers has panels with the best fit)?

British motor herigate panels are probably the best ones I've encounted, but still don't expect an exact fit. It's not that these guys are dodgy but replacement panels (even good ones) are never an exact fit. That said something like your front right hand guard will be fine so long as the wheel arch and the verticle seem line up. Because its such a large panel and where it is, if its not exactly the same as the original it is VERY VERY hard to notice. But on the topic of front guards be aware that the front valence on the aussie minis is different to the later pomy ones which MAY effect how the replacement guard it mates up to the valence. Just something to look out for.

regarding your A panels, with the outer make a paper or cardboard temple so that you can take it with you when you pick up your new panel just to make sure it isn't a completely different shape and size, it will save you the head ache that wombats finding now. Expect a little varience but not an inch off every side

EDIT: I just thought I'd check on that, nope your front guard will not be effected by the valence its all good so long as its all good

Well its all coming together nicely! Bit of a nip here, bit of a tuck there ( more like hit with the rubber mallet here and a lever with the screw driver there ) AND IT FITS

The only critisism I have of my own handiwork is a I cut a bit too much at the sill - have a triangular gap with 5mm wide at the lip at the bottom of the door.

Other critisism I have is as the panel is bent to the curve (by pushing in and holding with bolts through the hinge holes) the panel dips in along the door jamb. If you could get behind you could hit it out but looks like it will be a bog job to follow the curve.

Getting there - most removed just need to 'cut in'



The trial Fit

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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!

When I did the A panels on my K, the RH side needed a 5mm spacer between the outer and inner panel at the top hinge with nothing at the bottom hinge to get the curve right. On the LH side, it mated up OK. You may need something like this with yours.

As Phat Kat says, they are all different . . .

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Steve

looks like you are getting there david. a couple of things I do
make a template of the curve next to the seam[just a bit of ally flat1/2" x 1/8" bent on edge]. once you start cutting, the seam and panel will go out of shape.
that inner panel I would replace. cut it off along the line of the angled section, and cut out new one to fit. bend it to the template curve.
give the inside plenty of rust proofing
when fitting the outer panel I seal all round with sealant the bolt it into position like you have done, then just stitch weld it. bit by bit so it will not distort as much.
The place where I cut is right on the corner where the panel turns to form the door edge. do not go inwards as it makes it harder to clean up

this is one I did recently, but "slinky" has a full set of how to do pics of his car when I showed him. I think he may have posted them before.
The problem with the inner rusted like yours is that it will be all out of shape and the hinges when tightened up can pull the outer panel in and form a dent. Try to dent knock so that both panels curve exactly.
This is where the template is handy.
Do not worry too much, the more you do the easier it gets.

_________________
Research is the difference between speculation and investment. Anyone who copys some one else will always be second
www.minisprintgt.com

Thanks for the advice David - the inner is not as bad as it looks in the photo. For some reason it has come out a lot redder. The rust is all surface rust and the rough looking patches are hardened mastic of some sort with clean metal underneath- virtually no pitting due to rust - yet to give it a wire bushing.

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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!