Hi David

You're doing well, it all takes a long time but if you spend the time now it will be better in the long run and you will have a long lasting job.

As what everyone else has said no 2 cars are the same - also you never know if your car is "perfectly" straight or has had some accident damage early on in its life which can cause things to be slightly out of the ordinary.

Just one thing and I'm hoping that you were already going to do this but please clean and coat the inner A panel with something so it doesn't rust from the inside to outside.. would be a shame to have to redo the same job in a year or two.

Keep on the same path and just keep plodding along with it - you will get there eventually!

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Thanks for the encouragement. - I am really venturing into unknown territory but I feel confident.

I intend to clean it all up and give all surfaces a coat of cold galv and there was heaps of hardened mastic in there as well so I throw some of that in the right places too - mainly around the hinge mount holes and down in the narrow bottom bit. Thinking of squirting some fish oil into the sill while its open then plug the opening with mastic like it was originally.

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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!

Mate,

Would be fantastic if you have taken photos of each step of this process and documented it!

We need a guide on how an A panel is replaced, with pics, etc.

Doing just that - only hassle I am having is getting clear shots as I'm 2 feet off the wall - can't move the car as it's on stands and can't frame the shots properly - doing my best though.

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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!

Haha I feel your pain. My workshop is only a single garage so it can be tricky at times.

Well done and cannot wait to see the guide!