I know Tony quite well and have had work done by him. I could ask about this for you if you'd like. He still has a business up here, though no longer doing big scale panel work.

Cheers,

Dicko.

The early (all Australian) roundnose bonnets won't fit a Clubman because the hinges were relocated, but the later Rover bonnets have their hinges in the same location.

Tim

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1951 Morris Commercial J Type Van
1955 BSA C11G
1961 Morris Mini Traveller
1969 Triumph TR6R
1977 Leyland Moke Californian

That'd be ace if you could, would be great to hear direct from the panelbeater who did the work (and to get confirmation that it was his work!). Have sent you a PM as well

Well there you go

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1964 998cc Cooper
1971 Mini K x 2
1972 Clubman GT

Does this sort of work require an engineer to sign it off in Australia? In NZ, I doubt that butt welding the panels back together, regardless as to how well it was done, would be approved. Normally strips of steel are lap welded behind where the seams were to provide strength. In this way, there's no weaker spots where the butt welding was possibly substandard. And I think in NZ, the certifying engineer would require a sample of welding before approving the concept.

Personally, unless I had a written guarantee from the person who did the work, I wouldn't touch it. And ditto to removing the roof seams making it look weird.

That's what I'm wondering as well tbh...

Personally i'd shy away from a deseamed body, if they were mean't to have no seams, they would have been built seemless, every deseemed car i've seen over the years cracks where the seems once were.

Doogie

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I won Hay once, here's the pic to prove it..


Hay, it's not about the car, it's not about the venue, it's about the people that come here. Peter Dwyer, Mayor of Hay NSW.

I'll go and see Tony tomorrow. Wonder where the mould is? I'd like a fibreglass mini trailer.....

Engineering would be an issue after the work has been completed. But if it's going to be an R1 track car then should be doable.

Cheers,

Dicko.

Also the cluster for the switches on the front lower crash panel gives it away as a Clubman.

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"Beware the lollipop of mediocrity: lick it once and you'll suck forever" Brian Wilson

", if they were mean't to have no seams, they would have been built seemless, ."

I would suggest the seams are a production engineering decision... and a lot cheaper than welded/lead filled panel joins such as you would find on a Jag.... However, I'm not convinced a simple butt joint would be adequate...

"..every deseemed car i've seen over the years cracks where the seems once were. ."

Then you haven't seen many - or at least any good ones.... I know of a few that are perfect after many years. ... including one in the US where the builder managed to avoid the "bald" look that results from removing the roof seam by lowering the roof panel about an inch.

I've also seen one that came apart at the seams when driven over the gutter between the driveway and the street..javascript:emoticon(':shock:')... How do you spell SPROING....

There's a right way to do things - and a lot of other ways...

Cheers, Ian

It certainly does depend on how good a job is done. I had a deseamed mini that was done in 1995 and even now it has no cracks at all. That particular car has had over 220hp at times and lots of things flexed but the welded seams did not crack.

In my experience it's doable, and I think the mini looks better without the seams. (not without the gutters). Remember the original seams are just spot welded with the covers glued on. Done correctly welded seams should be as strong, if not stronger.

For the purists, external seams are part of the character of the mini. It's a personal choice.

And they add 42sq" of frontal area......

I bought a deseamed Deluxe once. It wasn't a bad job, before the owner stupidly parked it for 5 years in primer, under a gum tree..
Worst rust was where the seams had been, but IMO it wasn't worth saving.

I think I kept the remote shift, the lightened (milled) flywheel, the set of 5 Contessas, and the seats. The rest went to a Mini place for a pittance.

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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.

Our Roller Ute has been partially deseamed...front &rear guards"A" pillars etc.

Not the roof gutter though... water tends to try to sneak in through bad fitting door rubbers with that done.

Also has a fully welded boot lid & double skin body panels in the tray.

& a Moke fuel tank.

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1974 1150cc Leyland Mini S racer,
1975 No motor Leyland Mini "ute"
1991 IPRA Honda Integra (in the build)
1995 Land Rover Discovery 300Tdi

CAMS Scrutineer