Mk1 Mini Inner Wing/a Panel Welding Advice Needed...please!

Hi People

I am currently restoring a 1964 mini 850, replaced quite a few panels on it already, and i now need to repair the inner wing panel so i can then fit the new inner and outer sills (and doorsteps!).....both sides.

So the guy who put the last replacement ones on had managed to cut out the part of the inner wing behind the inner A panel, then he welded a strip of metal along the edge of the inner A panel and the inner wing to somehow hold it altogether - this has not really helped me in knowing what was originally there!

I have cut out that part of the inner wing and the A panels, Mini Machine dont make a Mk1 inner wing repair panel, they said to use a Mk3 one and modify it.

So i have lined up the Mk3 inner repair panel, and it seems to fit fine, but it has a folded edged which runs vertically with the door post.

Does this edge get welded to the door post? or should i do anything else with it?

in the photos below i have clamped the repair panel in place, then i have clamped the A panels in place over the top, and then i roughly put the door in place and it does all seem to line up roughly. I am not going to fit the A panels yet, its just this inner wing panel i am going to do for now as the doors need reskinning first.

Am i along the right lines with this? or is there some great way of doing this which makes more sense!

hopefully the pictures will come out below and show what i mean!

Thanks for your time

Jamie

I'll be replacing floor sections, inner sill, outer sill, door step, inner wing, inner A-panels and outer A-panels (gosh!) on my mini too. This is an area that worries me slightly because I don't know how it all goes (yet). Hence the reason why i am working from the back, forwards with my panel replacement.

I'd be keen to hear what advice people have on this topic too.

Hi Jamie, Like Edi57 I too hope you get some replys as I'm attempting the same repair on our 1969 Mk3 mini. I posted on this forum yesterday, not too sure if its in the right place though. Good luck and I'll be checking your post regulally.

All the best.

r O y.

So i have lined up the Mk3 inner repair panel, and it seems to fit fine, but it has a folded edged which runs vertically with the door post.

Does this edge get welded to the door post? or should i do anything else with it?

Im not really sure what your asking here... But Im guessing your asking if your repair panel needs to be attached to the door post... and yes it does. Originally they are spot welded together in a sort of staggered zig zag pattern down the length of the post... so dont stitch your A panel on until you've done this!

If you dont have access to a spot welder then you can drill hole in either the door post or your repair panel (Id suggest your repair panel, the door posts are quite thick!) and plug weld.. grind smooth with a soft pad disk on your grinder...

For whats its worth, why dont you get a inner wing from bmh and do the job properly, rather than doing a mums dinner service type repair

dave

Thanks Jack for the advice...

yeah thats exactly what i meant!

I am using a MIG welder so i can plug weld it no problem.......So that folded edge on the side of the repair panel i guess is used for something else on later minis, not on the mk1's, so do i cut that off? and then clamp the repair panel flat against the post and weld the two together? is that what you mean?

thanks for your time on this, much appreciated.

Jamie


p.s

also I am pretty sure BMH dont make inner wings for mk1 minis, otherwise yes i would have bought one!

actually it looks like BMH have got an inner wing for mk1s.....thats gotta make my life easier....if they have any in stock!

will enquire...

thanks everyone....once i have it welded in, i'll post some pics

Hi, it was reading your thread on here that promted me to join the forum. In a nut shell I have a 1964 Mk1 and have the exact situation as you in regards rust. I am attempting mine now but luckily Somerford Minis have just started selling Mk1 inner wheel arch repair panels. I noticed this thread is a few years old now, so how is it going, are you at the MOT stage yet?