9 replies to this topic

[Duggie]

Hi

Is Its worth spending the extra on genuine body panels?

If not who supplies the best non-genuine?

I'm going to have a go at replacing my own and would like to make the job (and fit) as easy as possible.

Thanks.

P.S. Does anyone have any use practical use for the large amount of rust, removed from the car and now covering my drive?

[Guess-Works.com]

I must admit, my estimation of pattern panels has just gone up, after putting a wing and A panel on a mates and it was put it on weld up, very little shuffling around required...

I think it all boils down to how much your mini means to you... for example.. I (well the missus) has a 72 Mk3 with all original steel, but does need a new wing and valance.. for that I'm more than likely to use heritage...
I also have a 76 mk3 which has seen better days and has some bodge welding done on it... need a wing and floor pans, that'll get done using pattern panels either from the shows or what I can scavange..

[Will]

im using the pattern parts from huddersfield spares because i've seen them freshly welded on and they look brilliant... only a tiny bit of filing and stuff to do.

[minidaves]

well as i seem to spend half my life fitting panels my veiws are gen or bmh if you can however some parts like floor pans are ok pattern

patten people also make some repair sections that are noy advailable in gen except as a complete panel

but for what you save as a rule u will end up spending alot more time making fit nice

dave

[mattvallins]

From what I have used, which are only Hadrian and M Machine panels, I have had almost no shuffling around. The only thing I kinda wish I had gone genuine on was the bonnet, but that has been tweaked to fit fine. I pay 20quid plus vat for a wing, but genuine panels are 50+vat. And from a mate, BMH or genuine are NOT perfect. I have heard of new shells being built wrong and new subbys being welded up poorly/backwards. My welder/mates father worked for Rover, on Minis. He said that the best tool tthey had was a length of wood to prise the door gaps apart to fit the doors snugly! They didnt even fit in the factory!

[Duggie]

Thanks guys

I can start buying some metal :grin:

[jimbo_edmondo]

Used not gen on mine they went on alot better than expected! Good luck!

[minidaves]

a bmh wing aint 50quid plus the differnace is about 15quid and the metal is better along with the fit, trust me i fit enough wings and frontpanels to know it aintworth the juggle

dave

[Dan]

I've had much trouble with Hadrian panels in the past myself. M-Machine are the best non-gen without a doubt.
I think that only the Heritage panels are E-coated.
Non-gen rear subbys are junk in general.

It's not because of dodgy build that they adjusted the door frames on the line, that's how it was designed. They always fitted the shell to the doors rather than the other way around. It's not like there was the odd one or two that needed pulling straight and they just ignored, it was standard practise. It's because the Mini shell was always handbuilt rather than built by machines. Handbuilt cars always get more fettling of the body than machine built ones.

[Woody]

I fit panels for a living , the non-gen seem to fit as well as the gen , i have fitted heratage panels that fit poorly as well as copy panels that fitted well
now i mostly use SSVG panels (availability is a big issue , heratage wont suply me as a trade customer and getting heratage panels from other supliers like minisport can take up to 6 weeks and cost a fortune in postage)
I pay about £15+vat for a good fitting front wing(trade)
no two sills are ever the same size ! (from differant companies)