8 replies to this topic

[lucas1amps]

hi everyone I have a round nose and clubman fibre glass front end. I may be selling my round nose front what would leave me with the clubby one, the question is when I take the car to MOT is it going to be a massive problem that a mini 1000 round nose now has a clubman front end? is this a strict no no or a unwritten rule?

 

cheers luke

[Archived4]

No rules as far as I'm aware. Like having a mk5 fiesta front end on a mk4, makes no difference. You must have the inner wings though if I remember rightly.

[lucas1amps]

ahh see my inner wings have been removed micra lump in it =)

[cradley-heathen]

it makes no odds for an mot, the purpose of an mot is to check the car over from a safety point of view, if it has a different front makes little difference.

 

as for the inner wings, several of my minis didnt have any inner wings and i never had a problem. there is almost no structural integrety in them either. if you add some brace bars at the front you will definately be ok.

[lucas1amps]

cheers mate!

[jakejakejake1]

I believe the inner wings are classed as part of the monocoque, thus modifying or removing them means you will have to IVA your car or whatever test it is

[tiger99]

ALL parts of a Mini shell are parts of the monocoque. The definition of monocoque makes that quite clear. And, contrary to popular belief, the inner wings, when braced by the welded-on outer wings, DO carry a fairly considerable load from the front subframe mounts. If it was not so, you would never get cracking in the inner wings, but you do on occasion. No load means no cracking, ever.

 

GRP front ends have been illegal since they first appeared in the 1960s, and in the early days there were a number of prosecutions, because BMC categorically stated that they were unsafe. Structurally, the situation became MUCH WORSE with the advent of the rubber mounted subframe, and toeboard mounts that can't take much fore and aft load without the mount breaking and/or floor cracking.

 

Most brace bars are fitted too low on the bulkhead and as far as carrying structural loads are concerned are virtually useless. It is possible to design brace bars that are ok, and some here may be using such, but there remains the illegality of modifying the monocoque without an IVA test. If you are caught by VOSA, it is likely that the car will be crushed, as there does not seem to be any provision in the regulations for taking it away and welding on a proper front again, and if you try to put it through an IVA without very major work, it will fail.

 

Not only that, but you lose almost all of your frontal impact protection, and will void your insurance unless you have declared the mods in full.

 

Frankly, why anyone would bother to do something that only degrades and devalues their car is beyond me. It you want something non-standard, build it to IVA rules and get it tested.

[Willthewelder]

It will fall under construction and use regs. Google them.

[lucas1amps]

I knew this would happen! i asked a question not for a  IVA lecture topic closed please its my car a race car a one off, I shall do what I please and I shall do it right

Edited by lucas1amps, 16 May 2013 - 08:43 PM.