15 replies to this topic

[TheFabMini]

Hi all
I’m starting to make a list of plans for what I’m gonna do over winter and one thing I’ve been thinking all summer is I want to make my mini city even more basic and simple and a bit more retro.... so!
I don’t really like the black plastic wheel arches and prefer the simple rubber trim along the seem that I’ve seen on most of the older minis with 10 inch wheels

1. Would my standard 12 inch wheels stick out and fail the mot?
2. Is it as simple as sanding back, filling the screw holes with some filler and priming and painting??
3. Would it look #%*@

[alex-95]

1. Whats your standard wheels? sticky out wheels won't fail an MOT, might be picked up as and advisory. could be picked up by the police for it though

 

2. Filler won't be up to the job, the filler will end up falling through the holes after a while from vibrations.

 

3. depends on the wheels etc

[TheFabMini]

1. Whats your standard wheels? sticky out wheels won't fail an MOT, might be picked up as and advisory. could be picked up by the police for it though
 
2. Filler won't be up to the job, the filler will end up falling through the holes after a while from vibrations.
 
3. depends on the wheels etc

Not sure of my exact wheel size but they are just standard steel wheels, I’ll attach a photo of the car without the arches from when I purchased it

 BD628721-ABC7-4AD7-9A08-450018E1C8F9.jpeg   48.24K   13 downloads

[minimissions]

You will be fine with that wheel set up for the road, I no many people running cars like that which have no issues both with police or mot.

 

As for filling the holes they would need to be welded really that's the best way but then would require paint..

[johnR]

You will find you get dirt up the side of your car on wet days without arches - bodywork looks good.

[TheFabMini]

You will find you get dirt up the side of your car on wet days without arches - bodywork looks good.

Wet days?!?! I fear that the slightest damp will dissolve my car into a yellow puddle.
The pictures are very flattering to the bodywork, it’s solid but a poor diy paint job by the previous owner and some questionable filler means up close it isn’t great.

[Ethel]

I'd have a go at filling from the back with fibreglass if it saved burning a decent paint job welding.

[nicklouse]

if you can see and tyre tread (not sidewall) then you could have issues with Plod.

[TheFabMini]

I'd have a go at filling from the back with fibreglass if it saved burning a decent paint job welding.

Didn’t think of fibreglass, the paint job is just a Halfords rattle can job done by the last owner, so I’m not overly worried about making it a museum quality finish. I’m just looking for a cheap way to make the car more cosmetically pleasing to me, and currently the plastic wheel arches I don’t like and always envy the ones I see with just a little rubber trim over the lip

[Bobbins]

If you want to avoid welding the holes up (which really is the correct way to fill them), for any holes where you can get access to the rear an easy support method for the filler is to glue small metal plates over the back of the holes then fill from the front.
It might sound crude but will achieve what you need - use Araldite epoxy adhesive and the small round plates that pop out of domestic electric backboxes (they're galvanised), and clean the area at the back of the hole well to ensure a good bond. Much easier than messing with fibreglass for the small filler jobs you need to do.

Edited by Bobbins, 18 September 2018 - 05:29 AM.

[Ethel]

That's a cunning idea, but you'd still need to fill the hole  flush and there might be issues painting etc over zinc. You could combine both and prep a patch with a smear grp filler.

[midridge2]

Use bridging filler for the rear.

[TheFabMini]

Just removed the arches as the cars tucked away for winter now so didn’t want condensation getting trapped behind them and we have a little bubble of rust which wasn’t there in March! Safe to say no matter what I’m not putting the arches back on, had all mud and gunk stuck in them and I keep the car very clean!

Even if I just put them on for the MOT they won’t be staying on next year

[TheFabMini]

A quick follow up to this thread I started last year!

I did put the wheel arches back on for the mot as over winter my dad was in hospital and passed away so I didn’t really give the mini any attention.

True to my word though I have no taken them off and filled the holes and am in the process of painting them this week!
The tip of using the little round discs from a metal plug casing was amazing and worked a treat so thank you whoever suggests that

I also used from good old Halfords some fibre reenforced filler which took a while to get used to as it has a very sticky gloopy texture and isn’t smooth like filler but with a bit of messing about did a great job and was easy enough to sand once hardened


I need to resize photos to upload on here but anyone who’s interested I’ve added photos on my Instagram (Link below)

[BritishOpenInBelgium]

Thanks for coming back and updating us Chris! I plan to do the same to mine, my flares are basically falling off already