16 replies to this topic

[SolarB]

There are other sections inside the sill at either end, which most definitely NOT be removed, they are structural.

I'm not convinced about that. The small additional pieces at either end are called front and rear sling shoe nuts (22 and 23 in the illustration).
They are used along with the rectangular bracket underneath to move the body around in the factory (24 and 25, the plates everyone jacks the car up on once and then wonders why they bend).
[attachment=74489:Noname_b.jpg]

They connect the inner sill to the lower section of the outer sill and corresponded to a hole in the outer sill.

[attachment=74490:P1040698_b.jpg]

They must contribute a little structural strength to the sills but because they are so near the front and rear ends it can't be much.

In the drawing:
30 Extension cross member
31 Jacking point

Somerford Minis sell all the pieces, diagram is courtesy of the Somerford Minis catalogue.

[panelbeaterpeter]

They will contribute to the strength of the sill, as the sill is spot welded to them. Without them the ends of the sills would be significantly weaker if it was knocked etc. The jacking point also gives strength, but if you want to remove it I don't see that it would weaken the area as significantly as removing the end pieces. I definitely wouldn't remove them all.