4 replies to this topic

[theoldmini]

hi
i have a mk3 shell with winding windows and wondered how hard it would be to replace with sliding. what parts would i need and can i use original glass. are the doors the same sizes etc
many thanks
kevin

[dklawson]

i have a mk3 shell with winding windows and wondered how hard it would be to replace with sliding.

This is not meant to sound cute or glib, but anything is possible with the right money. This will not be easy or cheap. It will likely involve grafting the two door designs together, meaning you will end up sacrificing two good Mk1/2 doors and two good Mk3 doors (assuming yours are good).

what parts would i need and can i use original glass. are the doors the same sizes etc

The doors are the same size (on a cosmic scale) but they have very different shapes and different construction. You're not going to just do a minor modification to either door to fit either car.

Can you use "which" original glass? A single piece, roll-up Mk3 glass is going to be very different in shape than the two pieces of door glass used in a Mk1/2.

I'm sure there is a way to achieve what you want but basically as I mentioned above, it will involve cutting the sliding window door top parts off of a Mk1/2 door and grafting them onto a Mk3 door. Basically, you'll need two complete doors to make one.

Lastly, apart from appearance, why would you want to do this? I think you'll find the ventilation provided by a Mk3 door much better than what you get with a sliding window Mk1/2.

[mike.]

The easiest way of doing it and the way i'm doing it, is with some streetfighter doors from the minidoorcompany.

They're mk3 doors with galvanised bottom sections, aluminium skins, the whole winder mechanism/inner door cut away and slot for the glass capped off.

I'm then fitting a lexan/polycarb sliding window kit from them:









Pricey but worth it

[theoldmini]

further to this then is it possible to fit early doors to a mk 3 shell
thanks

[dklawson]

Again, the Mk1/2 doors are of a different design (shape) and construction.

Take a look at the door pictures above. You'll note the Mk3 and later doors have a squarish bottom front corner.
The bottom front edge of Mk1/2 doors is generously radiused and they do not have the mounting features for the internal door hinges. I believe the same problem would exist for the door lock/striker components.

Minimadmike, how has your door supplier addressed the sliding window drain issue? Mk1/2 sliding windows sit on top of a trough at the top of the door, not a closed flat surface. Water running down the windows goes through holes in the chrome metal locking strip at the bottom of the glass into the trough. On most cars (except very early ones) the trough below the windows uses two drain tubes that run DOWN the inside of the door and exit the bottom of the door to channel the water away. If your door supplier hasn't addressed this, you're eventually going to find a stream of water running down the door cards inside the car.

Edited by dklawson, 16 July 2009 - 04:31 PM.