4 replies to this topic

[mickthefitter]

Hi. First posting here for me. My '73 850 lets wet into the boot. I've had a later type seal from Mini Spares in a box for months and I tried to fit it yesterday. I'd been assured it would fit. It went on to the body flange a treat, but after I'd pulled off the old lid mounted rubber and all of the metal clips, I couldn't shut the boot! Eventually after much pushing and shoving, taking off the lock and trimming rubber off the gripper part of the new seal, I gave up and I now have no boot seal. It looks like the boot lid is too high up and is chafing at the top when it closes - it will close with a standard rubber but the newer type prevents it shutting because of the thickness of the mounting lip.

I've looked in my Haynes manual and it looks like the boot lid does not have any adjustment available at the mounting holes. Is this correct? The car was restored by the previous owner who used parts from a 1984 Mini in the process, including the boot lid. Its also got a thick layer of two-pack paint on it so removing or altering the fit of the boot lid will crack the paint around the hinges in an ugly fashion.

I think I'll be going back to the standard type of rubber and have to replace all the metal clips. It probably still won't seal though, 'because I now think the problem is the fit of this lid. I'll probably have to find some stick-on sponge to fill the gaps.

I just wondered if my assessment of the boot lid not being adjustable was correct.

Cheers,
Mick

[maggies_minder]

im sure it takes a few weeks/ a short while for the new rubber seal to "bed in" and fit nicely, i need to change mine as it also leaks, i havent got around to doing it but presumed all the rubbers were the same??

[cooperdan]

As maggies said just needs to bed in, mine was the same when i replaced it

[danie garry]

i repalaced mine as it thought it was leaking and i replaced the back window seal and it turned out to be the washer hose was split!!

[mickthefitter]

im sure it takes a few weeks/ a short while for the new rubber seal to "bed in" and fit nicely, i need to change mine as it also leaks, i havent got around to doing it but presumed all the rubbers were the same??

I could not shut the boot lid with the new rubber on! It was hitting a solid object at the top near the latch, which turned out to be the thicker mounting lip of the new-style rubber, with metal clasps buried inside it.

There are two types of rubber. The old style fits on the boot lid with metal clips and is supposed to press on to and seal around the raised body flange on the boot aperture. The second, later type of rubber seal (from 1980-something onwards) fits on to that same body flange and just presses on with no additional clips. The boot lid itself then has no rubber on it and the more modern classic Minis apparently have no holes in them to take the old metal clips - I was told I'd have to seal the holes with something like silicone when I used the new seal or the boot would still leak.

I can see how the design of the modern seal is much better. Hard to describe, but the rubber lip angles upwards and outwards to deflect water away from the path it would take to get into the boot.

Since my original posting though, I've realised my Mini has had some work done to the back panel by the previous owner. I think maybe he has drilled his own holes for the hinges and got them a little out of position, though the bottom bit of hinge seems to be resting on the bumper so its hard to see how the lid could sit any lower. I think with an original lid-mounted rubber back on, the rubber will still not be seating properly on that raised aperture lip, right at the top near the latch, as it will be sitting a few millimetres above it, so water will still get in. I'm not sure how to resolve this yet.

Thanks for the reply,
Mick