8 replies to this topic

[minimininut]

Arthur, my 1988 Mini City E.

I'm keen to get some waxoyl to the seams below his headlights. The only way to access this area seems to be to remove the headlight bowls, but they're attached with rivets.

Not sure if it's relevant or helps, but I have sealed beam headlights.

I know that people say it's fine to remove these rivets and replace with screws BUT I can't picture how it works as never taken headlight bowls out before

So, before I end up with headlight bowls out, and no way of reattaching can I get someone's help with this please:

What screws do I need? (size, type etc)

What will the screw actually screw into?


Cheers muchly

[Paul Wiginton]

You can get more rivets from a local hardware store or Motor factor.
Minispares or Somerfords will most probably have some.
A lot of people use a self tapping screw and a spire clip behind the panel or an M5 nut and bolt or a plastic insert pushed into the hole in the wing that a screw screws into

Paul

Edited by Paul Wiginton, 13 October 2010 - 07:37 AM.

[Big_Adam]

While your at it, I'd suggest switching out to Wipac lights. Sooooo much better than the old sealed bulbs.

[bobs]

Or AutoPal H4's or Cibie H180 or a Halogen Lucas (or a candle) Sooooo much better than the Wipac lights.

Might be worth checking which headlight bowls you have fitted, on the 80's mini's they were metal and rusted easily, the later mini's have plastic bowls fitted, which does seem to reduce the inevitable rust around the head lights.

I've always pop riveted mine back in, checking the rubber seals are in good order.

Another good tip, if you're removing the headlight bowls, is to park the mini up near a wall or garage door, and mark with chalk the alighnment of the headlights (turn them on and draw a reference from the beam patterns), that way you can put them back in and adjust them back to how they were set up... helps to pass an MOT.

Alternatively, you can access the front wings from under the wheel arch with a wheel off, saves so much hassle.

[AVV IT]

I would just rivet them back in. Self tapping screws will churn away the paint & unnecessarily expose a very vulnerable area to rust/corrosion, which is probably part of the reason why they were riveted in place in the factory in the 1st place!

Get yourself a decent rivet gun, the "Stanley" Heavy Duty version is my weapon of choice and costs around £20-£30. It will be a good investment for any mini owner as it is also usefull for other things like fitting wheel arches and joining the grille ends to the grille as well! Avoid the cheap ones though, as you need muscles like "Arnie" to operate them! They also tend to have a nasty habit of jamming, which renders them useless and often attached to the rivet and whatever you were trying to rivet together as well!

There is a real reluctance for people to use rivets though, that I just don't understand. They are a good, quick & cheap method of fixing that's perfect for areas where there a lot of potential corrosion issues. (Which is probably why they are so popular for boat building/marine use)

Edited by AVV IT, 13 October 2010 - 12:37 PM.

[minimininut]

Thanking you kindly for all the answers guys

A lot of people use a self tapping screw and a spire clip behind the panel or an M5 nut and bolt or a plastic insert pushed into the hole in the wing that a screw screws into

Paul

Thanks for your speedy answer Paul, might end up going the self tapping screw and spire clip route if rivets don't work

While your at it, I'd suggest switching out to Wipac lights. Sooooo much better than the old sealed bulbs.

Or AutoPal H4's or Cibie H180 or a Halogen Lucas (or a candle) Sooooo much better than the Wipac lights.

Might be worth checking which headlight bowls you have fitted, on the 80's mini's they were metal and rusted easily, the later mini's have plastic bowls fitted, which does seem to reduce the inevitable rust around the head lights.

I've always pop riveted mine back in, checking the rubber seals are in good order.

Another good tip, if you're removing the headlight bowls, is to park the mini up near a wall or garage door, and mark with chalk the alighnment of the headlights (turn them on and draw a reference from the beam patterns), that way you can put them back in and adjust them back to how they were set up... helps to pass an MOT.

Alternatively, you can access the front wings from under the wheel arch with a wheel off, saves so much hassle.

Cheers Adam and Bobs, not got any spare squids at the moment, but I'll be adding 'some bright lights' to the Christmas list

Bobs - nice tip on the alignment, cheers, and there's some reason why you can't get to behind Arthur's seams from under his wing - can't remember now exactly why but I'll look later and let you know as I appreciate I just sound slightly nutty! Arthur's bowls are plastic.

I would just rivet them back in. Self tapping screws will churn away the paint & unnecessarily expose a very vulnerable area to rust/corrosion, which is probably part of the reason why they were riveted in place in the factory in the 1st place!

Get yourself a decent rivet gun, the "Stanley" Heavy Duty version is my weapon of choice and costs around £20-£30. It will be a good investment for any mini owner as it is also usefull for other things like fitting wheel arches and joining the grille ends to the grille as well! Avoid the cheap ones though, as you need muscles like "Arnie" to operate them! They also tend to have a nasty habit of jamming, which renders them useless and often attached to the rivet and whatever you were trying to rivet together as well!

There is a real reluctance for people to use rivets though, that I just don't understand. They are a good, quick & cheap method of fixing that's perfect for areas where there a lot of potential corrosion issues. (Which is probably why they are so popular for boat building/marine use)

Avvit, nice one, interesting point about the rust/risk with using screws instead. No cash, but thanks for recommendation on rivet gun, again, sounds like one for the Christmas list, in the meantime might be able to get access to one

[MrMiniSpecial]

I riveted mine, using washers either side and long rivets. Washers help spread the load and give a better grip for the rivet.
You'd need to remove the clean air ducting from under the offside wing to help access from inside the wheel arch if you didn't want to remove the bowls

[minimininut]

I riveted mine, using washers either side and long rivets. Washers help spread the load and give a better grip for the rivet.
You'd need to remove the clean air ducting from under the offside wing to help access from inside the wheel arch if you didn't want to remove the bowls

Cheers MrMiniSpecial, yes it's partly the air ducting in the way, but I also have plastic wheel arch liners and they've been fixed in magical and mystical ways (that works well but is faffy to take out), so headlights the easiest route to the front wing.

I am now the proud owner of a rivet gun , operation 'Winter Waxoyl' a success, cheers all

[Carlzilla]

When i took mine out the other day, to replace the headlamps and bowls for wipacs in one go, the old bowls were held in place with red rawl plugs and screws in the holes :|

luckily the plastic bowl kits give you self tappers and clips similar to those for speakers to hold them in place.