21 replies to this topic

[Sidewalk Nic]

Hi Guys,

My A panels have rusted through and need replacing. I am not able to do this myself so it will go into a garage or body shop.

I am also going to get the usual rust spots on the scuttle and under the headlights sorted.

The car is a Sidewalk in charcol grey, which is a metalic. Will the new paint stand out like a sore thumb on the car?

Should I replace the panels with fiberglass versions to stop future rust?

The A panels need replacing, but the wings are very minor rust, just need treating and spraying, but would I be better in the long run just replacing the wing panels, as once the rust starts wont it come back?

Many thanks, Nic

[Merlin-Mini]

IMO you should change the whole front end.. you can buy all the parts from ebay. in like a kit for about the 140 pound mark. then a garage might charge 300.. or something.. im not too sure on what spraying would be just for the front end but i got my entire shell sprayed for 800..

Rich

[sonikk4]

If the wings are starting to signs of rust and the front panels especially around the seams then it may pay you to get all of them replaced. This may seem a little OTT but with a metallic paint job this is very difficult to match up so after getting it resprayed and then 6 months down the road the rust starts to reappear you will be pretty miffed.

Also if the A panels are starting to rust then there may well be rust on the A posts as well which will need to be sorted as well. If you are lucky and its just the A panels/wings and front panel then this is a straight forward job to do and will not take too long, however you say there is rust on the scuttle so if this needs to be replaced then you would need the wings off anyway to sort properly.

Mini's rot! period and have a nasty propensity to rust where you cannot see easily especially under the scuttle so there maybe more rot lurking. Sorry to rain on your parade but that's mini's for you.

[Sidewalk Nic]

Thanks Guys,

The mini has just been fully serviced and checked by a specialist, and there is a small hole that needs welding under the wing (somewhere!).

The scuttle is onle 2inc of bubbling, I just want to try and get her looking as good as she can.

I think I will go for new wings though, as I dont want to have her sprayed only to find the rust re-appearing.

Thanks again!

[AVV IT]

The car is a Sidewalk in charcol grey, which is a metalic. Will the new paint stand out like a sore thumb on the car?

This depends largely on the skill of the body shop & the state of your existing paintwork, there will always be some colour mismatch, but just how noticeable will be down to the individual body shop you use. A good body shop should be able to get a half decent colour match, a "cheap and cheerful" place may not.

Should I replace the panels with fiberglass versions to stop future rust?

Fiberglass is not a miracle answer, there are downsides to consider with fiberglass such as the overall panel fitment & finish, possible increased insurance premiums, loss of shell strength & rigidity (& need for bracing), reduced resale value of the car etc. If you are thinking of fitting a removable front end or looking to save weight then it is definitely something worth considering, but if you are just looking to avoid future corrosion then you would be better off protecting your new steel panels properly with waxoyl/underseal etc & also consider fitting Plastic Wheel Arch Liners under the wings.

The A panels need replacing, but the wings are very minor rust, just need treating and spraying, but would I be better in the long run just replacing the wing panels, as once the rust starts wont it come back?

The problem with rust is that you can usually only see "the top of the iceberg" as it were. It's only when you get the A-Panels off that you really get to see the state of the A posts & flitch panels behind. Similarly it's only when you get the wings off that you will see the state of the closing panels at the ends of the scuttle. So it's difficult to know exactly what will need replacing until you get the old panels off.

The corrosion to the wings beneath the headlights may look superficial, but you need to consider that the surface rust you can see will have come through from under the wheel arch and so may be worse than you think. If you treat the rust that you can see and the paint over without dealing with the underlying problem, then it will soon reappear the next time it rains! Personally I would be tempted to replace both wings as well, simply because it will only be a matter of time until they will need replacing anyway, which of course will also mean the cost of another front end respray. The trouble with this is knowing where to stop (i.e. do you do the front panel & scuttle as well?) & this will largely depend on how big your budget is. On my mini I replaced both wings, A panels & the front panel, but just treated the scuttle as it didn't look too bad. Now every time I look at the car I wish I had "bit the bullet" and replaced the scuttle too!

Edited by AVV IT, 14 December 2010 - 07:55 PM.

[Sidewalk Nic]

Thanks Avv!

Thats really helpful.

New wings and A panels for sure, the front panel looks ok, but I guess we wont know until it comes off!

It really is knowing where to stop! And wheel liners are a definate!

I dont mind spending £1,000 on it, but i want it to last another 10-15 years. I will be gutted if it rusts through after 6 months!

I best ring the body shops in the morning!

[Scallywag630]

I was in the same boat....If I were you I'd replace it all, including the scuttle as the wings have to come off to do a proper scuttle job.

[minidaves]

to replace a front end with scuttle and paint it properly for it to last for 10 yrs would require heritage panels so approx £400 for them, plus paint and materials nice proper for example ici paint 200quids plus some labour on say 20 hours at £30 hour plus time to strip and fit and sundry bits you need and your in £1200 plus vat normally as a min. for a good job and thats if all the repair is straight forward

[leroy26]

guess these prices are out of date now?    

[Cooper1997]

I have just been quoted approx £1500 for effectively replacing the front end and having the whole car resprayed.
That doesn't include the new panels I will get from Moss Europe..... Front end, wings and new scuttle panel. From a recommended restoration specialist that seems reasonable to me.

[minidaves]

love the word approximate, you are always going to find extra rust.

[sonikk4]

love the word approximate, you are always going to find extra rust.

 

That is without a doubt there will be something else. having just worked on an SPI for its MOT you can chase rust forever and a day and still not get to everything. There will be something else when you take a panel off or a fitting (front shock mount for example) 

[Cooper1997]

I used the word "approximately" with reference to the price rather than quoting the exact price!

If the removal of the wings shows uncovers more rust then it will be sorted as there is no point in doing it otherwise. The inner wings are sound as are the A panels which were replaced about 4 years ago.

None of the proposed work will affect the MOT due in July. That has already been confirmed by garage who look after it.

[Rog46]

And once it's all done spray everything with waxoyl or whatever rust preventer you prefer, including inside all the cavities of course.

[leroy26]

just been quoted around £2600 for a front end and full exterior respray from minimine but there fully booked till after jan!