Jump to content


Photo

How To Get Those Tight Door/bonnet /boot Gaps


  • Please log in to reply
73 replies to this topic

#61 minimissions

minimissions

    Up Into Fourth

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 3,427 posts
  • Location: North West
  • Local Club: M.M.O.C

Posted 17 March 2016 - 09:06 PM

Thanks guys so 3.2 would defo give me enough to play with :) will get on to that get some ordered :) cheers if I can get this door straight it will be on to the next.

#62 sonikk4

sonikk4

    Twisted Paint Polisher!!!

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,884 posts
  • Name: Neil
  • Location: Oxfordshire

Posted 17 March 2016 - 09:09 PM

What i will suggest though to prevent distortion is to use Frosts Cold Front. This does help believe me.
 
http://www.frost.co....14oz-414ml.html
 
.

#63 X246b

X246b

    Starting My Mini Up

  • Noobies
  • Pip
  • 2 posts
  • Location: BALLYNAHINCH

Posted 22 May 2017 - 06:41 PM

You got skills buddy great post thanks,,

#64 The Golden Shot

The Golden Shot

    Learner Driver

  • Noobies
  • PipPip
  • 13 posts

Posted 14 March 2018 - 09:25 PM

Nice gaps, I have used the welding rod method before, works well! Can I just suggest that people build their doors up before adjusting the gaps, as the weight of the glass and winder mech' etc can change the doors position slightly, don't want to go through all that and have paint rubbing off when you open and close the door! ( I learnt this through personal experience >_< )


In BIW they would hang a weight on the door to simulate a fully trimmed door, once it was profiled they would remove weight and door would rise indicating the track profile for operators, one thing people may not be aware of is that they would also jack the door aperture diagonal to help also

#65 The Golden Shot

The Golden Shot

    Learner Driver

  • Noobies
  • PipPip
  • 13 posts

Posted 14 March 2018 - 09:36 PM

In my old age I've forgot to mention that we used welding rods stitched to flanges to get nice gaps and profiles, we would then lead load as this would be a lot stronger than using Tet. Nothing worse than having the edge fall off, plus water can get behind and pop it off

#66 Bdshim

Bdshim

    Mini Mad

  • Just Joined
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 196 posts
  • Location: Suffolk

Posted 08 December 2019 - 07:41 PM

Reading this as my doors fit is pretty bad as its come to me.. a question the cutting and add bits to door frames especially the upper window part I take the windows themselves still fit ok ?

#67 sonikk4

sonikk4

    Twisted Paint Polisher!!!

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,884 posts
  • Name: Neil
  • Location: Oxfordshire

Posted 08 December 2019 - 07:43 PM

Reading this as my doors fit is pretty bad as its come to me.. a question the cutting and add bits to door frames especially the upper window part I take the windows themselves still fit ok ?

 

Its only a small amount of added material. The window fit should remain the same or very close.



#68 Bdshim

Bdshim

    Mini Mad

  • Just Joined
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 196 posts
  • Location: Suffolk

Posted 08 December 2019 - 08:05 PM

Thanks nice to know ?

#69 ajprice

ajprice

    Just On Tickover

  • Noobies
  • Pip
  • 7 posts
  • Location: Wrexham

Posted 29 December 2019 - 12:16 PM

For anyone who doesn't follow Project Binky, their latest video is fixing the panel gaps
https://youtu.be/oKtQEFoexFk

#70 Wise Old Elf

Wise Old Elf

    Camshaft & Stage Two Head

  • Members
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,655 posts
  • Location: Maldon
  • Local Club: Club Lotus

Posted 24 May 2020 - 08:23 PM

Reading this as my doors fit is pretty bad as its come to me.. a question the cutting and add bits to door frames especially the upper window part I take the windows themselves still fit ok ?

 
Its only a small amount of added material. The window fit should remain the same or very close.

Neil could you drill out the spot welds that hold the window frame into the door and move it up then re-weld it into the door rather than cutting the frame? This would raise the window frame and close the gap if the issue is only the top gap but I am not sure if the glass would fall out of the runner?

#71 sonikk4

sonikk4

    Twisted Paint Polisher!!!

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,884 posts
  • Name: Neil
  • Location: Oxfordshire

Posted 24 May 2020 - 08:37 PM

 

 

Reading this as my doors fit is pretty bad as its come to me.. a question the cutting and add bits to door frames especially the upper window part I take the windows themselves still fit ok ?

 
Its only a small amount of added material. The window fit should remain the same or very close.

Neil could you drill out the spot welds that hold the window frame into the door and move it up then re-weld it into the door rather than cutting the frame? This would raise the window frame and close the gap if the issue is only the top gap but I am not sure if the glass would fall out of the runner?

 

 

You could possibly do that but the front is tapered so trying to force that up may create further issues.



#72 Propshaft

Propshaft

    Mini Mad

  • Noobies
  • PipPipPipPip
  • 123 posts
  • Location: Kneesall Notts

Posted 25 December 2022 - 07:10 AM

Just read this very informative article my question is my bonnet requires the width widening slightly would it be ok to just weld on a strip of metal to the outer edge

#73 Ben_O

Ben_O

    Mill Road Garage

  • Paint Doctor
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 9,781 posts
  • Location: Isle of Wight

Posted 25 December 2022 - 11:08 AM

Just read this very informative article my question is my bonnet requires the width widening slightly would it be ok to just weld on a strip of metal to the outer edge

Not really but you can slice down the edge of the bonnet with a slitting disc, open it to where you need it and then weld the slit up carefully

make sure you slit it quite a way though to retain a straight edge along the edge of the bonnet

 

Cheers

Ben 



#74 sonikk4

sonikk4

    Twisted Paint Polisher!!!

  • Admin
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 15,884 posts
  • Name: Neil
  • Location: Oxfordshire

Posted 25 December 2022 - 11:15 AM

Just read this very informative article my question is my bonnet requires the width widening slightly would it be ok to just weld on a strip of metal to the outer edge


As Ben has said, you need to cut down the length of the bonnet then add a thin strip if the gap is quite large, you can just cut and using a backing piece of Copper weld the gap BUT two things here. Be careful of heat distortion and the other is evening out the gap both sides as it maybe noticeable.

On my lads car, the bonnet was crap being a Magnum bonnet and we should have chinned it off and used a Heritage one but funds were tight for a teenager. I could have been more forceful fitting the wings but here’s the rub, when I did the resto on Wills Mini Special using all Heritage panels, apart from some minor tweaking it went together really well.

My Heritage clubby bonnet needed a tapered wedge to even it up on the one side. I tried everything to get that gap even but it was actually like that before I took everything apart.




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users