21 replies to this topic

[RobWill116]

You really ought to replace those sills. As well as the corrosion trap, if they are welded along the lower edge, the structure is not nearly as stiff or strong as in the proper arrangement, where the welds are near the base of the inner sill, forming the box section properly. The flexing which results is one of the reasons why the corrosion happens so quickly.

I won't be replacing the oversills, they are brand new and were fitted professionally before I purchased the shell. Some people just have a preference; a friend of mine has been working on mini for years and knows them inside out. On the mini hes working on at the moment (which hes spent about 10k on) he has fitted oversills, spoke to him about this and he said if they are waxoyled properly and regularly they will be fine, and wont rust any quicker than vented sills.

[ajpmsport]

If he spent all this money on the car why didn`t he replace the origonal sills?
If the origonal sills are that bad to have over sills fitted all that is happening is your trapping and hidding all the rot and grot. IF you have a rusty part of the body and all that is done is to put a plate of metal over the top. That rust is still there. The best way is to cut it out and make a plate to fit properly. Especialy when its structal. The same with the sills really. The oversills will last as long as the standard sills, maybe. Its whats underneath that which is bad!

[ryan22_lgm]

i have over sills i want to get rid of them! another thing on my to do list

[mini-luke]

You really ought to replace those sills. As well as the corrosion trap, if they are welded along the lower edge, the structure is not nearly as stiff or strong as in the proper arrangement, where the welds are near the base of the inner sill, forming the box section properly. The flexing which results is one of the reasons why the corrosion happens so quickly.

I won't be replacing the oversills, they are brand new and were fitted professionally before I purchased the shell. Some people just have a preference; a friend of mine has been working on mini for years and knows them inside out. On the mini hes working on at the moment (which hes spent about 10k on) he has fitted oversills, spoke to him about this and he said if they are waxoyled properly and regularly they will be fine, and wont rust any quicker than vented sills.

Obviously, he hasn't see what happens under oversills. I have, It's not pretty, and if I'd paid someone for work who fitted over sills I would be rather irritated to say the least. The number of vents was increased from 4 to 6 during the Mini's lifespan, so they must have some useful purpose (i.e. allowing moisture that would rot the inside of the box section to escape). Over sills have no vents at all, creating a nice rust trap.

[RobWill116]

If he spent all this money on the car why didn`t he replace the origonal sills?
If the origonal sills are that bad to have over sills fitted all that is happening is your trapping and hidding all the rot and grot. IF you have a rusty part of the body and all that is done is to put a plate of metal over the top. That rust is still there. The best way is to cut it out and make a plate to fit properly. Especialy when its structal. The same with the sills really. The oversills will last as long as the standard sills, maybe. Its whats underneath that which is bad!

For the amount of work he's done to it I think he has replaced the original sills and fitted oversills. He knows what he is doing. I don't see the big deal about having oversills, as long as you drill holes for ventilation and waxoyl properly it can't be any worse. Surely, they actually reduce the amount of moisture thatgets into the sills, even with holes.

[cliche]

yup had oversills on mine. They just hide horrors. Getting rid of them during the restoration I have started on my Spi

[mini_in_progress]

mine has them on but had the originals taken off, on saying that its not good inside, just look at the first page of my build..... im definitely putting smaller ones on, i picked a oversill up the day i got the mini as it matched......its getting choped down or binned