9 replies to this topic

[scotty_18]

I'm in need of a new outer sill on the passenger side due to rust. There are three types of repair I can go for...

A 4 inch outer sill, 4 inches which is genuine and a straight swap.

An outer sill and floor pan to fix to the 1st groove (probably not what i want as it's only the outer sill)

Or an outer sill which is 9 inches wide from ebay, which mini suppliers don't stock. http://www.ebay.co.u...=item5d26f89874

Problem is, my cousin is doing the welding as he is a great welder. He said it'll be best to get the bigger/wider sill.

Do I get the one from ebay, which is bloody cheap or do i get the floor pan built in?
OR
Do I just tell him that the genuine 4 inch one is the best way to go?

Any advice would be great.

[OhDear]

right many will tell you keep it original with a 4 inch sill the over sills 9 inch ones trap water which we all know where that leads to plus others say 9 inch sills de- value

[sonikk4]

Why did he recommend the wider sill?? this is the incorrect sill and it needs to be the short 4" sill as this is the correct item. Is there some other damage to the inner sill??

[scotty_18]

The inner sill is fine, he only said it would make it easier for him to weld it. So go for the first one - genuine 4 inch outer sill from mini spares?

[sonikk4]

Yes either from Minispares or buy a M Machine one. They are very good.

[rosstolley]

Hope you don't mind me getting in on the action here. Iv'e got big oversills on mine at the moment but will be repairing all as you can see bellow it doesn't look good.

Question is. Will replacing the sills back to 4" originals work. Especially as the passenger side is in good nick and i only plan to remove the dodgy wide oversill, grind back, tidy up and fit the 4" sill. Will this be OK?

Bit of a Noob

[myredmini]

Thats the doorstep thats rusty there, but deffinatly, do not use 9" oversills!

[rosstolley]

Yeh,

Will be replacing Inner sill and step here but as far as the sill goes, i can take of the nasty 9" oversill and replace with the 4" with no issues?

Cheers,

Ross

[tiger99]

Yes, provided the floor has not rusted badly at the overlap, but if it has, it will need replacing too. You can get partial floors which are just the edge, ik.e. the vertical piece, and part of the sloping piece, for that very reason, but it may just need a small piece fabricated from 0.9mm steel and butt welded in, if there is local corrosion.

Wide sills are dangerously weak because the line of the welds to the floor is too far away from the vertical edge of the floor inner sill) to form a decent box section. Apart from the corrosion problem, they reduce the torsional stiffness of the shell. They should never, ever be used.

Don't buy an inner sill repair panel to replace the floor edge. They are useless, dangerously weak due to the cut-out which goes over the seat cross-member, and will fail the MOT if spotted.

While the outer sills are off is a very good time to clean and corrosion-proof everything in sight such as the jacking point, the two stiffner brackets near the ends, and the subframe mounting plates in the heelboard. It is also a very good time to free up and grease the subframe mounting bolts, as access to apply penetrating oil is never easier.

I recommend a look through the restoration threads to see what others have been doing, ignoring the idiot who spent a lot on equipping and painting a car which still has oversills fitted, which will let him down badly.....

[rosstolley]

Absolute top guidance mate.. Cheers for the advice!

Ross