7 replies to this topic

[minilady]

How do you get the doors off a 1981 mini?

Even with the door restrainers disconnected, the doors don't open far enough to get a screwdriver on the hinge screws at the correct angle. And the screws won't budge anyway, even if I heat them with a blowtorch and bash them.

Am I missing something obvious? - do you have to knock out the hinge pins or something?

[Wil_h]

""Am I missing something obvious? - do you have to knock out the hinge pins or something?""

Yes. there are 4 nuts behind the A-panel (2 for each hinge). You'll need to turn the wheel or take it off to reach them. They're usually covered in dirt and very rusty. Best to clean them up with a wire brush and then use a bit of release spray before you try undoing them.

Wil

[syholl]

Even a 2 year old can manage this....

 working3.jpg   93.1K   4 downloads

We start them young in our family...!!

You can see the 4 nuts in question here. Be very careful with these, as they shear off SO easily. And hinges aren't particularly cheap. About £60 for 4 i think.... Leave them soaking in penetrating oil for as long as possible before attempting anything....

[mini-mad-dan]

if they do round off some of these ideas may help clicky

[minidaves]

get some loctite freezr and release from halfords or alike and spray the nuts with this stuff then some plus gas after giving them the wire brush treatment and they should undo ok oh and make sure the socket fits really well like a proper 7/16's af

dave

[minilady]

Thanks for the tips and warnings. I didn't know about the nuts. On my car, the nuts in question are just vague bulges under a mound of black sealant, so they're probably rusted (in my experience the purpose of "underseal" seems to be to seal in the water so it can rust better ) ).

I was actually trying to remove the large Phillips-type screws that fix the hinges to the *door*, because they're the ones that I can get a screwdriver onto, and I figured they wouldn't be as rusty as the ones which go into the A panel Are there also nuts on the inside of the door, and if so, are they accessible?

[Cookie Monster]

Are there also nuts on the inside of the door

Only if knocking on door of the local Lunatic Asylum

(Sorry couldn't resisit )

[Dan]

No the hinge screws are threaded directly into the door frame itself and a stiffener plate. As you have found you can't really get to the screw heads and the hinges don't come apart. The only way to remove the doors without starting to damage things that you don't need to is to take off the nuts under the arches as said above. At least try it before you resort to other things.