44 replies to this topic

[Horse-flamin'nora]

i've got a stell flip front (fibre glass bonnet if you want to be picky) its no where near as strong jsut to the point i can sit on it easily.. but if you were fitting a flip then stell is defiantly worht looking at!

[Brawlyrox]

This post has been really interesting thanks everybody, i have now moved away from looking at f/g fronts and into steel

[Alburglar]

And I thought the "what brakes?" topic was a marmite question!

[mighty_mini]

Ick! Marmite! :nugget:

[siggy]

Marmite UuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuKKKKKKKK

Tastes like errmmmm S££e

Siggy

PS should we start a new thread or just!!!!!

[bluebottle]

there should be a law against marmite! :sick:

[Sfanatic]

There should be a law against those dangerous flip fronts!!!

[Cooperman]

Here's the 'Flip-Front' thread, now back at the top.

[Alex1380]

all very intersting, seems to me some people have missed other peoples point. seems to me, the people FOR the flip fronts are saying the brace bars and metal frame under the flip front are stonger then a metal front i think people agenist the flip fronts are right the fiber glass won't do anything but shatter in a crash and won't help at all. but the frame work under will, its solid and mounth to the bluck head and would help the subframe from moving when in a crash, so i see both sides and i need to look in to it more, i don't want to restart the argument. so if you want to tell me im wrong or talking ******* please email me.
Thanks
Alex.

[1976 clubamn]

the nini i ave just sent to be sprayed has a full fibreglass front, the brace bars that atach to the bulkhead and the bottom of the subframe make it very stable and strong. combined with this i have fia aproved momo seats, four point harnesses and a 7 point roll cage, this makes it all very stable and safe. for anyone considering a flip front i would recomend what i have. i would also say that these brace bars make the front ebd stronger than the standard, as the standard is just sheet steal and is weak in an impact. the boxsection brace bars are very strong and ridged making a stronger frame.

the other reason i chose to do this was to make engine access very easy for maintainace etc. i have added this picture to show the shut lines between the fibreglass and the a panal, quit good i think.

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[Pippy]

Hi

Just wanted to add my tuppence worth on this one.
My husband fitted a steel flip front to Percy and added 1" square box tubing brace bars, which I think has added considerable strength to the front of my 24 year old Mini. The steel front was constructed using genuine panels and I like to think that it looks good.

On the access point of view - I think the flip front made changing the clutch a whole lot easier as the engine didn't have to come out, which I think in the majority of cases it has to..unless you've arms like a monkey!!

Cheers
Pippy

[Sfanatic]

Can't agree.
The flip front bracing has not been properly designed to take out the possible impact loads.
How were the stress calculations done? Who did the stress calculations? Did the person doing the calculations have an engineering degree in structural engineering and the necessary primary load data to create a finite element model for calculation purposes?
Without this defined data how can anyone say that the strength is increased from the original?
The original is a monocoque construction where the complete bodyshell is designed and tested to take the static and dynamic loads imposed during all forms of normal driving.
Flip fronts are all guesswork and should, in my opinion, be banned as failing to meet the construction and use regulations.

[Alburglar]

Agreed.
Just because the front end is sturdy with the bracing on is irrelevant to how it will be distribute the stress load of an impact.

I think that sums up the point that the 'against' people are making.

[1976 clubamn]

fair argument. i think i will leave it at that. im still having one though.

[mickeyd515]

im totally not a fan of them they never seem to look right mught just be me