14 replies to this topic

[R89Powell]

Hi all, not long purchased a mini City e 1986 and upon further inspection of the car for restoration noticed the inner wings have been cut by the previous owner, was looking for advice of there would be a way to fix this without having to replace the entire inner wings ? I've attached some pictures

Thanks in advance, much appreciated

https://ibb.co/vmG9MXK

https://ibb.co/7GTyLkG

Edited by R89Powell, 14 August 2021 - 06:22 AM.

[sonikk4]

Sorry no pictures, but recommend you use Imgur.

 

Now depending on how far back they have been cut you can buy these front sections and weld them in place.

 

https://www.minispar...|Back to search

https://www.minispar...|Back to search

[Bobbins]

With those cuts the vehicle is not in a safe condition and shouldn't be used, was it sold to you in that state with an MOT? As a minimum the sections need realigning and the cuts welding up, whether you need to do more depends upon the condition of the outer wings, a-panels etc.

[sonscar]

It is steel.template cut new section weld it in.Restoring or repairing?You could cut off the front and replace  with lots of new panels or remove the engine and replace with suitable patches.Your car your choice your budget.You will have to become adept at repairing less satisfactory previous repairs with an old Mini.

Once uEnjoy,Steve..pon a time they were cheap runabouts when the thought of a new car was like going to pluto and were kept on the road,but not always roadworthy,by dubious methods by todays standards.

[Tupers]

Looking at how the inner wings sweep out at the top I’d say that car wasn’t a Mini City originally it was a Mini Clubman that has had the front cut off and a round nose welded on.

If you want to do a proper job of it you’ll need full inner wings.

[sonikk4]

Looking at how the inner wings sweep out at the top I’d say that car wasn’t a Mini City originally it was a Mini Clubman that has had the front cut off and a round nose welded on.

If you want to do a proper job of it you’ll need full inner wings.

 

Yup i would agree with Tupers, that was / is a clubby which someone has converted rather poorly to a roundnose. (now that i can see the pictures)

 

So you may have a ringer if your V5 says mini City!!!

Now you could in theory if you so want to, restore it back to a Clubman shell by using the Clubman version front sections of the panels that i posted earlier. BUT a clubby front end is a whole heap more expensive than a roundnose.  

 

So whatever way you go you are going to have to spend some money here. Heritage roundnose inner wings are not cheap either. 

[sonscar]

Depending on your desires,skill set,budget,whether the words on the V5 or the consequences of this worry you,you could buy some flat sheet and repair it as new with some creative thinking and a few enjoyable weekends.Not everyone wants or can afford concourse builds,I cannot.Enjoy the experience,Steve..

[R89Powell]

Thanks everyone for the advice and comments so far, but am now more then a bit concerned regarding the ringer suggestions.. the vin plate on the car matches what's on the v5, but putting the suggestions into consideration I am aware that this could of easily been changed in the past, the engine plate number of the engine in the car now does not match that of the one on the v5 but was under the impression its had some form of engine change at some point possibly and not been updated ? I'm hoping it's not a ringer and wanted to ask of there is anything else anyone knows about that I can try identify that it was/is a clubman or on the other hand its what it says it is just to put my now worried mind at ease, many thanks

Edited by R89Powell, 14 August 2021 - 09:25 PM.

[Homersimpson]

Does the floor have a factory sound deadening on it?   If not then that would be a sign (although it could have been removed and also some late clubmans did have this) so its not conclusive either way.

 

Do you have any photos of the inner wings from within the engine bay?

 

The inner wings on later cars also had a strengthing part pressed into them below the air vent, i'm not sure what year this started though but your car doesn't appear to have it.

 

I'm also not sure at what date they started stamping the VIN number into the scuttle panel but someone on here will know (although of course the scuttle could have been changed although it would be unusal on cars before the 1990's).

Edited by Homersimpson, 14 August 2021 - 10:35 PM.

[R89Powell]

Thanks for your reply, I will get some pictures up of the inner wings from within the engine bay

https://ibb.co/bsqM6yj best I could get right now as its to dark

I'm aware that the front end has been replaced at some point in the past albeit recently and badly just want to try confirm somehow that its not been ringed

Edited by R89Powell, 14 August 2021 - 10:59 PM.

[Tupers]

Yes unfortunately that is a clubman inner wing.

If it was an original round nose the inner wing would come up vertically with a flange for the wing to sit on top of but the Clubman ones flare out as the bonnet is wider.


How long ago did you buy the car and how was it described?

[R89Powell]

Been doing some digging myself online and have to come to the same conclusion, which has come as a massive blow as you can imagine.. but thankfull for the clarification! Purchased it about 2 months ago now, new v5 in my name came through fine few weeks later, was sending it away in September for restoration and all new front panels, but safe to say I'm at a loss now with what to do, it was listed locally on Facebook and was listed up as a 1986 mini city e 998cc

Edited by R89Powell, 15 August 2021 - 12:37 AM.

[R89Powell]

Anyone have any advice on what to do next ?

[Homersimpson]

I guess it depends on why it had its ID changed, its quite common and usually it was because people wanted to make their car tax exempt and thats why you see lots of cars on early log books which clearly have later shells.

 

Its a bit odd though why yours has an earlier shell on a later logbook, it may just be that it lost its identity at some point and someone has just bought and used a mini logbook from a scrap mini.

 

As part of the restoration you could change the inner wings to the correct ones and then it wouldn't really be any different to a 1986 car but it depends on why it was done and whether there is anything dubious in its history (like being stolen for example although given that a 1986 mini isn't massibly desireable compared to a MK3 cooper S and its not in good condition its probably unlikely).

 

The only other thing to do is contact the DVLA but that way is a whole world of pain and will probably end up with a Q plate.  Do you have any redress against the seller on facebook, do they have other mini's parts for sale (suggesting that they might be a trader even if only from home and hence have access to other cars and logbooks).

 

Personally if you can't get your money back I would just restore what you have on the basis that there is no way to work out what it was before and you can't really do anything about it without the original ID.  There are loads of minis on e-bay (and i've even seen some on here) that clearly don't have the same identity that they started life with, its not right but its the way it is.

[Cooperman]

Best advice I can give is DO NOT CONTACT DVLA. That could cause a world of pain for you.

You do need to get it structurally correct, so cut off the front wings, fit new inner wings and new outer wings and any other bodywork necessary.

Then you'll be good to go.