32 replies to this topic

[stuart bowes]

that's all fair enough and true I'm sure but assuming the boot floor is existing (?) and the car alignment previously had no issues (?)  then the boot floor holes are probably correctly positioned (or as close as the factory ever got) and therefore it's probably fair to assume the ones in the floor pan are wrong .. and, then referring back to the pictures it seems pretty obvious that they're misaligned.. 

 

that is a lot of 'assuming' I know but I feel like it's reasonable in this case

 

personally I'd just do like I said at the beginning which is cut the nuts off and reposition them (either by welding in existing holes and measuring new outwards from the center, or by simply elongating the original holes in the obvious direction)  but I can understand how that would be really annoying to have to do on a brand new floor 

Edited by stuart bowes, 13 November 2023 - 04:42 PM.

[AlexB]

If I bolt the subframe to the boot floor mounting holes, it no longer aligns, as it sits to the left of the heel board holes (well, to the right but the car is upside down). 

Edited by AlexB, 13 November 2023 - 04:46 PM.

[stuart bowes]

exactly, as to be expected, but by how much ?

[AlexB]

I think 6mm or so. Fair bit!

[stuart bowes]

interesting.. so you've got the 2.5mm from the hole locations being wrong then an extra few mm just for fun lol

 

so I suppose my method in that case would be, remove existing bolts, weld in holes, mark and re-drill the right hole positions going from centre of floor pan to get that visually as good as possible, (although one downside of it all being a one piece jobby is access to cut and weld is a bit more of a faff) clamp up and mount subframe to ensure all 4 fixing locations are right, weld in the new nuts and adjust your clamps at the sills and steps etc to even it out as best as possible.

 

I suppose before welding you can try out those measurements from the haynes (other sources are available) if you wanted before you weld it all together

 

or. as above but get another floor pan sent out but is that going to be dead centre ? ask them to check before sending I guess

 

this isn't professional advice obviously and I'm sure others may disagree which is fine

Edited by stuart bowes, 13 November 2023 - 06:27 PM.

[AlexB]

Yep, sounds about right doesn't it. 

 

Waiting on the vendor to measure the other one they have in stock at the moment, but they said they suspect mine is "within tolerances". 

[stuart bowes]

lol classic mini tolerance.  to the nearest inch

[skoughi]

What you could try before you do any cutting and welding is to purchase a laser level, the type that can project horizontal and vertical lines and make sure that it can project downwards two lines at 90 deg to each other. Fashion a suitable stand for it to clamp to then spend a bit of time finding out the centre line of the body and the centre line of your new floor and line them up as best you can. At the same time you'll be able to level up the floor going by the sill line and across the heelboard, it all takes a while but it all helps. Then once you get the new floor all lined up to the shell and clamped in place you'll have a reliable datum to measure the mounting holes to and the centre line of the subframe. I'm currently doing all this carry on to a recently started project and I'm replacing the heelboard and boot floor along with replacing the back edge of the main floor and it's thrown up some interesting data. Like the factory fitted heelboard was not square to the shell centre line! 

[AlexB]

Heard back from the vendor now - and essentially "they're all like that". 

 

They suggested stringing the subframes and fitting the floor based on that, rather than altering the captive nuts - but I guess it's all much the same - and both jobs really need doing - square the subframes, and then work out how to build the car around that.

 

Thanks all. Not sure I'd have bought a new floor if I thought it'd be worse than the **** one I removed!

[stuart bowes]

for me it still comes down to those boot floor holes though, are you willing to adjust those at all, if not that pretty much dictates where the subframe sits (again presumably you didn't use to have handling issues? in which case that IS your datum point)

 

in which case it's more about making the floor fit the existing/previous fitting position, and adjusting the floor locating position only works so far before the seams don't line up enough to be welded

 

as you say I guess it's a mix of the two depending on how far out it ends up

Edited by stuart bowes, 14 November 2023 - 09:25 AM.

[AlexB]

I think I'll need to alter the mounting holes a bit, yep. :/

[stuart bowes]

that is piss poor though for a heritage panel, I can understand having to trim a little around the edges or even adjust the seam position, done that a couple of times, but fixing positions should have some time and attention paid to them, not even being central is a rubbish effort

 

not really the vendors fault I suppose

[AlexB]

Or it should at least mention the potential tolerances when you're buying. 

[sonikk4]

that is piss poor though for a heritage panel, I can understand having to trim a little around the edges or even adjust the seam position, done that a couple of times, but fixing positions should have some time and attention paid to them, not even being central is a rubbish effort

 

not really the vendors fault I suppose

 

Defo not the vendors fault. Heritage although pretty much the best you can get still relies on the human touch to set things up in a jig / press etc.

 

My first Heritage Clubman bonnet was shocking to say the least. Looked ok on the outside but underneath was a different story. That puppy went back to Minispares who replaced it with another after i checked it before walking out of the shop with it.

 

That bonnet had BL Friday afternoon written all over it. Now the front panel was pants as well, however this time i refettled it to get it to a much more acceptable standard.

 

My Heritage Heelboard, i did weld up the captive nuts before fitting the outer sill. I have been down the road of spinning captive nuts on a freshly painted car. Never again!!!

[AlexB]

Interesting re: captive nuts. Maybe having to re-do them now will actually be a blessing!