8 replies to this topic

[stuart bowes]

just a quick easy one, what's the original purpose of all the holes in the floor pan, I'm assuming some sort of reason based on drainage required during the manufacture stage, maybe related to when they used to be rotodipped?

 

interested to know though if there was some other purpose after leaving the production line

 

basically instead of replacing them I was thinking while cleaning up underneath (and straightening out all the jack dents) I might just cut circles of metal and just weld them all in before priming and painting

 

not concerned with originality in this respect (unless there is a really good reason for keeping them)

 

any info much appreciated

Edited by stuart bowes, 06 January 2024 - 10:49 PM.

[DeadSquare]

I'd wait until climate change is over. 

 

Lots of the cars on the news this week, could do with a couple of bungs in the floor.

[stuart bowes]

reminds me of that classic top gear Botswana episode

 

[stuart bowes]

no but seriously .. ok it might be worth keeping say one or two each side, not like 12 of them

 

and if they are supposed to be useful for drainage, just a normal rubber grommet would make more sense that these metal things that seem to have been fitted with glue-like sealant stuff, then hammered in and little tabs folded out on the other side, you don't want removal to be a total pain and end up damaging the finish on both sides

 

same question for for the two in the boot floor wheel-well and the three in the battery tray ?

Edited by stuart bowes, 06 January 2024 - 11:57 PM.

[Tds76]

They'll be mix of press / body tooling location holes & e-coat drainage holes.

After they stopped using rotodip they still would have been e-coated, so you need to allow air in on the way in to the tank to stop the body floating and then e-coat to drain out on the tank exit.

The bungs with wax are clipped in before the ovens to give a watertight seal. Grommets are not preferred unless used to seal pass-throughs for cables, hoses etc. 

 

Cheers, Paul. 

[sonikk4]

Myself personally I would weld them up, totally superfluous now and to be honest just another potential area to corrode.

[mab01uk]

If an early Mini I would go for originalty (replacement metal bungs below) but of course it is your choice. Most early Mini owners/restorers are 'anoraks' for original factory detail, some even try to get items like switches, etc with the correct production date stamped on them...

Later Minis had smaller rubber bungs and less of them.

 

Every Mini I have ever owned has leaked to some degree and on occasion the rubber bungs in the front footwell have been useful for draining trapped rainwater after removing wet carpets!

 

Mk1/mk2 Classic Mini Floor Bungs.

https://www.ebay.co....:Bk9SR_yQtL-cYw

Edited by mab01uk, 07 January 2024 - 12:55 PM.

[stuart bowes]

I think i might hedge my bets then, you're probably right I do want the option of drainage if required, but I'll weld up most of them, leave 1 or 2 each side maybe just the ones in the footwells (lowest point and most likely to collect water) and use the newer easier to fit and remove rubber ones

 

these look right ? https://www.ebay.co....O8aAtCiEALw_wcB

 

I guess I just leave it until it's got paint on both sides and bang them in when im doing the sound deadening  ?  maybe some silicone sealant around the hole to assist  but I don't want to really 'glue' them in

Edited by stuart bowes, 09 January 2024 - 12:32 PM.

[Steve220]

I had most welded up apart from 2 in the front Wells (one either side) and used rubber grommets and some grease.