47 replies to this topic

[camp freddy]

could anyone give me a measurement for positioning of external door hinges?
pref from the bottom of the door and centers between hinges.

I am fitting externals to a later shell.

[ian]

If no one has measured it for you by this afty, i'll go out to the van and do it, infact i have a new a panel somewhere, i could measure from the bottom to the holes if you know what i mean.

[Woody]

the best way is to get hold of an external hinge "A" panel and doorskin and make templates

[ginigwunkle]

do the doors still open?

are you using the internal hinges still?

[camp freddy]

do the doors still open?

are you using the internal hinges still?

internal hinges have been removed as the studs snapped when removing.

[ginigwunkle]

so are you using the mk1 type a panel and post?

if not will the later panels cope???

[Globule]

so are you using the mk1 type a panel and post?

if not will the later panels cope???

i highhhhhhhhly doubt it

[ginigwunkle]

so how will the doors hold then?

im confuggled

been wanting to do the hinges on my mk3.....

[Globule]

If you using only exterior, you need to use the older style a-panels i reckon as the later versions would most likely not be able to take the weight! Im not an expert but i sense looking at how they are, they arent exactly solid! Also you wont be able to use both (i wanted to )

[mkw]

the a panel would just buckle!

[Amy]

If you using only exterior, you need to use the older style a-panels i reckon as the later versions would most likely not be able to take the weight! Im not an expert but i sense looking at how they are, they arent exactly solid! Also you wont be able to use both (i wanted to )

You probably know all this already and have all your plans sorted, but just in case........


I'm not claiming to be an expert either, but you'll need to do a lot more than change the A-panels to use MK1 hinges on a MK3 shell.....

The hinges and panels alone are not strong enough to hold the weight of a door, they were rubbish on the old minis (we have some, so I speak from experience) they drop all the time, making it hard to keep the door lined up. On the van sometimes I can't even get the door open from the inside!

As Globule says, you can't use the two hinges either, as the MK3 door hinges pull the door inside the cavity behind the A-Panel, making it impossible to fit external hinges as well.


It will be a hell of a lot of work...... also, there is no exact measurement for these things, you'll need to line them up in situ and make sure you have them in the right order, each hinge is different.....

[Woody]

the best way is to get hold of an external hinge "A" panel and doorskin and make templates

Hi , i should have mentioned you will also need to put brackets behind the "A" panels to take the weight of the door as the doors on the later minis are much heavier also adding to the problem , a plate welded inside the door where the hinges bolt should do the trick , the later style door catches should make opening the doors easier , replacing the glass with polycarb would lighten them a bit and making them slide would do away with the heavy winding gear .

[camp freddy]

so how will the doors hold then?

im confuggled

been wanting to do the hinges on my mk3.....

If you look at my posting 'Bootifull' you will see that the car is by no
way standard. It has the mk4 doors and 'A' panels, when I have aquired
the position for the hinges then the mounting points will be appropriately
strenghtened . obviously this will not be the same strenghthening as on
a MK1/2 car. ie inner 'A' panels

[camp freddy]

Thanks for all your concerns, I have already taken all these factor into account
ps I have removed the internal hinges. I just want to know if anyone has or can give
me a measurement for positioning the hinges as I am aware they are ALL different
( diffferent radius on the mounting faces)

[ian]

Sorry it took me so log i forgot.

ok from the bottom on the a panel, where the lip is to the center of the hinge, inline with the hinge pin:
top hinge 17 1/4''
bottom hinge 4 5/8''

if you need anymore let me know, oh that was passenger side.