16 replies to this topic

[scrippo]

Has anyone here paid a bodyshop to get their front end replaced?

I've been phoning round to get some quotes for the front end including inner wings and A panels, and I've been shocked with the prices I'm getting!

Let me know how much you'd expect it to cost. Once I've had a few replies I'll let you know my quotes.

Scrippo

[scrippo]

Oh by the way, I'm talking about welding new heritage panels on, not copies, or fitting a fibre front. Also including painting in the car's original colour.

[panelbeaterpeter]

£800?

[scrippo]

Not even close to the quotes I got!

If you can do it for £800 Peter I'll deliver the car over!

Any more guesses/how much you'd pay?

[panelbeaterpeter]

Well just to replace the inner wings, outer wings and front panel, and spray them, I'd charge about £800. ideally you would lose the colour down the side of the car, so that could add another £300...

[scrippo]

Even with the extra £300 it still isn't close....

I nearly fell off my chair when I got the quotes.

[mini_turbo_pete]

On Glassmatix estimating system it gives 42.7 hours, most bodyshops are on a min of £30ph on non insurance work which works out to £1281 Labour thats without any allowance for corroded pnaels that might have to be repaired then you'll have P&M on top which will probably be £250 and then VAT, so i should imagine you were having quotes or around £1800 with you supplying all the panels?

[captain kirk]

Even with the extra £300 it still isn't close....

I nearly fell off my chair when I got the quotes.

well i phoned up a local garage for a quick respray and that was 1500 quid!!!!!!! so i reckon about 2000 am i close?

[scrippo]

Yeah I had one quote for £1900, and another for £2200.

Really depressed me, thought I'd be better off crushing it and buying a new one at that price!

Might just go out and buy a welder and learn to do it myself, otherwise it could be a long time until my mini ever sees a road again.

[panelbeaterpeter]

Yeah learn to weld! doing a front end is a perfect project, and you'll always have a skill afterwards. Plus you'll be popular with all your mini owner friends

[scrippo]

Very true!

I think I might bite the bullet and get a welder and a decent mask next payday. Think I'll end up using the Mini magazine welding series to learn. How do you spot weld with a MIG welder though? All the panels seemed to be spot welded on. The inner wings seem quite a scary project.

I think I'd still get a pro to do the paint though.

[panelbeaterpeter]

It's easier to plug weld with a mig welder, basically you drill the top panel, and weld up the hole, so you end up with a pool of weld attaching the two panels. I think you can get an attachment for a mig so you can plug weld really neatly, so it looks like spot welds, I think I read it somewhere, but it could have been a dream.. I'd suggest getting a book on welding, the Haynes bodywork book is really good, get some metal, and practice LOTS. "Practice makes perfect", as they say. Don't launch into your mini until you're confident you can get a good penetrative weld. Do some destruction testing, basically weld bits of metal together using the different techniques and try to break them apart!

[mighty mini jack]

Drill the hole where the spot weld should be and fill it with weld then grind in down.

[captain kirk]

Very true!

I think I might bite the bullet and get a welder and a decent mask next payday. Think I'll end up using the Mini magazine welding series to learn. How do you spot weld with a MIG welder though? All the panels seemed to be spot welded on. The inner wings seem quite a scary project.

I think I'd still get a pro to do the paint though.

thats what i did brought a welder and taught myself that way you can keep your car on the road for ever!!!!!!!

[In-a-mini]

There is a replacment gas shield for doing plug welds but never bothered to use one myself but know people that have and they usually just weld up with the normal setup. One thing with plug welding dont try to use too smal holes you dont get weld penetration you need i use an 8mm drill for the holes this also helps if you need to pull the panels together and tack weld to one side first. then weld it up and grind it back you would never know.