Jig for early A-panels

[rolesyboy]

Does or has anybody used or made a jig to ensure correct fitment of MK 1 and 2 A panels?? I am thinking box steel with bolts welded to it in the appropriate position ie hinge positions using a suitable datum point. This would potentially prevent having to hang a door in place and hoping that it stays put with the appropriate gaps etc.
Unfortunately I am not clever enough to identify any glaring problems I will have inevitably overlooked but it struck me as a good idea. I am full of good ideas but would anybody care to comment, come up with a better idea or shoot me down. Perhaps this could be added in the How to Do It section?? Lets banish sailors legs forever..... Cheers. Mark

PS Whoever built that gold S bodyshell had a box tube jig for reference and that looks like a brilliant bit of engineering so perhaps they could chuck in their tuppence worth.

[guru_1071]

the trouble is that such a jig would assume that all doors, frames and a panels are all the same.


that assumption would quickly end in tears i think!


i think that the best option is to 'simply' shuffle the intended panels around until they look right

[rolesyboy]

Shot down. What did I say....

[clm]

It may end in tears but I did make my own jigs to help me get them back in a similar place...



Chris

[rolesyboy]

Now thats what I am talking about! Any chance of a few close up pics for the how to do it section?? Cheers. Mark

[clm]

Well if people don't mind a forum crosslink, most of my ramblings have happened on TMF

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/to ... orris-850/

they were built into



On page 15 is when I mage the hinge jigs.

Chris

[guru_1071]

the jig thing is a nice idea, for a single use - made to measure a vehicle, but if you take into account that the production tolorance of a mini shell is +/- 1/8" you just couldnt rely on it been perfect for every shell.

making it and using it to help replace the a panels on one vehicle using the same doors, it would help, but i suspect that by the time the jig was made, it would be quicker just to do it 'rack of eye'

the most sensible option, in my opinion, is to make the hole fit the door, hopefully banishing the dreaded 'sailors leg' to the history books!!!

[contour51]

I've not got around to do this procedure on my car yet.
But as a 'Layman',would it not be easier to just tack weld 4 small tabs on on the outer skin of the door ? 1 X top of window frame,1 X lock side,1 x each end at bottom.Then offer it into an acceptable finished position in the frame and tack weld the other ends of the tabs to body work.
Is this "Do able or Laff able"
Cheers
Gareth

[guru_1071]

I've not got around to do this procedure on my car yet.
But as a 'Layman',would it not be easier to just tack weld 4 small tabs on on the outer skin of the door ? 1 X top of window frame,1 X lock side,1 x each end at bottom.Then offer it into an acceptable finished position in the frame and tack weld the other ends of the tabs to body work.
Is this "Do able or Laff able"
Cheers
Gareth

it would be a waste of time gareth as it wouldnt fix the dreaded sailors leg problem, you need to be able to open and shut the door before the a panel is tacked to allow the door to 'relax' into the frame and make sure that everything is happy.


you need to be able to take the door away, to check the return lip of the a panel.

the biggest error people make is to get the door square in the frame (which your idea would help with), but then weld the a panel too far into the car - its this error that kicks the bottom of the door out. the amount the a panle needs to be out to create a shocking error at the other end is tiny, so you need ot be able measure & check lots!

i like to see the door open and shut with and without the seal to know that its all right, once the a panel is in the right place so that the bottom rear of the door is correct, its fairly easy to shuffle the door around to equalize the frame gaps.

just the other day i was speaking to a long term restorer of proper concours s's, he said he still allows a day a side to get the doors to fit perfect and thinks that understanding the relationship between the a panel placement and the eventual door fit is one of the hardest things to do bang on right.

what chance do we have eh?

[pad4]

put the door in the hole, get the gaps right, tack the door to the shell and build from there

everything will line up really well

Pad

[rolesyboy]

No sailors legs???