Advice on early 1960 Mini Minor

[Dearg1275]

Help and advice needed here. I have just become the proud (?) owner of a early 1960 Morris Mini Minor. It is the deluxe version.

My first concern is getting the shell sound again. It is extremely well rotted in the floor and boot (total replacement is needed) but the left hand sill has magaged to survive in original form. I know this is the second type of floor the minis had and the dilemma is whether to try to replicate the original style of floor or "upgrade" to the post 1962 arrangement of fluted separate outer sills. The other possibility is to tread a middle road keeping the inner sill structure and fitting separate outer sills.

I am sure I will come up against many early quirks as I go but if anyone can give me pre warning of what I might find that is different to later cars, it would be very much appreciated. E.g did early 1960 cars have inner A panels?

Your thoughts and any help is most welcome.

David

[mab01uk]

On my brothers '61 Traveller below, luckily the early seperate inner sill panels that lapped to the floor were still ok, so we retained them in position with their floor flange and then replaced the floors and seperate flat outer sills to keep the non-fluted look, all panels from Mini-Machine. Note: If the sills are foam filled it needs to be removed before any welding!
http://minitravellerandcountrymanregist ... &Itemid=17

[Daz1968]

I would replace full floor with correct m machine supplied panel you will only regret it if you fit a later floor.

[Dearg1275]

Thanks both,
I spoke to Doreen at Mini machine earlier today. It was most encouraging to know that there was light at the end of the tunnel and correct panels were available for the floor. it will be different and it will be interesting to discover just how damp carpets do get from the drain holes in the inner sills.

[Andrew1967]

Providing you don't take the car out in the wet, the carpets will be fine

I'm lucky in that my '60 has its original floors and foam filled sills and even the odd time it has been out in the wet, the carpets and underlay have not suffered.

I'd certainly be inclined to fill the sills with expanding foam once restored.

[java gt]

Are panels available for the interim floor i.e.not the 59/60 ones but the 60/61 with the big footwell.I thought they were unavailable and the advice I had for my late 60 was to fit the complete M Machine 59/60 floor as it had the flat sill.Not trying to hijack a thread just interested.

[STG95F]

M-Machine only do the smaller type floor pressing with the outer flute curve , but with the early flat sills .

[STG95F]

And photo of Single skin A panels

Hope that's some help


Ian

[Dearg1275]

Thanks. A great help. If I really want to be spot on then it will have to be some clever metal bashing to reshape the M machine foot wells. Is life just a little too short perhaps?

Ian,That now looks a nice solid shell. Did you have to deal with the inward flare of the inner sill against the subframe mount panel?

David

[mk1]

I'd certainly be inclined to fill the sills with expanding foam once restored.

If you do this BEWARE! When Injecting polyurethane foam into sills it is possible to split the newly repaired sills straight off the car! The foam can exert tremendous force on a new repair if it skins over before taking up the entire void.

You may be tempted to think that if the repair is welded solid this could never happen. I have seen it with my own eyes, thankfully not on one of my cars.

The "squirty foam" available from DIY type places is very different stuff to the 2 part pourable foam used in the factory.

The other thing to bear in mind if you do decide to attempt your own foam filling is WAXOYL the box section thoroughly FIRST! PE foam absorbs moisture & can increase the rate of rot over a non foamed panel.

The main difference between a new foam fill & an after market one is that there will ALWAYS be some rust in a repaired panel, something that was happily absent in the factory.

[STG95F]

Good Point Mark

Sorry David , what part of the inner sill / subframe mounting ??

[Brian Thurston]

Surely if one uses closed cell foam (as in this country Norway) used for sealing window frames in place on exterior walls, then there should not be a problem with absorbing moisture.

[rich@minispares.com]

Surely if one uses closed cell foam (as in this country Norway) used for sealing window frames in place on exterior walls, then there should not be a problem with absorbing moisture.

the other problem of foam filling the sills is that instead of the easy to replace sill rotting away, the water sits on top of the foam and rusts the bottom of the quarter panel

[mk1]

Sorry, My explanation wasn't very clear. Its not the actual foam that absorbs water but water is absorbed between the foam & the sill & wicks up between the two. Rich's point is also a very good one.

[Andrew1967]

Maybe retro filling sills is not such a good idea, but the original type foam has certainly saved the sills and adjacent panels on my car.

Not sure how good the welding was if foam split the welds though. After all, just because a weld looks good does not mean it is .

[Pete]

Modern expandng foam absorbs water for fun, and some expand alot more than others. Also depends how much the car is used cos actually I still think condensation in the box section causes most the rust, not necessarily rain water. The foam would definately stop that but on balance probably not worth the risk either way. Would be interesting getting it out if you changed your mind!

[Dearg1275]

Sorry David , what part of the inner sill / subframe mounting ??

Ian,
In the rear companion boxes the inner sill tuns towards the centre of the car,whereas on the later cars it goes straight back. I just wondered, if you had to replace the heel board that rear subframe bolts to, how the inner sill related to it. No doubt I will find out sooon enough.

As to the foam, it sounds a bit of a mine field. It was only a factory temporary expedient anyway and probably not the best thought out solution. Rather like the foam rubber stuffed in the tops of the A pillars. Cars were not actually meant to last back then. I think I might give the foam a miss.

Again thanks for all your observations.

David

[STG95F]

In the rear pocket area there's no inner sill part as such , just outer sill to the quarter panel join also the subframe mounting is different to the later type , all it has is an angle bracket with captive nuts , Sorry difficult to explain

I was lucky i did not have to replace the heel board on mine

Ian

[java gt]

I am a novice on the early cars as well.I have taken the decision to live with the M Machine floor rather than try to fabricate the correct footwells.If that was the smallest thing wrong with the car given it's current state I would be very happy.

[STG95F]

You can make the later type floors almost the same quite easy , by adding the larger grommet holes and original jig mounting bolts etc . so the only thing is the outer flute curve .