Floor Start Floor Panel

[Spitz]

I need new front floor panels. Van is a 61

Is there a panel specifically for a floor start car, or does one have to modify a regular floor pane?

[Daz1968]

my car is a 62 floor start and panels from M machine were fine, just had drain holes in front and my originals didn't.

[Spitz]

Was the right side formed for the starter or did you needle to adapt it?

[Daz1968]

I think only very early shells had the hump in floor for floor start, these would be flush window wheels I think with totally different floor pans, later cars had same floor panel as all mk1 and mk2 cars with the round tunnel and the starter is just mounted in a hole on the tunnel. A picture of the car may help

[Spitz]

Will snap one later....it may not be pretty

[Smiffy]

They had the lump in the floor for the starter up until the floor pan was changed for the rod type gearbox.

[minimans]

Early cars had a separate pressing for the floor start is that what you mean?

[Smiffy]

Don't think it was ever a separate piece, it was there up until about 72/73 when the rod change floor pan was introduced.

[minimans]

59 mini had a separate panel spot welded in place for the start button, I was thinking maybe this was what he wanted as was talking about a panel not the floor itself?

[Daz1968]

Below is a pic of my 62 showing hole in hump near tunnel where the floor starter goes, it's early in resto before I had painted it



Earlier cars had a seperate pressing but the floor pan itself was also different
My floor pans are original, only inner sills are changed so I know it's correct

[Spitz]

Here's the floor.
It's smooth underneath so has not been replaced before. The only change is the PO butchered in a remote shift.
I did actually mean the floor minimans.....the floor panel. It looks like this starter lump may actually be a separate panel....too cold to go out and look again right now.
So the question....will a run of the mill floor panel replacement work or do I need a specific earlier one?

It's actually not a large hole in the floor....maybe just a patch needed(?)

[mab01uk]

Up to Mid October 1959 starter button housing is a separate pressing spot welded in place. This goes with the large floor pan depressions.

Mid October 1959 onwards floor starter housing incorporated into the floor pressing. (until rod change tunnel introduced).

Scroll down for photos:-
http://1959miniregister.com/variations-shell/

[Spitz]

Yes…I understand all that.


My car is not a 59….the starter button area may have been patched at some point or just a bad picture.

Maybe I'm not being clear somehow.

Is there a floor panel available for floor start specific cars OR does one get a regular floor and mould it around the floor start bulb area?

I've read over that again….don't think I can be any clearer with the question

[minimans]

No your clear my misunderstanding I'm afraid I don't know the answer to the question though, but I understand the M machine do the closest reproduction floors for a MKI so I would think that they would have the panel or maybe a patch panel to help you out?
http://www.m-machine.co.uk/catalogue.html


Page 25 of the catalog
Try Part#21.31.04.75 center hump for MKI Traveller and MKI and MKII van and pickup

[mab01uk]

Yes…I understand all that.


My car is not a 59….the starter button area may have been patched at some point or just a bad picture.

Maybe I'm not being clear somehow.

Is there a floor panel available for floor start specific cars OR does one get a regular floor and mould it around the floor start bulb area?

I've read over that again….don't think I can be any clearer with the question

Yes.....but ALL floor panels up to the Rod change era have a floor start 'bulb' area regardless of whether it was ever fitted with a floor starter button.....so any floor panel available for a Mk1/2 or early Mk3 Mini should accomodate it.

[mk1]

To answer your question.

The best FLOOR panels you can get are from Mini-Machine. These floor pans are simply that the flat floor sections, there is no part of the bump for the starter on these panels as this is considered to be part of the tunnel.

I have used many of these floor panels over the years & have never had to cut anything out to make it fit around the starter hump. I seem to think this is because the floor panel does not actually get as close to the centre as the hump.

Probably the best thing to do is have a look in the catalogue;

http://www.m-machine.co.uk/cat.pdf

And give Doreen a ring if you are still in doubt.

[Smiffy]

The hump/bump is part of the tunnel, but you do need to cut the floor panels to suit. A least you do with the half floor pans.

[Pete]

Blimey this threads gone round in circles abit! As Smiffy says you do have to trim the MM panels around the starter hump whether you buy a the quarter or half floor panel. Looking at your photo I'd say the little hole on the floor's the least of your problems and that your 'hump' seems to have been patched in/over. If you are going to leave that in situ I'd be tempted just to do a local repair of the hole or in fact do the lot? (budget premitting??). Also worth mentioning that the MM floor panels are also just a little different from your early one, ie they have the later curved outer flute pressed in 'em being the most obvious difference.

[Spitz]

Yes...lol...I thought it was a straightforward question

Thanks Mk1, and other, for some clarification.

I'll get out there and give it a bit of a clean up and get better pictures to see what's what and what needs doing.
My shop isn't heated and it's -31 supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow.

[mk1]

My shop isn't heated and it's -31 supposed to warm up a bit tomorrow.