mk1-forum.net

Has anyone been on the Heritage factory tour?
The MCR recently took a group on the tour (22nd June) when they were building Mini shells but not sure how much of the shell assembly operation you actually get to see.
(see page 22 of August 'CooperWorld' magazine)
Factory Tours
Heritage welcomes organised parties of visitors to take a look around our factory at Witney in Oxfordshire. Why not organise a group from your club?
Contact sales@bmh-ltd.com for more details.
http://www.bmh-ltd.com/

mk1 wrote:There was mention in last months MCR mag of big news coming out of BMH in the autumn.

Could that be that they have finally managed to make an internal hinge shell that has equal door gaps all the way round

Having bought a heritage Clubman shell 5/6 years ago I can testify to this.I reckon the passenger A panel was thrown at the car from the other side of the factory.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

new shell with mk1 features, 10 grand

Ha, ha, £10,000 They are having a LAUGH!

I have to be honest & say that although I am pleased to see that they have FINALLY managed to do what they set out to do about 15 years ago. It is in almost every respect exactly what I predicted it would be. It's a calafudged, mongrel with bits & bobs from all eras of Minis. No one in their right mind would pay £10,000 to decant an original car into that. The only thing it may be good for at that price is resurrecting even more flat pack S's to be sold to ignorant people with more money than sense.

You can get a REALLY, REALLY bad MK1 shell restored & painted to the highest of standards for considerably less than £10,000

Looks like the side panels are the later type as well, (gap at the top of the windows to the roof looks small) that will make fitting windows interesting

As a basis for something to race it's probably a good idea (rather than people using up 850's to satisfy demand), the rear window will be easy enough to make the 'right' size

It was always going to be a compromise but that's just a Frankenmini hybrid of assorted panels between Mk 1 to Mk4

are there enough panels available as reproductions to build a brand new shell yourself in a nick w style fashion?

i appreciate the man hours and price involved, but is it possible....

I think you're being a bit harsh guys and frankly snobbish.
Any development that aids the preservation of early minis should be welcomed for what it is.

If you look on it as mainly a shell for racers and rally cars then it makes a lot of sense.
If I seriously prang my rally car I won't want to wait months to find a spare shell and have it restored.
This makes any form of competition in a MK1 a much more realistic prospect.

It would also please a good proportion of the general public although clearly not connoisseurs like 'us'.

Mark, perhaps you should consider a 'no riff raff' title at the top of the forum welcome page?

Not what i call a MK1 shell at all ,as Simon said a shell from every era in one

I think you're being a bit harsh guys and frankly snobbish.

I really don't think that is fair criticism.

If I have a MK1 Mini to restore & I can't fit the correct panel panel, or windows then its not correct.

Yes, I agree that for some folks, particularly those who are Racing or Rallying, and aren't bothered about "piffling" details (assuming the authorities let them run, which isn't guaranteed, but in all fairness is likely) they are a good option, but if it has such things wrong as window apertures & dash then it isn't a REAL replacement for an early Mini.

I'm don't think I'm being "Snobbish", pointing incongruities like this out.

It's a fair job I suppose, I haven't seen the sides, but they do look like the doors are the wrong height which would be a major over-sight. The rest you can put right reasonably easily, I suppose it's a question of what it's worth and more than any originality it really shows the motivation of a company not to provide the right thing but to cash in on the current market trend, which I think as an enthusiast is annoying. Having said all that, if we can make these in our impoverished workshop using hand tools, why can't they:

[img][img]https://c6.staticflickr.com/6/5770/30281185253_86c30b16a5_c.jpg[/img][url=https://flic.kr/p/N8QZoV]IMG_0351[1][/img]

At the NEC Classic Car Show today ( Friday) BMH have a "NEW" mk1 Body Shell on display with doors & outside hinges !!!
They say it is a prototype shell which is just as well given the door fit gaps and bad guttering etc
It has a original type mk1 front valance ( no cut outs on the ends) but it is not built on a mk1 floor pan? .. the BMH guy says this shell was rushed out to get ready for the NEC show and is not finished yet for sale ..price not yet fixed but circa £10k + vat.
BMH say this new mk1 mini shell is aimed at historic motorsport !
Go to the NEC Classic Car Show this Sat or Sunday and have a look in hall no 2 ..

I can't believe they'd be slack enough to leave it as a rubber mounted front subframe!


If it's not a lazy reproduction it's certainly a cynical one.

I was also at the NEC & did look at the new MK 1 shell !! Didn't ask price but to discover the approx price on here, can't see how it's worth it. I am restoring a MK 2 so have a basic understanding of cost but 10 large ? Someone is having a bubble bath me thinks !!!!!!

Plus VAT, makes it £12k?!

Lets be honest it's no surprise really, the prototype shell on display will most probably be the final shell for sale too. M machine should just make their own mk1 shells for that price and do a proper job.

Personally I am pleased that this shell is a poor copy like most re made parts available today. It keeps the value in the real cars.

I am by no means a restoration expert but even to my very untrained eye the shell on display would need a LOT more attention to detail before I would part with the sort of money they are suggesting. Publicised too early and in my opinion they should have taken advice from MK1 MIni experts.

I suspect that Heritage know exactly what a MK1 shell was like. They probably hold the original drawings.
But, whatever they produced it wouldn't satisfy everyone because shell design changed from year to year.
I think that enthusiasts will continue to restore old shells to the precise detail of their particular year and those in motorsport or not too bothered will buy these.

You are probably not the customers these shells are aimed at.
Like I said before, we should celebrate their efforts because it offers another option and will keep minis in motorsport for many years to come.
Methinks we Brits just like to complain.

I think you would have good reason to be a bit miffed if you bought one and found the only window that would fit straight in from your MK 1 was the windscreen

It will be interesting to see how it is marketed