Seam strip fit

[mini_surfari]

Any help would be greatly received gents.

I thought I was nearing the end of the metal work on the Van, however, on trying the seam strips yesterday (drivers side, no problems at all) I find the passenger side is miles off. Now there is nothing wrong with the seam strip (tested on both sides).

I believe the problem to be the A panel, as it hits the A panel before meeting the wing and scuttle. But I'm not sure where I've gone wrong, as the door fits well on this side, the only slight issue is the wing sits a little further in than the a panel, to get good bonnet/ scuttle gaps. Even if the wing was pulled out a little, it'd still leave a gap by the scuttle join.

I have attached some pictures to aid my ramblings, if any one does have any tips, or can see where I've blatantly gone wrong I would appreciate your input.

Thanks

[Nick W]

When the A panel and wing are not level, its often a case of trimming the A panel side of the seam finisher.
Hard to tell from the pictures how bad it is on yours, but any more than a few mm and it can be difficult to get a satisfactory result.
You may need to adjust things with a hammer and block if it's miles off.

[LarryLebel]

It's a Mini. Don't worry about it!

[InnoCooperExport]

Mine on the Inno are like that... I handed over the bodywork portion of my resto to make sure I wouldn't have to deal with these sort of headaches but despite my bodyworker assuring me they fit, they don't. He even had them painted already... Now I have to deal with getting them right and painted again

Glad to see I am not alone in this. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

[iain1967s]

Years ago I had this problem. I couldn't be arsed to try and re-fettle the panels, so I just modified the strip instead...

Cut 2 or 3 radial lines with a hacksaw where it needs to be bent more acutely, but only up to the outer spine, not cut all the way off.

Fit the strip to the body without using the clips, and dolly the new bend so it fits properly up against the panels.

Then carefully lever it off, put a piece of brass or copper sheet inside the trim strip to keep the two sides separate.

MIG over the triangular gaps on both sides, then linish it back flat.

Once it's sprayed up and fitted on the car, you really don't notice the difference as both sides are not really visible at the same time.

[Nick W]

Looking again, it looks a little nipped in here I think.
To bring this out in metal, you will have to make a cut tight up against the seam as pictured in red , and then pull it out and reweld it...not easy but probably the quickest solution .
Or do as Ian says above
Nick

[mini_surfari]

Thanks for the thoughts so far,

Iain, unfortunately I don't think sectioning the seam cover will do it, as the door side of the strip is right up against the body properly once pushed in.

Nick, your option of slicing and pulling may be the only way, however will it come far enough? as the scuttle and wing are welded together underneath.

I shall try and get some better photos tonight, really cant believe I've got it so wrong compared to the otherside

[Nick W]

You could also look at slicing the A panel side , and tapping the A panel in, but you said the door fits nice and move this too much and it'll look odd to the door if you see what I mean.

[mini_surfari]

I've tried taking some slightly better photos of the issue, you'll see where I was a wolly when trimming the excess off the seams, as the front looks nice and neat, and the rearward looks ruined.

(also note how much lower the wing is on this side). I have noticed a good handful of earlier cars that the N/S wing does line up on the swage line properly. Drivers side again is spot on.

[mini_surfari]

last two.

The door gap I think is quite good, and this is why I'm lost as to whats gone wrong.

[Nick W]

Ah I see now, as the wing is low it has increased the width of the seam wing side.
Probably not what you want to hear but I would take the wing off and have another go , it should definitely line up with the line in the top of the A panel.
I see it looks ok at the bottom of the seam but this is easily altered where as the top area isn't.

[STG95F]

last two.

The door gap I think is quite good, and this is why I'm lost as to whats gone wrong.

Are your A panels M-Machine full A panels ? , The last pair i had off them wanted reworking to make fit etc (swage lines )

[mini_surfari]

Nick, I think you’re right with the wing will probably have to be replaced. However what I did find, is the it took an awful lot of manipulation to get it to fit just like that. As it was 10mm short of meeting the a panel.

Also, if I more the wing up and out, the seam strip still won’t meet in the area by the scuttle panel, if that makes sense?

The A panels are indeed the m machine full panels... swapped the heritage ones out for them as I thought it’d make the job easy haha.

[Nick W]

Has it had a new scuttle?
If so it may need altering when the wings off. You'll need to compare it to the O/S which fits ok. It may just need lifting up a little, then bring the wing up , the wing should look more wrapped round the scuttle so to speak.

[Daz1968]

To aid lining up on seams I used a small piece of flat with a groove cut in it, this could then bridge the seam and check level both sides, it’s probably best to do as above because it’s easy at this stage and it’s something that will always haunt you.

[mini_surfari]

Nick, yeah it has had a new scuttle, which lined up well with the original measurements etc. However it wasn’t the original front end as had been in a prang, so I have used my other mini as reference.

Agreed Daz, it’s been bugging me anyway since I knew I messed it up. However the seam strip has been the final straw on this side. I do have the concern still that the A panel is maybe leaning out a full mm too fair now though.

[almond green mk1]

. if you unpick the seam and lift the wing up this may bring it into line

[Aussie Bill B]

Door hinge to cover mould clearance.jpg

None of these strips fit well.
But I have had similar issues with these cover strips, like everyone else here.

I notice that in "Image 5427" (view looking forward from the door side of the seam) you have the hinge in place and the cover mould won't push on fully.
It might be worth shaving metal off the nose of the hinge so that you get a slight gap between the hinge and the cover mould which will allow the full adjustment of the hinge/door and that it isn't interfering with the cover mould fitting fully.

[mini_surfari]

It might be worth shaving metal off the nose of the hinge so that you get a slight gap between the hinge and the cover mould which will allow the full adjustment of the hinge/door and that it isn't interfering with the cover mould fitting fully.

Thanks for the reply Bill, I see what your saying, but if you notice in the picture the Seam strip is touching the a panel are the top, and that is what is stopping it going fully on and meeting the scuttle/ wing side. (Although the wing is going to be moved now. Just the scuttle to contend with.

there is a fraction of enough gap at the hinge, although I shave a little off due to tolerance once the car is in paint (one day).

[mini_surfari]

Just thought I'd follow up on this.. (will update my build thread at some point).

Finally had time to remove the wing... put a slice in the scuttle to see if it was under tension (hoping it would give me a few mm) but nothing moved.

I have also bought a scuttle end repair panel as a trial, but it falls exactly where the heritage panel is. So this led us to look at the A panel/ lower A post. The lower a post (part of the m machine A panel) does sit further out then the scuttle, but I cant see how this could go in any further due to it butting up against the inner Post, door step, and pillar. Door lines up well... So I am stumped at the moment... I must be missing something simple. Any further thoughts would be welcomed.