What's this hole? And other questions.

[MagicWandWoody]

'64 smooth-roof UK woody which I'm reassembling from a huge pile of crates that came to me. Some parts being missing and no previous knowledge of this example mean I'm struggling with a few final details that maybe people can help me with, please?


1) What's this 3/4"-ish (and slightly odd-shaped) hole for? And if the answer is "nothing" what covered it please?

IMG_20241202_210736.jpg

2) There's no little lever for the bonnet catch. But there is an access slot in the grille. Did early owners have to poke their finger in and (painfully?) slide the catch sideways with no leverage to assist? Or am I missing a lever?

IMG_20241202_211237.jpg

3) Not sure what this plate is but I'd like to transfer it to the new slam panel. Any tips on the best way to remove and reattach? I don't have a spot welder. Guess I could Araldite it.

IMG_20241202_211322.jpg

4) The old slam panel has no rivet holes in it. I guess this means the chassis plate (which I do have) was originally on the shroud/duct on the nearside wing?

Thanks all.

[AndyPen]

My wife's Oct 64 salon has that hole and I always assumed it had been drilled later as auxiliary wiring went through it?

Bonnet catch looks the same as far as I can tell, and yes, the chassis plate is on the rad shroud. On another early '64 resto I am doing I have bonded the plate on with a 3M product that they use to assemble Aston Martins etc., but can't quite recall the numbers sorry.

[Polarsilver]

Rubber Grommet into that Hole.+ Yes you need the Finger to slide the Bonnet Release .. push down onto the Bonnet at same time will help ease the loading on your Finger.

[winabbey]

That 5/8" hole is part of the dash panel assembly and appears on the other side as well. The engineering drawings doesn't show its purpose so I think they might be tooling holes.

HYA3608 Panel Assembly Dash subset.jpg

[gs.davies]

The plate on the slammed is the body number and is in the correct place. Unrelated to the chassis number.

[Dr.Mabo]

1) The hole can be found on all early Minis and is typically sealed with a rubber plug. If an internal bonnet release handle is fitted, the cable is routed through this hole.
2) On an MK1 grille, you can easily reach the bonnet release. This is why MK1 Minis did not have an extension pin. This is only necessary on MK2 Minis, where the grille is screwed onto the front mask from the front and therefore sits further forward.
3) It is always a good idea to have this plate and transfer it to a new front mask. If you do not want to continue using the old slampanel, cut out the plate over a large area and drill out the welding spots from the rear. Then you have a virtually undamaged plate that you can weld onto the new slampanel.
4) On the English MK1, the VIN plate always sits on the radiator shroud.

[MagicWandWoody]

Thanks everyone. That's cleared it up. Just one comment: on this UK car (and on a UK mk2 I have) the bulkhead hole is only present on the rhs.

[Tim]

You sound alarmed about the bonnet release. You're supposed to find it delightfully charming, like so many other features of the Mk1 Mini. Once you learn the trick of the sharp downward push on the bonnet with one hand, while sliding the catch across with the other, you'll soon adjust.

Wait until you get to double de-clutching, heel and toe gearchanges, dealing with the catches on the sliding windows, etc etc. Its all part of the fun!

Tim