few questions - flip front
Turbo Mini Forums

Hi,

ive tried searching but all the topics seem to be about flip fronts and not fitting them,

so im just wondering if ou can help.
first off,
Dzeus fasteners! I got all the fasteners with the kit, but no instructions on fitting them,
how do you lot go about this?

second is Hinges! Do you bolt them onto the fibreglass? Just wondered if this would crack the fibreglass? also the hinges i recieved are straight metal and the mini front being curved, should i bend the metal to follow the curve?

and lastly! What do you lot do with the underside? Do you leave it as it is or give a coat of stone guard and paint? Just thinkin of trying to make it last as long as possible!

thanks and hope you lot can help!
il go out and get some pics in abit!

martin

Edited by martpaul on 25th Feb, 2007.

I am assuming you have bought a 2 piece front, if not I'd see if you can exchange it as it's actually a real pain in the but with a one piece as you seem to have to take it off all the time to do the most basic things.

With a 2 piece you get the advantages of being able to have the front end off in a couple of minutes and still the convenience of a normal bonnet.

As for fitting look here

http://www.manchesterminis.co.uk/technical/flip_front1.htm

The tidiest install I have seen to date.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

yeah see ive studied that one, and many others, and none of them use/tell you how to attach the hinges!

yeah i made sure i got a 2piece!

hallo,

maybe this picture helps you a bit.
i also use dzuz fastners to keep my front closed.
also i can open my bonnet without opening the whole flipfront.
only differance is that i made mine from steel so i did use a undercoat agains stones etc. i you got a polyester don't bother it does not rust

for hinges i used old cardoor hinges i got from the scrapyard. thes i can split so i can take my front off the car and put it back without the need off adjusting it. i bolted thes unther the subframe . in case off polyetrher i would strenghten it otherwise i think it will crack in the future. i even welded a extra plate off steel on it to cope with the load on it.

good building and keep us posted

Edited by paneermeel on 25th Feb, 2007.

there is nothing wrong with a A-series that a turbo can't fix.

www.turbomini.nl

http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/4..._Tactics04.html

this shows me the dzeus fasteners! i thought it was that way but wanted to make sure!

That is because most people don't use hinges, they make a lift off front like shown in that article .... it is a much better solution to the problem!

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

It is worth using a stonechip / shutz on the underside of fibreglass panels as sharp chippings thrown up can impact the fibreglass hard enough to crack the gel coat on the top side, which will show up in the paint also.

Have a look at most well built kit cars and you will see some form of coating on the underside of the arches at least!

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

paneermeel, that I think is the first decently engineered solution for a "flip" front I have seen, looks very neat.

My only question though is why did you not mount the bonnet on the original hinges? What you have done though does get around the problem of the bonnet still being attached I suppose so you have full access from all sides. My only concern is how well the bonnet is located and if it is flexing the panels as it vibrates .... then again I guess the extra stiffness of a steel front is going to make that much less of an issue than a GRP one.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

Thats a really good picture!
thanks!
I think on the hinges front, im gonna build some fibre glass on the front, then fit a plate to the hinge and bonnet pin, with some rubber from a bush, to take the vibrations!
what you think?if you can understand what i mean that is!

yeah i like the look of the flip front! oh and my uncle doesnt believe it can be done!the idiot wont believe me that its a kit, and not something that i just imagined in my head! the look on his face will be great!

can you post a pic of your hinges please, also how does your bonnet fix on?

there is nothing wrong with a A-series that a turbo can't fix.

www.turbomini.nl

Fairy snuff .... as I said .... one of the best I have ever seen.

Every day is a school day ...........

How fast and how expensive ...... the same question...

ok been out working on this front!
i have to put it under a little stress/tension!
ie the wings want to pull in at the bottom by the a panel and rises at the part of the wing that lies on the inner wing!

there is nothing wrong with a A-series that a turbo can't fix.

www.turbomini.nl

on my link at the bottom of my posts there is a picture of the hinges i used when i had a steel flipfront

they were made up not bought-quite a simple thing

Edited by Nic on 26th Feb, 2007.

Thanks :) what car did you take the hinges off they look nice and sturdy

there is nothing wrong with a A-series that a turbo can't fix.

www.turbomini.nl

Right my mini is all about ready for spraying, the last thing todo is to fit this flip front this weekend!
and the car is off monday!

When you put the flip front on should i have the flip front resting on the inner wing lip or raised slightly from this?

just dont wanna get it back and ruin my fresh paint if ive doen it wrong!

thanks martin

i got the front resting on the part off the innerwing that is still there. with some foam on it.

can't wait for some pic off the end result

there is nothing wrong with a A-series that a turbo can't fix.

www.turbomini.nl

ok this is where im at so far!





Thats both wings gripped up!
which around the bottom gives me this sort of gap:







Does this look ok to you lot?

when i go to find a place to mount the hinges i have no space though!



can you see anything i can do?
ive started building up the fibreglass to add strength there so was thinking of bringing it all the way out and bolting it to that! its all i can come up with!

oh and here is a picture of the colour it will be:



thanks martin

I have those hinges, make sure the hinge is at the bottom, you can bolt them to the where the brace bar bolts to the subframe.

the holes are to wide to do that! :(

so im gonna drill a new hole in the center and use just one bolt to the subframe!

Did you manage to get that front fitted ok?

133.5 bhp 123 lb torque 116mph @6640rpm 9.5psi
Shakespear RWYB 14.995 91.83mph