mk1 door hinges on mk7 'shell
Turbo Mini Forums

im changing a lot of metal work on my car. how difficult is it to convert a late 'shell to have external mk1/2 type door hinges?

can you just weld in mk1 a panels, and re-skin the mk7 door with a mk1 skin? or is it a lot more complicated?

this probs sounds silly, but as im doing all of this work i might as well do it how i want it. any ideas?

ta

get yourself an old mini:) seriously, the door is very different. Also its MUCH heavier, having the heavy window mechanism and even crash bars. The hinges probably would not handle it very well and you would have sagging doors...

ha, i already have my mini:) building an early mini into a late shell, (the mk1 had REALLY had it). using sportspack, mk1 grill, rear lights, boot etc. building with all the best bits of the mini over the years incorporated into it (i hope). just like the mk1 door look

I see. It will be very difficult to add functional mk1 hinges on that car. the doors simply are too heavy. The doors are shaped very different too, both lengthwise, on the front lower corner and the shape at the rear end of the door.

i know that the doors are a different shape. can a mk1 skin be made to fit the later door? i dont mind keeping it as it is...just wondering whats involved.

You cannot fit the Mk1 skin.
Take off your existing hinges, drill your a panels and door skins the fit the Mk1 hinges. Seen it done lots of times with success.

Paul

I seriously doubt it!

Hi,
It's not just the skin, you'll need to reinforce where the hinges bolt to the door. The door post will be different too I imagine for the same reason.
Cheers,
Gavin :)

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You can fit mk1 inner a pannel, drill the outer mk3 on a pannel to match up with the hinge holes. fit the hinges to the later door (after removing the internal hinge asy) the mk1 hinges wont last long with the weight of thelater doors so I sugest the mini door co street fighter doors, I spent some time looking at this for my steel sheel before I got my grubby mits on the minus./ Also if it helps, there was a mini mag feature on how to do it to, a good few months back
Shane.

got that mag somewhere...somewhere safe(lost)!

whos doors? searched on the net, cant find. they have a website? spose they r megabucks?

http://www.minidoor.co.uk/streetfighter.html

www.shag.no

http://www.minidoor.co.uk/

I seriously doubt it!

Just another option to consider but why not fit fake external hinges as was all the rage in Japan a few years back????

The modern door, especially with wind up glass still fitted, is just too heavy to be supported by the Mk1 sytle hinges.

Before you worry about skins etc. remember the Mk1 door had stiffening in it to help distribute the load through the skins from the hinges and the skins were quite thick too!

I have thought about doing this many times and I've always come to the conclusion that it's not the best option.

IIRC some of the Hornets / Elfs has doors that had wind up glass and external hinges (maybe not UK cars .... really can't remember the details). I seem to remember there was a lot of extra support in the door frame for the hinges though.

Have a search about on the web .... kight find something ... if you do, let us know!!!!

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

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

Just one extra thought ..... didn't some of the early Austrailian clubmans have external hinges and wind up glass???

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

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

Yes they did, had i little 1/4 glass in as well and weard door handles. not sure wot shape the doors were tho

http://www.mosintl.com/dummy.php

those streetfighter doors look unreal. has anyone on here fitted a set?

Sort of: http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.p...id=138695&fr=25

Ian_W has a pair on his car: http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=171654

Edited by Rob H on 16th Jul, 2008.