Saloon and cabriolet 1969 on

Bodyshells

If you are faced with repairing a severely corroded or accident damaged Mini, opting instead for a new British Motor Heritage bodyshell would be a wise move indeed. A new bodyshell compares very favourably in cost against a heavy rebuild of your old bodyshell, and at the end of the job provides the degree of build integrity that old, repaired bodies simply cannot match.

British Motor Heritage Mini bodyshells are supplied in two conditions of build: Body Complete Assembly, fitted with doors, bonnet and boot lid, or Body Less Doors, which as the name suggests are supplied less the ‘closure’ panels and associated hinges. The panels, pressed in the original equipment dies , are then assembled by original processes on the jigs and fixtures used by Rover Group and its predecessors.

The completed bodyshells are usually electrophoretically coated, seam sealed and then primed with water-bourne paint to the latest industry standards, ready for your colour coat application. Occasionally, for manufacturing reasons, BMH may vary the finishing specifications; please contact us before placing your bodyshell order to establish whether there are any changes that you should be aware of.

Because of the many detail changes made on an annual - if not more frequent, sometimes - basis while the Mini was in production, Somerford Mini advises that you carry out ‘dr y run’ test fitments of as many par ts as you can prior to top coat painting the bodyshell. By doing this, you can make any adjustments that are necessary to the bodyshell without the frustration of damaging new paintwork.

Also ensure that all captive and weld nut threads on the bodyshell are cleared of paint after the top coat has been applied - in fact, mak e it the first job before starting to fit out the bodyshell. This will avoid the other great frustrations of sheared screws and captive nuts that have broken free when too much force has been used to get the screw threads to cut through the paint! Clearing the threads can be easily achieved with a set of imperial UNF threadform taps (plus a couple of metric ones for later models), but do go gently otherwise the tap will strip the thread you’re trying to clear.

The following are the specifications of bodyshell available at time of writing.

 

MkIV Bodyshells (1976-89)

These bodyshells are most suitable for models built from 1976 to 1989, plus the RSP Cooper of 1989 to 1990. They may also be used for some earlier MkIII models built between 1969 and 1975, if the later rubber mounted front subframe is utilised; please phone for details . While they are as close as reasonably possible to original specification, for commercial reasons these bodyshells are built with a handful of later specification components, which may require slight adjustments to be made for fitting out.

 

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
1	BMP343	BODY COMPLETE ASSY., saloon	1
	CZH3247	BODY LESS DOORS ASSY., saloon	1

Most suitable for the throttle body injection (Tbi) equipped models introduced progressively from 1991 and built until 1996, these bodies are also the most appropriate for similar vintage carburetter models starting with the ‘mainstream’ Cooper 1.3 in 1990. They are not appropriate for 1997 onwards models.

 

Mpi ‘Continuation’ Bodyshells (1997 on)

At the start of the 1997 model year, the Mini hosted more engineering changes than it had seen in many years. These were designed to comply with forthcoming regulations through to the intended cessation of production in 2000. As a result the bodyshell of the Mini Continuation (as the 1997 Mpi was known internally) was also significantly revised. The four Continuation bodyshells listed here are appropriate for UK and European models; if it is intended to reshell one of the surprisingly many Japan specification vehicles, modifications to both front inner wings will be required. These 1997 on bodyshells are not suitable for pre-1997 Minis; nor is a pre-1997 bodyshell suitable for a 1997 on Mini.

	AAA360200	BODY COMPLETE ASSY., standard	1	Standard and Cooper models
	AAC360090	BODY LESS DOORS ASSY., standard	1	Standard and Cooper models
	AAA360210	BODY COMPLETE ASSY., Sport Pack	1	Sport Pack and Cooper Sport models
	AAB360160	BODY LESS DOORS ASSY., Sport Pack	1	Sport Pack and Cooper Sport models

 

CZH3191 includes an increased depression in the dash crossmember giving clearance for waxstat carburetters; the crossmember is therefore visually different from that in early models . Owners of very early 1969-70 models should note that the bonnet hinges are in the later outboard positions, so a CZH455 bonnet will also be required.

If it is intended to use the ASC360100 front end on a Japan specification vehicle, modifications to both front inner wings will be required.

For details of the dash included in a front end assembly, please refer to the Dash Assembly section.

 

 

Front Wings, Front Panel and Bonnet

If you’re fitting a new front wing to your Mini, when you purchase it don’t forget to also buy the support angle 14A7602 from Somerford Mini. This apparently insignificant little bit of bent steel makes all the difference in the strength of the joint between the wheel arch lips on the front wing and A panel - without it the rear of the wing and the front of the A panel will always be prone to flex, or at the worst, fracture . The only instances where you don’t need the support angle are if you’re fitting an HMP441024 or HMP441025 wing (which comes with the angle ready fitted) or if your car has the larger wheel arches found on Silverstone, Sports Pack and Cooper Sport models.

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
6	14A7240	FRONT WING, RH, no side repeater	1	1969-86 approx.; round headlamp ring
	14A6476	FRONT WING, RH, no side repeater	1	1969-86 approx.; ovoid headlamp ring
	14A6476P	FRONT WING, RH, no side repeater	1	1969-86 approx.; non-genuine
7	BMP454	FRONT WING, RH, with side repeater	1	1986 approx. on
	HMP441024	FRONT WING, RH, with side repeater	1	1986 approx. on; includes support angle to A panel
8	14A7241	FRONT WING, LH, no side repeater	1	1969-86 approx.; round headlamp ring
	14A6477	FRONT WING, LH, no side repeater	1	1969-86 approx.; ovoid headlamp ring
	14A6477P	FRONT WING, LH, no side repeater	1	1969-86 approx.; non-genuine
9	BMP455	FRONT WING, LH, with side repeater	1	1986 approx. to 1996; with aerial hole
	HMP441025	FRONT WING, LH, with side repeater	1	1986 approx. to 1996; with aerial hole. Includes support angle to A panel
10	ASB360010	FRONT WING, LH, with side repeater	1	1997 on; without aerial hole
11	ALR360380	REINFORCEMENT, large wheel arch	2	Silverstone, Sports Pack and Cooper Sport

 

This is a larger diameter return lip to use after cutting wheel arches back on front panel, wing and A panel for models with 13" Silverstone or Spor ts Pack wheels . Templates for cutting and drilling the wings are listed here; those for the A panels are listed in the Inner Wings area of this section.

 

	VUR100180	TEMPLATE, cutting and drilling, RH front wing	1	Silverstone, Sports Pack and Cooper Sport.
	VUR100190	TEMPLATE, cutting and drilling, LH front wing	1	Silverstone, Sports Pack and Cooper Sport

 

The alternative 1990 on hinges will fit an early car, but since they are visually different it would be best to replace them in pairs using the kit HMP441031.

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
12	14A6693	MOUNTING RING, round, headlamp	2	Included in wing assemblies

The front wing headlamp rings changed quite late in Mini production from being round in shape to eggshaped, or ovoid, to accommodate the later fitment of headlamp-levelling motors. Fitting an ovoid headlamp-ringed wing to an older Mini should however make no difference to the finished appearance of the car, as very little if any jiggery-pokery is required to cover the extra hole area at the bottom of the ring with the headlamp mounting gasket.

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
13	14A7602	SUPPORT ANGLE, wing to A panel	2
14	14A8308	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY	1	1969-75; solid subframe mountings
	14A8308P	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY	1	1969-75; non-genuine
	ALA8619	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY	1	1976-87; for ‘beehive’ type indicators
	ASJ36002P	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY	1	1976-87; non-genuine
15	ASJ36002	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY	1	1987-96; for screw-on lens indicators
16	ASJ360070	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY	1	1997 on; for distributorless ignition
	ASJ360070P	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY	1	1997 on; non-genuine.
17	14A8308S3	FRONT PANEL ASSEMBLY (for oil cooler)	1	1969-71; MkIII Cooper S.
18	ALA4583	STRUT, front panel support	1	1969-96; not oil cooler fitted models. Included in pre-1997 front panel assemblies
19	24A1918	STRUT, front panel support	1	1969-96; for oil cooler fitted models

 

Most commonly found on Cooper S models of the 1960s (optional until the mid 1960s, standard on Cooper S thereafter), the diagonal front panel str ut 24A1918 quickly became an obvious signature of high performance Minis to those in the know, in the same vein as the revered right hand fuel tank. If you intend to fit an oil cooler to your pre-1997 Mini, you’ll need to replace the standard vertical strut with a 24A1918 to give you the space to mount it.

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
20	14A7242	ANGLE ASSY., bumper and no. plate	1	Included in front panel assembly
21	BMP103	ANGLE, front bumper securing	1	Included in front panel assembly
22	14A8456	BRACKET, no. plate securing	2	Included in front panel assembly
23	MM106151	RIVNUT, licence plate mounting	2	Japan spec . 1990 on approx
24	AHE360010	DUCT, fresh air	1	Japan spec . 1997 on; cut front panel to fit

 

The original bonnet for 1969-70 models, CZH523, is not available from Somerford Mini at time of writing and is unlikely to be available in the future. If a bonnet is required for a vehicle of this period with the earlier bonnet hinges , either CZH455 or BKA360110 bonnets may be used, in conjunction with a pair of 14A6714 and 14A6715 hinge brackets.

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
25	CZH523	BONNET ASSEMBLY	1	1969-70; fits to hinges with screws
	CZH455	BONNET ASSEMBLY	1	1970-96; fits to hinges with nuts
	CZH455P	BONNET ASSEMBLY	1	1970-96; non-genuine.
	BKA360110	BONNET ASSEMBLY	1	1970-96; uses 1997 on lock bracket
	BKA360070	BONNET ASSEMBLY	1	1 1997 on
26	ALA6664	SUPPORT, upper grille moulding	1	Included in bonnet assembly
27	14A6714	BRACKET, bonnet hinge, RH	1	To convert later bonnet to 1969-70 specification
28	14A6715	BRACKET, bonnet hinge, LH	1	To convert later bonnet to 1969-70 specification
29	SH604051	SCREW, hinge to bonnet	4	1969-70
30	PWZ104	WASHER, plain	8	1969-70
31	LWZ204	WASHER, locking	4	1969-70
32	NH604041	NUT, hinge to bonnet	4	1970 on
33	LWZ204	WASHER, locking	4	1970 on
34	PWZ104	WASHER, plain	4	1970 on
35	BKD36001	ROD, bonnet prop	1	1969-96.
36	BKD360030	ROD, bonnet prop	1	1997 on
37	24A859	CLIP, prop rod pivot	1
38	CZH209	CLIP, prop rod stowage	1
39	ALA7608	SAFETY CATCH AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY	1	1959-96. Includes hook, spring, distance piece, clevis pin
40	4B8644	HOOK, safety catch	1	1959-96
41	14A6838	SPRING, safety catch	1	1959-96
42	4B8768	DISTANCE PIECE, safety catch	1	1959-96
43	FPC100130	HOOK AND SPRING ASSEMBLY	1	1997 on; will replace earlier hook, spring and distance piece.
44	4B8769	CLEVIS PIN, safety catch	1
45	CPS204	SPLIT PIN, safety catch	1

 

Inner Wings

Saloon

Please note that ABD36004 and ABD36006 are built to 1997 on specification and may need sundry brackets removed for use on earlier models.  The bonnet prop bracket supplied on these inner wings is of the 1997 on type, in a different position to that on earlier models.  Depending on the model the inner wing is to be fitted to, the bracket may need relocating or replacing with the earlier type.

A very effective method of inner wing protection and wheel arch sealing is our front wheel arch liner kit (part no WAL001); for details, please see ‘External Brightwork and Finishers’ in the Somerford Mini catalogue.  

An inner wing complete assembly includes inner wing, A panel, gusset and front pillar stiffener.

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
46	ABD36004	INNER WING COMPLETE ASSEMBLY, RH	1
47	ABD36006	INNER WING ASSY., without A panel, RH	1
48	CZH3064	INNER WING REPAIR, front half, RH	1
49	REPAN156	INNER WING REPAIR	1	Non-genuine. front panel attachment, RH
50	REPAN068	INNER WING REPAIR, rear, full height, RH	1	Non-genuine
51	REPAN029	INNER WING REPAIR, rear lower, RH	1	Non-genuine
52	ALA5660	A PANEL, RH	1
	ALA5660P	A PANEL, RH	1	Non-genuine
	VUR100220	TEMPLATE, cutting and drilling, RH A panel	1	Silverstone, Spor ts Pack and Cooper Sport
53	14A8348	GUSSET, A panel to inner wing, RH	1
54	ALA6472	STIFFENER ASSEMBLY, front pillar, RH	1
55	14A7806	BRACKET, bonnet prop	1	1969-96; replaces 1997 on bracket supplied on inner wings
56	ASU360090	BRACKET, bonnet prop	1	1997 on
57	ASS360010	COWL, air conditioning fan	1	Japan spec . 1997 on; cut RH inner wing to fit
	AHU360090	BRACKET, air conditioning evaporator	1	Japan spec . 1997 on
58	ALA6279	INNER WING COMPLETE ASSEMBLY, LH	1	1969-89; with radiator slots
59	ALA6475	INNER WING ASSY., without A panel, LH	1	1969-89; with radiator slots
60	CZH3065	INNER WING REPAIR, front half, LH	1	1970-89; with radiator slots
61	HMP441023	INNER WING REPAIR, radiator slots, LH	1	1969-89
62	14A6498	COWLING ASSEMBLY, radiator	1	1969-70 and MkIII Cooper S only
63	REPAN155	INNER WING REPAIR, front panel attachment, LH	1	Non-genuine
64	REPAN069	INNER WING REPAIR, rear, full height, LH	1	Non-genuine
65	REPAN030	INNER WING REPAIR, rear lower, LH	1	Non-genuine
66	ABD36005	INNER WING COMPLETE ASSEMBLY, LH	1	1990-96, also Japan spec. 1997 on; with round radiator hole
67	ABD36007	INNER WING ASSY., without A panel, LH	1	1990-96, also Japan spec. 1997 on; with round radiator hole
68	ABD360200	INNER WING COMPLETE ASSEMBLY, LH	1	1997 on; without radiator hole
69	ABD360190	INNER WING ASSY., without A panel, LH	1	1997 on; without radiator hole
70	ALA5661	A PANEL, LH	1
	ALA5661P	A PANEL, LH	1	Non-genuine
	VUR100230	TEMPLATE, cutting and drilling, LH A panel	1	Silverstone, Sports Pack and Cooper Sport
71	14A8349	GUSSET, A panel to inner wing, LH	1
72	ALA6473	STIFFENER ASSEMBLY, front pillar, LH	1
73	ASU36005	BRACKET, charcoal cannister	1	1991 on approx.; fuel injected models
74	FS106127	SCREW, cannister to LH inner wing	3	1991 on approx.; fuel injected models
Cabriolet Inner Wing Reinforcements
75	ALR36006	REINFORCEMENT, outer vertical, RH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
76	ALR36007	REINFORCEMENT, outer vertical, LH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
77	ALR36004	REINFORCEMENT, inner vertical, RH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
78	ALR36005	REINFORCEMENT, inner vertical, LH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
79	ALR36018	REINFORCEMENT, outer horizontal, RH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
80	ALR36019	REINFORCEMENT, outer horizontal, LH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
81	ALR36016	REINFORCEMENT, inner horizontal, RH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
82	ALR36017	REINFORCEMENT, inner horizontal, LH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
83	ALR36008	REINFORCEMENT, inner body, RH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
84	ALR36009	REINFORCEMENT, inner body, LH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet

 

Windscreen

No	Part No.	Description	Qty	Remarks
85	CZH3140	WINDSCREEN COMPLETE ASSEMBLY	1	Includes header rail and boxing plates
86	HMP441001	WINDSCREEN REPAIR, lower, full width	1
87	REPAN033	WINDSCREEN REPAIR, lower corner, RH	1	Non-genuine
88	REPAN034	WINDSCREEN REPAIR, lower corner, LH	1	Non-genuine
89	ALA5790	HEADER RAIL ASSEMBLY	1	Saloon
90	14A8015	TAPPED PLATE, interior mirror	1	1969-96; included in header rail assy
91	ALA5696	BOXING PLATE, windscreen pillar, RH	1
92	ALA5697	BOXING PLATE, windscreen pillar, LH	1
93	ASP36001	HEADER RAIL FINISHER	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
94	AMN36004	CAP, header rail end, RH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
	AMN36005	CAP, header rail end, LH	1	1990-92; Lamm Mini Cabriolet
95	AKC360050	HEADER RAIL PANEL	1	1993-96; Rover Mini Cabriolet
96	AKC360060	CLOSING ASSEMBLY, header rail	1	1993-96; Rover Mini Cabriolet
97	ALR360240	REINFORCEMENT, pillar, RH	1	1993-96; Rover Mini Cabriolet
	ALR360250	REINFORCEMENT, pillar, LH	1	1993-96; Rover Mini Cabriolet

 

Getting New Doors to Fit...

... is definitely one of the trickier aspects of rebuilding any Mini, ranking up there with fitting brake and clutch master cylinder clevis and split pins. On cars with the old externally hinged, sliding window type doors, quite an amount of carefully directed force is often required - if in doubt, don’t attempt it yourself - and it seems to take forever to get both of the hinges sitting correctly at the same time. On later designed cars with internally hinged doors and wind-up windows, fitting the doors to the body is no easier. Again, you should allow plenty of time and be confident in the knowledge of ‘where to tweak what’. If you have doubts, leave it to a specialist - preferably the Somerford Mini workshop, of course - and take heart from the fact that the factory had plenty of Mini door problems, too.

The Mini was unique in many ways , one of which was that each bodyshell was ‘jigged’ to fit the doors; on more conventional (less characterful) cars the general way of doing things was to adjust the doors to fit the body. On the Mini, the ‘jigging’ comprised a very beefy ratchet jack which was inserted diagonally in the door aperture on the bodyshell, first one way, then the other and pumped each time until the aperture matched the door being fitted. Needless to say, doing this without damaging the bodyshell was regarded as a pretty skilled task, and the dexterity and speed with which it was done on the production line was pretty impressive to the onlooker.

Even service bodies (bodyshells sold through the parts department for rebuilding severely accident damaged cars) received this treatment, even though they were sold without doors, bonnet or boot lid. To ensure that the workshop rebuilding the car had a reasonable chance of fitting doors to it, ser vice bodies were ‘jigged’ and fitted with doors on the production line, and subsequently had them removed again.

Late in 1997, a Longbridge engineer discovered that because of a design oversight thirty-odd years earlier when the Mini bodyshell had been re-engineered to take the internally hinged, wind-up window doors, all such fitted Mini bodyshells had been built a quarter of an inch too wide between the door hinge pillars, or A posts. Whether this had a detrimental effect on the fitting of doors is unlikely ever to be known (though it’s likely it contributed to wards the problem) because investigations went no further : the quantity of Minis expected to be built before production ceased didn’t justify making the required design modifications.