The Dark Wob

So are mine. Probably OK for the wheels without the corresponding holes.

Arch ready for shaping up and fitting the panel now


Metal that came out


Found this label along one of the chassis legs. Might not clearly come out in the pictures but the phone number is pre the 01 prefix


Sprayed red oxide in the chassis leg and let it dry. Then used Aldis finest metal paint. They only had green left when I bought the last lot. Oh well, it's not going to be seen and just for protection. Probably burn off when welded anyway. Isn't green a Morris colour too?


As usual I painted everything else just as much as the bit I wanted. Including the floor.

fried onions wrote: ↑Mon Sep 06, 2021 9:22 pm Brake drums are missing the plugs for the adjuster holes.

There is an original one on the nearside. Keep forgetting to order one for this side. Once I've done a few miles and ground off the drum rust, I'll probably end up stripping this apart again to put new shoes on.

As mercrocker said, the wheels that I plan to put on don't have the holes either.

Started welding the panel in tonight. Took a fair bit to get into place.


Unfortunately looks like it's not quite positioned correctly. The gap along the chassis leg is small enough that it can be closed up with a hammer. Top though is a bit much.

I think what has happened here is the lip isn't in the right place or angle. Possibly too low. In hindsight I should have probably done the lip afterwards. Practice gives experience and all that.

Looking at the other side, you can see the bottom front is too low by about quarter of an inch. Basically would need rotating around by a few degrees as the back is a bit low too. It was a pain in the arse to get the panel in, in the first place. Also it isn't the best of fit either So no surprise it's out.

I could cut the panel in half vertically. This would allow me to rotate the front section up a bit more. Also would need to cut out the arch lip and realign that in.

Before doing all that, I need to put the outer wing roughly into place and see how that lines up. The flange on the outer wing is thin enough that it should be able to bend to fit the inner contour of the new inner lip. Wheel wise, there is enough clearance that even if it hit the bump stop, it shouldn't have the wheel rub against the arch.

I might be able to get away with it! If not, then cutting and refitting will be next...

That's a pisser. I have read a lot about pattern panels being a dubious fit. That and all the previous welding may have moved stuff about.

Even Heritage panels are a dubious fit.....Having said that they are slightly better than some of the patterns. I thought I'd done well with 2 new front wings at £45 each, gave them to the Minor restorer and despite his best efforts the car still looked like Dumbo. Two week wait whilst Heritage ones came through and another few hours of fitting/fettling time. Buggers are still rusting too....

Any Minor that is repaired nowadays may as well be regarded as hand-made rather than production line, though. Nothing will fit everything and many things won't fit anything.

I trialed fitted the outer wing to see how bad the fit was.

Even during the worst of BMC, I don't thing this panel gap would have been acceptable!


Decided when looking at it, the lip was at the wrong angle. It needed to be flatter.

Cut along the top of the lip I welded on to remove it. Thankfully most of it I didn't weld and only tacked into a few places, so it didn't take too much.


A session with the adjustable spanner bending down the lip got the angle better. Then used a wood block on the arch panel with me pushing my hips into it and tacking into place as best as I could.

From that I then welded the rest of the arch lip on in this new position


Trial fitting the wing into place gave a much better fit


Inside also better filled the inner pieces. I'll need to weld all this back in too. Chassis leg I'll seam weld. The brace that follows the arch contours I'll probably put a few good tack along it.


Still not perfect as it's about quarter inch too low at the front but it's a darn sight better. I think will be more than good enough once the piping strip is in and everything is all bolted together again.

Need to finish shaping and welding both the front of the arch and also the bottom of the panel around the chassis leg.


Had a quick poke the other arch to reassure me it's ok. Magnet stuck quite happily to the inside of the arch. I think this is mostly factory, apart from the patch along the bottom.


I guess this tiedown hook is factory too and used for production?


Behind the fuel tank has this pop riveted piece in. I am pondering about welding this in. Even though it's probably not structural here, it wouldn't take too much to run a few beads along it.


The fuel tank is right next to this though, so that'll need removing before. That could do with some paint and stop it rusting through where the paint has chipped off


Front arches look good thankfully and possibly mostly original.



Just seems to be this rear offside arch that has all the trouble. Bit funny it had a lot of welding but that top bit wasn't done. Maybe the budget ran out to fix it properly?

Looks alright doesn't it?


Bit more to it than that


But not a lot more going by the photos underneath

MOT exempt m8.


Likely came off the road as a £400 rotter in 2004 and has been dissolving away in a damp garage for the last 18 years. Now back as a APPRECIATING CLASSIC ASSET.

That one is scrap and beyond repair.