33 replies to this topic

[Tamworthbay]

For just an A panel £500 is mad money, but looking at the pics and as long as its being sorted properly and not bodged then it seems a sensible quote. But make sure you know exactly what they are planning to do and what will happen if (when?) they find more problems behind.

[ChopperHarris]

Fair price.
Remember garages are charging £50 to £120 an hour, depending on overheads. To spray the metallic and clear, probably going to need an oven or facilities for water based. Not cheap to buy/rent

[sonikk4]

If the flitch has gone especially up to the fresh air vent and beyond its not a five minute job. Carpet out, insulation out, trim out around the fresh air vent out,fresh air vent out, (this all depends on what dash is fitted of course??) A panel off, A post stiffener off then onto the flitch.

Then there's the cutting, trimming up followed by welding and grinding. The A post stiffener would also need to be done as part of this process. A panel welded on, paint prep then paint, followed by door alignment. So at a guess at least two days work.

[1984mini25]

Looking at the picks that WILL need more than just an apanel. As I'd put money on the finch being shot, the door hinge stiffener and maybe even the door/a post.

[Lancaster]

If the flitch has gone especially up to the fresh air vent and beyond its not a five minute job. Carpet out, insulation out, trim out around the fresh air vent out,fresh air vent out, (this all depends on what dash is fitted of course??) A panel off, A post stiffener off then onto the flitch.

Then there's the cutting, trimming up followed by welding and grinding. The A post stiffener would also need to be done as part of this process. A panel welded on, paint prep then paint, followed by door alignment. So at a guess at least two days work.

I've got a walnut dash which needs to having the steering column removed I believe. He said it would take him roughly three weeks.

Also in addition I spoke to my Dad who picked the car up and the mechanic said that he could probably do it as an inside job without touching the exterior?

So he wouldn't be fixing/replacing the A frame at all.
Just the flitch.

So is it a rip off getting just the flitch fixed costing £500?

[1984mini25]

You can't do a proper job of fixing the flinch/hinge panel, without having to remove the a panel.

[sonikk4]

Once the A panel is off including the door removed will tell how much damage there is to the A post and the stiffener. If the flitch is bad and by what you are saying it is then the chances of there being rust damage to the A post is high.

Can you take pictures of the A post with the door wide open and also a picture of the flitch area in the inner wing both at the bottom and at the top where it goes under the scuttle close out.

[Lancaster]

I'm not too clued up on the lingo but I've taken a few shots of the surrounding areas.

Click for larger images.

[JustSteve]

looking at the photos, you've caught it just in time.

Needs the a-panel ripping off, a-pillar work, flitch work, surrounding areas blasting. New a-panel, new paint and underseal under the wing. Good time to inspect the scuttle and pump waxoil in the scuttle corners.



In my opinion £500 sounds about right for a small garage. but make sure it's done right! they very often aren't.

[Lancaster]

looking at the photos, you've caught it just in time.

Needs the a-panel ripping off, a-pillar work, flitch work, surrounding areas blasting. New a-panel, new paint and underseal under the wing. Good time to inspect the scuttle and pump waxoil in the scuttle corners.



In my opinion £500 sounds about right for a small garage. but make sure it's done right! they very often aren't.

I'm going to run it up to my local mini specialist on Monday and have them look at it.
The car only cost me £1400 so I've got quite a few squids left to cover the cost.

[sonikk4]

Judging by the internal pictures the dashboard will have to come out as they rust will have spread further up. Pain in the backside but at least then you will cover everything. Don't be tempted to ignore it as it will come back and bite you later on with possible water leaks.

[Lancaster]

Judging by the internal pictures the dashboard will have to come out as they rust will have spread further up. Pain in the backside but at least then you will cover everything. Don't be tempted to ignore it as it will come back and bite you later on with possible water leaks.

We do have a water leak at the moment, water comes off the tired and through the rusted hole bit (technical term) it soaks the floor, I have treated the rust on the floor and Waxoyaled it and the guy checked the rest of the car and the floor is fine. On a plus note both subframes are fine, there are no causes for concern underneath the car (was also waxoyaled by previous owner) the sills are also new just not fitted very well.

[tiger99]

The fact is that for this one job alone it is actually slightly cheaper learning to weld and doing it yourself, and then you have the equipment and experience to deal with all the other rust spots which will emerge as time passes. Don't be scared of learning to weld, a steady hand, good eye and some common sense, plus a thorough study of the Haynes welding manual, the MIG section only, and several viewings of the highly instructional videos on the MIG welding forum will be enough to get you started. Practice on plenty of offcuts of 0.9mm steel, not the car! And, for beginners a Clarke 135TE welder is suggested (try Ebay), and a proper cylinder of Argoshield light, or equivalent, from BOC, Adams etc. Forget gassless, it is basically useless for car bodywork, and don't even think about disposable gas canisters, as you will need about 50 of them just for practice, before you are ready to touch the car.

There are plenty of people here who will be only too pleased to give welding advice to a beginner.

[jaydee]

You're gonna save a lot by welding yourself, but you'll soon find out a lot of filler and hidden rust, plus add the cost of metallic BRG repaint, if you're lucky they'll just need to paint the a panel, post, scuttle and wing, probably even the bonnet..
500 is really not bad for the whole thing, if it was the only a panel then its pure madness LOL

[mk3 Cooper S]

Sounds a fair price if they are painting to a good standard too.