4 replies to this topic

[bmcnutter]

Hi there,

 

I haven't been on the forum for some time. I own a restored Wolseley Hornet, Moke and MGB. I live in Australia.

 

I purchased a very rusty mini van out of a paddock (field) some years ago, it had been chopped into a Ute, I purchased all the correct Pick-up panels and have had them fitted. It is getting closer to being back on the road now. I know that hood lining frames are a bit like hens teeth but I wondered if someone could send me a picture and some measurements of a Pick-up frame? Pick-up's were not sold in Australia and there is only a handful here so I'm reaching out to this forum for help.

 

Cheers, Bmcnutter.

[mab01uk]

 

Tilt Cover
Tilt covers were never fitted as standard to Mini pick-ups but were available as a factory optional extra throughout the entire production period. A complete tilt consisted of the frame, the canvas and the fitting kit.

Tilt covers provided protection from the elements to the otherwise exposed load bay and it's cargo. Although extremely rare, original tilt canvas and frame combinations are occasionally offered for sale. In recent times examples in reasonable condition have sold for in excess of £300.

The following additional information is taken from Somerford Mini's 'External Body Fittings' catalogue:-

The tilt was the only weatherproof cover officially available for the load area of the Mini pick-up - although flat tonneau covers are seen on pick-ups from time to time, they were never offered by the factory and have been supplied as aftermarket accessories or made by specialist automotive trimmers. Many mini pick-ups were not fitted with tilts from new, and these cars usually left the factory without the necessary brackets and sockets* to attach the tilt frame to.
 

Tilt cover colours originally included Willow Green, Tweed Grey, Whitehall Beige and Smoke Grey, but all apart from Whitehall Beige were withdrawn very quickly in the 1960s, so to see any original colour other than beige today would be a real rarity indeed. Tilts were never, incidentally, offered by the factory in black.

The spiritual home of the Mini pick-up tilt, like so many other components of the Mini, was the Longbridge satellite factory in Bargoed, South Wales. In the mid-1990s, the period before the closure of the Bargoed factory, a good rapport was built up between British Motor Heritage and factory staff which amongst many surprising finds and revelations in the factory resulted in the release for the classic car market of a large stash of new Whitehall Beige tilt assemblies which had been squirrelled away presumably since the early 1980s. At the time of writing there's still a few about, but if you want one you'd better get in quick.

At the same time the factory templates for producing the tilt plus a bulk quantity of Whitehall Beige material was also recovered and offered to the safest pair of hands possible - the Mini's foremost trim specialist, Newton Commercial.

 

Lots of useful Mini Pick-up info in link below.

 

Mini Pickup Production History:-

https://www.theminif...uction-history/

Edited by mab01uk, 17 July 2024 - 06:59 AM.

[DeadSquare]

For some unexplained reason, the Tilt was not available as a "Spare" part.

 

In the 1960s, I converted a a pick-up to twin leading shoe front brakes for a young lad starting a small market garden, and at the same time, ordered a tilt for him, but Henleys couldn't find it on their new Microfiche.

 

Very fortunately, they had just ordered a a pick-up and were able to alter the order to include a tilt.

[IronmanG]

International mini pick up group on Facebook is your best port of call.
Dee who runs the group knows absolutely everything about PUPs and he produces tonneau and tilt covers plus a variety of other bits and pieces

[bmcnutter]

Thanks fellers, I obviously didn't explain myself properly. What I'm after is the roof lining frame inside the cab. 

I do have the tilt frame and the cover to suit, I must say that is the best detail of the tilt frame I have seen though.