9 replies to this topic

[v6matt]

So, the next part of my mini restoration is the door skins. I chap know that works in a bodyshop said to put the de-skinned door back on the car, line up the new skin with the swage lines on the rear quarter and front wing, tack weld the top of the skin to the frame, remove and then fold the edge over. Is this the normal way to do them?

Edited by v6matt, 26 July 2024 - 03:55 PM.

[slidehammer]

That sounds like a good way ensure alignment on the body.

There is a video on youtube on Simpsons Classics where he does a similar thing with a Mini door skin.

[stuart bowes]

yeah you're looking for a good gap around the window frame when you just fit the carcass, shim the hinges out if needs be to achieve that, take the time to get that spot on as it's your one chance to do so

 

then when you do as you say, tack on the skin, you know that the swage lines / door skin edges are going to be in alignment when the window frame is in alignment at the same time

 

possibly the shimming may be altered later when the window is in as it affects the way the door hangs, but you know that when you adjust that it corrects all parts of the door at the same time

Edited by stuart bowes, 26 July 2024 - 05:26 PM.

[v6matt]

This is basically what I was told, it's just I couldn't find any videos doing it this way, but plenty of people just putting a new skin on, on a bench.

[Gaz66]

I've got two alloy ones to fit. Tacking could be a problem 😁

[stuart bowes]

I guess you'd have to do pretty much the same but just scribe the locations?

Surely those people who did it on the bench at least did something similar or just trusted in blind luck lol you'd have to be pretty lucky to get anywhere close to being accurate

[Gaz66]

I guess you'd have to do pretty much the same but just scribe the locations?

Surely those people who did it on the bench at least did something similar or just trusted in blind luck lol you'd have to be pretty lucky to get anywhere close to being accurate

To be honest that was what I was going to do.
As the skins have the startings of a fold they should be pretty much a position and fold kind of job ......he says hopefully.
I was more concerned about the door frame twisting and thus not fitting in the hole properly afterwards.
Anyway, I'm still thinking about this one 😁

[stuart bowes]

I wouldn't be so sure to be honest if mine are anything to go by the partly folded edges allow at least 10-12mm movement in any direction maybe more.. I haven't actually measured that's a guess .. and that's heritage skins as well

Presumably then they planned that to allow for the variances of the low tolerances of the olden days

In terms of twist far as I can tell so far there really isn't a lot you can do about that, in trial fitting with clamps I'm seeing the skin twist slightly as well as the door itself slightly flexing. I'm just hoping the end result will be something where the hinge adjustment is able to leave me with a door that lines up flush with a panel and rear quarter

Edited by stuart bowes, 26 July 2024 - 09:05 PM.

[stuart bowes]

Worth noting though I suppose in my case I have done alterations to mine fitting metro handles instead so all that welding has no doubt warped my skins somewhat. I'm actually relying more on the body of the door pulling the skins to shape rather than the other way around. Fingers crossed

[sonikk4]

Bear in mind if its just a carcass you are placing in the door aperture you will need to add the equivilant weight of the glass and regulator.

 

Now your door frame should sit nicely in the aperture so add shims to get things right then place your skin on the carcass. Tweak it around until you are happy its sitting right and aligned with the swage lines. I now fit three or four skin pins to make sure once i take it all apart it goes back exactly as it should when folding the flange around and welding. If its a steel skin you need to plug or spot weld the skin in a couple of places as well as seam weld at the top of the fwd and aft part of the skin.

 

Dont forget there is a spot / plug weld at the point where the window frame tucks behind the skin.