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 Hang on lads, I've got a great idea.

 Created by: 6464s
Orig. Posting Date User Name Edit Date
Apr 13, 2021 06:16PM 6464s  
Apr 13, 2021 03:04AM Dan Moffet Edited: Apr 13, 2021 03:06AM 
Apr 10, 2021 05:11PM 6464s Edited: Apr 11, 2021 04:20AM 
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 Posted: Apr 13, 2021 06:16PM
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Member since:Jan 25, 2017
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Dan, thanks for your comment. Rover had sprayed an undercoating under the mini. I left it there figuring it was doing good. I was wrong. The only spots that did not rust was the areas directly under the vents because that part of the outer sill was not touching the inner sill. When scraping the under coating off, you could see the creeping spider like rust. 

I spray painted the inner box and the inner part of the outer sill before attaching. Rover did a minimum amount of rust proofing in the boxed section. It was the undercoating under the car is what held the moisture. I think any water that goes into the boxed section will flow out. I plan to spray some sort of rust proofing in there as well. I don't think it will clog the gap. To be sure, I could run a credit card.

 Posted: Apr 13, 2021 03:04AM
 Edited:  Apr 13, 2021 03:06AM
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Member since:Aug 14, 2002
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CA
Mini outer sills have drain "spouts" to allow water to drain out. When I repaired my sill, I made up a patch panel replicating the drains. All the cleaned, exposed existing metal, the patch panel and the several internal pieces were spray painted inside and out with weld-through primer. I used a few pop rivets to fit the repair panels before taking it to my friend's body shop for spot/plug welding.

From my experience, water and road dirt get into the sill and need to drain out. On my first Mini (not this car), a MK 1, the sills were filled with mud. My current Mini had no mud but rusted only on the passenger sill. I think its problem was the jacking pocket allowing water in. This car came from Germany and has never been driven in a Canadian winter.

With your method, I wonder a few things: Will the continuous slot allow more water in? Did you treat the inner faces of the metal with paint and/or rustproofing? If you rust-proof the sill (inside and out or exterior only), wo0n't the rustproofing close the narrow gap you built?

Interesting tactic though!

PS: you got the quote right (I've been using it as a signature line since about 2002!)

.

"Hang on a minute lads....I've got a great idea."

 Posted: Apr 10, 2021 05:11PM
 Edited:  Apr 11, 2021 04:20AM
Total posts: 493
Last post: Mar 26, 2024
Member since:Jan 25, 2017
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I'm in the process of doing inner and out sills.

I've made patch panels for the inner sills out of stainless steel. Came out nice. I attached the outer sill by plug welding the outer sills to the lower seam lip. When I attached the inner side, I used a stainless 1/4 inch SAE flat washer as a spacer, then plug welded thru the sill & washer. The washers hold approx. 1mm space between the outer sill and inner sill. Any water that gets into the boxed sills will weep out the length instead of rusting the inner sill.

Brilliant idea if I do say so myself and I do.     I'm going to use the idea behind the rear wheel valance panel.