Repair Panels and Panel fit
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- Minor Fan
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:06 pm
- Location: Norfolk UK
- MMOC Member: No
Repair Panels and Panel fit
Hello All,
Bearing in mind the reluctance to answer this sort of question PM's might be a good idea (and appreciated )
I've been looking at the websites of the usual suspects with a view to buying front wings and sill/floor structure repair panels for my Traveller.
My question is - have you bought repair panels recently? Did they fit well? and from whom did you buy them?
Also who were the panels manufactured by? I ask because I can buy Hadrian panels from my local supplier and would therefore get them delivered to me F.O.C.
I haven't fitted Minor panels for quite a while now but can remember struggling to fit straight panels to a curved car and I'd rather not repeat that if possible.
Thanks
Bearing in mind the reluctance to answer this sort of question PM's might be a good idea (and appreciated )
I've been looking at the websites of the usual suspects with a view to buying front wings and sill/floor structure repair panels for my Traveller.
My question is - have you bought repair panels recently? Did they fit well? and from whom did you buy them?
Also who were the panels manufactured by? I ask because I can buy Hadrian panels from my local supplier and would therefore get them delivered to me F.O.C.
I haven't fitted Minor panels for quite a while now but can remember struggling to fit straight panels to a curved car and I'd rather not repeat that if possible.
Thanks
John
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
John,
Most of Hadrian's panels are a reasonable fit, infact that goes for Heritage ones too. However they will need fettling, especially the front and rear wings which,seem to suffer from a lack of quality control, If you can, try to view the wings in the flesh and choose the ones which seem the best.
My opinion is that the panels from both of the major suppliers Hadrian/Heritage could do better, but in reality the Minor market is still a very small one, and one in which the majority of owners wish to spend as little as possible, which in turn leads to not so good panels. This is fine on a survival car, but a real pain for those who are willing to devote more to their rides.
Unfortunately the variety/range of panels fluctuates wildly depending on the production runs of the manufacturers. The short fall means that sometimes the only alternatives are the ones produced by C. Ware. which in my opinion are sometimes a good fit but are definately found wanting in both quality of steel and finish.
Most of Hadrian's panels are a reasonable fit, infact that goes for Heritage ones too. However they will need fettling, especially the front and rear wings which,seem to suffer from a lack of quality control, If you can, try to view the wings in the flesh and choose the ones which seem the best.
My opinion is that the panels from both of the major suppliers Hadrian/Heritage could do better, but in reality the Minor market is still a very small one, and one in which the majority of owners wish to spend as little as possible, which in turn leads to not so good panels. This is fine on a survival car, but a real pain for those who are willing to devote more to their rides.
Unfortunately the variety/range of panels fluctuates wildly depending on the production runs of the manufacturers. The short fall means that sometimes the only alternatives are the ones produced by C. Ware. which in my opinion are sometimes a good fit but are definately found wanting in both quality of steel and finish.
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- Minor Fan
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:06 pm
- Location: Norfolk UK
- MMOC Member: No
Hello Jonathon,
Thanks for that.
I assume then that most of the floorpan/sill panels are Hadrian?
Do they actually curve to follow the shape of the car?
I'm not bothered by a bit of fettling, I just wanted to avoid buying rubbish. To be honest the last time I did lots of panel work on Minors was back in the 80's so hopefully things have improved?
I know what you mean about variable quality. I (and no doubt you) have had pattern wings which fit and look as good as OE and others I have sent back to the supplier.
Thanks for that.
I assume then that most of the floorpan/sill panels are Hadrian?
Do they actually curve to follow the shape of the car?
I'm not bothered by a bit of fettling, I just wanted to avoid buying rubbish. To be honest the last time I did lots of panel work on Minors was back in the 80's so hopefully things have improved?
I know what you mean about variable quality. I (and no doubt you) have had pattern wings which fit and look as good as OE and others I have sent back to the supplier.
John
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
John , we have been a bit disappointed with the floor panels actually.from Hadrian. The last 5-6 pans we have replaced have been upto 20mm too narrow, and has required us to unpic them to re align them. the problem on some is that you can run out of metal to re adjust too. We have been very wary about these panels so much so that we have taken measurements from several different'original' cars with 'original' floors just to prove the problem.
The trouble with fettling panels is the time taken to get them right. We recently had an inner rear wing on a two door to replace. Our manufacturer of choice had decided not to produce any for some time so we went with 3rd best, the result one panel cut into five taking the best part of two days to sort. we could have made our own had we known just how bad these were going to be. I have since asked in the trade about these panels , and it appears to be the norm
The trouble with fettling panels is the time taken to get them right. We recently had an inner rear wing on a two door to replace. Our manufacturer of choice had decided not to produce any for some time so we went with 3rd best, the result one panel cut into five taking the best part of two days to sort. we could have made our own had we known just how bad these were going to be. I have since asked in the trade about these panels , and it appears to be the norm
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- Minor Fan
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:06 pm
- Location: Norfolk UK
- MMOC Member: No
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- Minor Legend
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- Minor Legend
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my mate has just bought floor planels from MGM and they seem to be quite good. Couldnt help you with wings thought. I have an illness that makes me feel sick at the thought of spending £90 on a wing, so I got 4 good secondhand ones 2 years ago aot the national for £80 the lot. Hadrans sill sections seem to fit well as well. we use anyones stuff here.
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- Minor Fan
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:06 pm
- Location: Norfolk UK
- MMOC Member: No
Mine needs those and looking at them I had a hunch they would be a problem...... probably easier to make my own.chickenjohn wrote:..the flange piece the wood screws to was a different story requiring much "fettling
With reference to Stevey and his "illness", are the heritage wings that much better than Hadrian?
I know they do a version modified for early Minors, but it's not a terribly difficult modification anyway.
John
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
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- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2006 8:42 am
- Location: Norfolk
- MMOC Member: No
John
You mentioned a local suplier of pannels, would this be NVWC in Norwich? as im looking for some pannels to go on my saloon this winter. It would be great to be able to buy them down the road.
You mentioned a local suplier of pannels, would this be NVWC in Norwich? as im looking for some pannels to go on my saloon this winter. It would be great to be able to buy them down the road.
Regards
Nigel
[img]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/brendasmall.jpg[/img]
Meet Brenda, she was due on the road in the spring, now maybee next spring.... 2008???
More photos:-
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/
Nigel
[img]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/brendasmall.jpg[/img]
Meet Brenda, she was due on the road in the spring, now maybee next spring.... 2008???
More photos:-
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/
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- Minor Fan
- Posts: 160
- Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 10:06 pm
- Location: Norfolk UK
- MMOC Member: No
Hello Nigel,nslocomotive wrote:John
You mentioned a local suplier of pannels, would this be NVWC in Norwich? as im looking for some pannels to go on my saloon this winter. It would be great to be able to buy them down the road.
No, I'm near Downham Market and have three trade suppliers who deliver to me and all are Hadrian suppliers.
I'm not sure who you have in the Norwich area. Movac (automotive paint factor) used to come out to my area, it might be worth giving them a call?
John
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
1969 S4 Lotus Elan
1955 SII Traveller
Opinions expressed are of course, my own :)
Hi all,as you can see I'm a new member and having just spent £600 on a two door moggy I have a yearning to restore it. It looks like every pannel can be bought. As a novice body man where do I start. If I wanted to renew the bottom end would I replace the main members and sills first, then the floor pannels. I can weld and have plenty of room. Any advice would be appreciated. I bought the restoration books but they don't really tell me what I want.
Last edited by PAULJ on Fri Nov 10, 2006 6:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Minor Friendly
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Sun Aug 13, 2006 8:42 am
- Location: Norfolk
- MMOC Member: No
thanks John will do..
It was worth asking,you never know
It was worth asking,you never know
Regards
Nigel
[img]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/brendasmall.jpg[/img]
Meet Brenda, she was due on the road in the spring, now maybee next spring.... 2008???
More photos:-
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/
Nigel
[img]http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/brendasmall.jpg[/img]
Meet Brenda, she was due on the road in the spring, now maybee next spring.... 2008???
More photos:-
http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/nslocomotives/