Morris Minor Owners Club

I think the new one is a replica and the old one is an original. Are there any that fit well? Could the bonnet be wrong? The dark one is a '52 and the other is a '63.

Thanks.

Rob

I've noticed, in the past, that some front wings curve inward towards the headlight, a couple of inches from the front, some more than others. It looks rather pronounced in the second picture, if the curve was less, or not present, I think the gap would be more acceptable.

<a href='https://postimg.cc/zbtL07nj' target='_blank'><img src='https://i.postimg.cc/zbtL07nj/PKO_603_Front.jpg' border='0' alt='PKO_603_Front'/></a>

That gap does seem a bit excessive? Also I don't believe the originals were spot welded in that area.
When I fitted my replacement wings I leaded the joint that's normally visible.
May be possible to build up the missing area and so close up the gap?

Alan

Whichever wings you purchase there will be a join in that position. That is how they are manufactured. Up until about 1967 the join was lead filled at the factory during car production and after that it was left exposed and visible. The wing in the top photo shows a very crude panel join and is typical of the foreign made "pattern" wings. If you pay the extra money and purchase the "Heritage" wings the join seems to be brazed across so is a little neater.
The wing in you second picture could be a Heritage wing or a pattern wing which has been filled but whatever it is, the panel could be built up to close the gap a bit like the original ones were. The gap is certainly too large. It is unlikely to be an original wing on a car so old.
When I restored my own car I spent quite a bit of time in that area getting the gaps as good as possible. Even the "Heritage" wings require some work but are still a better quality product made of better steel and painted with a better primer.

Car arrived with 4 new wings and had been resprayed. I just had to assemble it. [Giant Lego kit!]

Too late to go monkeying around with filler.

We have been concentrating on the wings but the bonnet should more or less cover the front panel bolts both on the side and the front. What is the gap like on the nearside ?

The same....I had wondered if maybe the Splitscreen was somewhat different at the front end but couldn't work it out. Could it be a later bonnet panel-beaten to fit a Splittie?

Looking at Alans car, the front lip seems wider, somehow. Dunno. Maybe I'll get the tape measure out tomorrow.

Bonnet or wing, hope you get it sorted, it would be difficult to live with such a gap. If the n/s has a lesser gap, moving the bonnet over might make it slightly better.

I can remember spending quite a bit of time lining up the bonnet, wings, grille and doors!
When I had what I considered to be an acceptable fit of panels I found the bumper irons didn't come through the grille holes centrally, I ended up cutting the holes (with their flanges) out and welding them back in but central around the bumper supports.
Most frustrating as the car had never been in a collision, I assumed an unfortunate clash of tolerances?

Alan