mini sills inner and outer help needed!

[jamezz666]

Hello,

i never normally need help with sills, but this is mind boggling!

I'm in need of a near side inner and outer sill for my 1987 mini mayfair. Now the problem is, i'm seeing so many different sills for sale which are dated as such *1970 on* *1970-1980* *1990 onwards*, also they keep coming up for the outer sills as 4 inch wide and so on upto 9 inch wide. Then the next thing i've also seen for the outer sill is two parts for sale, which is a sill and then a seperate panel that is a floor pan with with outer sill already attached?

I'm seriously confused!

any help on which i would need for my specific mini would be great and also is it one complete outer sill or in two parts?


Thanks
James

[colnerov]

Hi, ISTR originally the floor and sill on a Mini was all one panel, The 4" and 9" sill was dependent on whether there was floor corrosion which a 9" panel would cover. Nowadays I think it just gives more choice for which is easiest. A 4" means you end up with three panels to join in one place, the 9" means two separate joins. You pays your money and takes your pick. As far as the year differences go there will be people better able to clarify that. The sills as usual are inner and outer.

Colin

[Ryannn]

The wider sill is known as an oversill. They have a very bad reputation as they were normally bodged onto cars with knackered floors to save changing both the sill and the floor. You'll also find that they don't have the required vents and can therefore trap moisture making the car rot again quickly.

I have them on my own car, but it rarely goes on the road, lives in a garage and I didn't want to put a new floor in! Lol

[Ryannn]

Have a look at www.minispares.com if you give the guys there a shout, they'll be more than happy to help!

[BT]

The 9" sill is an over sill as Ryan has stated, they are as he rightly said, used to cover over rotten Manky sills so that the rotten ones don't have to be cut out. These are usually welded over the top and when they are there are no drain holes, so they result in a festering pocket of rotten metal that will only spread.

If you're buying a mini, dodge the oversills as much as possible, if you're buying I have seen people buy oversills and cut them down to whichever desired size of they're unsure what they want. I have bought them before because it was cheaper to buy oversills than it was to buy the 4" version. Seemed a no brained saving £10 per side and have some left over patching scraps.

Give mini spares a call, they'll them what you want and they will certainly be able to help, I was in their potters bar branch this Saturday, it's an hours drive to them from mine but their service is that good I wouldn't go anywhere else and the hours drive is a small price to pay.

[craig1010cc]

You'll be after these outer sills
Outer sill

And these inners
Inner sill

Or the complete assembly

Assembly