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 Mini Jem door windows (currently 785 views) |
| Jeremy Harrison |
| Posted on: April 4th, 2010, 07:11:52 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 37
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I'm new to kit car building. My barn-find Jem is progressing well at the body shop and I'm now trying to work out how the door windows work. They seem to unlock from the outside by turning the key in the glove box type latches. The glass then simply drops down the aluminium channels into the door. There is no sealing of any type for the glass, that's probably why I found so much stuff in the door bottoms when I took the trim panels off, because there was a couple of inches of "soil" with plants growing in it down there! Once sitting in the car with the door glass down and the door trim on, there is no way of holding the glass in place once it is lifted back up. I did find a couple of perished rubber wedges, so I suppose the previous owner used these. There must be a far more satisfactory way of sorting out and sealing the moving door glasses these days. How do others manage to do this? Change to the early Mini sliding horizontal glass method? Any help at this stage would be most appreciated before the doors have been finally fettled for painting. Has anyone changed the square section aluminium frames for something better? I will be changing all the door glasses and the rear windows for an "acrylic type", so anything is possible. Also what type and thickness of "acrylic" is the best to use?
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Last modified April 4th, 2010, 15:50:36 by Jeremy Harrison |
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| Richard Brady |
| Posted on: April 4th, 2010, 18:49:00 |
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Baby Member
Location: Surrey UK
Posts: 7
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Hmm, a mini with window boxes, probably not that uncommon!
Hi Jeremy, many years ago I used the rear window winders from an 1100 ("rears" because of less wear & tear). These days I see no reason why you could'nt adapt electric window openers.
For door opening and locking I cut Marina door handles in ( yes I know they're ugly, it was a long time ago). To get around the problem of linking the outer door mechanism to the standard mini "doorlatch" on the inside, used a piece of brake piping with stainless steel stranded wire inside, "C" shaped it popped out of the end of the door around the window frame and back in, hopefully you'll find a more elegant solution!
Rear quarter windows don't have to be acrylic, you can take the originals (or templates) to a replacement windscreen company and ask them to cut you laminated glass ones.
Hope this helps,
Richard |
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Reply: 1 - 33 |
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| admin |
| Posted on: April 4th, 2010, 19:54:33 |
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 Administrator
Location: Maidenhead, UK
Posts: 2,380
Reputation: 1 (tot: 1) |
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Jeremy, you have discovered the special security feature of the Mk.2 Jem - no door handles! You open the window and reach in to open the door from the inside. For that reason you can't have anything to lock the window in the up position because you could then lock yourself out.
The aluminium window frames should have glazing channels in them. You can get the channel from Phoenix Supplies. It can be very tight when first installed but will ease with time.
The Mk.1 Jem did have sliding windows like the early Minis. |
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Reply: 2 - 33 |
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| Jeremy Harrison |
| Posted on: April 5th, 2010, 06:54:22 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 37
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Richard, thanks for the info. I recently sold a GTM Coupe which someone else had built and which had been fitted with external Marina door handles , but I want to keep the doors original and the glazing as simple as possible, so I don't want to fit electric window winders. The rear hinging side window glasses are both still in good condition, so I'll keep them glazed as they are and just use acrylic for the rear window, which was modified to the opening hatch type by Fellpoint after the car had an accident in 1973.
A week AFTER I bought the barn-find Jem, I was given lots of photos of the car by the previous owner, showing the damage which had been caused when it was hit at the rear by a lorry in 1973 and of the subsequent repairs being done at the Fellpoint factory consisting of fitting 3/4 of a new front and a complete rear section, which, I think forum members would like to see. However, even though I have followed the easy instructions to attach photos, for some reason, I don't seem able to transfer them from my computer to the forum. I'm obviously getting too old! Perhaps someone could explain where I'm going wrong?
Dear Admin, I also have a Frogeye Sprite which has no external door handles. If the hardtop/soft top is on, I simply slide open the rear section of the plexyglass fitted to the sidescreens to gain access to the interior handle.
There are no window channels fitted to the aluminium sliding window guides on my Jem. When I open the window latch on the door, the window drops with a thud into the door. Am I correct in thinking that it is it simply an interference-fit which keeps the original down-sliding door windows in the up position when driving in the car? If they are quite tight, as you say, then that would be fine and I'll just fit the glazing channels to keep them as original as possible.
I wonder why the Mini type sliding windows were changed to the drop type, when the Mini type would seem to be better? Was it simply a case of being able to lock the car? I have never worried about locking my Frogeye or any other soft top cars because if someone realy wants to get into it, they will. |
Last modified April 5th, 2010, 18:46:11 by Jeremy Harrison |
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Reply: 3 - 33 |
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| admin |
| Posted on: April 5th, 2010, 17:08:00 |
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Administrator
Location: Maidenhead, UK
Posts: 2,380
Reputation: 1 (tot: 1) |
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I guess the windows were changed because the aluminium frames looked better and the doors were easier to make. The Mk.1 had fibreglass surrounding the window and the top channel had to be staight and parallel to the bottom channel, so did not match the roof line. I thought the sliding windows and large door bins were one of the best features of the early Mini, and changing to wind-ups was a retrograde step.
I've now put 1091 on the Mini Jem Gallery. The preceeding one (1090) does in fact have Morris Marina door handles.
Sorry about the upload problem. You should be able to drag and drop a file onto the "Attach File" field where it says "drop file here", but note the size restriction. I could make it bigger but I'd rather not have very big images on the forum. If it doesn't work just email me the photos. |
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Reply: 4 - 33 |
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| admin |
| Posted on: April 5th, 2010, 20:06:19 |
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Administrator
Location: Maidenhead, UK
Posts: 2,380
Reputation: 1 (tot: 1) |
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Jeremy writes: "Here are some of the photos I was given AFTER I had bought the Mini Jem. Included is an estimate from Malcolm Fell for the repairs which I think many club members will find interesting. His prices then are rather different to the prices charged these days!"
I couldn't make the estimate legible, but the total was £387.54 including VAT.
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Last modified April 5th, 2010, 20:19:17 by admin |
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Reply: 5 - 33 |
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| Jeremy Harrison |
| Posted on: April 6th, 2010, 06:42:03 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 37
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As you can see, there was severe damage to the car in 1973. The Estimate for repairs from Malcolm Fell was:
Mouldings:
Nose section & underskirt & driver's side wing £20
Rear moulding £35
Rear screen & fitting £17
Rear floor section £6
Materials:
Windscreen £22
Radiator 19.50
Perspex rear screen £6.50
Rubber and chrome strip for windscreen and rear screen £3
Carpeting £7
Petrol tank and locking cap £14
Head lining £17
Number plates £3
Labour charges:
Fibreglass £60
Mechanics £50
Transport to factory £20
Complete rub down and re-spray of whole car £60
Total £361+ £26.14 VAT
Total estimate for repair £387.54, which seems very reasonable now, but which was quite a lot in those days.
In the last photo, one of the new rear wing extensions can be seen which were fitted at the factory. I do not want them and I have carefully removed them. If anyone would like these genuine parts for your Jem, you can have them free of charge, but you'd need to pick them up from my home.
The car was repaired very well by the factory and it is only with stripping it to the bare shell that those repairs become aparent. I am having the whole shell restored and strengthened where necessary, so it should be as good as new very soon. |
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Reply: 6 - 33 |
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| Tim Neal |
| Posted on: April 12th, 2010, 19:41:37 |
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Medium Member
Posts: 102
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| My windows are held up by the friction of the window in the felt strip in the frame. But I had to get new side windows made and got them made in 4mm glass which is fractionally thicker than the original windows, so now they are tight more than anything. |
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Reply: 7 - 33 |
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| Jeremy Harrison |
| Posted on: April 13th, 2010, 06:52:40 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 37
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I have decided to refurbish the original window frames and use acrylic for the door windows and rear screen. I have found that the passenger door has a glass window and some old felt in the runners so it needs a gentle push to get it up or down. The driver's door has been changed to perspex at some time and there is no felt in the runners, causing it to drop like a stone when released. I had my old perspex rear screen measured and it is 5mm, so, assuming I can get suitable felt channel for the door windows, I intend to have all the acrylic pieces made with that size material. I'm going to the kit-car show at Stoneleigh over the May-day bank holiday to see exactly what felt channels are available and how others seal their cars from the elements these days.
I have also had a lot of trouble fitting a suitable bulge in the bonnet. It sounds so simple, but has proved to be rather difficult. I decided that this should be done before the car was stripped and with the original 850 engine in place. I fitted my 45 DCOE to the rusty 850 engine and told the bodyshop to make sure the bonnet bulge cleared the 45 DCOE throttle linkage. This was done and it looked great. However, when the new front sub-frame complete with 1380 engine was fitted to the body to make sure everything fits (gear linkage etc) before removing it again for painting, I found that with the 1380 in place, it is a MUCH taller engine than the 850, so the bonnet now catches the rocker cover, thermostat housing and the throttle linkage, so all that work on the bonnet has been an expensive waste of time and I'm having to cut it all out and fit a much larger bulge to ensure clearance. In hindsight, the bonnet should have been the LAST part of the bodywork to be fettled and I don't suppose this will be the last of my problems with this re-build! |
Last modified April 13th, 2010, 06:54:12 by Jeremy Harrison |
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Reply: 8 - 33 |
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| Olly Lewis |
| Posted on: April 13th, 2010, 12:35:45 |
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Medium Member
Posts: 194
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Hello Jeremy,
Just a thought to save you some bother, you could take a leaf out of the air cooled fraternity and space the back edge of the bonnet up about 25/30mm to help clearance (and cooling), also as a possible styling que if you liked the look!?
Olly |
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Reply: 9 - 33 |
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| Jeremy Harrison |
| Posted on: April 13th, 2010, 13:46:36 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 37
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Hi Olly, I want to keep it looking as original as possible. I have seen lots of photos with the bonnets propped up at the windscreen end, but I think it spoils the line of the car. Each car seems to have a different bonnet bulge too.
Also, I'm minded not to re-fit the mini type heater. It was placed on the passenger side of the tunnel and did not have any dash top screen clearing vents. I will do without a heater but I wonder if anyone has tried the small 12 volt heated blowers which seem to be readily available these days and which could be placed on the top of the dash to clear the fogged-up screen in damp weather? |
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Reply: 10 - 33 |
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| admin |
| Posted on: April 13th, 2010, 20:36:45 |
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Administrator
Location: Maidenhead, UK
Posts: 2,380
Reputation: 1 (tot: 1) |
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| There are at least three different bonnets. The Mk.1 bonnet has a different outline (bigger), and there are two different size bulges for the Mk.2 and later cars. The small bulge is OK for small block engines (up to 1100) but you need the larger bulge for 1275s. |
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Reply: 11 - 33 |
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| Jeremy Harrison |
| Posted on: April 13th, 2010, 21:22:19 |
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Baby Member
Posts: 37
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| I have bought another bonnet vent on e-bay. It is called an XXL 11, which measures 47 cm wide, 50 cm long and is 4 cm high. I have measured the bonnet and I think this one will do the job. Photos will follow.....eventually!! |
Last modified April 13th, 2010, 21:23:11 by Jeremy Harrison |
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Reply: 12 - 33 |
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| Tim Neal |
| Posted on: April 24th, 2010, 08:38:45 |
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Medium Member
Posts: 102
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“ |
Quoted from Jeremy Harrison, posted April 13th, 2010, 21:22:19 at here |
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I have bought another bonnet vent on e-bay. It is called an XXL 11, which measures 47 cm wide, 50 cm long and is 4 cm high. I have measured the bonnet and I think this one will do the job. Photos will follow.....eventually!!
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I solved the problem by modifying the rocker cover.....
we moved the filler to the back on a modified spout and cut the top down by about 1cm.
Ill take a photo of it later the week and try to remember to post it for you. |
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Reply: 13 - 33 |
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| admin |
| Posted on: April 25th, 2010, 21:00:36 |
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Administrator
Location: Maidenhead, UK
Posts: 2,380
Reputation: 1 (tot: 1) |
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| You are aware that some rocker covers have taller filler necks than others? |
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Reply: 14 - 33 |
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Mini Marcos Forum > General Boards > Mini Jem > Mini Jem door windows
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