A few questions on suppliers

1964 MK11 Elf

Hi all,

A few questions on suppliers you have used, who would you recommend/avoid idea on price

Re chrome of front & back bumpers

Front panel wings & general bodywork panels

Door refurbishment /new doors (There is a company I have seen in Preston that refurbishes doors anybody used them)

Interior re trim several companies on eBay advertise anybody used any

I need new doorcards, carpet, seats recovered, might look at changing the front seats to later type and then have them all recovered or possible period bucket seats.

Gearbox is rod change but I still have dip beam on the floor will this be a problem with the carpet

Thanks Guys

Heres a few sites that i use

http://www.minisport.com/
http://www.m-machine.co.uk/ (This guy does the compleat front panel)
http://www.totalrepellents.co.uk/minibits/minibits.htm
(Speak to catmint he`s on here somewere)

british minidoor company are good, not cheap, but good at re-skinning doors and repairing rusty door bottoms.

newton commercial are best suppliers for interior trim - again, not cheap but quality stuff!

newton commercial are best suppliers for interior trim

that is the true it is realy a good company to work whith

hilbert

rechroming - I think the best is called Derby plating - was about £200 per bumper, not sure about over riders, but they are one of the best in the country - you pay for what you get - the cheaper it is, the less chrome you get and the rust comes through faster.

Panels - use Heritage where possible for normal mini bits, the unique bits have a look at my web site www.catmint.biz

Ditto previous comments on interior

Dip switch - ask if there is a special option for this, if not I am afraid it is a case of set to with scissors on that nice new carpet !

Re Catmints comments, I can only agree with their quality and service however as the thickness of the finished bumper is nearly twice that of the original production item, you need to tell them to keep the bolt holes the same diameter as I know of a couple of customers complaining about being unable to fit the chrome bolts. The last thing you want is to start drilling and filing the holes.
Again with Derby Plating, if you decide to get the bright trim around the windscreen scuttle and matching door and side pieces re-chromed, the rivet heads will need to be filed down as the thickness of chrome will prevent the trim pieces clipping into place. The Windscreen Scuttle trim which can be challenging at the best of times is particularly affected by the increased copper and chrome deposit.

I can confirm that Mini Door Company and Newton Commercial are tip top!

As for parts, it has to be Mini Spares - biggest supplier, best prices and really good quality!

I am about to get some chroming done by a place in Bucks so i will let you know if they are any good.

Adam

Do Catmints do new bumpers then?

DyNoRod wrote:Do Catmints do new bumpers then?

No I don't, to big and complicated for the tooling that I have - I did look at having them made a few years ago, and by the time I had quality chroming done they were over £400 each and I had to have a minimum order of 20, so that was a non starter

Gordon

I had a quote last May 08 for £35/foot .Back bumper is 7' 0" approx = £245 from
Willowchrome Ltd
Unit 3 West Side Industrial Estate
Jackson Street
St Helens
WA9 3AT
lpdaniels@btinternet.com
Tele 01744 738488 Ask for Paul
Occaisionally they put items on ebay thats how I came across them (front bumper went for about £140)
I have not seen results from them so cannot make comment on them as to quality.

Another contact (again through ebay.) A quote for Approx £150 for front bumper +return postage.
Ray Hodge at chromeworld@blueyonder.co.uk again I cannot comment. I do not know where he is based.
That was also in May last year.
It's a lottery out there!

On the subject of chromework. there was a rear bumper for sale at Bingley on Sunday which a member of the Riley club said was £300. (He believed it was rupertfish off ebay.) I was tempted to have it but left it in the end!

£300? i've bought cars for less than that....not very good ones mind, as you may have seen!

Big_Al_Smith wrote:£300? i've bought cars for less than that....not very good ones mind, as you may have seen!

I reckon that was the same bumper that you and I looked at at Malvern!

You know, the one we walked sharpishly away from with a sharp intake of breath!

I would not be surprised. These two blokes are everywhere. About 6' 0" well built and bald?

If I had won the Pride of Ownership section (£100)I would have bought it!
I have been quoted £240 to have my own done!
It would have been worth it? Time, money and convenience of not having to take and collect it or even ship it?
It was good quality chrome but I reckon it will get scratched if they don't wrap it better than it was!

same guy that Al mentions in the news letter for supplying parts in Bradford, and I will give him is due he does turn up some rocking horse poo and a fantastic rear valance

These guys specialise in Booted Minis and earlier 60's Mini spares. Not only do they come up with some quite rare stuff, they also buy stuff and pay reasonable prices. They are traders and are in business so don't expect top prices but if you don't want to bother with eBay and all the hassle, these people may be interested in your unwanted stock.