Donor Shell
Engineering SeriesOne of the first major decisions to be made is the choice of sourcing a donor shell, using your own car or opting for a new shell. It is very subjective to justify one choice over another, but we can highlight the most obvious difference between them in that with a donor car, you cannot be sure how much restoration will be required in terms of man-hours and new panels. With donor Mini shell prices rising and in limited supply, in addition to a fully restored shells, we have now signed an agreement to source brand new shells manufactured to our own specification.
The shells are supplied minus the boot floor, rear seat, rear inner arches and storage bins. A donor car could masquerade as something it is not. Unfortunately we have seen too many shells later reveal themselves to be in greater need of restoration following a media-blast, than was anticipated. This then led the process to get underway with an initial setback and an unwelcome surprise.
Furthermore, in some instances, a donor Mini was actually driven to us, but after being totally dismantled and blasted, the shell was found to be quite poor. This meant the client was well beyond the point of no return and committed to addressing the shortcomings when in hindsight, a new shell would have been the better option.
With Minis appreciating in value, given most of the parts are not compatible, we would caution against buying a donor for £000’s hoping it might not need that much restoration when a new shell is circa £11k. We have a shell guide that explores this in significantly more detail, which can be shared. We also have build diaries for many commissions, which we can take anyone through to show the original car and what was later revealed.
E Coating Process
We offer an additional service once a new shell or fully restored shell has had the adaptation and strengthening processes completed. The shell is sent away to be chemically cleaned removing any unwanted paint and other contaminants. The bare metal shell is then subjected to an Electrophoretic (e-coat) painting process which is universally used on all modern vehicle shells, bracketry and panels.
The E-Coat Process (or KTL) is used by every major automotive manufacturer in the world. Over 95% of the world's motor vehicles are primer-protected with the cathodic electrocoat process. There is no better way to add front-line corrosion protection coating to a complex assembly like a vehicle bodyshell. It is generally considered that in excess of 300 million vehicles have been coated with this process to date.
Shells and components are immersed in an 11-stage cleaning and pre-treatment process that deposits a corrosion-resistant layer of Zn/Mn/Ni Phosphate. They are then immersed into the PPG Electrophoretic Epoxy Primer which is electrically bonded to the surface before being cured in an oven at 185ºC for 45 minutes leaving an impermeable, durable primer finish.
The E-coat is very penetrating and far more effective than spray-applied primers. Whilst the process might not guarantee 100% coverage, prior to delivering the shell, we open-up the seams and have access holes in box sections to facilitate the fluids to access and be allowed to properly drain. Unlike many other products, PPG E-coat is fully compatible with all brands of automotive-approved refinishing paint systems.