Ok Its too long ago since this was stripped and blasted, I can't remember what did or didn't have a grommet. They just seem like random holes to me, but I'm guessing mostly for tooling and everything except the cross member should be plugged ?

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1966 Mini Deluxe - “Gabby” 34 years under restoration and counting...
1970 MGBGT
1959 MGA

I’d put them in the firewall and rear seat area just to make it more water/fume tight. The one in the engine bay under the speedo has a little clip that locates the speedo cable

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Just beat me to it.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Is that clip available anywhere? I can't seem to find it listed with the regular parts retailers.

Part number is 5L90. Bought one in the past from MiniKingdom, but they are no longer in stock. Can source from the UK, e.g Somerford Mini. Much easier to fit while you have the carbies off.

Sent from my SM-A305YN using Tapatalk

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1970 Cooper S SPO41

The holes on the rear firewall just above the seat platform are for 2 prongs on the lower edge of the seat squab frame. They pass through into the boot space to locate the bottom edge of the frame to the firewall. Think the 2 prongs had clear PVC tubing as a protective sleeve.

John Smidt has it in his eBay listing.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/233954664225

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Nice find winabbey, I couldn’t justify 1 clip from uk (was looking if somerford had anything else I needed)

I forgot about the rear seat prongs. I have a bunch of holes on the drivers side which threw me, but looking closer not original and i suspect someone has had a lap belt in there because I can see faint marks where there may have been backing plates

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1966 Mini Deluxe - “Gabby” 34 years under restoration and counting...
1970 MGBGT
1959 MGA

I have to be honest. It wasn't really a "nice find" as you put it. I help John out on his IT related stuff from time to time and that part is one of a few that I have on my to-do list to add to his eBay listing. I just added it before posting here.

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ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

I was going to say it was a coincidence that it was being discussed here then all of a sudden popped up on eBay

In one of your photos there is a strip of foam filling the gap between the rear quarter panel and rear firewall and the ends of the rear parcel shelf.
May I suggest the foam will be a likely cause of rust over time. Had rust come through from the inside of the panel on both sides of the mini I'm painting.


Haven't worked out what to replace it with yet though. Maybe leave it out altogether.

Mmm, interesting. Of course anything that holds moisture could help the rust along. I can’t remember anything starting back there, but there was red oxide paint on one side, so maybe it was covered. I only put something back in because I pulled original foam out.

Maybe some closed cell foam material form fitted (as long as it doesn’t squeak) ? Or do you think the seat and side trim will block enough of noise/fumes from boot ?

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1966 Mini Deluxe - “Gabby” 34 years under restoration and counting...
1970 MGBGT
1959 MGA

I have 2 other minis of similar age and neither has developed this issue. It might be from a long-term leaking window rubber, wetting the rear parcel shelf.
Like you I have usually put new foam back in after a rebuild because that was there originally, but my son (a panel beater) said to never put foam against metal for that reason. So I haven't worked out what to do yet either.

In new cars they use a lot of the black closed cell foam. My wife's X3 floor has about a 1inch layer of the stuff under the carpet. Makes sense why the new cars are so quiet. I guess the paint , metal and rust preventative have the benefit of 50yrs development so rust less of an issue.

I'll remove what's there and deal with it if noise and fumes come about later.

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1966 Mini Deluxe - “Gabby” 34 years under restoration and counting...
1970 MGBGT
1959 MGA

I'm in the same position.
It won't be your problem for you if you don't keep the car for more than 40 years.