Which Supplier ?

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Batman
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 11:20

Which Supplier ?

Post by Batman »

Hi all
I'm about to start a resto on my aussie Moke and have got quotes for the usual panels I will need from Mparts and Moke Panels which are both very similar (and way cheaper than Aussie suppliers incl frieght !) is there a preference over one to the other regarding panel quality and fit ?
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Tim
Posts: 2284
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 0:41
Location: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia

Re: Which Supplier ?

Post by Tim »

Depending on which Aussie supplier you're referring to, you'll probably find that the panels are coming from the UK either way.

Tim
Any sarcastic, ignorant, libellous, unfounded or stupid opinions expressed in or through this message are the opinions of the author and do not reflect the opinions or views of any member of The Mini Moke Club or the opinions or views of any other individual.
weef
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 13, 2017 19:34

Re: Which Supplier ?

Post by weef »

Hi i have recently refurbished an Australian Moke and had to purchase some panels. Unfortunately the panels are not of the best quality, fit or cosmetically. Be prepared to "fit" these panels as they will require some work. I do not think it it matters who you purchase these parts from as I suspect they are all produced by the same presses, I may be wrong, but I found the quality disappointing. These panels are not cheap to buy and if you need a few the cost soon adds up. I am fortunate in that I have the resources to manufacture my own panels only being forced into purchasing the few that my workshop was unable to replicate.
Good luck.
Bodge
Posts: 127
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:00
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Which Supplier ?

Post by Bodge »

weef wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 22:09 I do not think it it matters who you purchase these parts from as I suspect they are all produced by the same presses, I may be wrong, but I found the quality disappointing.
I am one of the co-owners of M Parts and thought I would take the opportunity to clear up some of the ambiguity that seems to have built up regarding the sources of replacement Moke panels.

There is quite a lot of engineering expertise that goes into manufacturing car panels because not all the steel used in the production process is the same. The steel varies in thickness, strength and weight according to how and where it will be employed. Panels for new cars are produced on massive presses which can exert up to 800 tonnes.

Most after-market panels are manufactured in much lower volumes and accordingly, very few of the after-market panel manufacturers have access to such massive presses. Put simply, the presses simply do not have the tonnage to squash the steel into the right shape. So a lot of after-market panels have to be made in several stages.

The vast majority of the panels that are stocked at M Parts are the original panels that were produced by the Moke factory in Portugal. However, there were not equal stocks of every panel when we purchased them from Cagiva and we now remanufacture the floors, LH and RH side panels, toe board, LH and RH front wings, front panel and all the side panel cover plates. We have the original factory "glass samples" of each body panel and also have all the original factory drawings. The new panels are made for us by a number of suppliers based in South Wales and in the Midlands and we try to ensure that they are remade as close to original specification as possible. Most have to be laser cut and finished off by hand as it is not possible to achieve the correct shape solely by machine.

All the panels from Moke Panels are reproduction panels and are pressed by M Machine in Darlington. So they are all copies of factory panels. The M Machine press is 200 tons and can be seen pressing a Mini floor in a short video on their website here. As you can see on the video, the press doesn't have the necessary tonnage to squish out all the ripples at the sides of the floor and this may be one of the issues you have found. To help reduce this, some of the more complicated pressings such as the Moke floor panel that they manufacture have to be made using a thinner gauge steel than original.

We are always pleased to show people round our facility in South Wales so if you would like to view any panels before buying, please get in touch.

Hope that helps. Roger
Should you wish, you can always contact me at M Parts
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