Rover Mini Cabriolet

The Cabriolet shell is based on a standard saloon Mini shell that has had it's roof replaced with a retractable hood. Mechanically it's much the same as any other Mini but the body has been significantly modified. It has enlarged front wheel arches to house the 165/60 R12 tyres.

	The lower part of the A-Frame is reinforced with a pressed steel box section. The upper A-Post is also reinforced with a stiffener tube that runs from the base of the A-Post through to the top

The double skinned windscreen header is designed to tie the 2 A-Posts together and provide a location for the hood when up.

	The doors are also based on standard saloon Mini versions that have had the majority of the window frame removed and then had a new front section bonded to the remaining part of the window section and welded.

The sills are significantly reinforced by the addition of a box section that is tied into the healboard which has effectively been doubled up by addition of another box section. This is designed to give the body a great deal of torsional rigidity which will help prevent it from twisting.

Again, the B-Post has been significantly reinforced and is tied into the sill reinforcement.

	The rear quarter panels and rear panel are reworked saloon versions. The rear parcel shelf is a heavier version than that used on the saloon and houses the two inertia rear seat belts.

Inside the boot, the seat belts are supported by an additional box section that welds to the underside of the parcel shelf and the rear seat bulkhead.

The Cabriolet is fitted with Recaro front seats complete with head restraint. Unlike the normal 'hinge' operation of the saloon seats, the Recaro's tilt and slide like a 'normal' car seat and they have improved support.

	The rear quarter panels are also unique as they cover the housing for the rear quarter windows.

The Cabriolet is truly a unique Mini! It is the only Mini to have wind down rear quarter light windows. They cleverly disappear into the body in an arc.

	The carpet is also unique. The sill carpet is wider to cover those strengthened box sections. There is carpet to cover the healboard which also house rear speakers. The front wheel arches house the front speakers and the carpet has cut outs to accommodate these. To finish off the interior, there are stainless steel step covers with the 'Cabriolet' logo etched in.

The interior is lavished in burr walnut everywhere. The dash is wood, complete with three clock instrument housing, an analogue clock and radio aperture. There is also a glove box cover. There are walnut door cappings and door handles all finished off with a walnut gear knob.

It's the Cabriolets body kit that gives it that impressive look. It is made up of 12 pieces that bolt onto the body.

	Those 12" Revolution alloy wheels look great under those wheel arches...

... and the extra driving lamps that fit into the front bumper light up the road at night.

	And no limited edition Mini would be complete without unique front and rear badges!

The Mini Cabriolet uses a single layer design hood with a sewn in backlight. The cover is bonded over a steel frame that locates and pivots just before the parcel shelf. A steel rear retainer rail is bonded into the cover and secured to the parcel shelf using six 8mm bolts that are accessible once the rear parcel shelf trim is removed. Further forward, the hood cover is bonded to the d-Post brackets and right at the front it is bonded to the header rail. The header rail itself provides a location for the header seal, hood handle and the two catches that secure the front of the hood to the windscreen header. The header is secured to the steel frame by 4 Allen bolts – two each side. To keep the hood cover taught in the up position, there are spring tensioned cant rail cables that run along the length of the cant rail.

	There are a number of rubber seals located around the hood designed to prevent water ingress. The header seal – the one that seals the front of the hood to the body and six further seals located along the top of the door glass, and the top and rear edge of the rear quarter light. More seals can be found around the rear quarter light, at the base of the B-Post and along the bodyline.

The inside of the hood features three spars that span from one side of the frame to the other. The hood cover is bonded to each of these spars via flaps of material that hang from the cover and neatly fold around each of the spars. On each side of the hood cover you’ll find a wide elastic strap that is pop riveted both at the header and second two spars. They are designed to hold the hood cover in it’s correct position each time the hood is raised and lowered.