Morris Minor Owners Club

What is the reason that the sills in a Minor have those rounded square holes in them? Is it to save weight or to reduce strength or something else?

I was playing fantasy restoration in my head and was thinking they would be easy to create out of a flat piece of metal but the holes would add to the work. I thought they might transfer undue stress somewhere else if made out of solid sheet of the correct thickness.

Ta

they nay even be stronger with holes punched in, as you get a turned in bit

jusat a thought and not to be taken literally

They very definitely ARE stronger (less flexible) with the shaped holes. But only because they are 'shaped' - flat holes would not be stronger.

The pressed holes do add some rigidity to the piece, as well as a bit of weight saving.
They also make it roomier for any mice living in the sills... Depending on the condition of your A-post bottoms, the mice can get through the sill, up the A-post, scavenge for food in the dash / glove boxes and then back down into either sill. The mice living in the sills of my pick up certainly got a surprise in July - they had to leave home without time to pack their half eaten chewing gum

Certainly agree with Ray - the holes make the panel nice and rigid as well as providing endless slalom entertainment for local mice.

They also have a practical purpose. Allowing air into the sill cavity to aid moisture evaporation but more importantly to allow you to get some wax preservative in there!