Order of restoration

[youngun]

Go for it then dryad, we'll be here and with you all the way. Good luck!

YG

[Dryad]

Many thanks for the encouragement. It's exactly what I need. I'm sure people have restored Minors worse than this one before. I'll take it on tackling one area at a time, and try not to do everything at once. I shall also keep you all informed of my progress (or not!). I do know that I really miss driving my Minor - 2 years ago was when I last drove it on the road and I'm getting serious withdrawal symptoms. I bought the Austin just so I could drive a Classic while I restore the Minor, but although it's fun it's not the same. Expect updates soon.

[stag36587]

All the best - mine is very rusty too but now I think I can see a tiny speck of light at the end of a long tunnel....

[Bluesman]

Get this book and read it before you start. It covers all of your needs, including a good sequence to do it in. Plus a dose of self-irony and humour

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Morris-Minor-Re ... F8&s=books

Good luck!

(been there, done that)

/Richard

[Dryad]

Thanks Bluesman. Sounds exactly like the book I need. Irony and humour is what I will need to get me through this one I've just managed to order one for £18 in P&P from a bookshop in the US. (The wonders of the internet!) I also have the Haynes Minor restoration book, but it doesn't cover everything and the photos aren't really very clear.

[downsey]

Not to be mean or anything, but why did you buy that car? Surely you could have found a more solid platform. You are a brave soul.

[nslocomotive2]

hey Dryad hows it going on the resto?

[Dryad]

Very slowly indeed! I've been acquiring the necessary tools for the job; an engine hoist and some tubular steel to strenghen the shell when I cut out the rotten sills. First job is to remove the engine and gearbox to relieve some of the pressure on the rotten N/S chassis leg, and then I'm thinking of tipping the car up onto its side to do the welding. But before that I have to repair my welder! Last year I bought a new SIP 105 MigMate and it arrived broken so I had to fix it before I could use it. It worked for a while but now the wire keeps sticking in the liner and the trigger on the torch stays on sometimes after I take my finger off - not very helpful. I found out afterwards about the poor build quality of SIP welders so now I plan to replace the the torch and liner and do something about the erratic wire feed speed at the same time. Ho hum - more work. Glad to hear you're going to start on your Minor again. Keep looking on freecycle, as someone gave away a MIG welder a couple of months ago.

[nslocomotive2]

I'm on free-cycle - its a fantastic resource im in the broadland and Norwich groups, didn't think about the south-Norfolk... Should have done as I used to live in that area - doh..

I shall join up and watch out, its all things im after though, they had all my tools away, planning on hitting the classic car auctions, apparently they have an auto jumble with plenty of tools and stuff. I need to try and find that magic minor spanner I had seams to fit every nut on the car, out of every thing this was the one tool i was angry to have lost

but then I should imagine though a nut splitter will do fine too, as most of the ones I need to remove don't move anyway!!! Once I get my car port built I will be able to turn her on her side and do so much more... Im thinking engine out too, so I can get her front legs repaired as they are looking a but thin in places, there is some damage where someone tried to tow her with a tractor under there so I will be needing to work on those areas too. Perhaps we should get together sometime and share tactics of minor rebuilding over a cuppa or a pint???

best of luck repairing the welder, when they work they are a dream, that's why I liked my Clarke. But when they play up they can be as temperamental as Windows PC

[IaininTenbury]

Whilst it looks bad, and it is! It can be almost easier, or certainly no worse to cut out a very rusty panel and replace it than an averagely rusty panel. I mean that rear inner wing will come out in moments!
Take heart, I dont mean to sound cheeky, but that will be such a satsifying resto. Obviously you can just go out and get a better one but if it has sentimental value too, there's no escape

By the way nslocomotive2, the magic minor spanner is a 3/16 - 1/4 whitworth. Worth its weight in gold!

[nslocomotive2]

By the way nslocomotive2, the magic minor spanner is a 3/16 - 1/4 whitworth. Worth its weight in gold!

cool thanks

[Dean]

Are there any updates on this project please?

[Dryad]

Not yet! Been too busy with working on repairing my house and being a dad to my 2 year old son. He keeps asking to go and look at the Minor in the garage and he likes to sit at the steering wheel pretending to steer. I think he might be a future Minor driver... I hope to start on the car soon, though.

[Dean]

Hey hey, I have a two year old daughter, she calls our Moggy "Big Car" and just like your son loves to sit at the wheel pretending to steer.

She sits and watches "Humphrey" on the Cbeebies Iplayer, if you've ever seen it the guy drives about in a white Traveller. She watches it and loves telling me everytime "Big Car" comes into shot.

[Dryad]

Right. I've made a decision; having made an attempt to start on my minor I have come to the conclusion that it's probably THE most bodge-job minor ever. It seems that half the car has been sculpted out of filler! I'm also beginning to think that it has been made up from two different minors as I discovered almond green paint under the pale blue on the body shell at the back. So, because I would like to be driving a minor again before 2029 I have decided that I shall strip it of all its useable parts and scrap the shell. Anyone need any parts from a '68 4-door saloon? All doors seem good for starters. I also have a number of new unused repair panels and a L/H chassis half-leg. I'll post a list in the Part for sale section soon.

[Dean]

That's a shame... 10/10 for effort though...