Body condition

[Avery54]

I am selling a Minor for my friend, or I might buy it myself. I understand the question of worth is related to the condition of the body. Photos of the car, and in particular, visible rust spots follow. Sorry about the poor edit job, my first time putting pics up. Where it says "Image" should read drivers side pan. So what do you all think? Does it look like heaps of body work. The bottom is generally black undercoat with some rust showing through but not much bubbling. I could work on getting more underneath pics.
[frame][/frame][frame][/frame] Drivers side rear door[frame][/frame]Boot[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]Rust in front of passenger side rear wheel[frame][/frame]Close up of previous photo[frame][/frame]passenger front door[frame][/frame]rail front passenger side[frame][/frame]front passenger pan[frame][/frame][frame][img]http://mmoc.org.ukdrivers%20pan/mbimage.php?src=1264228366_11343[/img][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]Motor mount[frame][/frame]passenger side[frame][/frame]Under car towards drivers side wheel[frame][img]http://mmoc.org.urg.uk[frame][/frame][frame]under drivers door[/frame][frame][/frame]Driver side boot[frame][/frame]passenger side engine

[bmcecosse]

A lot of what you show is trivial (doors etc) , although there could be many horrors under the underseal. There is some serious rust on the sills/floorpan - where it's gone crunchy and into holes! It's very fixable - many brave folks on here restore very much worse - but quite a bit of welding will be required. Do you have premises - welding equipment - welding experience ? As it stands right now - if it was in UK - I would think it would be lucky to fetch £500.
You stated earlier it had the 803 engine - but from the pictures it clearly has a later 948 or possibly 1098 engine !

[Avery54]

Thanks, Can you tell from the photo which engine it is?[frame][/frame]

[Dean]

Thanks, Can you tell from the photo which engine it is?

I can't (some others may), but if yon look at the engine from the opposite side the picture was taken. Then look down the side of the engine block near the front (you may have to stick your head down), you should see cast into the block 948... meaning a 948cc engine.


Like bmc says, there may be a few horrors lurking underneath the underseal, but to honest it does look a good base for a restoration. Has it been laid for for long?

There are few early series II owners who post on here, I would be interested to know what the id plate number is on this one.... just to date date the car really. Mines November 12th 1953, this may be similar. When I took the rear passenger window out I found a yellow triplex sticker stamped oct 1953. I took it off and put it in my folder.

[Avery54]

The car has been sitting for five years.

[Dean]

The car has been sitting for five years.

So the brakes will need looking at for starters.

If it still has the original early 7" drum backing plates the brake cylinders can be costly. But the suppliers do conversion kits to use cheaper components but maintain the original 7" drums, this is the route I went down.

Parts are still plentiful (especially panels), but some bits are not as plentiful as the later minors. But in all honesty, being the earlier design of moggy I find them a little more unique and when people see them they know it's a moggy but there's something different about it.

Here's mine, as and as you can see, probably started off in a similar condition. Although I did do more to mine than was really needed to get it on the road.

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23603

[Avery54]

I have done some stick welding, no mig welding though. Dean, did you do the welding yourself, and if you did how experience were you when you started the restoration? I just looked at your car, and I'm impressed!

[Dean]

I have done some stick welding, no mig welding though.

I'd done a little bit of welding 20 years ago at college. I borrowed my brothers mig, who is restoring a VW beetle, he told me the basics. I had a good read of this website and had a go myself. http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

Okay, my welding isn't something I'd want to show off to everyone, but it's functional and we all have to learn somewhere. As long as you cut out all the rust, or buy a small repair panel, cut out the old metal so the new one fits in and all the joins are strong, what can be wrong with that.

how experience were you when you started the restoration? I just looked at your car, and I'm impressed!

Thank you for you kind words. In all honesty, I'd never worked on cars before let alone restored one. But armed with a good BMC repair manual or a good restorers book a few practical skills anything is achievable. Oh and plenty of cash.

[Avery54]

Ok, there is a 950 cast into the side of the block which means it's a 948cc I think.

Dean, how long did your restoration take you?

[PSL184]

Price wise I'm in the £500 region. Also it is a 948 engine that is fitted which is a bonus BTW.
I think you will find more welding to be done on the sills when you take the cover plates off but it is certainly restorable and they are an easy car to learn your skills on.
Go buy it and start to have some fun and remember we're always here to offer help, advice and encouragement

[Avery54]

PSL, why is the 948 a bonus?

Dean the year listed is 1954

[Dean]

I've been on it since June or July 2008. I've worked hard on it, but like I say done more than necessary probably only doing 7-8 hrs per week. A bit more during holiday periods and less during cold snaps. It's nearly ready now, I'm just cleaning the interior and putting on the leather feed. Only the wipers to get working properly and the headlights set correctly now and away I go!

[PSL184]

You could run faster than the 803

[Avery54]

First gear is really noisy, is that a problem?

[Dean]

First gear is really noisy, is that a problem?

I'll have to pass on that one, but I bet you could buy the bit that is worn if it is.

[PSL184]

1st gear is always noisy compared to the other gears due to the design. If it is excessively noisy it could be down to a broken tooth (no point fixing - just replace with a good secondhand box) or could just simply be low oil level in the box. You will need to identify which box you have fitted. The original 803 box is different to the 948 box but you could fit either of those or a 1098 box with a little modification if you wanted to. The 1098 box is the strongest of the 3 types.

[bmcecosse]

First gear is always noisy - because it's straight cut. Don't worry about it - unless it feels like a tooth is missing! The 948 is a FAR better engine than the 803 - it will keep up with traffic - and can be easily (and inexpensively) encouraged to give a LOT more power. If the car still has the original 803 final drive ratio - then it will be stupidly low geared - but you can easily sort that out later.

[Avery54]

Thanks for the gearbox info.

On a restoration project such as this, where does one start?

[PSL184]

Where ever you want, but, I would start with major structural areas of the body. ie, front chassis legs, sills, centre crossmember, rear spring hangers and finally floor pans. Once this is correct and rot free move onto the mechanical bits....

[bmcecosse]

You START by finding out EVERYTHING that needs doing - do a very thorough survey of the whole car - all carpets up - side sill covers off - boot floor up - rear seat removed - all underseal scraped off - maybe even front wings removed. Then you make a list of ALL that needs doing - going round the car with a sharp chisel and banging away to find ALL the rot. No point making a start - and then finding more and more rot as you go along - until the project grinds to a halt!