Waiting for New Parts

[brucek]

Is there anything more exciting, when working your way through a rebuild, than ordering a big box of new parts and knowing they will be delivered tomorrow

Will post a few pics soon of the convertible rebuild - I do have some from when I started but they are on celluloid

[MarkyB]

Celluloid?
Was it the star in a silent movie

If you have prints you could try taking picture of them with a digital camera, not as good as scanning but faster!

[katy]

I do have some from when I started but they are on celluloid

That must have been a l-o-o-o-o-ng time ago.
How many years have you been working on this project?

[brucek]

Far Far too long Katy!!

OK maybe I was over exagerating a bit when I said celluloid - the car has been off the road since 1990 - apart from one brief sprint down to Monte Carlo and back in 1995 - it's been a stripped shell for almost all that time and am now putting the old girl back together again in time for this years MOT trip - yes I know I said that LAST year but this time it has to happen!!

Here's what she looked like when I got her - it had sat behind a garage for 10 years and was only just a rolling shell - I set to work trying to get her back on the road again....

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Here she is after a winters work on the keep at Belvoir Castle - you can just make out that the rear wing piping does not go all the way to the bottom of the wing - now why was that?

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Well, stripping the car down after MOT 1989 revealed that the wing piping was, in fact, 3 core electrical cable laid into a bed of filler!! - oh dear Oh and I forgot to mention - the car had NO sills whatsoever but DID have two section steel rear chassis legs welded to the X member which is a great fix and ensures that even with no sills, the car cannot bend!

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After a further MOT trip to the Loire in 1990 I decided to sort her out properly so stripped her to a bare shell. I had the shell media blasted and sprayed in red oxide primer....

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.....and repainted her in my favourite Morris colour - Clipper Blue

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Now just fitting all those new parts that came today! So far I have rebuilt the back axle, fitted a rear tele shock conversion, refurbished the rear brakes, installed new fuel lines, new front shocks, refurbished the front suspension components, rebuilt a 1275 MG Midget engine which has been sat in the garage for almost as long as I have had the car and stripped, repainted and rustproofed the underside. I keep telling everyone that even though I've been working hard on the car, most of it is unseen under the car! (do I sound like Mr China on that programme that we don't mention??)

I'll keep updating every now and again but the clock is ticking! 20 weeks before the off - 140 days

[jagnut66]

Hi,
So will it be ready in time for this years momentous National?
Best wishes and good luck.
Mike.

[brucek]

I really do hope so, Mike I think the last national I went to where I actually took a Morris was 1989! 24 years ago - shocking!!

[dannyj1979]

bruce will there be a lincolnshire convoy going? if so better pull my finger out lol

[brucek]

I'm sure there will be Danny - there are usually a good half dozen or so who make the trip and this year will probably be more. To be honest it doesn't matter what condition your car is in - if it's legal, it'll be fine. There will, of course, be many concours guys and girls whose cars will be spotless but for the rest of us, we'll be coming in a wide array of cars of all types and condition. Hope to see you there!!

[dannyj1979]

ok i might get to meet this next week anyway

[Coalmossian]

There is something better than waiting for a big box of new parts, though it's a variation on the same theme!
It's when that wee box arrives containing that NOS Morris/Mowog part that you bought on eBay and that you've spent years searching for, never actually imagining that you'd find it!!
Like last year when I got some brand new old stock bonnet hinges for my 1949 lowlight! Or that wee Jiffy bag that I got several years ago containing a brand new, never used, early bootlid emblem with brand new reflector!!
These are the things that dreams are made of!

[brucek]

Absolutely - It's probably quite sad really but it's amazing when you get 'that part' in your hands like it is the holy grail and even nicer to stand back and admire it on your car when the job is done

[ASL642]

Snap! Love Clipper Blue Convertibles... will look out for you at the National. What year is she dash looks very like mine - 61 - 63?

[brucek]

April 1959 , Lou - it's a genuine convertible, originally despatched to Colmore Depot in Birmingham and later sold by Wheelers Garage, Northfield Priory. I think I'm the third owner - well second really because the garage proprietor, in whose back garden it had been sitting in since 1979, registered it in his garages name but did nothing with it. Will be great to compare at Oxford - can't wait

[dannyj1979]

not 100% sure but think i have a tonneau cover in my workshop bruce?

[brucek]

Cool Danny - If you can find it I could be interested. There are not many cars with a tonneau but one way or another mine will have one

[dannyj1979]

i know where it is bruce not sure how good it is.came with a load of morris minor bit but not 100% sure its for one could do with finding pic of one see what there like?

[brucek]

If you click on this link, there are a few photo's of a convertible with a tonneau

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... au#p336219

[dannyj1979]

will dig it out tomorrow and have a look dont think its like that tho? you want a pic of it?and its black

[brucek]

Always good to post a pic - and there will always be someone who might be interested. I was thinking of a cream/beige colour for mine but it would be good to see it if you can find it

[dannyj1979]

dont spose you have a 948 engine or short engine?