An addition to the "family"

[gtt1951]

On Tuesday morning, having travelled up the night before in a rented Self-Drive Transporter, I collected my Series MM Hi-light from the village of West Ashby, just north of Horncastle, not far from Skegness. Loading up[frame][/frame]
Arrived back home, about 4 hours later, getting out of the cab[frame][/frame]
Positioned transporter a bit down the road because of some neighbour's visitor's car being in the way[frame][/frame]
Shame I was doing this alone, as I could have had some action pictures of the car coming off the transporter.
Here "she" is on the drive[frame][/frame]
and now with proud owner[frame][/frame]
My "collection" side-by-side[frame][/frame]
The down-side is that virtually all rubber components (excluding the front screen and side window rubbers) will need replacing as there are signs of perishing - including the sidewalls of the tyres. Not certain why there were no Advisories on last September's MOT. Anyway, I bought it knowing that these items would need replacing.
The engine sounds very sweet and is the original 918cc side-valve. The gearbox is nice and quiet (not like the one on my Traveller that is about to be changed out).

I would recommend the use of a Transporter, rather than having to get hold of a large towing vehicle and renting a braked trailor, although it did cost £98 to rent (plus the desiel cost of £84 - total journey distance of 435 miles). It was piece of mind knowing that I would get home (with cargo) in one piece.

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Very nice George, welcome to the slow laid back pace of the sidevalve!! Happy motoring

[bmcecosse]

Excellent! Looks great. I didn't know it was possible to hire 'self drive transporter' - at that price I would say it was a bargain and certainly by far the cheapest way to get the car home. Well done !

[smithskids]

Looks great, nice and tidy, happy sidevalve motoring. Smithskids

[jagnut66]

Hi,
Really nice car that you've acquired there, you'll be spoilt for choice now, happy motoring!
Best wishes,
Mike.

P.S. Interesting to note that whilst the rear bumper blade is split into two halves with a joining piece, the front is one continuous blade, I wonder when they changed or is this just someone fitting a decent spare that they had to hand to replace the original?

[stag36587]

what a fabulous car....congratulations

[PaulTubby]

Very nice and I also didn't no you could self drive hire a transporter, maybe useful to no in the future! Also wonder which one you will be garaging over the winter and which will be outside unless you have storage elsewhere in mind, decisions hey

[gtt1951]

Thank you all for the kind words. Some answers now, first Transporter Hire - For this collection I used
http://www.transporterhire.co.uk/index.php
as the guys I used last year no-longer have an "agent" in my area (ParkLane Hire now only operate in the Nottingham area).
Garaging - the garage you see in the background doesn't have any room for a car, unless I remove the GPO telephone exchange (look closely at that image, over to the right-hand side, just over the fence line and what else do you see?) and the workbench with the 3 photo enlargers (that my daughter had insisted on using, when studying photography), the 10+50 Drop Indicator operator board, etc, etc - not to mention the furniture movers pallet with my 803cc engine and the gearbox to go with it.
I am planning to build a detached garage - plans now changing to make this a "double" (there was a groan from the planning team that are giving free advise prior to formal application). What I have done, at the moment, is to take the Traveller out of the temporary PlyTunnel (3mx6m), placed back on the driveway with its shaped "storm" cover and the Saloon is now in the Polytunnel - got this done last night just before the 5 minute thunderstorm and smelly rain came down!
The carb on the side-valve is "venting" - must need new gaskets, so being in a "hot" polytunnel (all "windows" open) may still not be a good idea.

[GBond]

Nice pair of Morrises!

Since you're having to change the rubber I'd go for polyurethane all around to have less headaches in the future.

[bmcecosse]

The 'cheapest' way of course would have been to go by train (or hitch a lift) and then drive the car home. But a bit stressful for a new-to-you car.

[gtt1951]

Forgot to answer about the rear bumper - this was mentioned in another topic of "Where is it now? KWK 461" from a previous owner - http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=49066

Not sure that I can get poly engine mounts, as these need replacing. The rad hoses have got cracks - the bottom hose looks very odd and I will post images of it when I get home (probably in another topic regarding "cooling").
The engine is fitted with a water pump.
Regards, George.

[gtt1951]

Reference to "looking over to the right" in the photo of both cars - just realised that posting up the image has cropped the width, so you won't see what I was on about. I'll do another picture of my frontage.

BMC - I already knew that a lot of the rubber work was dubious, so there was no way I wanted to drive 180 miles with rad hoses that looked as if they could go at any time. Also, with no "driving history" it would have been taking a chance too many.

I insured the car through FJ before I went to pick it up. A drive home would have taken much more than the 4.5 hours achieved with a transporter that could go up to a tad over 70mph (restricted) - plus there was the "comfort" factor - you've seen my shape!
George.

[jagnut66]

Thanks for directing me to that post, I now understand about the rear bumper, something else for your 'to do' list then!

Still if that's a genuine low-light rear bumper you should be able to sell it and get some money back.

Unless you now want a low-light to complete the set of course................

[PaulTubby]

Thank you all for the kind words. Some answers now, first Transporter Hire - For this collection I used
http://www.transporterhire.co.uk/index.php
as the guys I used last year no-longer have an "agent" in my area (ParkLane Hire now only operate in the Nottingham area).
Garaging - the garage you see in the background doesn't have any room for a car, unless I remove the GPO telephone exchange (look closely at that image, over to the right-hand side, just over the fence line and what else do you see?) and the workbench with the 3 photo enlargers (that my daughter had insisted on using, when studying photography), the 10+50 Drop Indicator operator board, etc, etc - not to mention the furniture movers pallet with my 803cc engine and the gearbox to go with it.
I am planning to build a detached garage - plans now changing to make this a "double" (there was a groan from the planning team that are giving free advise prior to formal application). What I have done, at the moment, is to take the Traveller out of the temporary PlyTunnel (3mx6m), placed back on the driveway with its shaped "storm" cover and the Saloon is now in the Polytunnel - got this done last night just before the 5 minute thunderstorm and smelly rain came down!
The carb on the side-valve is "venting" - must need new gaskets, so being in a "hot" polytunnel (all "windows" open) may still not be a good idea.

could you show me a photo of your poly tunnel in use??

[gtt1951]

Hello Paul, just went and took the next set of 3 photos[frame][/frame]
Closed up, above and "front door" open, below[frame][/frame]
I purchased additional anchorage units from B&Q and these are like a giant corkscrew, which you screw into the ground and then slid the bottom sections of the tunnel frame into - close up on next picture (I used 4 anchors)[frame][/frame]
The anchors are sold as security fixing points for outdoor furniture etc., but I could see their potential in my intended application - should stop any wind movement.

[jagnut66]

The only thing I would be concerned about would be damp rising from the earth below your car, if it's left stood for any length of time.
I wonder if slabbing the area might help? Sealing the joins with cement.
Easy enough to take up again when your new garage is built.

[gtt1951]

If you look at the 2nd picture, I have placed driveway paving "bricks" either side of the entrance bottom rail.
I have a large quantity of these (donated free) and the short term plan is to lay a "runway" inside the tunnel.
I ran out of camera battery this morning, so didn't get to show you the "tyre savers" that the front wheels are parked on.
It is very difficult to get to drive onto four of them - get wheel spin. My soil is very much like fine sand and rain just runs off.
Haven't had any real rain since putting up the tunnel, but had to open all the "windows" because of heat build up. May not be the best place for the MM, as it already has areas of crazed paintwork.

[bmcecosse]

I would certainly NOT be cooking the car in a poly tunnel in this weather..... Park it in the shade - if you can to keep the direct sun off the paintwork.

[Matt]

Lots of self drive/van hire places have car transporters available at that sort of price...

Me? I would have hitched my trailer to the back of my X reg Focus and gone and got it (possibly the transit if I was in the right mood!)

[gtt1951]

Ah. I no-longer have a car with a tow hitch and never had a braked trailer - the law on towing changed recently and what used to be allowed has now become illegal. There was a long thread on this site regarding towing etc., this year, I believe.
Driving licences are also changing in regard to towing anything - for new ones, you actually have to pass a test in towing.
Took the day off today for pottering around and preparing my other Moggy for its gearbox transplant, but it is too hot outside - don't know what smiley to show in this case.
George.