1949 Low Light Restoration

[Low Light'n It]

Hello,

The time has come for our little low-light tourer to get stripped, ripped, tipped and dipped (eh blasted) and I've set a goal of 6 months for a complete DIY restoration (I'll be working about five days a week on the car). I will be doing every nut and bolt myself, aside from paint and body, as I know my limitations and those be the ones!

My car has been in the States since about 1996, and ended up in a small museum on the west coast and finally here in Denver, CO. The lacquer paint is about twelve inches thick, but she is fairly rot free on initial strip down. I am fairly used to wrenching on "MOT Refugee's" over here and this car seems to evade that lovely reference, at least for now (we'll see once she returns from the blaster).

The car will remain black but with customary (all that was offered??) tan interior and a black hood. Here are a few (old) before tear-down pics from two years ago:






I do have a few books and originality guides, but I was hoping to lean the resident experts as the projects unfolds. I am not new to Minors, but I am completely green on MM cars.

I know this question is a common (and loaded) one, but I would prefer to keep one main (if possible) parts source for the car during this craziness and kindly request where you all suggest to direct to? I know some of the early parts are NLA, but I would love a spares house that knows all on the early cars and can direct me to the proper bits.

My goal is to keep the car 100% stock and as close to factory fresh as possible (the jury is still out on the spats on that note, however), but I want to drive and use the car, so yes correctness is important, but trailer queen / Concour participant she'll be not.

Thanks all in advance and here goes nothing!

Jeff

[DAVIDMCCULLOUGH]

Nice looking tourer, paint doesnt look that bad! I think I would keep the spats, they are very unusual and I dont think they take away from the look. I would add some whitewalls thought as its helps break up all that black, my 1950 MM has whitewalls which at first I didnt like but now I think would look strange without.

What parts are you looking for? MM parts are getting harder to find, I get most of my parts from East Sussex Minors and Club Spares is another good option. Body panels on the most part will have to be adapted from the later items, Fairmile Restorations list some body panels as well.

Just out of interest, what about the lowlight headlights and US law seeing it was that market that caused the change in the wings?

Good luck with your restoration and keep us up to date with plenty of photos

[GBond]

I'm with David on the spats, they're probably period accessories and I think suit the car. I might even keep the bumpers if it were me.

It looks quite good as it is, so It'll probably look fantastic once you're done with it.

[Low Light'n It]

David,

Have not ever had issues with the lights, and with the amount of "slammed" cars over here, plus Yank - Tank trucks lifted to unGodly heights, I don't suspect she'll get bothered with.

Thanks for the compliments gents, she is a good basis to start from. As for parts, I need a wiring harness, complete suspension overhaul bits, interior trim, dash knobs (the brown choke, lights, etc.), just to name a few. The list grows daily.

I'll check out East Sussex, thanks for the tip!

I'll post new pics in the coming weeks.

Thanks again,

Jeff

[sparesman]

Jeff
Was the MMM plate the original UK registration. If so probably supplied by Stewart and Arden in London.
We have lots of odd early parts in the club spares stock so if there is anything you are finding hard to locate please contact me.
Bryan Gostling

[Dave minor fan]

As soon as I saw that first picture I was struck by how much the low light convertible looks like the rarer Austin Atlantic, especially with the spats, what a great looking car. With the white walls as suggested, she's be a headturner of breakneck proportions.

[Dave minor fan]

actually, just googled the old Austin Atlantic, and the Morris Minor lowlight is a far better design, more pleasing to the eye by far, Had the Dinky toy one as a kid so my memory fooled me.

[irmscher]

Lovely car

[Low Light'n It]

Jeff
Was the MMM plate the original UK registration. If so probably supplied by Stewart and Arden in London.
We have lots of odd early parts in the club spares stock so if there is anything you are finding hard to locate please contact me.
Bryan Gostling

Hello Bryan,

Yes, that is the original plate on the car, and thanks for the information! I have a huge list of bits and will be contacting you in the next few weeks, thanks for the note.

As an update, the car is completely stripped and in very good nick, some previous patch work, but no immediate threats that I can see. The bottom inside edge of the drivers door has some pin-hole rot to deal with, and associated filler on the front side but that is the current extent, until the paint comes off of course.

Some interesting surprises are a Gold Seal labelled rebuild on the motor and trans (clock shows 35K but unsure how many actual, but judging by the condition of the sheet metal, it's either original or only rolled once). Trans internals look fantastic, and the compression / internals look good, although the head gasket is weeping on closer inspection, so off she comes. The replacement also explains why the units are painted green (I gotta laugh, as the someone tried to touch-up the original paint with John Deere green - oops) rather than grey, and I am convinced the factory heater was added when the motor replacement occurred, as the firewall holes appear to be off a bit from other MM's I've seen.

I gotta say, the body lines are much purer when you remove the window frames, cleans the lines up so nice, reminds me of a 1946 Ford convertible..

Pics of the progress to come shortly..

Thanks again all.

Jeff

[Low Light'n It]

Here are some pics:[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

More to come next week, I tell ya, the hardest parts to remove were the trunk floorboards; they cut them a little too exact and then with time and water bleeding in, they basically sealed themselves into place. It took a crowbar, a sledge and a heap of patience. Got them out and the frames are in nice straight condition (unbelievably after that ordeal)..

[EwenCameron]

The lowlight looks great. Spotted another lowlight for sale on Ebay MMM407 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141124764519? ... 1423.l2649

Looking forward to seeing your photos.