Morris Minor Owners Club

thank you Steve, I've been admiring other members work in the meantime. I'm hoping to repair my computer problem and get back my normal ID, but in the meantime I'm in disguise as a newbie. By the way Steve, when are you updating you van picture with one showing headlights? have you got around to fitting some yet? that paintjob looks faultless though.

I won't highjack your thread with loads of my pics. Here's a link (if thats ok) to a thread I have been adding my van progress when I get time. I also post on the LCV register forum.
I started on the MMO forum as that's where I got help from with bodywork and the paint guys who really bent over backwards after I started Moggie life with a few bum steers and chocolate firegaurds.
Your project has spurred me only greatly also, I must admit to reading your post's in depth and refering to your fantasic photographic records, thank you for that.

MMO link here: http://morrisminorowners.co.uk/ftopic3664-120.php

Have a good rumage around let me know what you think. My tail light fixing woes are documented there also!

Steve

David
Good to see you're back in action under a different guise !
Bob

Hi Bob, I'm using a tip from George Hurst's thread about headlining, he suggested using a bent kitchen knife to spring the clips to extract the wood former. I will call this "the George Hurst method" takes patience, but it's the only way to get the fragile wooden former out in one piece. I'm holding a spare clip in my left hand for reference, the actual clip is just showing over the lip.
[frame][/frame]

By the way Bob thanks again for the leaflet and photocopied stuff on wiper motors, very handy it was too, what with all the rain we've had.
the clip emerges and the left side of the former is free.[frame][/frame]

I very nearly managed to get it out intact but the right clip did't play cricket and the wood cracked a bit. I'll be able to fix it with pva glue, next was the clip removal, I have two original clips now and their split pins.
[frame][/frame]

plenty of ref pics for when I come to re staple the headliner to the wood former later on.[frame][/frame]

Dave
The phrase " I very nearly managed to get it out intact " strikes a chord with many a Moggy restorer !!

The designers did a good job of the " fixing the front of the headlining securely "...nobody mentioned in the brief..."removing it forty odd years later, without damage " !!

I can still recall the moment ... thinking I'd cracked it....pride comes before a fall, eh ? Glad the photocopies came in useful for the wipers.
Bob

Very true Bob, I bet when they put the minor together they never imagined a collection of fans putting their cars back on the road for an unfeasibly long time in service, I'm reading Alec Issigonis at the moment and Moggies and Minis have defied their life expectancies, Alec would be proud.
The headboard paired up with the healings allows the original folds to be re-used, even if the staples don't match up with the holes.[frame][/frame]

the headlining is stapled in prior to the dye re-spray, I don't want to stress the new finish with lots of twisting and turning as I refit the headlining to the headboard.[frame][/frame]

the VHT spray dye can arrived in the mail today, very quick post as I only purchased it on e bay Saturday, Great coverage, as you can see here, easy to use, fully recommend this.[frame][/frame]

the final coat of dye applied and the headlining left on the floor to dry[frame][/frame]

Dave
Don't muck about ....where have you hidden the old one ??
Nice job... a vast improvement !
Bob

Thanks Bob, that VHT dye is the key, really brings it up, looks almost like new, now the fitting, fiddly job to say the least.
The two clips fitted back on hold the headboard back in position, surprised how easy that went in.[frame][/frame]

the rear edge is another story, looks very untidy at the moment, the headlining came out of a Traveller, so I presume they are longer, I have an inch surplus material I don't need, with careful folding, I can secure this to the back of the cab join with self tapping screws into the timber joining piece.[frame][/frame]

I recently fitted a cut down car one on a friends pickup, it didnt have the piece of wood like you have in the photo. I used some of the clips like the ones used on the front seats to hold vinyl in in place and then covered the edge of it with a plastic strip. Looks quite neat.

were there's a will there's a way. Isn't that so the case with maintaining the interior of a Morris Minor David.
I've taken off the covered wooden piece, sprayed it with VHT and clamped it closed with clothes pegs while it dries.[frame][/frame]
The original sun visor has been languishing in a spares draw, and can now come in for some treatment too. the end had broken off the support, so I cut it flush and drilled it for a threaded stud.[frame][/frame]

the thread will be covered by this plastic end piece, from a firework/rocket, it is drying after being painted body colour and will be araldited in place tomorrow.[frame][/frame]

finally it's job done, with some help from my son Harry, holding both ends up at once was the key. The length of covered wood trim screwed in holding the tension of the headlining. Then some double sided tape, highly tacky, to hold the loose ends out of sight behind the rear roof joint[frame][/frame]

On the whole I'm very satisfied with the result, for the price of a can of spray die and a couple of screws my £5 ebay roof liner worked out ok. Next, will be the blanks and side trim under the seatbelts
[frame][/frame]

After an enforced absence due to email problems, I'm back, and just to show you she's still plugging away doing what she was designed for fetching and carrying, though the small greenhouse frame pictured above was an extreme example, she once again proved her worth. Someone stopped me at a petrol station to ask me If I was on my way to Goodwood to display her?
She's still earning her keep as a pickup, maybe one day she'll get a makeover and only come out in summer, but for now it's business as usual.[frame][/frame]