Morris Minor Owners Club

Sounds a lot of effort for little gain to me!

That's the story of my life...

You won't get an MOT if you can't open the doors from the outside - unless you leave the key in (defeats purpose).
Mine failed this year on this very point, so I'm fitting the new doors I've had ready for ages (with exterior door handles). This is all to do with being rescued from a vehicle if it crashes etc - 30 years in the Fire Service says this is nonsense, but as they say rules is rules!!

It is nonsense! Plastic, look at TVR's who knows that you have to press a button under the wing mirror to open the door. It also helps if you have a friendly MOT man. Also some older cars don't have door handles! rules smules!

I do have a friendly MOT tester (thankfully), but have a look in the tester's manual and you'll see what I mean. TVR doors do open from outside as you rightly said, but if you need a key to open door, and it isn't readily available for use - then a fail will be issued.

Cheers

Pete

Pete,
I quite agree,we were commissioned to de-lock just the passenger door of a two door saloon. I had heard of this rule before ,so confirmed the facts with my MOT station. The door still has its lock. I would suggest thst this ruling should not be abused as if you have a crash and access was hindered because of no method of opening the door was evident , you may well find yourself uninsured.

In my experience, when a car (modern) has had a serious impact, the only way the doors will open is with the use of hydraulic equipment (fire service).
This is particularly evident with anti burst locks, but on a minor, I would suggest that the doors would probably burst open in the impact - especially if they were badly adjusted in the first instance.
My tester did pass my car as " the doors worked perfectly when tested" but we looked at the section referring to this matter, and I will fit my new doors as I would rather have handles fitted than the smoothed in look it has at present. My only problem is the doors fit perfectly at present, and I'm sure the new ones won't.

Pete

Just to update anyone interested, My minor has one swage line less on the D/S rear quarter and I will post a pik soon as it's Matt black at mo!

Slightly off topic, some years ago I saw a Minor that had something like an original Fiat Panda door 'handle' grafted in. The rear panel of the two door Minor was scooped so the trailing edge of the door acted like a door handle and a small push button/keyhole was all that protruded from the de-scooped door. Not well explained but I can't seem to find a picture to illustrate.

I know what you mean, I've seen one that had the old renault 5 door opener, looked OK. modernised!

James

Hi All,

Here are some piks of my minor without its swageline(deseamed)




It's painted matt black just to cover until all mod's have been done!
SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?
James

Looks smooth. Nice mod. Doesn't really stand out at all, but that is also the power of it. Might make people think "he has done something to his car, but what?"
I like that

that looks like a great mod mum
I like the idea of no door handles too...the fiat scoop type handle sounds great.

I'm squirrelling away all these ideas so that one day...one day...

never having looked that closely at a swage line (it wasn't until you posted pics that I knew what one was ) I didn't realise it was for strength, although now it seems obvious...
are the door ones for strength too?
am I right in thinking that if you remove the swage line, you have to replace it with something similar, but on the inside of the panel (mirror image)?

lot of work james but does look good and if its what u want,thats good enough mate,steve

Thank you for all your comments, It is one of those things where people say why? but we all have our problems!

Here's a pik of door and rear quarter done, the handle is coming off but it's interesting to see it in situ

If I didn't have the extra rollcage & full chassis it would probably weaken the body work a little but I don't think under the orginal power plant it would stress it to much.

James

As Homer would say Urmmmmm smooooooooth!!!!. Nice one James, just needs a 2" roof drop at the front. Are you painting the wheels black/graphite as well. Keep up the good work:D

HHHHHHHmm as Marge would say, no I don't want any roof chopping! The wheels I'm not sure at present it was going to be polished but I'm still not sure!
Cheers for your thoughts

James

It seems like a hell of a lot of work for little gain. Why would you want to do it?
Ian.

Sorry only read 1st page when I posted. Now see the reson, must admit it looks cool.

Thank you, I'm pleased with it, It should look better when it's painted like SR's

James

Yup, I like that. It is a lot of work, but then why not.

Has it been done before or are you the first?