Morris Minor Owners Club

Well perhaps they were actually factory fitted in late cars like mine.

Stephen

I'm not sure what purposes they serve, I'm not aware of any problem with water ingress in that area. I guess a piece of leather from an old belt would do, but since I probably need a new handbrake cable anyway I may as well order the seals.

ndevans wrote: ↑Sat Jan 03, 2026 11:53 am I'm not sure what purposes they serve, I'm not aware of any problem with water ingress in that area. I guess a piece of leather from an old belt would do, but since I probably need a new handbrake cable anyway I may as well order the seals.

I must admit that when I discovered these pieces I did not think they were “seals”. I assumed they were to help the cable move more smoothly.

Stephen

There were a couple of guides missing when I did Ted so I made some and used pieces of old inner tube as seals liberally coated in grease. Time will tell if they wear and start leaking.

Duplicate deleted

My seals were outside in the tunnel, I see you have fitted them inside the car, or have you done both?
Won't the grease get on your carpet.

Both sides, just to make sure.
There's underlay on there first and no sign of staining yet.

panky wrote: ↑Sat Jan 03, 2026 3:58 pm Both sides, just to make sure.
There's underlay on there first and no sign of staining yet.

I think the purpose of the fiber board was to prevent metal to metal contact of the cable to the tunnel as oppose to a seal to the cable. This is mostly needed on the underside because the sheath is held fairly close to the tunnel. It also functions as a bit of a gasket between the bottom plate and the underside of the tunnel. The shape and orientation of the plates themselves discourage water ingress will traveling.

jaekl wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 1:12 pm I think the purpose of the fiber board was to prevent metal to metal contact of the cable to the tunnel as oppose to a seal to the cable. This is mostly needed on the underside because the sheath is held fairly close to the tunnel. It also functions as a bit of a gasket between the bottom plate and the underside of the tunnel. The shape and orientation of the plates themselves discourage water ingress will traveling.

Also just noticed after cleaning and repainting the plates, that the interior plate has larger opening than the exterior plate.

jaekl wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 1:12 pm I think the purpose of the fiber board was to prevent metal to metal contact of the cable to the tunnel as oppose to a seal to the cable. This is mostly needed on the underside because the sheath is held fairly close to the tunnel. It also functions as a bit of a gasket between the bottom plate and the underside of the tunnel. The shape and orientation of the plates themselves discourage water ingress will traveling.

Yes, I agree with that, makes perfect sense. The metal to metal contact would wear the cable otherwise. Then one day when you apply the handbrake - twanggg!

I thought the purpose of the fairlead is for that , the cable rubs on it as a guide not the floor. Still curious the parts list just shows 4 plates all the same part number. No seals or rubbing strips but mine has two pairs with different shapes inner and outer and had strips as well. Berni showed his with only one plate per side.
Probably lots of owner mods over 60+ years and even some factory ones unrecorded I'll bet but at least we are keeping them on the road. Unless you our a stickler for originality (not me) it makes no difference.

As regards the difference in fairleads - many of the parts fitted to a Morris Minor were made by several manufactures so it comes as no surprise that parts have different profiles.

On re-examination of the parts illustration, I've realised that the artist has got the cable guide part of the plates on the wrong sides.
As drawn, the cables are coming up from the rear on the inside of the car and going out through the floor towards the brake lever....

philthehill wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 7:09 pm As regards the difference in fairleads - many of the parts fitted to a Morris Minor were made by several manufactures so it comes as no surprise that parts have different profiles.

Seems strange that the two profiles are in pairs of one of each. The same on both sides.

geoberni wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 7:16 pm On re-examination of the parts illustration, I've realised that the artist has got the cable guide part of the plates on the wrong sides.
As drawn, the cables are coming up from the rear on the inside of the car and going out through the floor towards the brake lever....

Screenshot_20260104-190758_Drive.jpg

Berni do you mean that the plates are drawn pointing the wrong way, 180 degrees out

Bill_qaz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 8:30 pm
Berni do you mean that the plates are drawn pointing the wrong way, 180 degrees out
20251210_151111.jpg

Yes. As you look at the drawing the outermost plates are inside the car, the innermost in the tunnel underneath.
But plates are illustrated in the opposite sense.

geoberni wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 9:40 pm

Bill_qaz wrote: ↑Sun Jan 04, 2026 8:30 pm
Berni do you mean that the plates are drawn pointing the wrong way, 180 degrees out
20251210_151111.jpg

Yes. As you look at the drawing the outermost plates are inside the car, the innermost in the tunnel underneath.
But plates are illustrated in the opposite sense.

Yes you're right because plate inside the car have the opening pointing forward and plates on outside of car have the opening pointing rearward.
Proof readers missed that one
At Leyland we once had a hundred training manuals printed that said Manuel on the front cover Oh the days before spell check

New wheel cylinder, handbrake cables, guides refreshed and fitted with new bolts and mini rubber seals underneath.
Fully functioning handbrake
Rear soundproofing down, internal spraying of lanolin oil in box sections next prior to fitting new carpets.
Roll on spring to get the Minor out

Do please let us know what you think about the effect of the sound deadening. It's something I was considering doing when I replace my carpets. I did it on a fairly modern car and I was very pleased (I did the doors too).

Stephen