Morris Minor Owners Club

In 37 years I've never really felt my 1098cc Minor needed to go faster and the OP's is a 1275cc already. Surely enough?!

Stephen

Well, my Traveller is an absolutely usable street car but a bit quicker than others. It’s easy to drive and performs well in heavy town traffic. Surely I have upgraded to disc brakes but that was done long before I changed and tuned the engine. All the mods I made are easy to convert back to standard in one day or so. That’s what I did also to my other Traveller I sold recently. A motor swap takes just 2,5 hours, 1 hour out, 1,5 hours in. Brake change is 3 hours and bleeding the brakes takes most of the time.

Chris

I couldn’t do all that in a day, it would take me much longer, although I can’t say I’ve timed myself ! I’m very fussy about things.

Regarding the Battery and the position of the posts.
This is a common problem with cars which have been converted to Neg Earth.
The Battery should be mounted with the posts at the back, by the bulkhead.
When initially doing the conversion, people turn the battery around to put the Pos & Neg posts on the opposite ends to connect it up.
Then what happens is that at subsequent battery replacements, the owner or perhaps 'new' owner, just replaces like-for-like instead of getting one with the posts the other way around.
At my first national rally I spoke to an owner proudly showing his van, bonnet up, and pointed out that the battery retaining strap, without any cut out or insulating tape was about 2mm from the post; but he couldn't see a problem with it and didn't like being told his nice van might catch fire, 'Because it hadn't done so far...' You can't help some people, these are a couple I just found online in sale listings....
. .
I can see your strap has been wrapped in electrical tape, but it looks a bit OTT. Just make sure it's in good condition.
All it needs is a length of tape along the edge near the terminals.
This was my car when I first got him in 2017, he now has a new battery with the posts to the rear. Watch this guy get it wrong. Kudos to him for posting his mistake up, but irrespective of Pos or Neg Earth, the Rule is Disconnect Earth First, Connect Earth Last!
Not the other way around, for this very reason.
https://youtu.be/BCa9h-T69M4?t=47
He talks about it being the 'Choke Cable'; I don't see how the Choke Cable is on that side, the Accelerator Cable is where he was fiddling around.

A salutary lesson to respect the power of the battery.

Yes. I was also about to mention the battery clamp issue.
In my Series II the clamp is a padded U channel across the middle of the battery, not a right angle rail across the top front edge. So the J bolts (shorter) are horizontal. It seems that this was standard till later models.
OK, it may not be quite as good at holding the battery in place if the car is upside down.
But in this setup the terminals being at the front is not an issue.

A similar alternative bar location. A raised rib along the front of the battery, l

Another option is you can get batteries where the posts are more central to the casing. So although my positive is still on the drivers side and negative earth, the posts are well clear of the clamp. My neg cable goes to driver side as my battery isolator is bulkhead mounted. The rotary switch is inside near the bonnet pull so accessed inside the car.

"My neg cable goes to driver side as my battery isolator is bulkhead mounted. The rotary switch is inside near the bonnet pull so accessed inside the car."
I like the idea of isolating without having to raise the bonnet, perhaps even while coasting to a (smokey) halt.
So is the switch/knob actually part of the heavy duty isolator on the engine side of the bulkhead? Or does that inside switch drive a relay? Either way, Is this a commercial product, or home-brew?

Yes the switch knob is part of the isolator and is a commercial switch. It was fitted when I bought the car. I used the removable red key type on other classic build but they always seem to become troublesome.

Yes I must admit the battery does make me nervous as I’ve seen lots of videos where people have dropped things or touched the wrong bit and sparks have flown… I’d poo my pants if that happened! Thanks everyone for all the battery related tips!
I’m very fortunate that I have many knowledgeable people in my circle who have all offered to assist and teach me… part of what pushed me into a decision to actually take the plunge! So I definitely won’t be attempting any fiddly jobs without some guidance. My colleague’s husband actually used to teach classes back when he worked for the RAC and he’s an experienced classics man, he’ll be popping over to help me fit a new fuel hose as he said mine is fine but could do with upgrading. He has all the bits and is willing to help me fit the thing… so potentially that might be my first ‘job’

svenedin wrote: ↑Sun Jan 18, 2026 9:08 pm In 37 years I've never really felt my 1098cc Minor needed to go faster and the OP's is a 1275cc already. Surely enough?!

Stephen

Lol she’s definitely fast enough. I had to jump into my modern Citroen this morning as there was a problem with the tyres so had to drive it up to the tyre place…. It felt like a snail compared to Nell

"Yes I must admit the battery does make me nervous as I’ve seen lots of videos where people have dropped things or touched the wrong bit and sparks have flown…"


You might want to buy and fit a pair of these:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/406334992655 ... R47CnPP6Zg

Myrtles Man wrote: ↑Mon Jan 19, 2026 5:04 pm "Yes I must admit the battery does make me nervous as I’ve seen lots of videos where people have dropped things or touched the wrong bit and sparks have flown…"


You might want to buy and fit a pair of these:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/406334992655 ... R47CnPP6Zg

Excellent thanks, these will be very useful, thank you! I’ll get onto this!

If you simply use longer wires for plus and earth you‘ve got enough room to mount the battery with the poles towards the bulkhead regardless where to poles are. That’s what I did. I can use any battery now.

Chris

That’s also really good to know, thank you!

mrs.smith2012 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 19, 2026 4:47 pm

svenedin wrote: ↑Sun Jan 18, 2026 9:08 pm In 37 years I've never really felt my 1098cc Minor needed to go faster and the OP's is a 1275cc already. Surely enough?!

Stephen

Lol she’s definitely fast enough. I had to jump into my modern Citroen this morning as there was a problem with the tyres so had to drive it up to the tyre place…. It felt like a snail compared to Nell

I think it's the perception of speed rather than the actual speed when driving most Morris Minors

Stephen

That’s right but with the standard 1098 engine 120km/h at 5000revs is a bit of stress for both driver and car. In my tuned 1275 Traveller 120km/h means 4000 revs in 4th gear and 3600revs in 5th. That’s much more comfortable and a lot better for the car also. Even if it can go 165km/h or maybe more I only did it once. My goal in modifying the car is a good running street car and nor a racer. But anyway, I like it perfect.

Chris

MMT1968 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 19, 2026 9:28 pm That’s right but with the standard 1098 engine 120km/h at 5000revs is a bit of stress for both driver and car. In my tuned 1275 Traveller 120km/h means 4000 revs in 4th gear and 3600revs in 5th. That’s much more comfortable and a lot better for the car also. Even if it can go 165km/h or maybe more I only did it once. My goal in modifying the car is a good running street car and nor a racer. But anyway, I like it perfect.

Chris

74 mph! Good grief no. I might do 55 or maybe 60mph (88-96.5 Kmh) if I absolutely must drive on a motorway. The wind noise is terrible driving a convertible any faster and the engine sounds as if it is about to explode. It makes my ears bleed (not literally).

Of course you are in Germany where trying to join an Autobahn in an old car is "quite interesting". Getting enough speed on the relatively short slip roads is difficult and the car doesn't handle well enough to negotiate a tight cloverleaf at speed. I certainly found driving my Minor on Autobahns decidedly unpleasant and tried to avoid it if possible.

In actual fact I bought my 310 bhp Audi S3 due to my experience of German Autobahns. Now that is a car for those roads!

Stephen

Yes! A Minor is absolutely not a car to go fast on a motorway for a longer time. That’s true. But it’s always good to know that one could do. To go fast I‘ve got other cars but I hate the feeling of standing in one others way.
My Traveller is as I like it. A wolf in a sheep‘s skin as is a saying here around.

Chris

I’ve never thought I was in the way of anyone whilst in a Minor, maybe that’s why cars overtake. BTW mmt why don’t you advertise your parts in the parts for sale section, you may have better luck there.