Morris Minor Owners Club

Repaired nearside cab floor on Monday.
Fitted new nearside sill on Tuesday & Thursday
Replaced the front nearside inner wing Friday + yesterday.
Fitted new nearside load bay and inner arch today.

The new £££ load bay panel was not impressive - whilst I was trial fitting it the arch came away at the front end. 7 spot welds consisted of just one that had taken hold, and that one was flimsy enough to let go They were easy to fix but I'm very concerned as to how many other spot welds on the section are dodgy

Tomorrow evening will hopefully fit rear outer arch, and repair A-post.

Tuesday car should be back on its wheels, so after work I need to finish the floor welding inside cab, fit front wings and lights + completely re-wire the rear end
Then fix ignition lock to stop it spinning in dash, and refit bulbs to speedo that I've knocked out when holding the lock from behind!
Then fit seat & seatbelts. If my reg plates turn up I need to fit the rear to replace the shattered plastic one.

MOT is booked for Wednesday but I think I'll have to postpone.

After the MOT:
I need to refill the rear axle at some point - when rolled on to the offside, the breather let out a lot of axle oil!
Usually I'd have drained the engine, gearbox and axle, but this time I've been cutting corners
Then put some fuel in, check the engine and gearbox oil, find AA card and tent and some clothes and toothbrush, then set off.

Then go back home and get food, wallet and map book and set off again.

Then return home to get printouts for campsites and ferry, find phone charger. Then set off - 3rd time lucky

If it was on it's side with oil in the diff - expect that downhill rear brake to be full of oil too!

I got all the most critical welding done this weekend - there are a few other places that need patching soon but they aren't in load-bearing areas and I still have a valid MOT so I think I'll leave them alone until after the rally. The hole in the chassis rail turned out to be worse than it looked.

Tonight I hope to finish putting the front suspension back together. Tomorrow night I want to replace the brake pipes and handbrake cables, then put the seats back in and she should be drivable again. Dad has volunteered to rebuild my spare carb and fuel pump. Any more time I have left over will be spent sorting out 'luxuries' like the heater, radio, door mirrors, sill covers, and halogen headlights...

All this activity sounds frantic, inspection pit and tools available
at home if anyone is in need when you get to Penzance

trenowin wrote:All this activity sounds frantic, inspection pit and tools available
at home if anyone is in need when you get to Penzance

.........be careful what you wish for........

I have now sent confirmation emails to all those starting from Lands end. If you've not received one please let me know. Thanks.

If it was on it's side with oil in the diff - expect that downhill rear brake to be full of oil too!

Oh yes - I expect that! However when rolled on the LHS the brakes stayed completely dry, which was a nice surprise. If the seals on the other side is just as good, then I'll be very pleased indeed.
The RHS rear brakes are dodgy anyway so nothing lost if they get full of oil.

The engine bay is partly full of engine oil - the dipstick does not make a good seal
The engine oil needed to be changed anyway but I'd left the oil in so I could turn the car around in between roll overs. Cutting corners is never a good thing but I'm working beyond borrowed time at the moment.
Yesterday's rain really didn't help, as progress last night was nearly zero. If it's sunny this morning (whilst I'm at work) the car can dry off and I can paint the new metal ready to put the car back on its wheels.
If it stays dry this evening I might get chance to weld the rear outer arches and then the A-posts and finish the other welding.
If I make it to the MOT in the morning, chances are that I won't have been to bed!

I was in the garage past 11PM last night assembling front suspension parts. I've assembled one side but not finished fitting it to the car. The seats are back in and the clutch is correctly adjusted, and I've made the rally plaques.

My car's wings are prepared and ready for fitting, I spent last night slapping Waxoyl on the inaccessible parts of the wings and inner wheelarches in readiness for fitting them tonight. Also counting how many nuts & bolts I have-fortunately I have enough!

I won't have a multicoloured car, it'll be green all over, though not exactly identical shades of green....

Watch this space......

Not a good day here Received the new alternator, fitted it, ignition light still glowing. Wiring all checked out. Alternator putting out around 12.3 volts??????

Change back to a dynamo!

Check the small exciter wire is delivering 12 volts when the ignition is switched on. Alternators are good

millerman wrote:Alternators are good

Except when they fail...

....... or when you fit one wire incorrectly

Exciting stuff eh?

(Geddit-?????....exciting.....????)

Be careful you don't exhaust yourself Neil.

(Geddit-?????....exhaustyourself.....????)

Judge wrote:Be careful you don't exhaust yourself Neil.

(Geddit-?????....exhaustyourself.....????)

.......touche.......LOL.....

Woohoo!

Offside wing hung on the car!

Keep watching viewers...........

If any of you long distance folk need help in Central Scotland - I'm very near junction 8 of the M74 - in Stonehouse. Plenty of spares and welding gear (gas/stick/MIG) available ! 01six98 seven923seven6

And my one stop spares shop will be open the same as last year as you pass through Somerset