Morris Minor Owners Club

I hope to finish the prep on the body shell in the next few weeks . Then its off to the body shop to spray the interior, the engine bay and the inside of the doors if they are ready.

When it comes back I'll rebuild the suspension with poly bushes and renew all the brakes including the sexy 9" (!) Wolesleys.

Then its engine and gearbox time. The gearbox is a recon'd Sprite one and the oil was completely clean when I drained it to take it out. The engine is shot, but I'm sticking with a 948. Harrymango has one for me and I am going for a 1098 cam, 12g940 head with pocketed valves and 1.5 inch HS4 carb. (Perhaps someone with winsu could suggest a neddle for that set up)

I don't want to do anything with the exhaust for now because I like my cars to look standard from the outside!

Then all I have left is to fit the wings and doors, get the outside sprayed, refit the glass, and fit the complete interior.

I'm still hopeful for having it finished for next spring, but don't hold your breath.

Just so you don't think I've been taking it easy here a few pics of the current state of play.

By the way there arn't any big round holes in her boxing plates. I guess they were replaced when she was welded up in the 80's









I'll try and post some more pics as we go.

Looking better than my project, then...

By the way there arn't any big round holes in her boxing plates. I guess they were replaced when she was welded up in the 80's

Possibly they were made up ones as the spares situation was not as good then as now, but you have certainly cracked on with the restoration Roger my speed at doing things is definately much slower.

Nice work! Its great to see someone saving a minor 1000 4-door saloon. It seems the early cars, travellers, convertibles and commercials get a lot of attention, nice to see a 4-door being done too!

If the sills are not rusty, then I'd leave the plates in place.

Did you have to do much welding to the shell?

None at all. It had been dry stored since the welding was done in 1988.

I was given it by some one at work when I told him about the john o groats - lands end run on the agreement that I restored it rather than breaking her up.
They did a nice job then really staight seems. I need to do one small repair on the front crossmember - you can just see a hole on the drivers side.

What do you make of this number on the left hand side of the bulkhead?

I noticed it when I got back to bare metal. I took the picture lit from the side with a small torch to reveal the otherwise invisible number 874875.



this is where I found it.



EDIT: I've just checked - its the chassis number!

I was just about to say that! Probably so called because it's a number, on the chassis...

ok smarty pants I thought you'd say that

You know me so well...

What do you make of this number on the left hand side of the bulkhead?

Its on the right hand side as your picture demonstrates

Time for a progress report.

I've been busy at work and home and have not done a lot lately.

The engine bay is empty and has been striped down to bare metal and primed.

The front suspension and steering have been stripped. In fact there is not a nut or bolt forward of the door pillars.

At the back everything is out including the fuel tank.

The doors are off and stripped down, all the glass is out.

I guess it's easier to say whats left; just the rear axle and springs. And they are coming out as soon as I've got the front back together.

Next week I'll start rebuilding the front suspension, brakes and steering and fit the new master cylinder.

Then at last I can wheel her out and clean up the garage which is covered in the muck I've cleaned off the car. I'll try and take some photos then so you can see how she looks.

STILL further on than me



That was a really hard Sunday afternoon, btw...

That does look like a lot of progress Andrew! And it sounds like the both of you are doing much better than I am, nothing has changed to my car the last 6 months, apart from moving location of course!

Onne

Well Andrew that looks a fair bit of progress since I saw it a couple of weeks ago.

Not that much, but progress is progress...

Onne wrote:That does look like a lot of progress Andrew! And it sounds like the both of you are doing much better than I am, nothing has changed to my car the last 6 months, apart from moving location of course!

Onne

driving loads of miles and fitting a new (another if you prefer) engine does not sound like nothing, if only my nothing was as much

andrew i assume the lovely neighbours went to the seaside for the day or something

Well I meant my lowlight, which is the one that needs the most work doing
Elisabeth has a new engine, new headlights, new wiring at the back, towbar, new leaf springs. That is all really

tickman wrote: andrew i assume the lovely neighbours went to the seaside for the day or something

Those ones are STILL away. Sadly, the ones on the other side started moaning about the noise, but luckily none of that little lot involved cutting, just bolt undoing

No verbal pursuasion then?

Onne

Oddly enough, no. Makes a pleasant change Oh, one of the bolts involved a little unfriendly thought. For four hours...