Morris Minor Owners Club

Just want to say hello to all! Great website!
I have owned my 1959 Traveler for close to 10 years now and have enjoyed every minute. It has become my daily driver here in Los Angeles. Current mods are Nissan A15 bored out to 1624cc, GX head, roller rockers, mild cam, lightened flywheel, custom forged pistons, twin HS4 SU's, 5 speed GBX, 3.7 Midget Diff with the new super axles and twin ball bearing hubs, Escort front dicscs, JLH front suspension with coilover spax shocks, and rear telescoping shocks.
I do have a question about the Owen Burton Coil over rear shocks. Do they omit the leaf springs? Has anyone here installed one?
Thanks in advance,
Mike

Hi Mike and welcome.
To be honest if you have the JLH front setup you will be better off with the JLH rear setup as generally their products tend to be better engineered and with a more modern approach to their products with ongoing improvements, the Owen Burton products have not been updated for some time as they are (I believe) now made under license without any further development having been done for some time.

Welcome aboard Mike.

Welcome! What halfshafts do you have?

Thanks for the welcome and advice Kevin, Judge, and JimK. I am using the Peter May Engineering Axles, part #5.32. They are almost too beautiful to hide inside a differential! Here's their website: http://www.petermayengineering.co.uk/ . I am using the Minimania double bearing hub kit.
Mike

Never heard of them - until now Thank you - an excellent link. At last - flip front hinges, albeit for a spridget...

Myko2 wrote:I am using the Peter May Engineering Axles, part #5.32. They are almost too beautiful to hide inside a differential!

They do look good, don't they? A bit cheaper than the Minor suppliers, too.

They would save me a lot of hassle - the other option is to change to an Escort axle, get the prop changed, and either get the bolt spacing changed (if it's possible) or buy new wheels.
New halfshafts sounds better and easier, and probably not any more expensive.

The diff has been my nemesis since I went to the Datsun engine. I started off with an A14 which is 1397CC , then in search of more torque I switched up to the A15. I've managed to break two hardened axles in about 3 years time all the while driving like a little old lady because I knew the diff was the weak link. I did a lot of research before going with the set up I have. The Escort diff was going to cost too much to get here, and I didn't want to lose my chrome 5 1/2" widened stock wheels. We'll see how well the new set-up works.

Myko2 wrote:The diff has been my nemesis since I went to the Datsun engine.

I'm slightly concerned, too. I figure it won't suddenly break like a halfshaft does but would instead just wear out quickly. I also figure that the crownwheel and pinion would last OK but the planet gears would be the ones that wear.

One option, though an expensive one, is an LSD. As well as the plate type that Peter May sells, Quaife do their ATB to fit. It sells for around £475 plus tax. That and your armoured halfshafts should stand quite a lot.

I can get an Escort axle fairly cheaply, but all the other stuff to fit it bumps up the cost and hassle.

It may come to that at some point, though this is not my thrashing around car, so it tends to get driven a little less maniacal than the minis.
I know what you mean about the escort diff. JLH quoted close to 1100 lbs. by the time it was all said and done, then shipping above that.
The Lemming looks like it has a nice stance. What are the specs on it?
Eng., trans, etc.

hello myko 2 what part of cal are you in.im in the s f valley.
in sylmar.
putting a 2 door back together a 58.allso have most of a
traveller.

I'm in Studio City. Here: www.kitkraft.biz most of the time.

Welcome Myko2,

enjoy a veritable feast of moggyness on this site.

the people are quite nice too

James

Hi there

And welcome.

Just wondered, after driving on your freeways many years ago, how do you cope with our 'slower' cars?

I regularly get hassled by drivers who want me to speed up.

But I like 40mph and it feels good on the beast.

Sure we go up to 60mph sometimes but not often, although it seems to be comfortable cruising at this speed.

Not bad for 918cc!

I had problems with that when I first started driving the traveler around here. They see you from the back, little wooden car, skinny tires, driving in the slow lane, the first thing they do is scoot around you, usually nearly clipping off the front fender as they shoot back into the right lane and race off. Very frustrating it WAS. Was that is until I built the motor I have now. I usually don't get into these race-offs, but there is the occasional BMW driver that figures he or she owns the road and everything on it. Not that I can beat them, but it takes more effort to get around me now. LA and I'm sure pretty much everywhere else in the world has people that are always in a hurry. This car puts me back in a time where life was just a bit less hectic. The ride is easily as much fun as the destination, and now if I need to go faster, I can cruise at 80, but that just shortens the time I get to enjoy my traveler!