Morris Minor Owners Club

I have just bought my first moggy which arrived today, hurray!! Just wanted to know whether the seats in my traveller are plastic or leather, cannot tell by the smell as the whole interior has an old pungent smell as you would expect for 40 yrs? Does anyone have any suggestions on how they should be cleaned?

Kind regards

Simo

Depends on the year as to leather or vinyl - cleaning method would differ depending on what was fitted. As a rule of thumb, anything after 1957 would be vinyl unless it has been changed.... If you post some pics we could tell you.

Almost certainly 'vinyl' Clean with soap and water!

if they are vinyl i used decsol which was an orange colour (I seem to remember) and has a really nice smell, I used it to clean the seats on my traveller the day after I bought it and as a result it is a smell that takes me back 20+ years to driving my moggy for the first time.. sorry off topic a bit..

I seem to remember that the "vanish" bar of soap did very well in a practical classics tests, again only any good if cleaning vinyl.

I remember Decosol, lovely evocative smell. However, the best thing that I've found is Ambersil Autogroom. Available in an amber and black spray can from halfords. Spray it on, leave it a few minutes, gently rub in with a soft nail brush and wipe off. Good stuff.

Ken

I recently used Autoglym's interior shampoo (the spray, not the can of foam) on Snowdrop's vinyl seats, as well as the microfibre cloth that it is meant to be used with. The two come to about £11 in Halfords (plus they were in a "buy two get one free on all cleaning products" offer, probably still are ). I was really impressed - I thought I'd have to replace the seats covers but they really did come out a treat. Well worth a try I reckon, although I can only vouch for using it with the proper sponge.

Recommended.

I raided the kitchen cupboard for some Cellit Bang and it worked wonders on the vinyl to remove old grubby greasy handmarks left by previous owners

earlier in this thread I recommended vanish..

so time to put my money where my mouth is.... I used the pre wash spray not the bar. I found the easiest / best results were achieved by spraying on the vanish, rubbing in with a nail brush. Then leaving it a few minutes.. scrubbing with a nail brush again before leaving it for a few minutes it again before finally washing off with clean water. this is with half the job done... ( yes I had washed the hood before I started with the vanish )<br><br>

Any ideas for my leather seats... is there anything I can use to stop the leather cracking or generally making it lst longer? My moggy hasn't been used for years and the leather just feels a bit brittle when I sit on the seats. Of course this might be normal and it's just we worrying about nothing.

You need to 'feed' the leather. Can't recommend a product as my seats are vinyl but there are loads of creams etc out there - do a google search.

no you are not worrying about nothing.. the best thing his hide food.. autoglym make a product that is available from most motor factors feed them frequently to start with until the seat becomes supple and then just do it regularly.

i thought that smell was the old horse hair used to pack the seats ??????

Thank you Charlie, that's very helpful.

Why not use saddle soap for the leather. I don't have them but always use it for all things leather and it makes the leather beautifully soft and cleans it at the same time. We had a saddlery shop in Farnham but I'm sure you can buy on line - about £3 for a pot of the stuff.

I would recommend Gliptone, really gets the smell of leather.