Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi

One of my first major jobs is replacing the crossmember on my 1969 minor although i like to get stuck in its still a bit daunting,has anyon done this before? any advice would be great...

Malky

Post this in the Body section and look through there.

Moved to 'bodywork' forum.

I'd be interested in this too!!

Here's a few threads which may be useful:

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/index.php?name=P ... eplacement

http://www.mmoc.org.uk/index.php?name=P ... eplacement

I was reading this thread when I came across the 3rd post saying 'moved to bodywork forum'. After clicking back to go to said forum, realizes I had been in it! Maybe it would be more accurate to say 'this thread has been moved here from such and such forum'?

Hi Malky, I have replaced a centre cross member! The worst bit is getting the old one off without doing to much damage to the floor!! Best advice I can give is to measure the one thats on from a few different directions so you can get the new one back in the same place! If you need a hand just give me a shout.

A few thoughts....

In view of all the stripping out of the mechanical parts, and getting the car up for working on, I think I would view changing the crossmember as part of a whole, rather than an individual job.

With all major bodywork jobs, time spent thinking beforehand pays great dividends! One has to do things in a logical order......so the main thing to do is map it all out before starting, but be prepared to modify the sequence of work as you go.

It helps if you can get into a regular routine with the work.........something every day, if you can. That way, you can spend time in the evening assessing the day's progress, and visualising the next day's tasks as you lie in bed before sleep.

By doing that, you'd have a good idea of your first move when you started up again in the morning, rather than waste time in the workshop, or wherever.

I'm struggling a little with this too - I have to replace both chassis legs, xmember, sills, spring hangers etc etc (see http://www.mmoc.org.uk/index.php?name=P ... ic&t=28951 ). I haven't found a topic that specifically covers all these jobs together, so my route is both legs, then the xmember, then the spring hangers then the sills, unless someone tells me different.
I only got 2 the legs & xmember from ESM on Tuesday, so don't treat this as gospel or anything. The floor above the xmember is pretty trashed too (there's trail of bodgit and scarper history to this vehicle!) - this will be fixed around the same time as the sills, I think. I have completely stripped the shell, which may be different to where you are, but I do recommend getting the car up on its side for this kind of work. Look after the transmission tunnel when cutting out, as these are only available in cars afaik.

Hope this helps...

I'm sure when the centre and front crossmembers, floors and chassis legs were done on my saloon that he started with the centre xmember then the chassis legs and front xmember before finishing with the floors and rear spring hanger.

He cut around the trasmission tunnel and drilled out spot welds and part of the floor to take out the old xmember.

Hope this helps, Jeff

Rats!, one chassis leg is already off.

So, one chassis leg is already off, eh?

Never mind! Simply update your thinking to take into account the ever-changing rustscape.

It's that easy :)

The main thing is that thinking takes place in an ongoing fashion.

I doubt having started with the chassis leg that it is a problem but when fitting the new one you won't be able to weld it to the centre xmember until you replace this. If you have any worries then if you PM me I could pass on my friends phone number as I am sure he wouldn't mind giving some over the phone advice (he isn't on the internet).

I wonder how much it would cost to have it all done at a garage,i have a garage not too far from me which specialises in moggies

Depends what it 'ALL' is! Could vary from £500 to £10,000 ! Usually - if you have to pay someone to do it - it costs far more than the car is - or ever will be - worth.
Is the Minor place (Scot-Mog ??) in Walkerburn/Innerleithen still there ??

I hope so they still advertise in classic car mart

Pop into Bonjedward Garage, if heading from kelso to jed its just before you turn onto the A68. (behind the car washing place!) Speak to Robert and he will give you a good price!

Pop into Bonjedward Garage

Is it run by them twins on the X-Factor?

Thanks croft,i hope to have my workshp soon will give you a shout