Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello all!
I'm working on my 1969 Morris Minor 1000 Saloon (2door) I picked up in November, and have a few questions. #1 is: How do I lock my passenger side door (car is left hand drive) or is that not possible? #2 is: I'm currently replacing window seals, and felt strips on my doors, and noticed what I'm guessing are stress cracks. When looking at the door on the inside there is a crack about 1 inch long a little behind the little wing window on the actual door it's self. I'll try to get a picture tomorrow, but does anyone know if the crack is "normal", or if it should be there? Should I weld it back while I can? Oh, I almost forgot! There is an almost identical crack on the other door!! Can anyone help me? Thanks a bunch!!! Ryan

P.S. ~ Yaaaaaa, after I figure out this stuff I get to cut out and weld in my new rear floor pans!!!!!! Fun stuff, no?

1. If there's no heyhole for the door, you'll need to push the inside handle forward toward the front of the car. If there is a keyhole outside, then you'll have to lock the door from outside, which isn't ideal... but it's the same on all UK RHD Minors.

2. Stress cracks are common, but can be remedied. I understand you can try welding a patch underneath the crack to strengthen the area. They come from people closing the doors using the quarterlights and not the vinyl straps, aparrently, although I can't quite see how.

Hope all that helps!!

Wow! That was fast! I think that answered all my questions, well on this subject anyway. Thanks a million, I'm going to have a busy day tomarow! Thanks, Ryan

I welded up the crack on my door and then welded a two inch
wide plate across the inside....this had lasted for the last eleven
years with no problems. As mentioned above do not close
the doors by grabbing near the quarter light, use the door straps
or grab near the door handle end.

If there is a keyhole outside, then you'll have to lock the door from outside, which isn't ideal... but it's the same on all UK RHD Minors.

To my understanding the late 2 door should have a latch on the inside to unlock/lock the door. It sould be on the rear edge of the door roughly level with the outer door handle. However sometimes this is broken off or not working. If it is healthy it should only rotate 90° between locked and unlocked.


Even when the passenger door is locked, you can open it using the interior handle (to let passengers get in). This is the easy way, especially if you are giving someone a ride - You don't have to remember to lock the door afterwards.
(well all that relates to the RHD, but may be the same on the LHD)

Correct me if I'm wrong but I understand the LHD only had the external lock on the passenger door (RHS). Morris didn't do a locking latch for the 'passenger' even tho the driver was using that door for the LHD cars. So in the US market the driver was required to unlock the passenger door and each across to the drivers side and unlock it then run round to the drivers side and get in (or climb through). This may have been remedied in the later ones or custom mods made.

fweddy,
You lost me a bit there - On late RHD saloons you can open both doors from the inside when locked (I expect LHD's are the same). Not sure why you would need to run around the car to unlock both doors...

FWEDDY is correct! I don't know when,if ever, they corrected
this daft situation for USA models! Perhaps one of our lot over
the pond can fill us in?

D'oh yeah, there should be that little latch thingummy... You have to heave the handle forward on a 4-door, not the 2 or traveller.

Willie,
Yes - I heard about this very strange lock issue for the EARLY 2 door saloons in LHD, but the LATE saloons have a lock on each door.... Or do you mean that the LHD's were never upgraded to have a lock on both doors? I'd be extremely surprised.
(Ryan did state this was a 1969...)

Mind you the question was about how to lock it - I was trying to offer the advice that you don't have to unlock it in the first place.

the crack is caused by the door not engaging in the chrome door catch, the circular one with the pin.
when the door is not supported by this it vibrates and causes that split near the quaterlight frame. a nice seam weld and filling cleans it up nice, but do the weld with the door closed and pin engaged.

Ray - sorry I was referring to the locks on the outside not the inside - On LHD cars I understand you have to unlock the outside of the passenger side then reach over to unlock the inside of the drivers side then some how get yourself to the drivers seat.

To my knowledge you can lock and unlock all doors from the inside on the series III

Brix - that explaination of the crack sounds like a more likely version than how the door is held while closing.

not everbody closes the door that way, but most morris have or had the crack. check those pins most of you will find them not interlocking.

if you want to stop the crack progressing and you dont have a welder, drill a small hole at the end of the crack, about 2mm dia may be a little more. it will stop it for a while

Thanks for all the replys!!!!!

Oops, that was a typo, my minor is 1960.

my minor is 1960

Hahaha - I'll shut up then!