Which wings do I need?

[davidpidge]

Hello all,
I have a 1955 splitscreen. I'm looking to buy some wings, second hand. Do all seriesII 1000 minors have the same shape/size wings or do I need to make sure I get specific ones for the year?

[kennatt]

original series 11 wings are no longer available new, they had a higher profile than mm 1000, you can fit the later wings,and personally I think they look better since they fill the gaps between the top of the wheel and the wheel arch,you can get the later wings modified by cutting and re rolling the edge but at a price. If you want originality then this is the only way or find good second hand (Very rare and in demand so expensive) I've fitted four of the later wings and they look Ok I looked for months for secondhand series 11 but not suprising after 50 years non showed up good luck

[davidpidge]

Do the 2 door and 4 door cars have different front or rear wings?

[stevey]

no they are both the same

[Dean]

Is your '55 a cheesegrater? If so the hockey stick profile is slightly different, therefore you will need to drill new holes in later front wings.

Like Kennatt says the rears are like rocking horse poo, they do come up sometimes, but will definitely require extensive repair work. I found two last year on ebay for a tenner, me and my dad had to do quite a bit of fabrication to them. They look good now though.

I think new they are close to £200 each plus postage from heritage.

[mike.perry]

My car restorer managed to get a pair of correctly shaped Heritage rear wings for my Series MM two years ago. The fronts are standard M1000 wings with the wider grill panel fitted over the top. You should stick to the original shape rear wings with a S11.
Late Series MM and early S11 front valances are unobtainable.

[marcusthemoose]

i'm sorry if this sounds a bit nosey, but does your series 2 from somerset have an interesting, fluffy orange headliner, no carpet, and very little left in the way of upholstrey?

[davidpidge]

i'm sorry if this sounds a bit nosey, but does your series 2 from somerset have an interesting, fluffy orange headliner, no carpet, and very little left in the way of upholstrey?

Thats it, spot on. How do you know it?[frame][/frame]

[marcusthemoose]

yeh went and saw it and almost walked away before getting out the car. the plate used to be tbp 724 or something like that. the bloke wanted extra for it or offered an age related plate, and i see that is what happened in the end. you are alot braver than me! i almost cried when i saw the outriggers (next to the engine, under the bonnet) seem to recall there were patches on patches on patches...... the boot floor was extremely solid though! also the box on the passenger side had a hole i could fit my hand in! any ideas what you'll do with it? i don't know how the bloke got it through the last mot. good to see it has gone to an enthusiast, and not been scrapped. if you don't mind me asking how much did you get off of the asking price?

[davidpidge]

HAHAHA. I think a sane person would have done exactly the same and walked away! I only had to drive 112 miles to see it! I'd spent the entire winter looking on ebay, car and classic and searching the classifieds for a moggie that I liked in my price range. My dream moggie being a black, split-screen 4 door with a 1098 engine. The wreck from Somerset was nearly there. It had a certain "just pulled out a lake" charm. Give it a few months and she'll be a beauty!
Yes, the patches on patches are interesting. I also like the terrible paint, the life threatening brakes, the awful headling, the seats that look like they were put through a chipper and the lack of carpets/speedo/seals/brakes etc.

[marcusthemoose]

i wish you good luck with the project. my idea if i could get it for the right price was to get it structurally sound, and keep that rubbish paint. the other thing to do was wait until the mot ran out, phone the bloke up and see if i could get it cheap, with the intention of kustomising it. (yes, with a K) my father however did not share the same view. now i'm glad he didn't as i have a 1955 four door in white, that has a bit of "potential"

[davidpidge]

It could potentialy be a good rat Moggie but I do love originality on an old car. (I am the new generation of anorak!) When you say Kustomise it, what do you mean? Are you into the modified variety of Moggies?

[davidpidge]

i have a 1955 four door in white, that has a bit of "potential"

Do you have any photos of your new motor?

[marcusthemoose]

here is pretty much how i got mine http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=29072

i am a bit of a stickler for cars with battle scars, which is what yours has. i struggle with rat look,putting loads of rubbish on there and leaving it to rust. i think 'patina' is quite enough.

as for kustomising, my ultimate moggie would probably be a roof chopped series 2, metallic lime with white and purple pinstriping, mini overiders in the grille, lowered about 4", cherry bomb pipes and a daimler 250 hemi engine. oh and don't forget spats, whitewalls and lancer wheel covers. the interior would be purple and white tuck 'n' roll. does this answer your question of me being into modified minors? actually hot rod minors are my thing, not modernised ones.

of course this is a fantasy, and i would never dream of doing this to a minter, in fact your car is probably in hindsight too good. i would need one on the verge of scrapping, then my conscience would be clear. oh and being 6'4" and fitting in a roofchopped minor is a little "optimistic" perhaps

[davidpidge]

Ah yes. I do love a good roof chop but I think it ruins the beautiful lines of a Minor. Ever seen this roof chopped Volvo Amazon? http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mCX6SRf7dms/S ... ture+2.png
Dont think you'd fit in there.

Looks like you got yourself a great base for whatever you want to do in that 4 door. I got my first moggie for £950. It was a real bargain but I had to sell it last year when money got tight. I fancied a bit of a project this time round but I think it'll be remaining quite original. No crazy mods. Maybe some disc brakes.

[marcusthemoose]

yes, amazons are ok, and that pic is by far the best i have seen yet. they remind me of a shoebox ford. i plan to sympathetically restore my minor, without going overboard, it will be used as it will be my daily. i may consider getting the proper series 2 interior if i can find a reasonable one at the right price, and the earlier column. the 1098 will be staying though!
the problem with minor roofchops is they need to done well, and this takes alot of bodywork skill, that many people, me included, do not have. i think the car would have be built around my height, with shorter, lower seats, and perhaps a recessed floorpan. your series 2 will certainly be an interesting project- perhaps post a thread in the restoration forum, i would like to see how you get on. discs are not my thing, personally think your better off with a well sorted set of eight inch drums on a 1098.

[IaininTenbury]

If you practice or are familiar with a bit of tin bashing and can turn up a flange, its reasonably easy to convert late wings into early ones, though you'd need an early one as a pattern to work from. If not a good bodywork specialist would do it for around £40 per wing.

[davidpidge]

If not a good bodywork specialist would do it for around £40 per wing.

Good to know! Thanks for that.