Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi All

I thought I would share the joy and pain of a barn find with other enthusiasts.

I purchased the moggy in November last year. It had been in a barn -on it's side for 25 years.

I got it home and began to strip the interior, glass electrics ect.. Fortunately I have a friend who was keen to give me hand so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

I looked at having the car dipped and e-coated but they wanted £1800 and I have better things to spend that kind of money on - Interior springs to mind. Anyway I decided to have it dry blasted and I have to say it has proved worthwhile.
It has found another couple of panels that need changing but there was no filler in the body work at all.

The 803 engine was scrap so I have decide to go with a 1098 which makes it more useful on todays roads. The engine along with the axle are having a full rebuild.

It is going to have all new electrics, braking system and suspension and probably evrything else.

I have uploaded photos to http://minorbuild.blogspot.com and will be putting photos up of the engine / axle reuild
as often as possible. Please ignore the photos of the seats they are only there so that a Trim guy I know can have a look. Virgin Media wouldn't allow them to emailed due to the size.

I have a feeling I might be asking a lot of questions in the coming months - so I would like to say thank you in advance

good luck and welcome

ask anything you want on here

Welcome and thanks for restoring a moggy and sharing it with us.

Don't forget to take the sill covers off and get a good look inside in sill sections.

That's a nice looking car you've got. In fair shape too, at least structurally. I'll grant that some of the body panels may need replacing, but at least the inside looks sound.

I'll help however I can. Many things you may ask I won't know -- but I'll do my best! I hope you won't mind my following your restoration on the blog?

Hi

You are more than welcome to follow the blog.

The panels are being done this week and I am hoping to have some updated photos after the bank holiday.

Have also stripped the axle and am in the process of doing all the wheel bearings - brake cylinders and all seals. Fortunately the Diff seems to be in good condition. No excess play on the crown wheel and the teeth are in one peice - but untill it's actually running you can never be sure

Hi

Well I should have the car back from the Bodyshop in about two weeks - so decided to make a start on the engine and axle.

However having got started I have been stumped at the first hurdle.

Can anyone help with the socket sizes for the rear wheel bearing nut - and the bottom pulley nut with the bit on it for a starting handle???

All help appreciated

Thanks

Hi wizard,In answer to your question the bottompulley nut requires a deep 3/4 inch Whitworth socket and lots of muscle to shift it The rear hub nut is (I think)11/8inch A .F that doesnt type very well .One and one eighth A.F socket and a similar amount of muscle to shift it .Good luck with the restoration. Regards Ken

Hi Ken

Many thanks for the answer - that's one more step nearer to completion Pete

Well the car is still in the bodyshop but I have now stripped the engine - rebuilt the axle (wheel bearings still to go) and have linked photobucket to my blog so all photos can now be seen.

However - does anyone have a layout drawing of the wiring loom as when I get the car back I am not sure where it goes through the car.

All help appreciated.

Cheers

Pete

see if you can get a haynes manual, there's one in there and the whole manual is worth its weight in gold, there usually only a few quid from most jumbles, or see if anyones got a naff one you can have for cheap on here. i should imagine an early thousand one is similar to that of a series 2. the manual has both early and late

One cool car!

There's a basic wiring diagram here (for later cars though) http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=28295

I'd recommend getting the original workshop manual as it contains very detailed wiring diagrams.

Looking good, any more pics to follow.

Hi

Found the wiring diagram in the BMC book - should have looked harder

Saw the car monday and it is now in primer - will put photos up hopefully today if not tomorrow

Just need to find the ICI paint code and they should be able to start painting - I'm hoping to get the car back in about two weeks.

Well here are two photos - one of the car now in primer and one of the car as I originally got it.

The dilema is none of us can agree what the colour is. The log book says Beige but Sandy Beige looks to dark

Any sugestions as to the colour is appreciated

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Sandy beige was the only beige used in 1955. It looks quite dark on the colour chart elsewhere on this site but it is actually a lighter colour as shown here:[frame][/frame]

Thanks for the reply

I was hoping that was the answer as I have looked all over the internet and Sandy Beige was the only real answer I could find.

So Sandy Beige it is - and that means i should have the car back in two weeks

Well she is now painted and will be back in two weeks. The body shop just needs to finish painting the fiddly bits.

The engine is finally built after a load of agro with a reground crank that had incorrect big end journals. The axle is completed and ready to fit. Just have all the wiring, brake system, interior and so on to go.

I'm hoping that it will be finished and mot'd by the end of August.

Right of to the garage to clear out the rubbish so that the car will fit back in

There are more photos at http://minorbuild.blogspot.com - if you fllow the link at the top of the top of the page it wil take you to my on line album[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Looking very smart!!! Keep up the good work

Looks good. Can't bee a freshly painted shell