Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all,
The IGOR has landed!
my new project has just arrived and I thought I would share the project from start to finish.
Why IGOR? Just because
Here he is last night fresh off the trailer and up on some ramps for initial assesment.






He is in pretty poor condition overall. The wood is obviously a big concern but there are big plans for that in the pipework (I will post some more pictures once I have started playing with some samples)


This gap certainly needs filling, not with an A series though.


It just happens that Ive got a Golf VR6 engine kicking about. 2.9 Litres of 6 cylinder goodness
The picture is quite deceptive. the engine is 4 inches longer than the longitudinal distance between the bulkhead cross member and the front of the front cross member.
Thats gunna be fun!

The centre cross member is in asstounding condition:


apart from the ends (jacking point looks solid althought not attached lol)


underside of the passenger sill (taken from a gearbox perspective)


and the drivers side (from the same location)



This fell off by knocking the floor with a tape measure!



He used to have a bit of a history from what I understand, I believe that he was the test bed for the wooden toungue and groove style panels


Im off out there in a minute to get the sill covers off.
So far the structural concerns are
both rear floors
Both sills
N/S A pillar
Centre cross member ends

I havnt removed anything yet so this is what I can see from the surface.

Once he is solid I'm planning on adding additional strengthening to keep everything straight with all the extra grunt.

Well thats all the pics ive got so far but ill try and remember to take pics as I go.

His stable mate is Mona, a '63 4 door originally from the isle of man with a 1098 in her.


Thanks to all who have helped so far. Phillip, Linda and Rob.

Cant wait to get things assessed and get stuck in!

Now, that will be interesting , keep us posted

jonathon wrote:Now, that will be interesting , keep us posted

I suspect its going to require teflon pants too when hes done!

Todays progress so far

Holy floor batman!


behind the passenger seat


rear passenger side arch!


passenger side front inner arch


Passenger side sill


Drivers side rear floor


Drivers side front inner arch


Drivers side sill


Both rear floors


Both sills

Got out there for another hour earlier and had a bit of a potter, popped both front wings off and had a nosy about.

The A pillars are surprisingly solid, there is some remedial work needed on the drivers side but the passenger side is pretty healthy with just one patch residing on there.





The drivers side wing was spaced off the body with a piece of wood which explains the rustiness.

Overall the severe rot seems to be quite contained. I think the car mush have leaked years ago and the carpets got wet. this combined with neglect underneath and loads of leaves in the sills has just munched everything structural.
Had a look around and did some rudimentary aligning with a lazer pointer. The shell seems straight but has sagged slightly, at the moment I have a screw jack under the centre cross member which I will suppliment with my big trolley jack during welding to "adjust" things.

Ive been doing some more measuring tonight and once I have stripped the ancilleries off the engine it will slot into the chassis legs quite nicely. Ive got some mounts figured out.

Really chuffed with how this is coming along so far. Ive probably got 5 or 6 hours in now hopefully he will be complete before I hit 1 or 2 thousand hours lol

Archie sez 'my car now'[frame][/frame]

Hahaha. My goodness -- that's a lot of rust -- be happy you're in Britain and have easy access to the new floor panels! Here in the States it costs us $650 just for new left-side wings...but maybe you'll make the panels yourself?

It is a lot of work, yes. But Minors have a tendency to pull you in, don't they? They're so much fun. And your crossmember just looks marvelous!

You're an inspiration to me. I have to pull up my carpets too...a little afraid of what I might find, but it must be done. And it will be done this week! Huzzah!

Keep us updated. It's always reassuring to see someone with the same troubles I've got in my Moggie!

pskipper wrote:Archie sez 'my car now'[frame][/frame]

Ha ha Ollie the guard cat actually. Thatcham approved of course ;)

-Fingolfin Just rip them up, if youve got an MOT (or equivalent) then it cant be as bad as mine and there's nothing that cant be fixed without logical thinking and processes (oh and a stack of tools)

I have put a post in the wanted section for some of the parts I need so if anyone can help out I would appreciate it!
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f= ... 72&start=0

Thought I would update progress.
Some materials have arrives as samples for the wood so hopefully ill be playing with these soon.
I have found a suitable starter and pedal boxes (picking up tomorrow)
I should be ordering panels either later today, or tomorrow.
The whole interior is now out except the wiring and some trim like the head lining.
The tank is out*
Ive been doing lots and lots of panel pricing and deciding what I need too.
Trying to figure out a back axle.

Next Jobs
get the shell nice and level
Make sure the shell is straight and "adjust as nessesary"
start chopping
Once the new floors are in and there is enough strength where its needed I want to roll him on his side and get cleaning.
At some point get my custom bell housing underway
Test fit silly engine
figure out a back axle

Then step back and see where I am once the dust settles.

*I assumed that as the car had been stood for 3 years any remaining fuel would have exaporated and gone. I was wrong. Once we had removed as many screws as we could and ground the rest off with a grinder I found that the tank was nearly half full and still smelled pretty volitile!
I should have drained it properly and wont make this mistake again.
DONT assume the tank is empty, drain it to be sure!

polo2k wrote:I should have drained it properly and wont make this mistake again.
DONT assume the tank is empty, drain it to be sure!

Also bear in mine that it is not the liquid that is flammable, its the vapour so an empty tank is actually more of a hazard!

Well Well Well, it would appear that i've been a rather busy bunny!
I've spent the last few days chopping, welding, grinding,bleeding, swearing and welding some more!
I was hoping to post upto date pics and even hoovered out all the grinder dust but my camera seems to have expired so ill have to get those up soon.
More general shots of the carnage!






I decided to get some panels (had to get a few more after these)


Set the front of the chassis nice and straight


and level


Before (from earlier in the post)


did a fair amount of surgery


before priming, paining and sealing up


Added a sill upright to replace the 2 fitted to the passenger side (one over the other)


then a bottom outer bit


Whipped off the back axle and built a stand (you cant see it but its welded to the top of the chassis rails in the rear with a spirit level on it


I still have to fit the lower section of the sill and the cross member end.


When I took these pic the floor panel was just laid in there to stop my tools falling through. Thats what ive been up to today.

Cut out a spring hanger which might have been patched but im not certain ;) (I count 5)


Then My camera died and I finished welding in the passenger side rear floor and spring hanger If ive got time I may get the lower sills and cross member end tacked in place tomorrow ready for welding. Got to finish tieing the A pillar into the sill once the lower sill is in place then just got the do the same to the other side and get the rear boot apron sorted out.
then build a custom bell housing...
then test fit the VR and gearbox (trimming as required)
then pull it out again and get him on his side to get the underside sorted properly and stone chipped.
THEN see where I stand when the dust settles.
If I can have all the structural welding done by the end of the month ill be happy.

Ive already burnt through about 5 flap wheels, 5 cutting discs and half a grinding stone. Really pleased with how things are going and chuffed to bits that the car is straight and on his way to solid!

polo2k wrote: The A pillars are surprisingly solid, there is some remedial work needed on the drivers side but the passenger side is pretty healthy with just one patch residing on there.

HAHAHAHA How wrong was I

well Got another update for you all!

I appears I was actually right. The passenger side was the good side!

before I get to that I forgot I had a few pictures on my phone that I hadn't posted


Old cross member end Vs New cross member end!

Before:


After


Some other varios shots of the passenger side which Im rather happy with




Its not all rosy though!
I got stuck into the drivers side and its rather worse than expected!




Not sure how but the drivers side door still shut pretty well!


I was amazed by the lengths the last welder went to hiding their handywork
STRUCTURAL FILLER!!


The A pillar did a strip tease and took off all its rust!





So Far ive gone through 10 1mm cutting discs,
1.5 Grinding stones
about 7 or 8 grinder flap wheels
1 grinder (bushes died half way through the passenger sill) AVOID the £10 AMTECH grinder. I bought it as a stand in but it ended up being my main grinder for a bit, it doesnt last and the power switch fails so that when you knock it the unit powers up!!! very dangerous!

Now its raining I need a bigger garage (or one that doesnt have another minor in it lol

Oh Ive also got a couple of axles to choose from (thanks guys) so at some point ill have to start tidying things up but the minor unit will go back on temporarily once the welding is done. then off again before rolling on his side and thats when the fancy one goes on.

Heres another little pic from today, I havnt taken any more pics but the boxing section is on and the A pillar is tied back into the sill but I still need to tie all the inner wing together before I cut out the floor.

The B&Q own brand grinder I got £18 is much better than the Amtech I replaced. Ive had one of these before and really like them.
Good solid switch that stays in position.
plenty of grunt (even though they are the same wattage)
quick adjust safety guard so you use it more and more effectively too!

I like it that much that when ive got the spare cash ill be getting at least one more so I can have a grinder and a cutter, then possibly a sander too or is that greedy![frame][/frame]

looking good mate

Good idea to get more than one grinder. I also learnt the lesson that the cheap grinder is not up to the demands of a car restoration- as are most cheap tools in fact! The Blackspur one that came with my welder lasted only a few months into the resto. I bought a couple of Focus own brand grinders- a little coarse, but they have lasted years now. One has a twist knot thick wire wheel on it for rust removal, the other has a 36 grit sandind disc for weld dressing. The Focus grinders are good value.

My favourite is the more expensive Bosch grinder (it was about 40-£50) that has the 1mm cutting disc on it as it vibrates much less than the Focus grinders and is lighter so is easier to make precision cuts with it. sadly, these are now made in China and of poorer quality

i also have an even more expensive Dewalt for the fine cup brush, but that seems to vibrate worse than the Bosch.

I'm also tempted to get another grinder for a flap abrasive wheel - you can't have too many grinders .

John, if you want 100 discs, cutting or grinding or flap discs we can procure a free Bosch grinder.Sure you can sell on a few discs if you do not need them all. they are excellent quality.

Johnathan, what about if 2 other people are up for it (and dependant on price) 100 assorted discs and a free grinder
i.e. it you were to procure 3 of these sets and then break them down so that there is 33 of each disc with each grinder.

anyone else up for that?

jonathon wrote:John, if you want 100 discs, cutting or grinding or flap discs we can procure a free Bosch grinder.Sure you can sell on a few discs if you do not need them all. they are excellent quality.

Hi Jonothan, sounds like a good idea. Would this include 100 1mm high quality cutting discs. (I'm thinking Klingspor stainless steel type quality). Which Bosch grinder is included in this offer?

Can it be mixed- eg 75 1mm discs 25 40 grit flap discs etc?

and how much for the 100 discs?

okay, just called my supplier the deals are

Tyrolit 115x1.0 cutting discs .53p each quantity of buy 300 plus free Makita 9557 840watt grinder
" " " .85p each " " 100 " " " " " " "
Tyrolit 40 or 60 grit flap wheels £1.45 each quantity of buy 100 plus free Makita as above
Tyrolite grinding discs .95p each quantity of buy 100 plus free Makita grinder as above

Deals can be done on the Bosch grinder but the Makita ones are excellent units and pretty powerfull

It is horses for courses I used to buy a lot of building supplies from unifix to get "free" tools, in the end it worked out better to get a good deal on a quantity of the products you use lots of and to hunt around for the tool on offer, quite often the merchant we use does a Makita grinder, case and diamond disk for £39.99 and the same with a 9" for £79.99. I find Axminister tools to be good too but own brand white tools are a bit rubbish.

I have a 18v Lion Hitachi Grinder was expensive but has saved tons of time on fiddly jobs on roofs etc.

Bloke at the Petrol garage last week asked if I had any bolt croppers as he had lost keys to cole stores, 2 mins later with s.steel 1mm disk, both padlocks off and a free carwash for me!