Morris Minor Owners Club

Just a quick question for the experts, The newer Minor, Maggie, I have just bought is supposed to be a 1967 but I have a couple of doubts nagging at me. First, the engine number seems remarkable low, I don't recall having anything with only three digits before. Secondly, the sidelights/turn signals at the front seem to be from an earlier period. The serial number on the plate on the bulkhead says MA2S5L 1168810 but that needs only a moment to remove it, might have come from another car. [frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

Perhaps someone just liked the plain 'beehive' front lamps - looks like an orange bulb inside ? It is a 1098 engine.And we can just see that the car has the later wipers fitted - ie NOT 'clap hands'.

I have been studying this subject as best I can, including the information in Paul Skilleter's book. It seems that 10ME-U-H 916 Is an impossibly low engine number for a 1966/67 Minor. That engine would probably have been used in one of the first 1100s in 1962. The conclusion is that Maggie has had the engine swapped out for some reason.

Unless a new sequence was started when the emission control devices were added? Am I grasping at straws here?

10 = 1100 cc
M = Morris
E = ??? Does anyone know what this letter signifies?
U = Center gear change
H = High compression

On a brighter note, it runs really well, perhaps it was rebuilt.

Opinions, comments, even hard information welcome

Darrell

The side lights could be different because the USA has different lighting regs. I believe that they have orange front side lights so have no need for the twin lens 1098 units

The chassis number dates it as a December 1966 built car.

The engine code 10ME-U-H relates to a series 5 1098cc engine with a closed circuit breather. Engines fitted to North American export models have much lower engine numbers than other cars built around the same time so I guess that you probably have one of those

LouiseM wrote:The chassis number dates it as a December 1966 built car.

The engine code 10ME-U-H relates to a series 5 1098cc engine with a closed circuit breather. Engines fitted to North American export models have much lower engine numbers than other cars built around the same time so I guess that you probably have one of those

Thank you Louise, you have given me some new information. What I had hoped to discover is that a three digit engine number might have been built and shipped in 1966. The engine in my car would then be the one it came with. Perhaps the "E" in the prefix is what matters, especially if the closed circuit breather was introduced only at that time. It would then be engine number 916 in the series 10ME.

Darrell

Darrell,

If you're keen to know for definate whether it is the original engine (I think that it probably is), a heritage certificate will show your car's original specifications from the factory records, including the number of the engine fitted when it left the production line. Alternatively you could visit Gaydon and look through their records but as you are in Canada I guess the postal option might be more appropriate Details here: http://shop.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk ... index.html

Louise

Yes the 'E' in the engine number is for the North America engines fitted the last year they were imported to the US, 1967. The front side lights would have been the larger two bulb light but with all clear lenses as well as the rear with all red, no amber lenses. Does it have seat belt mountings? I'm not sure what year they were introduced since my 67 is the only Series V model I've inspected. My 67 has a tube attached to the rear footwell and a threaded boss seen in the rear wheel well as I recall.

jaekl wrote:Yes the 'E' in the engine number is for the North America engines fitted the last year they were imported to the US, 1967. The front side lights would have been the larger two bulb light but with all clear lenses as well as the rear with all red, no amber lenses. Does it have seat belt mountings? I'm not sure what year they were introduced since my 67 is the only Series V model I've inspected. My 67 has a tube attached to the rear footwell and a threaded boss seen in the rear wheel well as I recall.

Thank you, the puzzle pieces are falling into place. I know the side lights were replaced by the previous owner, in fact he gave me a "pre-restoration" photo that shows the correct lights. I had planned to buy replacement lights from a UK supplier but they have only the amber/white lenses, a US source has reproduction lights with clear lenses. There was quite a lot of bodywork done to this car including 4 new wings, only one (why-oh-why not two ) chassis leg and the centre crossmember. I can find one threaded boss seat belt mounting of the four that would be needed for front lap belts, the others may be buried under repairs or lost. I would be very interested to know exactly where the inside attachments are supposed to be. Are they on the floor or the tunnel?

Darrell