Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello, advice please what to look for the pitfalls is there a chassis code to look for to prove its the real thing and not a saloon once. I do not want to buy a fake one.

Any advice more than welcome please.

there are several key signs, firstly, if the car has the switches in the A pillars for the inside light, and the sun visors are the saloon type, then its been converted from a saloon, it should also have A pillars connected to the dash board via small triangular plates with spot welds. if they have been welded around then edges, then this is also a sign of being converted.

however, i am sure i will be corrected on some points.

Thanks keep it all coming please.

From 1952-8 the chassis no started FC, C = Convertible. If it starts FB then it was originally a 2 door. I think that you would notice if it was a 4 door!
From 1958-71 the chassis no started MAT, T = Tourer/Convertible.
If you are after an early Series MM, 1948-52 there was no body style designation on the chassis plate, so if you are in doubt contact me and I can check the records.
If the chassis plate looks as though it has been moved or replaced be suspicious

There's nothing wrong with a converted car - if it's been done properly. They were after all standard shells at the factory strengthened up with a few additional pieces - such as the triangles mentioned above and doubled skinned sections in the inner sills - and then they just forgot to fit the roof.......

I have to agree with BMC. By now, the vast majority of cars,saloon or convertible will have had significant repairs or restoration. The standard of this work is far more important than whether the car is the original body style.

All good points but I do not want to buy a chop shop morris minor. I want the real thing from the start.

Fair enough. The advice so far is very pertinant. But bear in mind that a sub-standard restoration is a big issue on a convertible as structural integrity is vital.

Welcome to the forum SEE YA , our tourer is a chop shop , but provided that all the strengthening work is done before the roof is removed they are fine , if you cant find a suitable original car you should keep an open mind about a post production car .

My tourer is a chop top too - converted in the 1980's. As said above if the work has been completed to a high standard without close inspection it's hard to tell.

I agree with BMC and Peetee, the only real reason to look out for a converted versus original convertible is that the converted version will be worth less than an original convertible, but unless you look very closely, a properly converted saloon is all but identical. Only spot welds versus mig welds on the strengthening pieces and the chassis number being the only difference.

As BMC said- the "original factory convertibles" had the same base as the 2-door saloons on the production line, just with no steel roof fitted and the strengtheners added.

Fair enough though if you want an original rather than converted. Though I would far rather have a solid properly done "chop top" than a rotten badly restored original!

I am still looking around for one?.

They seem to come up on Ebay all the time. It's just a case of going to inspect and getting to know you want/don't want. There are several on at the moment.

Some original tourers do have interior light switches in the door pillars...

Excellent thanks people, will keep looking around seen a few some silly money.

Always buy on condition, some have been awful ?.

why fixate on an original convertible?? 99% even of Minor owners won't know the difference. A properly good one will quite rightly attract silly money- as a properly sorted condition 1 saloon will be over £3k, and convertible and travellers are even more!!!

You will get a converted one (provided it was done properly) in good condition for less than a genuine- between the price of a saloon. That is a lot of money saved for very minor differences in the cars themselves. Only a very detailed inspection will tell the difference.

Buy on condition first and original/ conversion second.

Sorry each to there own I have just seen one on a web site £12k ?.

It either real soft top or not ?.


link for you.


http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/cla ... rno/135648

Please post a link-

By the way all Morris Minor are "real", whether they are saloons, travellers or convertibles.

BTW, I do happen to know that Canterbury Convertibles only sell "genuine" i.e. factory converted convertibles:-

http://www.morrisminorconvertible.co.uk/

Here's one for 22K!
http://www.morrisminorconvertible.co.uk ... BR/FBR.htm
Regards
Declan

This is the sort of car a purist should avoid. It might be an original convertable but it's not in original specification: It has later wings and sidelights at the front, stainless steel sill finisher and what looks like stainless steel side window surrounds and door tops. Putting it bluntly, the advert has a load of fibs. It would be way overpriced if it was standard so with these alterations I, for one, wouldn't pay half that price.