Morris Minor Owners Club

Here is my MM project. I bought this car last summer for $250.00 dollars. It came from Tucson, AZ where it had been sitting outside for almost 30 years. After arriving home I had it running within the hour. I spent a few days looking it over. Former owners had removed the radiator support and frame rail to fit a larger radiator, which in turn weakened the frame. The master cylinder had also rotted out the frame rail and surrounding floor area, but there is no rust on the exterior body panels. They also hinged the bonnet from the front grille without supporting it. I priced out the necessary parts out and decided that it would be too expensive to rebuild it back to its original state. I decided to update it like I did my 1952 Singer 4AD with a modern drivetrain. I removed the engine, transmission and rear axle listed them on ebay and off they went to Illinois for almost the purchase price of the MM. My friend owned a 1987 Toyota pick up and I took some measurements. As it turned out the Toyota engineers must have spoken with the MM engineers because the track of the Toyota was only 1 inch wider. I purchased the Toyota for $450.00 and starting cutting. In the pictures you can see that the frame now extends all of the way to the front leaf spring support and is also welded the entire length along the rocker panels. This basically gives me a full frame convertible. I now have a 2.4 liter Toyota engine and 4spd with all of the original Toyota electrical, brakes, pedal assembly, suspension, and rear axle, which by the way bolted right on to the original MM springs. The car is currently in bare steel, (nothing rusts here in AZ) while I finish a respray on my 1962 Sunbeam Alpine, also Toyota powered.

Dave


















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nice project

Very nice conversion anymore photo's?
How did you mount the rails like the morris one's?

Neat! Good to see another American Minor! I kinda like what you're doing, using that Toyoto chassis...

I have been working on my other projects lately so I put my MM on hold, but know I am back on it. A few of you asked how I grafted the Toyota frame into the MM. Well look at the picture and you can see how I did it.[frame][/frame]

The end of the frame is welded to the leaf spring perches. The Toyota frame had outside mounts that I welded to the MM inner and outer sills. I then welded sheet metal from the Toyota frame to the MM inner sills. So that means it is welded the entire length of the frame. In this picture you can see I used 3/4 of the Toyota floor pan and welded it along the MM inner sill.[frame][/frame]

I was away on vacation, but now I am back and working long hours on the MM. I managed to finally fit a radiator(Toyota MR-2) along with twin cooling fans. I finished the wiring and all of the lights are operational. The Toyota instrument cluster(speedometer, gauges, etc) fit nicely in the stock location. Yesterday I filled it with gasoline and checked all of the fluids. She fired on the first try; I had rebuilt the 2.4 liter engine. I was a little nervous because when I bought my Toyota parts truck former owners had #!@&* up the electrical system and it took me a long time to sort it out. I ran the engine long enough to break in the camshaft and then I adjusted the valve clearance. Today I drove it down the road and it feels great. I still have a lot more work to complete. I plan on tearing it completely apart to paint it. This may sound crazy, but I want to make sure everything fits before I paint it. At least it will go back together easier.

Dave[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

indian301 wrote:This may sound crazy, but I want to make sure everything fits before I paint it. At least it will go back together easier.

Actually, that sounds a good way to do that.. Painting is much easier when the parts are separated and yes, it will go back together easier, assuming you don't lose any bolts etc when dismantling. Do not do as we did, we put all the parts at the same pile.

That Toyota-engine looks like a monster in MM:s engine bay..

I have to replace the windshield glass on my 1952 Splitscreen convertible (broken). Should I get the glass cut to the same dimensions? Or smaller? I have a new gasket made in the UK.

Thanks, Dave

Use the same dimensions as the rubber needs to be tensioned a bit. I'd usually add otherwise it will leak but it doesn't look like you have the damp problems we have here in the UK. We certainly couldn't leave an unpainted car outside - it would rust in 2 days!

Good heavens man, what have you done? A toyoataah engine, take it out immeadiately and throw it far away and never allow it to come near this beloved MM again. On the morrow expect an official visit from the Morry Minor Police who will give you a nice little 803cc engine and will expect you to install aforementioned engine which by the way has more than enough power for your distorted needs, and return this rare and lovely car to exact standard format.
Now as small punishment for your dastardly deeds we shall require 100 lines : " I am ever so sorry, I shall not think of modifying my Minor ever again" And whilst performing this task you should be dressed in official Morris Minor enthusiast apparel this being deerstalker hat, mid khaki overcoat and corduroy trousers (private joke).

I finally got the 4 coats of paint off the bonnet. I had to sand it off because paint stripper did not work. Also modified the bonnet brace to clear the Toyota carburetor.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame] Removed the grill to sandblast the rust off. A picture of the Toyota MR-2 Radiator which fits nicely.

Nice job with the bonnet!

That old paint is incredibly hard to get off, but now it looks great! What color you are going to use your car?

ignatz, you're bonkers, my wife Jane just poked her head around the door at me laughing out loud, Cordroy trews.
Indy,Nice to see a "suped up" morri hitting the highway in the USA.

I have been putting in a lot of time on my MM along with my new / old 1930 Indian motorcycle. The MM is now in epoxy primer to protect it from the elements. The wiring is now complete and everything works nicely. I added two extra lights on the rear bumper for the turn signals. My big box of bits arrived from England and I am trial fitting everything so I know it fits. The car will be totally assembled and driven for about 1 year, then I will tear it apart and paint it.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

WOW
amazing work like it sooo much

I installed a stereo and speakers in my MM convertible. Due to limited space I came up with a creative location for the speakers. I made up some spacers and screwed them to my door cards. [frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

The latest picture of My modified MM. The 2.2 liters of Toyota power is so much fun. Minimal weight and lots of power makes for interesting driving. It should be fun to surprise drivers after is the engine is broken in properly.

Dave [frame][/frame]

Let us try this again. This I Pad plays tricks with the pictures.

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