Morris Minor Owners Club

Now, the wood on my new traveller is generally very good and solid - but there are two areas, ie where the upper side rail meets the uprights on either end - at these points the uprights are 'soft in the middle' - this is only on one side and the rest of the wood is fine, mostly new - I was thinking of covering the car and letting it dry out and then putting this stuff on:

http://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-wet-r ... 4QodDhYzzw

Then, with all the wood I was wondering how best to protect it? Not varnish I know people always complain about varnish... so what is best then in YOUR experience?

No harm in trying it - but it is a bit of a bodge. I use Teak oil on mine - but it had numerous coats/soakings of Cuprinol 5 Star first.....after I tediously scraped off all the minging varnish that was holding moisture in the timber....

Yes, it is a short term bodge until the money saved on tax and insurance if I was driving a modern car, plus garage servicing is enough for some new wood - if I work up the courage of course I might try the new wood sooner and try it myself!

How do you get the varnish off BMC - just gentle sanding?

Don't need to bodge now, I found a man 'who can'... indeed I found him building his own traveller with self carved oak... so I guess he has the skills!

Varnish was scraped off - with gentle help from Nitromors and suitable paint scrapers and blades. A slow tedious job...

My new 'chap who can' told me to sand it off with a belt sander... gently...

Errr - no! You will almost certainly ridge and/or burn the timber.......

I use varnish after cuprinol on mine and it sat outside on the road for several years before i got a garage.. however which ever finish you decide to use the best advice is to do it regularly

Re sanding. Gentle sanding will remove old varnish. Application of Nitromors for the stubborn areas. A small hand sander (mouse) with the fine point at the front with a fine grade sandpaper will get into the tricky corners. Don't over do the Nitromors as it will dry out the wood too much. Mask any decent paint Then when smooth treat as recommended above Cuprinol and then finish of your choice.

Thanks everybody, people are talking about varnish again... I thought that was a no no? Is it another case of different people different ideas?

What you finish the wood on your car in is a personal thing. Some people prefer varnish, some Danish oil. Some like a darker stained wood, some like it very light.

Having spent many miserable hours scraping off the old varnish - there is no way I am going to be putting varnish back on it! Teak oil works well for me - but does have the disadvantage that it is always slightly 'sticky' and attracts dirt like a magnet.......

Funny BMC, but the wood work teacher where I work told me to use teak oil as well - he says by far the best thing...

Great minds think alike.........

Mathew i told you so i prefer danish oil

Ha ha... I know, nice to see you back on here!