Morris Minor Owners Club

hi there
can anyone tell me what sort of job it is to remove the van box off the chassis ?

Its been a while but I don't remember it being that hard. I removed the rear doors and bolted braces across in there place. Remove the back floor so you can stand in it to remove the bolts. Lots of bolts to the cab. If you do this I would recommend you replace the rubber between the cab and back, also when refitting but plenty of sealant as well as the rubber. I would use dum dum but its personal choice really. I have some pictures of the back off

http://s682.photobucket.com/albums/vv18 ... s%20Minor/

Cheers Dave

hi there
Thanks very much for the info and pics having seen the pics i am going to remove the box and proceed with my restoration .

Picture number 9 looks horribly familiar, the inner gutter on my van was equally moth eaten.

The rear body is held in various places.

Theres about 6 or 8 bolts going into each B pillar, two are underneath each of the rear floors.
Then there is about 10 nut/bolts holding the cabs upper/lower rear valances together, the upper cab rear valance is welded to the vans box/floors.
Then there is a nut and bolt holding the vans box's inner rear valance to the chassis behind the brake lights, above the rear leaf spring shackles, These by my experience, probably wont look like a nut/bolt anymore, probably a rusty blob.

Also by my experience the cabs rear upper/lower valances will have been heavily plated/bodged together for past MOT failers and the separation of these will need an angle grinder disc

I think thats probably it.

Regards

Steve

thanks for the info steve it is welded behind the seats so i may just leave it in place
regards Derek

That sounds worrying!

Most vans now are welded behind the seats... dont be put of tho, you can cut through the patches with a disc cutter and you can replace the panels behind the seats, you have the one on the cab called the lower panel and then is the one thats welded to the rear floors. these panels should be bolted together.

Paul

I was reading it as those lower and upper panels being welded together, hence not being able to remove rear tub, so deciding not to go any further. We must have read it differently.

If you are thinking of taking the back off one day I'd suggest you take the floor out then wire brush all the body holding bolts you can find then squirt some 3 in 1 or engine oil, grease even on them.
If, or when, you do the job, you'll be glad you did.

No the lower and higher panels are bolted together not welded, my van is good ie no patches so i could remove the van back in say 30 minutes after disconting the back lights, number plate light and undoing the bolts and petrol filler tube. TGhey are heavy and would recomend 4 people, one either corner.

Paul