Morris Minor Owners Club

The dreaded MOT looms and this will be the first time for my 1969 Minor 1000 under my ownership at my usual garage. Will the MOT tester object to the fact that the tipping front seats on a 2 door saloon have nothing to restrain them from tipping forwards in case of an accident? Also will he not like the short planks of 3X1 wood under the back legs of the seat supports? I have rear fog and reversing lights which don't work. Should I remove them and also the towbar which I understand is tested for electical connections as from 1st January? Everything else should be OK.
Mike

I'm not an MOT tester but the seats are standard fitment so the MOT tester should not fail them because they can tip forward, just make sure the seats are secure on their mountings - not sure about the wood - take them out just for the MOT.

In general any lights fitted have to work so remove or repair them and same with the towbar electrics if you don't think they will work.

This link might help
http://www.motester.co.uk/

Mine fails if I leave the adjustable standard driver's seat in place - I have an older fixed seat which i bolt in just for the MOT test -wrap black tape around the front bar when clamping it down so the seat is very difficult to tip............

If he doesn't like the planks just take them out, all standard Minors have this design of seat and they don't fail MOTs because of them.

My car has never failed on tipping seats, if your's fail then you can complain. Make sure that your seat brackets are bolted down as tight as possible.
It sounds as though your electrics could do with sorting so take the oportunity before the MOT. Unless the reversing and fog lamps have rusted it should not be too difficult to repair them. Make sure that they are properly earthed.

Just get rid of the silly fog and reversing lights - they are useless anyway......

Of course they are useless - if you only drive in daylight.

Yes, anything which was standard from the factory is acceptable for the MOT. If you think about it what is the problem with the seat tipping forward in an accident?

The seat will not tip forward with the weight of a person restrained by a seat belt.

Exactly! and if no-one is sitting on it, it doesn't matter.

If you have a 7 pin electric tow socket, then it not a testable item. Only the newer 16 pin sockets should be electrically tested. It's just a visual check on the wiring condition. And to make sure a plug would fit in and be held in by the cover flap.
The tow bar is checked for security and anything it's fixed to also for corrosion on parts of the car the tow bar is bolted to.

Thanks for the advice. I am relieved not to have to go to the trouble of disconnecting and removing the towbar and then having to refit it all again after MOT. They do seem to come up with a great many odd items to test and drive costs up. I have just had an MOT for my Honda HRV in Cyprus. Only 34 Euros and it lasts for 2 years testing brakes, lights, steering, body condition and tyres. I am old enough to remember when the MOT was first introduced to test brakes, lights and steering. Cost I think was 15 shillings (75p) Happy days! My Austin 7 Ruby passed even with very poor brakes.
Mike

I remember the condition of cars before the MOT, most of them were scrapped overnight

my mot tester does not fail on tipping font seat

and yes any lights fitted must work

and def agood idea to have working foglights