Morris Minor Owners Club

I need to get the headlining out of my moggy without damaging it, to get access to try and repair the dents in the roof. I've disconnected the tensioning cables, and I know there are clips above the windscreen. I've located them, but I haven't a clue how to get them out! Help please!

See the Technical Tips manual, or search for posts on this subject - others and I have written detailed answers on this one before.

Can't use the Tech Tips Manual, not MMOC. Sadly I can't afford to join the clubs for every car I own (13 at present).
I've searched but can still find no info on how to actually release the clips. The lining just won't budge.

You don't need to belong to all clubs, just stick with the best for the best car - the MMOC for the Minor ! Sorry if the search hasn't turned up the answer, threads do sometimes go astray.

Anyway, first a bit of theory: Behind the headlining is a thin playwood board that runs the wideth of the car, just above the windscreen, The headlining is glued / stapled to this, and the whole lot is held above the windscreen by two spring clips - it's these that you need to remove. The side tension wires are secured below the dashboard. Once they are released, join some more wire or string on so that when refitting you can pull the wire down the inside of the windscreen pillars.

Now you need a special tool: a thin piece of flat bar about 6 -7 inches long (width unimportant, but probably 1/2 inch is easy to use) with the last 1 inch bent through 90 degrees. "Other tools are available" - bent screwdriver, etc. Slip the 1 inch bit carefully between the top of the windscreen frame and the headlining, so that the bent bit is pointing downards. Raise the long bit of your new tool almost to the headlining and then slide the whole thing sideways until you engage with the metal spring clip. These are usually 1/3 and 2/3 of the way across the car, but may vary if a previous owner wrecked them on another occasion!

Now "just" slip the short bar under the clip and lower the long bar to act as a lever, lifting the clip over the top of the windscreen frame. Repeat for the other side and then slide whole assembly backwards.

At the rear of the car (talking saloon here) the side tension wires are secured behind the side panels and under the parcel shelf (access form boot) and there is also a wire hooked behind the rear screen rubber.

It's all easier than it sounds. Can't promise. but if I get a chance I post a photo. Good luck & enjoy the moggie.

Ah, cheers. I had that sort of idea in mind for the clips but hadn't been successful - my makeshift tool wasn't strong enough.
I'll have another go and let you how I get on.

Success! But it wasn't easy. I managed to find a small pry-bar almost exactly matching the description of the tool, and supplemented that with a this strip of steel plate. In this weather I was dripping wet by the time I had both of them out!

So now I've started the panel-beating job, which is OK so far but will need patience to get it right. Apparently it was walked over by some teenagers when it lived in Essex, some 13 years ago.

I know the MMOC is a good club (my claim to fame in that direction is that I used to work with the one and only Ray Newell, sadly before I got the classic car bug), but TBH I don't expect to keep the Minor for long - Elfs are my first love, plus I have a very nice little A40 (which is the club I belong to). I admit to a certain fondness for Farina styling and A-series engines!

All my cars are pictured at http://www.b0lus.com

13 cars eh? - nice one! Thanks for the link - I'll use it to show my other half that my 'fleet' of 4 cars could be a lot worse

Shame about the roof damage caused by the feral brats, but I think a skilled panel beater should be able to undo most of it. And congratulations for rescuing a minor which might have gone for scrap

I'm trying to reduce the fleet as any more than 11 creates a space problem! One sold today.
My other half actually persuaded me to buy the Minor, which is otherwise in pretty sound condition - needs new front wings and repairs to the rear inner wings, but the floor is very solid. I could get a MOT in it within a week I reckon.