Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi Guys,

Just noticed a Series II for sale on ebay which appears to have curved front screens unless my eyes are on the blink again!!

Check it out and see what you think, item no is 321077155692 or try the link below.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321077155692? ... 1423.l2649

Better get to specsavers

Pete

Def a split screen - just got the centre pillar removed

Actually, split screens do differ slightly in windscreen shape. Very slightly. Its not just a case of having a chome bar in the middle.

I have to say - the whole car looks abit of a mish mosh..... I don't know much about the details of these split screen cars - but is this one 'right'??

Hi,
There is, I think, some distortion to the chrome insert on the drivers side but I'm not seeing a curved screen?

Def a split screen - just got the centre pillar removed

I think the centre pillar is there, there's just no chrome left on it.......

Also BMC is right, it has the later speedo (I hope they changed the tank sender at the same time) and air filter arrangement, plus some sort of fuse box(?) next to the regulator. You'd probably find more if you went for a look but then these cars have been around for half a century plus now (Abby's 50 in May), so really it's just part of her history.
I do like that interior though.
At least they didn't cut the front wings about and fit later indicators / side lights.
Best wishes,
Mike.

what about all those loose wire ends that are supposed to have been checked over by an electrician
seems too many of them
buyer beware i would say we dont want any of our members to be posting on here later

Screen looks standard, especially from the inside view - just lacking chrome on the centre strip but at least the rare and fragile chrome surround is there. Plenty of later Minor parts added, but if its a solid car it should be a good buy. Down to personal taste if the retrimmed seats appeal or not. Has later gearbox with remote change, and that with the 1098 style carb and air filter may suggest its not an 803 any more. Maybe the owner doesnt know and has just typed what it says onthe logbook. Other later bits and pieces are easy enough to put right or improve if you felt it nessacery. Fuse box looks just like a modern replacement for the original, but probably more reliable...

Its obviously not original,but then the seller is not claiming that. Various bits wrong(Did they put the wiper motor under the bonnet in 56 cos my 55 has it under the drivers side dash inside the glove compartment) but dependant on the price could be a made into a very nice car.

I'm still not completely convinced it is a 'split screen'.... Need better pictures - but I don't see the crease in the centre of the roof panel. It's definitely not an 803 engine.

bmcecosse wrote:I'm still not completely convinced it is a 'split screen'.... Need better pictures - but I don't see the crease in the centre of the roof panel. It's definitely not an 803 engine.

I completely agree. I have a series 2 split screen, and just checked, and yes, there is a crease in the roof, leading to the middle of the screen where the chrome 'split' is. This picture doesnt look like it has one.
However, it appears to have the smaller rear window, like a series 2?

I really don't see much wrong with it. It is just a split screen with more modern components fitted - as plenty folk would do back in the day. Wiper motor was probably re located in engine bay as the original is a pita to get to, plus probably easier to get hold of second hand.

Pete

Windscreen pillar thicker on Ser2s.

I'd tend to agree with PO.

I'd agree there appears to be something wrong wrong with this car. No crease in the roof for the split screen, defo not an 803 for all of the reasons already given and the gearbox has also been changed cos it's not the very long gearstick. Also, a 56 would have trafficators, with the switch on the right hand parcel shelf, not the indicator stalk with the light at the end like a later model (my 61 has this). It is a genuine however (a genguine mish mash) looks like a nice wee car though.

There's no disputing the small rear window - I just don't know enough about the early cars - was the rear window size increased at the SAME time as the screen was made one piece?

bmcecosse wrote: was the rear window size increased at the SAME time as the screen was made one piece?

Yes - October '56

Well - unless there has been some major surgery - it MUST BE a split screen!

I think the car is probably a genuine split screen - it's not easy to see the crease in the roof when looking at the car head on - see this link which shows a 52 MM for sale elsewhere on e bay - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1952-MORRIS-M ... 27d026d9f9

The engine and box have clearly been swapped for a later 1098 unit (the tappet chest breather identifies it as the 1098) and there is no picture angle where you can see if the trafficators are present or not. Given the orange front lenses, I would guess that a previous owners has just had the car converted to use the later flashers. The steering columns were interchangeable so it would not have been a particularly difficult job to do.

The DVLA database shows a reg date of May 1956 which would make it quite a late Series 2 and confirms its colour as green so aside from the interior - which I think looks quite nice, it is probably genuine.

Just a couple of other points to ponder though - S2's had a very small parcel shelf with mounting brackets set within the recess of the inner wing panel - this car has a later shelf (which could also have been added later) but for which there should be no threaded mounting points where it is fixed. Secondly, there appears to be some sort of plate on the bulkhead where you would expect to see the chassis number stamped into the bodywork!!!

bmcecosse wrote:I'm still not completely convinced it is a 'split screen'.... Need better pictures - but I don't see the crease in the centre of the roof panel. It's definitely not an 803 engine.

Jethro has the little "bump" in the roof just above the windscreen centre pillar and he is definitely an early Series 2 although he has had a few components swapped for later items including engine upgrade from 803 to 948, back axle and parcel shelf.[frame][/frame]