Morris Minor Traveller 1972 Restoration.
Posted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 12:48 am
Now that the Almond Green Traveller 1961 (detailed elsewhere on the forum) has been completed earlier in the week I was itching to get onto something else.
I have had this March 1972 registered Traveller sitting in the wings.
We visited a farmer friend one evening last June and ended up bringing this away with us.!!
Whilst we were looking around his many barns at his collection of bygones,tractors,motorcycles and cars etc , I spied this car sitting next to a series 1 Landrover.
He had purchased it at an auction a few years previous on a whim for his wife to drive around the local area in.
She much preferred a more modern vehicle so it just sat in one of the barns unused,although it was Mot`d.
The car caught my eye straight away,she was an ideal candidate for a good refurbish by the right owner.
She looked like restoration work had been carried out in the past to the most important areas.
It had been been re-timbered a few years ago,along with associated parts being replaced..
Whilst this work was being carried out metalwork was replaced or repaired
New front and rear wings fitted.
Inner wings front and rear either replaced or correctly repaired.
New rear valance.
Rear spring hangers (front and rear perfect).
Engine sounded very good and ran well.
MG Midget rear diff.
Doors were good.
Very original interior.
No corrosion to the underside ,but a couple of bad repairs had been carried out to the front floor..
Someone at the local garage had carried out some far from correct welding on the front floors ,sill area and front cross member for the las two Mot`s. The metalwork was patch welded over the top of the rusty metal,it needed removing and new metal let in correctly.
The owner had no idea that patch repairs had been carried out until I showed him the far from satisfactory work,obviously the garage were not into classic cars or knew where to get parts etc.
Whilst me wife was having a tour of the animals around the farm with his wife I sneaked off and took the car out for a test drive.
A deal was struck over a cup of coffee before we left and I picked the car up the next day.
She has been sitting undercover since June,but Friday morning I thought I would get her into the workshop to give her a once over.
I went through the car assessing the work it needed.
Welding repairs correctly carried out to original spec.
A full new braking system will be fitted as matter of course.
New front seats.
New floor covering front and rear.
Full respray,Trafalgar Blue at the moment but may go Teal Blue..
New chrome.
Wheels shotblasted and re-finished.
Timberwork stripped back and finished in Danish oil.
Engine gearbox and suspension are in very good order,so no work there.
Everything cleaned and checked for working order.
After a mug of coffee the work started in earnest at 11.00 am Friday morning.
Saturday and Sunday has seen much progress.
Front doors,carpeting,seats etc were removed to access the floor areas ready to carry out the correct repairs.
The patch repaired metal work has been cut out,new metal work fabricated and welded in position.
Some very good condition front seats have been found.
A good secondhand front grill section has turned up (old one had a dent in it) looked like a parking bump.
The front brakes have been stripped and new components fitted.
Front original metal visor removed. This may get used on my van,but not sure yet.
It also came with a set of brand new Minilights and tyres,these were taken off a few weeks ago and fitted to the Almond Green Traveller.
M.M
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I have had this March 1972 registered Traveller sitting in the wings.
We visited a farmer friend one evening last June and ended up bringing this away with us.!!
Whilst we were looking around his many barns at his collection of bygones,tractors,motorcycles and cars etc , I spied this car sitting next to a series 1 Landrover.
He had purchased it at an auction a few years previous on a whim for his wife to drive around the local area in.
She much preferred a more modern vehicle so it just sat in one of the barns unused,although it was Mot`d.
The car caught my eye straight away,she was an ideal candidate for a good refurbish by the right owner.
She looked like restoration work had been carried out in the past to the most important areas.
It had been been re-timbered a few years ago,along with associated parts being replaced..
Whilst this work was being carried out metalwork was replaced or repaired
New front and rear wings fitted.
Inner wings front and rear either replaced or correctly repaired.
New rear valance.
Rear spring hangers (front and rear perfect).
Engine sounded very good and ran well.
MG Midget rear diff.
Doors were good.
Very original interior.
No corrosion to the underside ,but a couple of bad repairs had been carried out to the front floor..
Someone at the local garage had carried out some far from correct welding on the front floors ,sill area and front cross member for the las two Mot`s. The metalwork was patch welded over the top of the rusty metal,it needed removing and new metal let in correctly.
The owner had no idea that patch repairs had been carried out until I showed him the far from satisfactory work,obviously the garage were not into classic cars or knew where to get parts etc.
Whilst me wife was having a tour of the animals around the farm with his wife I sneaked off and took the car out for a test drive.
A deal was struck over a cup of coffee before we left and I picked the car up the next day.
She has been sitting undercover since June,but Friday morning I thought I would get her into the workshop to give her a once over.
I went through the car assessing the work it needed.
Welding repairs correctly carried out to original spec.
A full new braking system will be fitted as matter of course.
New front seats.
New floor covering front and rear.
Full respray,Trafalgar Blue at the moment but may go Teal Blue..
New chrome.
Wheels shotblasted and re-finished.
Timberwork stripped back and finished in Danish oil.
Engine gearbox and suspension are in very good order,so no work there.
Everything cleaned and checked for working order.
After a mug of coffee the work started in earnest at 11.00 am Friday morning.
Saturday and Sunday has seen much progress.
Front doors,carpeting,seats etc were removed to access the floor areas ready to carry out the correct repairs.
The patch repaired metal work has been cut out,new metal work fabricated and welded in position.
Some very good condition front seats have been found.
A good secondhand front grill section has turned up (old one had a dent in it) looked like a parking bump.
The front brakes have been stripped and new components fitted.
Front original metal visor removed. This may get used on my van,but not sure yet.
It also came with a set of brand new Minilights and tyres,these were taken off a few weeks ago and fitted to the Almond Green Traveller.
M.M
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