Morris Minor Owners Club

I have been looking for a early 1000 black 4 door for about 2 years now. We and other fellow members have been to see 2 local cars, but both not really taking my fancy (sort of speak ), plus looking at cars online in the mainland. Until friday when one of my fellow members texted me about a 61 black four door for sale not to far away. This being a local Co Antrim Reg'd car, family owned from new, which no one in the club had ever seen. I thought it was to good to be true. So Dad and me went to see it yesterday. Whilst standing outside the garage door, watching the owner trying to open the padlock (which felt like a lifetime). Once I saw the car, looked around it, underneath it and inside it. I knew my name was going to be added to the taxbook.

I am going to have to change my name to Minor65/61 !!

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So this is going to be a recommission, rather than a restoration. I got the car home today and gave it a wash. I bought the car from the son of the first owner, so it was family owned from new. It was driven for the first 26 years and oiled underneath (including inside the doors) every year. The only part of the car which was never oiled was the sills in behind the kick plates. This meant that the sills were replaced, with 4 new genuine wings and a respray in the early 1990's. It has done 400 miles since that. Underneath from what I can see is very good and totally original, with no signs of welding or patches. So I think the screwdrivers this time for me are banned . The paintwork is still quite good, but will need plenty of elbow grease to get the great shine back in places. The chrome is quite poor, so I think a rechrome is on the cards. Along with repainting the bumper valances, grille valance and radiator grille. Engine wise it sounds good, but it isn't really running as the carb will need cleaned out, along with new points and plugs etc. The fuel pump looks pretty new, as does the stainless steel exhaust.

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Looks very smart

Nice one Andrew!!

Gorgeous!

Well since getting the car home I have been visually checking it over roughly to build up the parts list and giving the paintwork a de-grime and polish. My thanks goes to David McC for coming over to see the car last night and to show me how to dismantle the semaphores (which are working but the orange lenses are broken). So got stuck in today by draining the petrol tank (petrol was suprisingly clean and pretty much dirt free). Cleaned out carburettor and replaced gaskets, removed radiator (then flushed out), removed hoses, fan blades, fan belt, replaced by pass hose (with silicone type), checked water pump (all ok), fitted new dist points, started a compression check (but battery started to flatten ). Battery looks old so will buy a new one. Removed both bumpers (will dismantle bumpers, will get valances painted and buy new chrome blades / overriders), removed hockey sticks (badly pitted), top chrome (cleaned / polished up well), removed front panel/valance and grille for painting, alloy grille surround (cleaned/ polished up well). Then started to clean up engine bay floor (which is completely sound, with most of the original paint left) will touch up any unpainted bits and cover in waxoyl. I was really susprised how well everything came apart, no problems at all . As all the bolts where covered in waxoyl for years, it just goes to show it's good stuff.
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What is wrong with the bumper blades, they look OK in the pictures.
New blades don't have the same quality of chrome as old ones.

I know that mark. The chrome which can be saved is: Rear bumper blade, top grille moulding, hinges, door handles, grille surround. The chrome which I am replacing is: hockey sticks, overriders, front bumper blade (dented) and possibly hubcaps. The chrome looks great in the photos, but it doesn't all please me !! Bumper valances and grille valance are away getting painted.

Work over the last few days has included. Checking the compression (145psi over all 4 cylinders) so happy enough with that. Then quickly fitted new plugs, dist cap and plug leads. Started engine really for the first time since I got it home, mainly to hear if there was any timing chain rattle when the front of the car is off. As the old fan belt was loose and that was all could be heard. Engine is eveeerry quiet, with no noises at all, not even tappet noise. So then I removed the new plugs, leads and cap, then wire brushed the flaky paint from the head and block, then repainted the engine where required.

Just waiting on parts arriving from ESM. Christmas has come early

Parts from esm arrived ok, so today's work included. Fitting the following new parts: spark plugs, plug leads, thermostat/seal/housing, fan belt, fan blades (which cleaned up ok), 3x brake pipes going to and from 3 way union (at brake light switch) as seemed to be original pipes and a wee bit pitted. Then checked front suspension for wear in bushes and trunnions (all ok), greased front suspension greasers. Removed front drums and cleaned out front brakes and checked cylinders (all ok and free), shoes look pretty new. So i'm going to get the drums skimmed, as they have a bit of surface rust. Then I waxoyled the front section of the car (engine bay floor, front inner wings, front chassis legs) with no nasty susprises Then attempted to clean up hubcaps with autosol, but not happy enough with them. So will probably buy new stainless steel ones.

Next on the list is to repaint the good second hand grille in old english white (which I bought from Doagh Morris Minor Centre as the old one was twisted).

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Work carried out since the last update, has been. Underside from front of car to centre cross member, checked and coated in 2 coats of waxoyl. Front brake drums skimmed, refitted and fronts adjusted. New clips put on steering gaitors. Fuel tank removed and flushed, cleaned out, fuel pipe blew out, gauge sender removed and new gasket fitted. Boot compartment floor and top of fuel tank waxoyled. Rear chassis leg ends unblocked (dry sponge type material found at the ends of chassis legs, I presume that was done at Cowley?). All sound and still no nasty susprises . Then waxed inside the chassis leg cavity (with bilt hamber wax with spray pipe lance, great job - recommend it to anyone). Then gearbox oil (which looked clean) changed to make sure it is 20w50.

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Good work! Is it going to be at Antrim for New Years Day???

No I doubt it David, if it's mot'd in January we'll be doing well !!

Work over the last few days has been: Working at the semaphores, fitted new oranges lenses and bulbs, cleaned the mounting / earthing points, oiled the mechanisms. All working ok, though I think they will work better once in normal use. Then removed the rear brake drums, drums good, shoes good (the riveted type), cylinders look newish and they are working ok, copper pipes at the rear already. d/s brake back plate has a rot hole, so next plan it to replace that and remove and check the halfshafts.
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Just shows how original the car is, as the rear door handles are on correctly, as per owners manual

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YAY correct door handles!!!!

What was the rationale for the rear handle orientation? I don't have a four door to experience it. Is it more natural to operate it with your inboard hand while pushing the door with you outboard hand? The fronts are are a one hand operation, pull the handle, continue to pull and the door opens. Why wouldn't that work in the back seat?

Don't really know the reason for that. The earlier 4 door had the same shape door handles on the front and rear. I presume it was placed that way on the rear, because of the front seats and 'b' pillars maybe getting in the way when putting the handle in the lock position.

Stevey is very kindly restoring my front number plate, great job !!

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During the week I left a pair of good rear springs (which I removed from my traffy blue 4 door a couple of years ago) into North Belfast Springs to be retempered and checked. I picked them up this morning, they were still very good and they look like brand new now

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Then I removed and checked the d/s halfshaft, which looks as good as new. Then still on the d/s removed the shoes (which are Lockheed riveted), hub, wheel cylinder (Lockheed also), brake backing plate as it had a rot hole in it. Fitted a good s/h plate (sourced from a minor owner friend) then fitted new oil seal to hub, checked and re-oiled the wheel bearing (ok), then refitted halfshaft with new gaskets, refitted brake drum and adjusted the brakes on that corner.

Next thing on the list is to waxoyl the d/s/r inner wing and then remove the springs and check the axle and replace the spring rubbers.

d/s/r inner wing and d/s crossmember to spring hanger coated in 2 coats of waxoyl over the past few nights.

My Heritage Certificate arrived today . Turns out the original selling dealer is different to what I thought. So that's 2 of my minors from WH Alexanders, Belfast.

jaekl wrote:What was the rationale for the rear handle orientation? I don't have a four door to experience it. Is it more natural to operate it with your inboard hand while pushing the door with you outboard hand? The fronts are are a one hand operation, pull the handle, continue to pull and the door opens. Why wouldn't that work in the back seat?

It's like that so they can be locked from the outside by reaching thru from the front doors or from the driver or passenger front by reaching behind. Otherwise, no way to lock the car.

I have a 4 door, so I know these things
Al

Thanks, I take it the doors can't be locked and then closed.

yes they can