Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello there,

let me shortly introduce myself, my name is Axel, I'm German and own a 1956 Morris Minor, one of the first ones without the split screen.
I am technically not very adept, but as the Minor seems very hands on it is very inviting to learn by doing.
Now my first project is to install a new radiator as the old one is leaking heavily and it "just" requires to disconnect a few hoses and some screws.
I might not know the correct technical terms, but hopefully someone here can help me with the following.

I cannot connect the very bottom hose with the new radiator. The old one had a valve (correct word? see picture) which I cannot screw onto the new radiator due to the threat size (too big).

My question now, are there different radiators? I bought the new one from Bull Motif and I did not have the option to choose different versions.
Or can I get a valve which has a smaller threat but still can take the current hose?

Thank you for your help and please correct the technical terms I might have used incorrectly.[frame][/frame]

H Axel and welcome
The small connection is simply a drain plug, replace the small plug and all will be fine. You don't need the larger one.

Thanks for the quick reply.
What should I replace it with? A smaller valve? I just found a link (http://www.morrisminorspareparts.co.uk/ ... t/radiator) according to this it's called "tap drain" although my one looks a bit different.
I'm not sure if the below picture helps, it shows the bottom hose on the old radiator (I loosened the clamp to get the hose off).[frame][/frame]

Yes that's the one but you don't need it. They tend to seize up over the years and become useless, I'd just leave the blank plug in and if you need to drain the system then take the bottom hose off - it's a lot quicker than a little tap

Thanks panky.
So if I just keep the drain plug which came with the new radiator I guess that makes the hose useless, but where is it connected to? I cannot see as it goes into the inside of the car (please excuse my lacking knowledge here) but I guess it is still connected to the water cycle. Would it not flood water everywhere?

I have a tin of assorted brass radiator taps and blanking plugs, never throw anything away when you have a Minor.
If I was fitting a tap with a hose then I would run the hose through a hole in the tie plate and out under the car

As above -someone has added a drain hose. Just plug the radiator and dispense with the drain hose. All will be well.....

okidoki, thanks.
Will give it a try, but I'm still not convinced just leaving or taking off the hose as I do not know where exactly it is connected to on the other end.

that is one of the heater hoses , on my 1955 series 2 car it has a drain tap on one side and the heater take off the other , i guess as your car is an early non split screen and the radiator was carried over from the earlier model so you need an early rad or fit the latter bottom rad hose with the heater outlet built in and connect the two to complete the heater system

If it's the hose shown in your last picture, it appears to be fitted over some sort of stub fitting, now if it is a drain plug the hose fitted over it will be open at the other end. Looking at it though it doesn't look like a drain fitting although in the correct position for a drain. You need to find out where the hose ends and make sure it has not been made part of the water circuit for some reason.

Ahh there we are then, sometimes jumping to conclusions doesn't alway pay!

Martin, I think you nailed it. Thank you.
Question now is, how can I find this specific radiator? Does it have a specific name or reference number?
On various spare part websites there is always only one radiator available.

Just fit the bottom hose with the return leg built in. IF that is a heater hose.... http://www.morrisminorspares.net/basket.php

ive just fitted one of thease rads just put that drain plug back in it will work fine , if you want to drain it take off the bottom hose

try contacting esm morris spares as they list a 'tall tank rad ' part no RAD 101AN 1952 _ 1960 and under it in the parts list is a blanking plug which is used on cars with no heater so i assume an esm rad would come with the fitting hole might be worth a try

I assumed it was a twist to open the valve type fitting, just shows you should not assume anything - even something as simple as a radiator drain It would be possible to get a fitting to step back up to the original connection but as already sugested a later bottom hose with the 'T' would be a neater option.

And more efficient with the pump drawing the return water directly into the block.

Exactly. The hose in the picture of the car is the heater hose which came off the bottom of the radiator on all the Series11 and early Minor 1000 models. Our friend had been sold the later type radiator which he can only use if he also uses the later bottom hose and the copper heater pipe as the later Minor 1000s had. It is nothing to do with a drain plug which would be at the other side.

Indeed - seems so, although very small diameter, the water flow wouldn't be great. The heaters in these cars would be 'extras' - so did they fit a different radiator, or was the take-off just blanked off with a plug when heater was fitted ?

So, I called Bull Motif and they confirmed what one of you was saying.
The radiator of the split screen series has still been used for the very early non split screen Minors.
Bull Motif do not have these old radiators with the connection for the heater hose anymore (although their pics look different, but that's a story on its own).
So I went for the solution you have already suggested, I ordered a bottom hose including the heater take off (or "T") and a longer heater hose. The old one is too short as it has to go around the corner.
Will connect both and everything will be fine

Due to my lacking knowledge I did not realise the drain tap has nothing to do with the whole problem as it is on the other side (as mentioned by ManyMinors).

Thanks for your help.
New project is exchanging the heater hose once it arrives.