Morris Minor Owners Club

Good Morning!

I'm new to Morris Minors, having bought one yesterday for £1650. It's a 1963 four door saloon, 1098cc.

I managed to drive it from Yorkshire to Scotland, and was only 15 miles from home when the fan belt broke. Still, first 180 odd miles went relatively issue free, though I can't say I'm a fan of drum brakes!

I believe the fan belt for the 1098cc is 825mm - can anyone confirm if that's correct and how I go about fitting it?

I've no mechanical experience but want to learn - hence my choice of car. I've wanted one of these all my life, couldn't afford a restored one, just hope I've bought one that's a decent starting point.

I also see the MMOC meet monthly in my home town, I'm thinking it might be an idea to join the club and go along!

Any help appreciated.

John (32)

Welcome to Minor ownership!

Its a simple job to change and requires just a few spanners, usually 2 1/2inch or 13mm for the top and one 9/16 for the adjuster pulley. You just slacken off these nuts nad the dynamo should slide downwards a little, slip the new belt on the water pump and bottom pulleys and then onto the dynamo pulley. Then pull the dynamo up to tension the belt and tighten the nuts up again!

Sounds easy doesnt it, and it should be straight forward enough

Thanks David!

Sounds simple enough! Have ordered the 'Emergency Kit' from Bull Motif Spares, which includes the new fan belt, and hope to have the thing back up and running before the weekend.

I also see the car is on (ageing) 145, 75, r14 Firestone radials. Am I right in thinking the same original wheels can take 155, 80, r14's without any problems? I see new Bridgestone's at £35 a tyre.

Photo of 'Oscar' attached.

John[frame][/frame]

Buy a spare fanbelt (yes 825 should be fine) - local Autoshop will have it. Don't ever use METRIC spanners on the engine - 1/2" AFspanners for the hinge bolts and 9/16" AF for the nut securing the slide. 155 tyres are TOO WIDE for the standard wheels. Keep to the 145 unless you get hold of some wider wheels.

most of us use 155 without any problems and they are cheaper lol

Car handles like a wobbly jelly on the wide tyres (been there/done that) - many agree it's more stable on the 'correct' 145 tyres. The 155s are great on the wider van rims !!

Lots of tyre info on the site if you do a search. And lots of different opinions!

In theory they should fail MOT - far too wide for the 3" rims. Tyre places these days have a rim fitment guide they must follow - as to what width tyres can be fitted to which width rims.....

then 50 per cent of minors would fail the mot then

155s for ever!
A friend complains that his Alta engine Series MM is under geared on 145s which he fitted because he could not fit 155s under his boot floor

The 'gearing' difference is insignificant.....unless he fitted low profile tyres.....

Thanks for your help guys. I've found new Bridgestone 145-80-14s online - I think I'll opt for them to stick with the same size that's on it. They're only £35 a tyre with free delivery, seems quite reasonable to me.

Excellent price, and good tyres, I believe. Just be aware that, at that price, they are likely to be the winter tyres (the all-season Bridgestones tend to be around the £60-70 mark usually). Just something to be aware of - I don't suspect it will be a problem in our climate!!

Having survived the 145 vs. 155 debate (again), my friendly advice to you is not to discuss what pressure you plan to run them at once fitted

I second that!

28 psi will be fine. The 145 are a slightly better fit on the 3" wide rims !

Can I be annoying and ask where exactly these two nuts are that I should slacken for the fan belt? I'm looking and see two that hold the dynamo in place, not sure where the adjuster pulley is? As if you're at front of car looking straight at engine, I know it's to the front and see the three pulleys...but it's annoying me the car sitting there unusable.

And a little give in belt = good, less than 1"?

In the mean time I've ordered a Haynes workshop manual!

Mechanical experience - zero.

Haynes is hopeless.... Search Google for Morris Minor Workshop Manual - it's there as a FREE download and very much better than Haynes.. Slacken the two fixing, and underneath is a slide bracket - slacken that too. Pull the new belt up firm and tighten. It's a 5 minute job - you surely haven't be waiting all this time to do that...

Haha yes, it's been my first day off. I've slackened the two fixing - just need to locate the slide bracket...

Thanks for the manual tip!

Slacken off the two bolts arrowed in white then look under the alternator where the red arrow is pointing to see the the bolt on the slide bracket - loosen this too. The alternator should then swing down and the fan belt go slack enough to remove and replace it.



The bolts are the same if it's a dynamo that's fitted.

It's just under the front of the dynamo....