Morris Minor Owners Club

Good evening ladies and gents,

I've got a few days free coming up I'd like to spend on the car but I appear to have lost my motivation with the car, it looks like a mammoth task and that I've gone and taken apart and taken backwards steps!

I'm sure many of you have the same feelings at times, I was wondering how you break through the wall of de motivation when it strikes!

Cheers

Eddy

When it all seems a bit mammoth take a break from the big jobs and polish some chrome or paint some small parts. This gives an impression of progress and is quite encouraging.

Forget it until you feel better----- or read the quote by WC at the bottom of your post!

That's true, I just worry about going backwards with it and it getting into a state before I can get it better!

Just one of those days, yes yes, I'm very good at reciting quotes to people and ignoring them myself!

Cheers all

Concentrate on one thing at a time, small victories soon add up

The thing with resto work is the fact that you have to go backwards before you can go forwards, the example being, cutting out bad metal before you can put new in. As far as getting into a muddle, it is wise to start with a clean area, and after each session clear up again. This may seem fussy to those who can work in a mess but to others it can afford some kind of control and stop things from becoming overpowering. The next time you look at the car and area you see a clean place to start further work.

Take a break and do something completely different....visit a classic car show (or museum) for inspiration!! Or - just chill out and watch the F1 GP.....

I usually watch shows like Car SOS etc

Ah!

I've sourced an old 1098 engine that's restorable and decided to use that to learn on and take apart an recondition as a completely different change from body work and welding and measuring!!! Learn a new skill instead and all about engines. Any decent books or guides anyone can recommend would be great!

The David Vizard is a good book and covers just about everything.There are some very good videos on Youtube and free

My daughter bought me the vizard book for Father's Day! Although very informative, it's kind of over my head as an engine newbie.....

Cheers all!

It helps if you only have one car and you need it for work the next day.

break the work down into areas rather than look at the job as a whole , i spent 2 years rebuilding a ford 100e and i took this approach , be tidy and methodical helps , in between the body work i painted / rebuilt the mechanical parts and then boxed the parts up with the relevant bolts etc ready for refitting , and most importantly tea !!

Just think of the looks when it is completed.

Do not try and do much at once otherwise it become more of a chore instead of a pleasant/intersting task.
As above try and keep the wksp area clean and tidy - box up and label the parts so that you do not get discouraged when you come to find/use them.
Unless you need to retain the old parts for a pattern - get rid them instead of allowing them to clutter up the work area.
Phil

When you start taking your engine to bits, if you haven't done it before, get yourself a little notebook and write down what you do, in order. Draw drawings where there is a need, particularly if parts could be put together the wrong way round! Get some seethrough plastic bags, the self-sealing ones are ideal, and put a piece of paper in each one telling you which nuts/bolts or washer or whatever it is that you have put in that bag and put them all in a cardboard box. It helps if you number them and put the number down in the little book at the appropriate place. Then, once you've had the specialist bits done (rebore, crank grind etc etc) you have got half-a-chance of being able to put it all back together again by reversing the processes in the notebook.
Oh, and don't lose the book (or the cardboard box) whilst you are waiting for the bits to come back from the engine shop! And remember that everything needs to be SPOTLESSLY clean when you put it back together - swarf left in the engine does it no good at all!
I did my first engine using a Haynes manual. Vizard is obviously a lot better if you want a lot better engine!

Just move in with Mrs Drivewasher, that motivates me to get into the garage!

i'm about to start on the renovation of a 1955 AJS motorcycle,which is a pile of rusty bits.i'll probably lose the will to live at some stage but it WILL get done

Bliss! You don't have to lay under bikes!