So let me start by saying I am NOT mechanical. I recently bought a 1960 Saloon. I brought a buddy with me to look over the engine and all the stuff that I don't know about. That being said, I decided on the Minor because I want to be more mechanical I want to be that guy that tinkers with his car in the garage. Easiest way I can explain it is that I am where most of you gear heads and grease monkeys were when you were probably 7 years old So since the car is running really well what should I do? There are little cosmetic things I think I can handle changing badges installing new door straps things like that. I had a buddy tell me to start taking things off the engine clean them up and put them back on and that will help me familiarize myself. It should also be noted that I bought a well running car so that when I mess it up, I can drive it to a REAL mechanic and tell him to fix it Any suggestions?
Start with a decent tool kit,Moggies use imperial af for most things "mechanical" under the bonnet and Whitworth for body etc and prob a fair amount of metric thrown into the mix over the last 56 years! spanners and sockets, socket set,screw drivers ,feeler gauges.trolly jack,axel stands,car manual,first aid kit,swear box.Patience and self belief too.Welcome to the club.
Hmmmmmmm my swear box was probably filled quite some time ago the other stuff I can probably get except for those last two things!!!!! Patience and self belief hmmmmmm those two could be tough
the minor is a very simple, uncomplicated car and over the years there have been many who have never had a spanner in their hand,who with a good workshop manual and advice from here, have actually rebuilt engines,refurbed suspension etc.. Get a manual and have a go,start with simple servicing and progress from there. One tip TAKE A PHOTO of the item you are taking off/or to bits so you know where and how it goes back together.. Good luck
Minors are very simple cars. I found learning the mechanics to be a long process of "de-mystification" as you come to see how things work and that they are not, in fact, magic.
Do the service schedules listed in the owner's manual - this will teach you the basics about the bits you need to keep an eye on!
as above stick to the service schedual as to the manual , lots of decent parts suppliers out there , use 20/50 oil , it you use the supermarket or wilko stuff change it regually .read the manual to familarise your self with the car , lots of helpful advice on here too , above all have fun .
Wow look at all those responses this is great and I will undoubtedly be letting you all know how bad I have messed up my car as time goes by. Real quick I have looked at a lot of pictures of different peoples saloons and it looks like a lot of people have a little shelf under the dashboard. Is that something that people commonly put on their cars themselves or was that an option that the original owner of my car decided against, or was it at some point taken out of my car. Or are my eyes misleading me, I haven't been able to find a super clear picture of that shelf but it certainly looks like a lot of people have a shelf under their dash. Just wondering
I think parcel shelves were standard fit, I removed mine it was annoying. Someone may be able to post dims for a template then just make one out of thin ply. The end trim could probably be done by wrapping pipe insulation in appropriately coloured vinyl?
A good first job is changing the oil in the dampers, makes a big difference for little effort. Well detailed on the forum. Get a workshop manual cheap off fleabay, or free off internet. Haynes worth having as well.
Tools - look for a retired person who has a load gathering dust in the garage they don't need anymore, that's where all my spanners came from and much better quality than available now!
Don't fiddle with carb/timing if running well. Leave them alone.
The shelf under the dashboard was fitted as standard in the factory. It's called a Parcel Shelf. There was a metal angle bar (covered in padding) that stretched from one side of the car to the other, between the front door hinge posts (the A posts) that supported a kind of fibre board shelf. The foreward edge of the shelf was secured to the bulkhead by split rivets. Early cars had cream shelves that extended upwards to cover the round heater, later ones were black and left the rectangular heater more exposed.
So, why is it missing on your car? The fibre board does wear out and fall apart, particularly if the windscreen leaks and the board gets wet. There is good evidence that in the event of an accident, the metal support bar can break shins - that's why modern cars don't have them, so it could have been removed deliberately. It might have been removed to make it easier to fit a new heater, change the gearbox, or perform some other maintenance. Once out, it might have been difficult to line up the holes for fitting the rivets.
It's a useful feature, but entirely up to you whether you want to fit it or not. The component parts are normally available from most parts suppliers, but the support bar might be a visit to a scrap yard.
Okay all you gear heads I needed to tell you I completed my very first automotive project. I changed a headlight
first EVER successful mechanical anything!!!!! Going to swap out the engine tomorrow, well maybe not
Good for you, assuming the headlight works that is . Keep it up and it will get easier, after all we all started at the beginning at some time. It is most satisfying when you do it yourself and it all goes well.
So since the car is running really well what should I do? There are little cosmetic things I think I can handle changing badges installing new door straps things like that. I had a buddy tell me to start taking things off the engine clean them up and put them back on and that will help me familiarize myself. It should also be noted that I bought a well running car so that when I mess it up, I can drive it to a REAL mechanic and tell him to fix it 
Any suggestions?
. Keep it up and it will get easier, after all we all started at the beginning at some time. It is most satisfying when you do it yourself and it all goes well.