Morris Minor Owners Club

It’s a grey wet day in Worcestershire and I picked up my Traveller.
It’s the first time I have driven it, or any Traveller.
I’m really impressed! I think it’s a standard 1275 with K&N filter, 5 speed Sierra gearbox with a 3.7 diff and 13” minilite replicas. It struggles a bit at low speed in 2nd, but is really torquey and pulls surprisingly well otherwise and feels pretty planted on the road.
It needs a few bits of bodywork (just passed an MoT), the wood needs varnishing and the wiring is messy but it is great.
It’s Dove Grey with a late, blue interior and leather reclining seats (unsure what).
Hopefully it will become a daily/semi-daily. It should be doing a few 100 mile runs in the next few weeks.
Photos when it is less miserable out!

Excellent, glad you enjoyed your first drive. Mine's tucked up safely in the garage - it's in bits but it's tucked up

Glad to hear you are enjoying your car. I think many new owners are surprised how well a Morris Minor drives - if in good condition.
There is no such thing as a "standard 1275" where Morris Minors are concerned as a 1275 was never fitted as standard. Your engine probably came from a Morris Marina or MG Midget.
Dove Grey was never offered on the Travellers so it has either had a colour change or is a different colour. A blue interior, if original, would suggest a Smoke Grey exterior as Dove Grey Minor saloons had red interiors
Have fun driving it over the Christmas period.

As far as I know, it’s an unmodified Marina engine, with 1.5” exhaust and a SU HS4 with K&N filter. Itdid have a 1380cc engine with a warm cam a few years ago.
Another 60 miles on it today has shown up some grumbling on the overrun (may even be exhaust as it doesn’t sound like diff) and some possible clutch release bearing noise.

It certainly kept up with traffic on the M42 and M40.

Things to do include trying to hunt down the noises, talk to an auto electrician, fix the fuel gauge, get some bodywork quotes and use it!

If it still has the mechanical clutch check the engine torque reaction bar from the top of the engine to the battery tray and the clutch system bushes these don't last forever and could give the symptoms you describe.

kevin s wrote: ↑Mon Dec 24, 2018 7:26 pm If it still has the mechanical clutch check the engine torque reaction bar from the top of the engine to the battery tray and the clutch system bushes these don't last forever and could give the symptoms you describe.

It has a hydraulic clutch

It will be interesting to work out what parts it has.
Claire

Glad you are enjoying the Traveller. At the risk of reigniting a regular discussion,I suggest that you avoid varnish on the wood...

I agree no varnish

So, um, what instead? (Ducks)

The trouble with varnish is that when it cracks water can get trapped in the wood underneath. Rot can then start pretty quickly.
Ideally the wood needs to be able to 'breathe' and there are various preferences, mostly using various types of wood oils. Danish oil is good if the car is garaged,but isn't too resilient if left outside. I recall some recommendations for another oil, but the name has slipped my mind...umo oil? Or something similar..
Others have used microporous stains/preservatives like Sikkens products, but in my opinion they can result in some strange wood colourations.
When you have stripped the old varnish off, a good few treatments with 5 star wood preservative isn't a bad way to start.

I've never used it myself but I think it is Osmo Oil that SteveClem is thinking of. I know two Traveller owners who swear by it. I would certainly give that a try.
I prefer the look of varnish but the wood has to be completely dry to apply it. I have also used the Sikkens products and didn't have any problem at all with colour - I used the lightest shade they offer. I also used the water-based Burgess Woodsealer at one time which I found good.
I have used various different products over many years of Traveller ownership and have decided that nothing really protects the wood from the weather year after year particularly well if you use the car all the time and Danish Oil was perhaps the least effective.

Non-working fuel gauge may be a simple case of the Lucar/spade terminal having been pushed off the fuel tank sender, which lies under the spare wheel.

If it is still attached, try wiggling it free, then use a length of cable to earth it to bodywork, turn on the ignition switch and you should see the fuel gauge zoom up to indicate full - which confirms the gauge works (you should be able to view the gauge peering through the boot aperture).

If refitting the terminal having cleaned off any crud doesn't get it working properly, then you probably have a duff sender unit.

A car of that age shouldn't have the "Lucar" type push-on connector on the fuel tank sender unit anyway
The wire to the sender unit should be attached with a brass nut and the tank unit itself (and the gauge too) should be a different type. I agree it is worthwhile checking.
It doesn't sound as if your car is very standard specification so it is possible that you have the early type sender unit and a later type gauge and the 2 will not be compatible. Again, photos will soon tell us. Unfortunately this forum is not as easy as it once was to load photos onto.