Morris Minor Owners Club

I have inherited a 1959 4 door morris.minor not show room but not scrap either just the right condition to progress on just couple of questions the bonnet isn't like other minors I was just wondering if the 59 morris minor came out with the bonnet I have or is it just wrong one it's same one as van has with my research on Google images

Well kinda like van I have pic here try upload it like this convertible I guess it just wrong bonnet on the car

Welcome, hope you enjoy your inheritance, you should get plenty of help here. The bonnets did change between very early cars and later ones, and badges were different between versions. If you're asking about your bonnet, then probably the best thing is to post a picture of your car, and we can tell you whether it's right or not.

Hi i will post pic but it's same as one above in picture was would I be able to add later 59 chrome bonnet emblem hood thing lol dunno the name for it but basically change them

Here is front of my 59 I think it's wrong bonnet or bonnet badge on it handle thing not sure what is called flash or something

Should it have this thing on it also what's people thought on original red rear lights rather than one with indicators on top

Few pics of car I inherited need little tlc

Few pics of car I inherited need little tlc

More.pics

Said.pics

Blimey, that looks in relatively great shape for its age!

Welcome.

Hi and welcome. Your bonnet has the earlier type of motifs on it, which were also used on the vans (your bonnet may well be from a van).
Going by the screen wiper arm layout, it appears to be a transitional car - these were changed to Tandem Wiping by about 1963/4 (I could be wrong on dates).
If you look at my signature picture, you will see that my Series MM cars (on the left) have this type of motif and the Series II (facelift) cars have the "bonnet handle" type motif.
Your car is a Series III model.
Regards, George.

Thanks for ure messages in regards to bonnet.what would the moggy people do change it to original or leave it thank s guys

Jolene123 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 17, 2022 4:08 pm Thanks for ure messages in regards to bonnet.what would the moggy people do change it to original or leave it thank s guys

Hi if there's no rust and its a good colour match to the wings I'd leave it looks good to me

This all depends on how much a stickler you are for originality. The bonnet clearly isn't an early split-screen bonnet or it wouldn't fit and, as pointed out above, may have come off a van or pick-up. The indicator lamps on the front are not original, as a car like this with the trafficators would have just had the small sidelights below the headlamps. I suspect that the later indicator/tail/brake lamps have been fitted as well on the rear. It may mean later wings have been fitted at some point. The car would originally have had a simple red tail/brake lamp on each rear wing. Otherwise the car looks pretty original.
Restoring changes like this may mean having to drill/fill holes to make things look right. And filling will probably mean re-painting the wings. Personally, I think the bonnet flash looks OK, at least it is a contemporary feature. Not a fan of the later sidelights fitted to an earlier trafficator car though. If flashing indicators are required, I prefer the 'period' ones that are used on travellers. Some people concoct little brackets to take indicators on the bumper fittings, thus retaining originality.

Hi in reply to my old jalopy yes I was thinking earlier today after seeing a few pics online of other cars I am going to go down the road of replacing the original lights back and front as u are correct it has the later rear lights fitted and personally I don't like them at all each to there own I intend to replace them with red ones no matter what it takes be it fill holes and drill new or replace wings I have the other glove box door it was a pair of green painted ones which I will be painting same as car only thing I'm.unshure of is bonnet not sure whether to replace or leave but I like the idea of indicators on brackets on bumpers thanks for the chat

I have taken few screen shots of lights I was looking to order 2 original side lights for front and 2 rear red lights for back and then there is these indicators would these be correct period lights is the indicators right I would need to make brackets for bumpers if anyone has done this can they up load a pic of bracket so I can see what required thanks in advance for all the help prob going to see if I can get the trafficators working I'm.not shure hiw they work can not find switch for them maybe they have been bypassed before

Yes, they look right and the orange flashers can be fitted on to bumper brackets if you like (I'm sure someone on here will have photos) - mine are fitted into the rear wings themselves as a retro-conversion by a previous owner. Your trafficators would have originally worked from the indicator switch - I suspect the switch now operates the flashers, leaving the trafficators disconnected. There are ways of wiring flashers and indicators to work at the same time but you may prefer to wire them seperately with a period switch mounted under the dashboard for the trafficators (and you will have to make a bracket for this too, to avoid molesting the dashboard face itself).