disabled car

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keithB
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disabled car

Post by keithB »

I have an ex disabled car. I don't know much about its history but there is a plate under the bonnet.
It had some sort of hand operated brake which was attached to the brake peddle from a hole through the chassis and an extension to the brake peddle down through the hole.
Unfortunately the chassis has cracked in each of the four corners of the hole and I will have to weld it up.
I think the owner stopped using it after an accident to the front drivers side.
It is a trafalgar blue 2 door 1970.
Any other mods that were done have been lost now in the various rebuilds it has had. But if anyone know more about these conversions or my car then I'd really be interested.

ta

Keith
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rayofleamington
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RE: disabled car

Post by rayofleamington »

Hi Keith,
Some of the disabled cars had the 'manumatic' clutch actuation, but this is normally removed and thrown away. Other common alterations were seats on sliders.
I've not heard of one that had a different brake arrangement but a lot of the cars were done to individual specifications.
Other mods include relocation of the dipswitch to the dash - however my 57 had the switch on the floor and a long rod added to the dash so you can operate it by hand.
Ray. MMOC#47368. Forum moderator.

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RussLCV
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Post by RussLCV »

Keith

Any chance of a photo of that plate and the rest of the car that you can e-mail me?

RussLCV@clubmorris.co.uk

Also worth updating folks, part 6 of my series Ministry in Minor Matters this month!
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keithB
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Post by keithB »

Hi Russell

I will take some pics soon. The rest of the car is spread about the house and garage. It undergoing some major work. I'm having another weekend of welding this weekend and will takes some pics.

cheers

Keith
---
Restoration progressing - see it at....
http://www.1000fluffyclouds.co.uk/OurProjects/MorrisBlog/phpblogger.php
RussLCV
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Post by RussLCV »

Many thanks mate............look forward to them
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keithB
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Post by keithB »

Hi Russell

Sorry its been a while - I've been busy and don't visit the site often.

I've started my website and put some pics of the Minor and the invalid carriage mods.

Follow this link and hopefully it will show some pics!

http://www.1000fluffyclouds.co.uk/WhatW ... page=index

Cheers

Keith
---
Restoration progressing - see it at....
http://www.1000fluffyclouds.co.uk/OurProjects/MorrisBlog/phpblogger.php
Onne
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Post by Onne »

I really like the idea of using the Rotodip principal! What a cunning idea! The car was obviously deigned to hang on a pole like that!

Onne
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keithB
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Post by keithB »

The "Rotodip" works well. I'm not the first to use the idea for restoration. I had to cover the hole through the scuttle and the one behind the rear seat with thick MDF then make a hole in to for the pole.
It is well balanced as a shell and easy to spin round.

Keith
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Restoration progressing - see it at....
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Cam
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Post by Cam »

Keith,

Any idea (very roughly) how much the stripped 'shell weighs? Only I have a body roller which attaches to the bumper mounts. The pivot point is about an inch lower than yours by the looks of things (at the top of the front grille and in-line with the rear boot-shelf bar).
keithB
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Post by keithB »

Hi Cam

I've not really any idea how much it weighs. It is still quite a lump !
I would be a bit concerned to suspend it by the bumper mounts if there is lots of rust around the inner wing end but I think they must be pretty strong really especially if the metal nearby is sound. Luckily its not normally a place that rusts too bad.

good luck

Keith
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Restoration progressing - see it at....
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Cam
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Post by Cam »

Keith, yes, you have to make sure that area's sound to start with! :lol: Luckily you can get at it pretty well while the car is on the ground if any repairs are needed.
RussLCV
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Post by RussLCV »

Many thanks Keith for the photos do you know any history of the car, possibly the first owner etc.... that may be indicate more about its origins
Russell Harvey
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RussLCV
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Post by RussLCV »

Hi Keith

That plate is interesting............but it confirms the work was carried out after the car was new? this is dated as 1976?

See what we can find out on that, any other plates?
Russell Harvey
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RogerRust
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Post by RogerRust »

My father had several converted cars and vans when he was alive including a minivan, a late morris 1000 van, marinas and itals. They had a hand throttle and hand operated foot brake if you know what I mean.
The conversions were done by a company called Roselco I think in Stretham or Tooting I think - it was a long time ago.

The hand throttle was fun and you could hold the brakes on with your knee. He drove that way for 30 years. Used to terrify me.

The conversions were very poor and bits often fell off which would leave him without brakes - hey ho thats what the hand brake's for. When he was 60 I persuaded him to have an auto but I don't think he really liked it.keithB,

I'll rack my brains for other info if anyone is interested.
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keithB
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Post by keithB »

Hi RogerRust

Thanks for the info - sounds like a ride in your fathers car must have been quite entertaining !

cheers

Keith
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Restoration progressing - see it at....
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keithB
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Post by keithB »

Hi Russell

Sorry for the long delays in replying - yes the conversion date was 1976, I'll have to dig out the documents for the first owner.

cheers

Keith
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Restoration progressing - see it at....
http://www.1000fluffyclouds.co.uk/OurProjects/MorrisBlog/phpblogger.php
dougieboard
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Post by dougieboard »

hi,

i have a 1967 2-door with the seat on sliders and when I did some chassis work about 10 years ago, i noticed the brake pedal has a big lump of steel bolted to it - i wondered if it was a driving school car, but it sounds like a similar thing to yours. No pics of that though, I'm afraid, although I think I left the brake pedal bracket in place.

hope that's of interest...

cheers
RussLCV
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Post by RussLCV »

dougieboard

Any images would help possible was for dual controls?

Keep us posted or e-mail images to

Russ@MinorLCVreg.co.uk
Russell Harvey
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IaininTenbury
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Post by IaininTenbury »

I've just bought an ex ministry disabled car. (Was in the next road to me, ina garage for ten years, so rude to refuse... :o )
It has an extra linkage as described from the brake pedal down through a slot in the chassis leg, a sliding seat and plain door trims. And the dipswitch is on the heater. Owner said they got it from a ministry sale in the '70s.
Its a G reg trafalgar blue saloon btw.

I also stripped a load of extra pedal linkage of a green saloon, years ago. The clutch was connected to a shaft going to a bell crank on the tie plate - presumably for a hand clutch? Still have it somewhere if anyone has a use for it...
cheers
Iain
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Post by RussLCV »

Iain

Would lovwe some images when you get a minute

H
Russell Harvey
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