Morris Minor Owners Club

Has anyone considered or indeed replicated the perception shelf in metal, such as a thin aluminium painted black or anodised black?

I have had the new shelf in Alice for 6 months and it’s already gone saggy due to moisture in the air, so I was thinking of replicating it in thin aluminium (using the original as a template), but I wasn’t sure if I am just making a rod for my own back or if it’s a viable project.

Or maybe marine plywood would be an option

Obviously these cars don't have any modern safety features but I think a metal parcel shelf sounds quite dangerous in the event of an accident. Of course the padded edge of the parcel shelf is hardly "safe" anyway....

Aluminium might be quite suitable - you could make it extremely thin so less dangerous. Very easy to work with too.

I've oft considered remaking the bar out of something flimsier or way for the bracket to fall away if shoved too!

It’s annoying how the parcel shelf can distort in dampness. It happened to mine but I was lucky to find out why. I had a lot of the interior out and I found that the windscreen wiper wheel box gaskets had completely perished. This also ruined the gloveboxes. Rain could trickle in behind the dashboard. If you do fit another shelf of the original type I’d suggest a careful examination to determine why the car gets so damp inside. If there’s something to be fixed it will help. I know some people have also tried some form of sealant like varnish on the shelf.

My convertible is not that bad now for damp given how well ventilated it is but I did have a 4 door saloon a long time ago that was dreadful for damp inside. That poor car was condemned for being badly structurally unsound so I never found out why.

I'm actually considering removing the shelf altogether.
It's a pig to get it to fit neatly and really serves no purpose in my car other than to restrict access to the nether regions of the dashboard and associated wiring.
As mentioned above you only need to breathe on the damned thing and it starts to distort and sag!
Oot wi it and free yer knees Mon!

Used 4mm ply, painted black on both sides and then covered the top in vinyl on top for ours, been there 6 years now and still flat.

I have used 4mm plywood with black vinyl stuck to it. Really pleased with it and has not distorted or sagged yet. I used a large bit of cardboard to make a template, then transferred that shape to the plywood. If you stick black vinyl to the plywood ensure you leave plenty of vinyl to wrap around the front metal bar and padding, then stick it down underneath.

I still think there’s nothing wrong with the original unless it’s getting wet. I’m on parcel shelf number two in a 54 year old convertible. It got wet……..bad gaskets on the wiper bezels

I've replaced the angled steel bar along its leading edge with 12mm by 12mm wood.
My thinking is that this material is weaker than my tibia/fibula, whereas steel is stronger!
The idea of replacing the fibre shelf itself with an aluminium "guillotine" horrifies me.

Further to my condemnation of the overpriced, water soluble parcel shelf I recently tried in vain to fit, I have consigned it to the recycling bin after using most of it as a template on a sheet of 4mm plywood.
I drilled all the holes and apertures and then covered it with black leather look vinyl.
Refitted the original padded crash bar and test fitted it in the car with perfect results.The only addition I made was a removable plywood plate across the cut which allows the steering column to slide in and this was secured with a couple of brass screws and wing nuts to prevent any movement.
I fitted the radio speaker front and centre on the underside and will be installing a pair of pivoting ash trays when they arrive.
Looks so much better than the sagging cardboard thing, I just wish I hadn't wasted money and time on it!

I'm glad you've found a solution but I don't have an issue with my original parcel shelf. If it is getting damp then it's the damp issue that needs addressing.

Stephen

Fortunately my present Minor is water tight but my previous vehicle which was a Series 2 had a leaking heater which disintegrated and dissolved the parcel shelf. I was more dissatisfied with the overall quality and lack of rigidity in the one supplied recently.

Boomlander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 6:38 pm Fortunately my present Minor is water tight but my previous vehicle which was a Series 2 had a leaking heater which disintegrated and dissolved the parcel shelf. I was more dissatisfied with the overall quality and lack of rigidity in the one supplied recently.

Unfortunately, that is an all too familiar story. Replacement parts that are not of good enough quality.

Boomlander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 6:38 pm Fortunately my present Minor is water tight but my previous vehicle which was a Series 2 had a leaking heater which disintegrated and dissolved the parcel shelf. I was more dissatisfied with the overall quality and lack of rigidity in the one supplied recently.

My late SII('55 Centre Speedo), has a metal parcel shelf......
Perhaps the guy who did the refurbish back in 99-00 had a problem with damp...
I do keep a close eye on the 2 heater pipes, the holes have no clearance for grommets.
Photo from 2007 in the few few weeks of ownership.
It's actually tack welded in, not screwed....

I guess one of the previous owners had the same soggy shelf syndrome!
I would have preferred a metal replacement but am more at home working with wood.

Boomlander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:13 pm

I've just added a photo, I published accidentally while looking for the photo on my PC.

geoberni wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:06 pm

Boomlander wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 6:38 pm Fortunately my present Minor is water tight but my previous vehicle which was a Series 2 had a leaking heater which disintegrated and dissolved the parcel shelf. I was more dissatisfied with the overall quality and lack of rigidity in the one supplied recently.

My late SII('55 Centre Speedo), has a metal parcel shelf......
Perhaps the guy who did the refurbish back in 99-00 had a problem with damp...
I do keep a close eye on the 2 heater pipes, the holes have no clearance for grommets.
Photo from 2007 in the few few weeks of ownership.
It's actually tack welded in, not screwed....
20170904_161732.jpg

Well, of course, and as you know, your Basil's is not original. The SII shelf has a metal bar to which a cardboard type shelf is attached. See my replacement 'project' here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=65935 I suspect earlier leaks destroyed the original but all dry now

myoldjalopy wrote: ↑Thu Aug 10, 2023 8:26 pm
Well, of course, and as you know, your Basil's is not original. The SII shelf has a metal bar to which a cardboard type shelf is attached. See my replacement 'project' here: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=65935 I suspect earlier leaks destroyed the original but all dry now

I'd forgotten all about your Post from 2017, but now you've reminded me, there were replies on that, from Budgie & Palace Bear, which seemed to indicate that my metal shelf was correct. Something else for my 'to-do' list, find out what really should be there. But that will be a long time yet....
viewtopic.php?p=613246#p613246

Hmmmm.....as I mentioned at the time, I wonder if the 2-door models had metal and the 4-doors the cardboard then? Or is it a difference between the standard and de-luxe models? I wonder, do any of the suppliers provide metal parcel shelves?