Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi everyone and a Happy New Year to you all. I am a new member and purchased a 1964 Minor Tourer last August. The roof has seen better days and is baggy in places and the wood over the windscreen is warped and needs replacing. The Heritage Certificate states it left the factory with a pearl grey hood, the one it currently has is light beige. Does anybody know where I could acquire a pearl grey one and how much it would cost including fitting. Thank you
Michael Sykes

What colour is your car?

I have a smoke grey (light blue) tourer. When I bought this in 1989 it had an off white (pearl grey) Everflex (vinyl) hood which was the original. When that hood split I had a new hood made in black double-duck which has lasted 34 years although it is now due replacement.

I don't think Pearl Grey is available off the shelf. You can get "off white", Beige, Black, Dark Blue, Red, Maroon in Everflex or Mohair. https://www.morrisminorspares.com/search/hood

You would have to ask a trimmer how much it would cost to fit. I am unsure exactly what pearl grey looks like to be honest (it is too long ago) but I think it is not far from the "off white" that is available off the shelf.

Perhaps others will have a photo of a Pearl Grey hood.

Stephen

Hi Steven, thank you for the info, I think I will go either dark blue or stick to the current colour.

Where are you based ? There are a couple of good trimmers in the Birmingham area who could probably help. Don Trimming http://www.donhoods.com or Aldridge Trimming - who could make a new one to suit. https://www.aldridge.co.uk/services/hood-replacements
Any experienced trimmer should be able to fit your hood successfully.

Hi Philip, thanks for the info, I will look at those two trimmers websites with a view to replacement.

One thing to consider is the condition of the frame. Since the demise of Charlie Ware's Morris Minor Centre, new hood frames are not available.

If the frame is bent or if the articulations are worn then it will be difficult to get a good result with a new hood. So if required, restoration of the frame should be factored in to the costs of a new hood. Incidentally, frames get bent by a number of things: inept attempts to put the hood up single handed (stand in the car and get the hood frame completely extended before bringing the hood to the horizontal); not putting the hood cover on and a gust of wind causing the hood to suddenly billow etc.

Stephen