Morris Minor Owners Club

I cautiously drove the pickup to a local car gathering this evening. The brakes are still marginal. I was going to open the bonnet/hood to show someone the engine bay. The release handle pulled out about 6 inches with only the return spring resistance. I suspect the rod popped off the bell crank.
Is there any non destructive method to release the catch? Something thru the grill or from underneath?
Bill B.

You can just about do it through the grille but it is very fiddly and hit and miss

Perhaps borrow another car; so you can see exactly what you are aiming at.
I believe the angle at the end of the long rod is supposed to have a split pin in it.
As someone pointed out at our recent Branch Rally, my own one is missing that split pin (I really must get that sorted )

This happened to us shortly after we got the car about 16 years ago. It took the AA about an hour to sort and I still keep the bit of wire he used in the back just in case.

I'll go and get some photos for you so you know what you are up against.

Thanks guys,
I haven’t seen another Minor around here in ages. They are like hens teeth or unicorns. Im getting ready for an eye appointment soon so after the drops I probably won’t be able to see anything for hours. At the car show I also found the horn and wipers had stopped working. Fuse?
Bill B

I got a (rather blurred) picture from above, three similar ones of the lever/rod connection and one of the pivot pin (the latter 4 being on their side for some reason). I've included the latter because it was that which was partly to blame for my problem in that the lever was actually pulling the pivot pin across rather than simply rotating around it. As you can see I re-engineered the pivot pin after that.
Hope this helps.

Success! I was able to get my fingers above the top grill slat and locate the end of the rod with the cotter pin attached to the latching slide. Working blind I positioned a large screwdriver against the rod and gave it a sharp slap with the heel of my hand. POP!
Now to find a washer and cotter pin before I close it again.
Thanks all

Easy peesy

Well done! Especially with no open-bonnet* guidance.
I might replicate this procedure as a practice.
*English word for hood**
**English word for a convertible's top.
And so on..

But meantime, KeithL's photos seem to indicate I should have a hole for a split pin!
I'll go probing again. Maybe it's been filled with paint. Or I'll have to drill one.

Mike,
The cotter pin on mine was sheared off. I had to put the rod in a vise and drift the remnants out with a pin punch. I also bent the short end to a 90* angle on the premise that it would reduce the lifting force against the pin. Washers on both sides of the arm and a little grease for good measure. While I had the pull rod out I painted the handle yellow to make it easier to find buried in the black hole under the dash.
I did find a lot of play in the pivot pin at the top. By design or the hole is worn? Perhaps that is why Keith installed the bolt?
Bill B

59Elva wrote: ↑Fri Jul 24, 2026 12:46 pm I did find a lot of play in the pivot pin at the top. By design or the hole is worn? Perhaps that is why Keith installed the bolt?
Bill B

Yes, that's exactly why. It also fixed everything in position so there could be no vertical movement of either the pin/bolt or the two mounting points.

59Elva wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2026 4:15 pm At the car show I also found the horn and wipers had stopped working. Fuse?
Bill B

Horn and Wipers are different fuses.
Horn, and Interior Light if fitted, is on the Purple wiring, always live.
Wipers are from the Green wiring, via Ign Sw.

If you haven't got a Workshop Manual, get yourself a download of the pdf online, AKD530.
The Homepage of the 'Oklahoma British Car Breakfast Club' is no longer an active website, but their Technical Library is still available for some useful manuals...
https://britishcarbreakfastclubcom.word ... l-library/

A previous owner rewired the truck. He did use vintage looking cloth covered wire not a pre-made harness. It doesn’t appear that he retained the color code. Neither fuze is blown and the horn is working again. I think I’ll have to pull the wiper switch to test the circuit. Maybe try a jumper wire from the battery to the wiper motor first.