Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi, I have got just about fed up with my current work car, its a 65 landrover hybrid, on a galved chassis with a prima engine.

What has all this got to do with moggy's and fiberglass panels you ask,

Well I'll tell you

I fancy another project, and have had a few minors in the past and they still hold a little place in my heart, so when I plan to replace the extreemly cheap to run landie (not tax, £130 insurance and £10 per week diesel) I thought a Moggy again it has to be.

However, I get real depressed about all the rust, so thought, if I could get one and make it sound, (if not already) then replace all the panels available with fiberglass ones, it would make the rust monster that little bit easier to control

So, to come to the end of my bable, can you still get fibreglass panels, and if so where from.

Thanks

Dave

Funnily enough I just got a Smith and Deakin Plastics catalogue this morning. www.smithanddeakin.co.uk
Front wing £65.45
Rear wing £45.70
Bootlid £78.30
Front panel £34.75

Not as cheap as I thought,but they dont rust.
Ian.

i can let you have a front near side for a fiver but you will need to pict it up from london. its unused

well i have fiber glass wings on all my moggys and there good i have evern hit the garage wall no dents like metal ones just scratched so i would change them over to fiber galss . on ebay thay are going cheap ,

Are they really any good though? I'd hate to loose the 'lines' of the original car. I've seen metal panels that have been terrible, surely something made in a mould isn't going to be A1??

I'm only asking because I was thinking of replacing the wings, bonnet and boot with GRP items. For performance purposes - push up the BHP/Ton without costly engine work!

Hi I have a complete set of fibreglass wings that are brand new never been on a motor and i have no intention of using them ..i am based in fife scotland make me an offer if you fancy them (new front and back) also s/h rear traveller backs..

e-minor

fife

I'm only asking because I was thinking of replacing the wings, bonnet and boot with GRP items. For performance purposes - push up the BHP/Ton without costly engine work!

The weight saving on front and rear wings compared to GOOD fibreglass ones is practically nothing.
Changing the doors can save some weight.

As for beating the rust monster - clean out the sills and chassis legs, then use loads of waxoil.

Sorry to disagree Ray but the weight saving for a full set of f/glass wings is quite considerable. The construction method is all important here, not just making them thick as so many manufacturers do. Our wings are half the weight of the steels and the flip front is less than a bare minor door.

I reckon Ray was talking about the overall weight saving. Even if the wings are half the weight it would bring the overall weight of the car down by a fraction.

Surely that's true of ANY weight saving? I'd have thought that a weight saving was just that, a weight saving...

Sorry to disagree Ray but the weight saving for a full set of f/glass wings is quite considerable.

I've had fibreglass wings that weighed more than the cheap steel wings.
Yes - I guess you are right that the fibreglass doesn't need to be thick (heavy) to be good, as I'd not spent a lot of time dealing with the stuff.

[quote="dunketh"]Are they really any good though? I'd hate to loose the 'lines' of the original car. I've seen metal panels that have been terrible, surely something made in a mould isn't going to be A1??

The glass parts will only be as good as the original mould, so it is here that time must be taken. I cannot vouch for other manufacturers but we aim to prodece as accurate as possible panels. Great care is taken on both our standard and modified panels so the customer has only a minimal amount of final prep to achieve a top fit and finish.
Out panels are taken from the most original parts that we can find and trial fitted to original straight bodywork, however every minor is different, having had over 40 years of potential bodywork alterations/repairs. So as with the steel equivalents the final fit is one which needs to be worked.

bigginger wrote:Surely that's true of ANY weight saving? I'd have thought that a weight saving was just that, a weight saving...

ehhhh? that's stating the bleedin obvious I 'mean' that when you consider the end gain in weight loss is it really worth it? For example: if you save 40kg by chaging the wings for FG is it worth doing if your sole reason for making the change is weight... shaving 3% weight (guesstimate) when you can spend the time money and effort on modifications to improove the actual power?

It's worth considering the pay-off Vs result whenever you use precious commodities (time and money)

I guess my previous message didn't explain?

Yeah, because you appeared to be completely missing the bleeding obvous - if aomebody was fitting parts to save weight, it seems a bit odd to comment that they're saving a bit of weight. Probably just me being dense as usual.

I'm not arguing with you now you have moderator status

I guess my initial comment didn't explain what was in my head!! To sum up, I dont think that the results (shaving a bit of weight) are worth the effort. But then, if the wings need replacing anyway and weight is an issue for you then go for your life!! Personally i'd go steel and work on the performance side of things. I just dont like fibreglass that much - but that's prob more down to being frozen solid in some rubbish fibreglass kayak as a kid

BG: please excuse spelling as i'm on a computer sans spellcheck today

Ahh! if the panels need replacing and will cost far less in glassfiber and will also benefit by loosing 40kg as you state then this is a bargain mod which in real terms will have virtually cost nothing. However I agree more power is always a good option,and if allied to less weight, bingo!

Excellent And I don't suppose many other people have glassfiber phobias like mine

KirstMin wrote:I'm not arguing with you now you have moderator status

I guess my initial comment didn't explain what was in my head!! To sum up, I dont think that the results (shaving a bit of weight) are worth the effort. But then, if the wings need replacing anyway and weight is an issue for you then go for your life!! Personally i'd go steel and work on the performance side of things. I just dont like fibreglass that much - but that's prob more down to being frozen solid in some rubbish fibreglass kayak as a kid

BG: please excuse spelling as i'm on a computer sans spellcheck today

S'alright - I have to pretend to be a grown up now

When are you going to start then ???

I'm still cunctating...