The 4-Door project had to be put on hold, the main story I will tell later, but basically problems with the Brake Pedal Return Spring, Fitting the Handbrake, an engine that decided to fall apart even though it was working perfectly when I last used it, and a gear-box that didn't seem to want to find neutral meant the wedding deadline could not have been achieved, so with 10 days (6 actual days), it was dedcided that the 2-door runabout(1098cc) needed to be made to look nice enough to transport the bridesmaids.
Owned by my father, though funded by mum, its been the shopping trolley and mobile storage for a number of years, its present cylinder head needs a bit of correct tappet gap adjustment to help its ability to run long distances without sounding like a bag of washers, but as the run would only be 7 miles this meant it would be OK. As the work on the 4-door (slowly) progressed -weather interuptions being the biggest problem, some work had already become necessary on the two-door. After specialists supplied not quite the right stuff, the leaking windows were sorted front and rear by a local couple who run a windscreen fitting service, the larger front trim insert being actually listed for the Morris 1800 landcrab series of cars. This was done more so the things stored would not get wet, door window external weatherstrips are not original ttype but a later verison that is supposedly better, a bent internal door lip around the window meant these on one side remain an interference fit- the clips wont reach the holes and withouth more time dismantling door and somehow bending things back to shape that will do.
The clutch had finally given up (after 3+years of warning), a local motor factors had promised to look for suitable one in their stores, but failed to deliver, another gave me a recommendation of a re-conditioners and so at about 30% saving on new prices the 3-piece unit was sourced. Normally I would have fitted this myself but with the 4-door in the garage with the tools in, I had to use one of the local garages (Mr Clutch and Halfords giving me puzzled looks), and for the MOT additional blu-tak to hold the number plate lamp in place and a pair of n/s brake cylinders needed (again- Kwik-Fit's brake check service told me 'we don't have the tools to adjust the brakes on these')(note adjustment requires a screwdriver and maybe a spanner or two- earlier MM and Series II models did need a specific Morris Tool for the rears).
Internal door panels and seats(although loose covered) were cleaned up with a nail brush and Daz? liquid washing powder (on clearance offer at local sainsbury's) along with one internal rear trim panel, the other side panel has mysteriously disappeared in one of the garages/lofts that is in the families somewhere, so the missus made up a quick fabric sheet to fit in the hole, stuck in with double-sided tape.
(*) Latest edit , after a garage sort out , the missing interior panel has turned up - I gave it a clean up during the warm pre christmas weather , but I need a few blackened cup washers before I can fit it.
Not The Morris Minor Re-Restoration for 2014
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Whyperion
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Not The Morris Minor Re-Restoration for 2014
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Last edited by Whyperion on 26 Jan 2015, 23:55, edited 3 times in total.
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Whyperion
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Re: Not The Morris Minor Re-Restoration for 2014
The main work required was , I was told, a repaint.
So first of all a good wash with a non-wax shampoo, mask up the bits that should not be painted, and brush enamel with some left-over (well accidentally 2.5ltr of Bronze Green Paint got ordered some time ago , I think for engine paint on the 4-door). The hole/s in the n/s wing had merrily been filled with gaffer tape for at least the last 15 years and probably more nasties lurk beneath, so the wing is not coming off, so son practiced his fibre-glass and resin skills and work with body filler, a proper hammer and dolly really is needed to reprofile the o/s front wing , but again I lack skills and the supposed 'accident damage' repairers appear even more confused when I ask them if the can repair a panel (certainly one that had an argument with a brick wall). So while the front end was being made a little smoother the rear got coat 1 of paint. 2nd Coat Added and front end gets most of its paint Most of the front end chromwork was either missing or not in good condition, so it got painted over.
So first of all a good wash with a non-wax shampoo, mask up the bits that should not be painted, and brush enamel with some left-over (well accidentally 2.5ltr of Bronze Green Paint got ordered some time ago , I think for engine paint on the 4-door). The hole/s in the n/s wing had merrily been filled with gaffer tape for at least the last 15 years and probably more nasties lurk beneath, so the wing is not coming off, so son practiced his fibre-glass and resin skills and work with body filler, a proper hammer and dolly really is needed to reprofile the o/s front wing , but again I lack skills and the supposed 'accident damage' repairers appear even more confused when I ask them if the can repair a panel (certainly one that had an argument with a brick wall). So while the front end was being made a little smoother the rear got coat 1 of paint. 2nd Coat Added and front end gets most of its paint Most of the front end chromwork was either missing or not in good condition, so it got painted over.
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Last edited by Whyperion on 12 Aug 2014, 21:49, edited 1 time in total.
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Whyperion
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Re: Not The Morris Minor Re-Restoration for 2014
O/S Rear Painted Up
Coachline added (Halfords Out of White, so its Grey/Silver). Best Man#1 painting number plate. 38 years of dirt cleaned off the interior sun visors, Shiny Paint shows off a few external bumps. Tyres and Wheels fitted from the 4-Door (Toyo Tyres), badges had been ordered in readyness for showing off and filling the holes that were letting in water to the boot. Black number plate lens cover fitted.
Coachline added (Halfords Out of White, so its Grey/Silver). Best Man#1 painting number plate. 38 years of dirt cleaned off the interior sun visors, Shiny Paint shows off a few external bumps. Tyres and Wheels fitted from the 4-Door (Toyo Tyres), badges had been ordered in readyness for showing off and filling the holes that were letting in water to the boot. Black number plate lens cover fitted.
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Whyperion
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Re: Not The Morris Minor Re-Restoration for 2014
So filled with petrol (well the stuff they sell under that name nowadays- for the A Series engine additional additives are really needed, also needed to change some of the brass and rubber fuel parts inc filter and float valves at sometime as methanol will adversly affect them).
and arrive at wedding venue for evening rehersal/decoration of the church. Then to get trimmed up for the following day. So would it hold up against the Bridal hired car that had been booked for many months? PS thanks to Silhouette in Barnoldswick for prettying up the wife to act in her role as the groom's mother.
and arrive at wedding venue for evening rehersal/decoration of the church. Then to get trimmed up for the following day. So would it hold up against the Bridal hired car that had been booked for many months? PS thanks to Silhouette in Barnoldswick for prettying up the wife to act in her role as the groom's mother.
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Whyperion
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Re: Not The Morris Minor Re-Restoration for 2014
Postscript / late credits and minor catch-up.
The rusty front grill was re-sprayed before the brush and roller finish applied to the front, other than a quick rub down no prep work was done- painting off the car not feasable in the time frame as to remove involves radiator /support panels/ front panel all out with loads of stuck nuts and bolts and damagable studs is too fiddly to get right without a place to store the components as they come off.
Carpets (polypropelene such as they were, were re-fitted by the now daughter-in-law, lightly spray tacked into place, though some carpeting I could not find in the pile where I thought it was).
Hubcaps cleaned with fairy liquid ,dried, then metal polished with a pot scourer to remove light surface rust, done by the wife- actually about 10 from the spares from auto-jumbles and old cars the family must have had, the best 4 selected, but they dont quite match- the 'dome' has two variations of pressing one more shallower than the other.
Overall polish done by the son with some stuff from Auto-Glym, this has now dried white in the little bumps and pits from the foam roller finishing.
The car successfully transported the three bridesmaids to the wedding, following the bridal car(a later car but fitted with the earlier 948cc engine for smoother running- which I was constantly worrying about running into / losing as the up-hill acceleration is not too brilliant in the green car.
After parking up, it was arranged that I would follow the bus back to the wedding reception as the bridesmaids were travelling on the bus, and we would get some photos of the car/s and bus together, however turningthe key I got 'click' and nothing else, concluding that the battery had got flat, I was able to leave car at venue. As the bus had departed, I managed to get a lift back with best man#2 in his Land Rover Defender- we followed the Bride and Groom in their car and so was able to get some ohotos of it. Despite setting off late we were surprised to find no bus in sight at the reception- the photographer reported to us that the bus had got lost. We parked up Land Rover, and entrance#1 to the reception area made by the bride and groom, and inital photos taken, bus turned up and their car did a circuit of the venue's roads for entrance #2 for the guests to take photos.
Bus was ex Leeds City Transport Leyland PD2/Roe which was with Black Prince at Morely when we lived in Leeds, now operated by a Purfleet company that used to run some local buses when we lived in Barking - with the connections it was thought that this would make a change from the normal routemasters/RTs on london wedding duties.
I can no longer fit my incorrect roof rack to the car for fear of scratching the new paintwork-though I suppose it would not be too hard to fill and repaint as and when desired.
Work outstanding:- Source some better interior parts (seats for example- the rear has a couple of broken springs, better carpets, clean headlining); Fit later type heater valve and new hoses and grommets so I have heat for the winter; Touch up some areas where the paint didnt get stirred properly and it went matt, and some areas (internal guttering and window frames) where paintwork got missed; clean the remaining masking tape residue off the windows, clean the green paint off the black rubber bits, improve the external chromework and complete front end; correctly fit the gearbox cross-member with captive nut cages welded properly, carry out small amount of welding to o/s sill, dinatrol box sections-boot and doors,repair and repaint sill kick plates and paint and fit sill finishers; clean up under-bonnet area, sort oil-leak from rocker cover, adjust tappet gaps and carry out recursive carb and distributor timing, bolt up properly the starter motor,fit a better battery, get wing and door profiles back to as factory intended and replace door latches (screws are a pain to remove and re-fit) . It will probably take another 10 years to do as none particulary important. Hopefully its booked to go to a local classic car show on Bank Holiday Monday, (normally I just park in the car-park) as I think it holds its own.
The rusty front grill was re-sprayed before the brush and roller finish applied to the front, other than a quick rub down no prep work was done- painting off the car not feasable in the time frame as to remove involves radiator /support panels/ front panel all out with loads of stuck nuts and bolts and damagable studs is too fiddly to get right without a place to store the components as they come off.
Carpets (polypropelene such as they were, were re-fitted by the now daughter-in-law, lightly spray tacked into place, though some carpeting I could not find in the pile where I thought it was).
Hubcaps cleaned with fairy liquid ,dried, then metal polished with a pot scourer to remove light surface rust, done by the wife- actually about 10 from the spares from auto-jumbles and old cars the family must have had, the best 4 selected, but they dont quite match- the 'dome' has two variations of pressing one more shallower than the other.
Overall polish done by the son with some stuff from Auto-Glym, this has now dried white in the little bumps and pits from the foam roller finishing.
The car successfully transported the three bridesmaids to the wedding, following the bridal car(a later car but fitted with the earlier 948cc engine for smoother running- which I was constantly worrying about running into / losing as the up-hill acceleration is not too brilliant in the green car.
After parking up, it was arranged that I would follow the bus back to the wedding reception as the bridesmaids were travelling on the bus, and we would get some photos of the car/s and bus together, however turningthe key I got 'click' and nothing else, concluding that the battery had got flat, I was able to leave car at venue. As the bus had departed, I managed to get a lift back with best man#2 in his Land Rover Defender- we followed the Bride and Groom in their car and so was able to get some ohotos of it. Despite setting off late we were surprised to find no bus in sight at the reception- the photographer reported to us that the bus had got lost. We parked up Land Rover, and entrance#1 to the reception area made by the bride and groom, and inital photos taken, bus turned up and their car did a circuit of the venue's roads for entrance #2 for the guests to take photos.
Bus was ex Leeds City Transport Leyland PD2/Roe which was with Black Prince at Morely when we lived in Leeds, now operated by a Purfleet company that used to run some local buses when we lived in Barking - with the connections it was thought that this would make a change from the normal routemasters/RTs on london wedding duties.
I can no longer fit my incorrect roof rack to the car for fear of scratching the new paintwork-though I suppose it would not be too hard to fill and repaint as and when desired.
Work outstanding:- Source some better interior parts (seats for example- the rear has a couple of broken springs, better carpets, clean headlining); Fit later type heater valve and new hoses and grommets so I have heat for the winter; Touch up some areas where the paint didnt get stirred properly and it went matt, and some areas (internal guttering and window frames) where paintwork got missed; clean the remaining masking tape residue off the windows, clean the green paint off the black rubber bits, improve the external chromework and complete front end; correctly fit the gearbox cross-member with captive nut cages welded properly, carry out small amount of welding to o/s sill, dinatrol box sections-boot and doors,repair and repaint sill kick plates and paint and fit sill finishers; clean up under-bonnet area, sort oil-leak from rocker cover, adjust tappet gaps and carry out recursive carb and distributor timing, bolt up properly the starter motor,fit a better battery, get wing and door profiles back to as factory intended and replace door latches (screws are a pain to remove and re-fit) . It will probably take another 10 years to do as none particulary important. Hopefully its booked to go to a local classic car show on Bank Holiday Monday, (normally I just park in the car-park) as I think it holds its own.
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Whyperion
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- Posts: 3068
- Joined: 23 Jan 2012, 22:13
- Location: Stockport, after some time in Burnley , After leaving Barnoldswick , except when I am in London
Re: Not The Morris Minor Re-Restoration for 2014
After messing with one local Halfords for the emailed 'free' winter battery check ( please come back later as we have no staff ) , a trip out to minor specialists to source a replacement started motor ( as the previous one had not quite been fitted correctly the bearing ends have got worn, and at present I cannot release the securing screws of the body, also think commutator end is damaged as resistances swing all over the place so something appears shorting in the windings ), and get a reasonable s/h radiator (no starter motor meant manual starting and I just caught bottom of radiator with handle end on a previous patch repair to gain a leaking radiator.
Radiator fitted (well swapped back with the new new one for the 4door, starter motor didn't fit- the end plate holes wont match up with the engine back plate holes, hmm, probably a mini or mg starter motor OR I have a wrong back plate ( not impossible ). Decided to go fishing in Dad's garage, 4 and two halves starter motors later , 2 fit , but don't work , then finally one fits and works. Cracking on now and starts just about first time. Fuel problems still need sorting as depresssing the accelerator slows the engine down.
PS here is the bus
Radiator fitted (well swapped back with the new new one for the 4door, starter motor didn't fit- the end plate holes wont match up with the engine back plate holes, hmm, probably a mini or mg starter motor OR I have a wrong back plate ( not impossible ). Decided to go fishing in Dad's garage, 4 and two halves starter motors later , 2 fit , but don't work , then finally one fits and works. Cracking on now and starts just about first time. Fuel problems still need sorting as depresssing the accelerator slows the engine down.
PS here is the bus
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