948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

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brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

Yes sorry I missed that - your car does appear to be earlier than June 61 if the number is as you say. Sometimes worth checking the VIN plate very closely to ensure you have the correct numbers as these do tend to suffer from rust obscuring/changing the look of numbers. Also check the number stamped into the bulkhead to make sure it matches the VIN/Registration document. When they moved onto the modern system, there were a number of transfer errors where the wrong numbers were noted down. I had to correct mine which had one digit wrong but would have changed the year my car was built! I think you know where the bulkhead is stamped from other posts but if you are struggling come back to me. Alternatively, you may be lucky and have a bill of sale etc. which may also give you the original number too. By your engine number, the car is dated much much nearer to June 1960 rather than 1961 so you may have some digits in the chassis number in the wrong order :-) Definitive answer will come from the heritage certificate but make sure you can give them the correct numbers - they can trace from the engine number so you might want to try that first?

The plates you have photographed are body numbers and can help date the car too, esp the one starting BMS - look out for Chris (POMMreg) on here as he collects these to help identify vehicles and production changes. He may also be able to tell you what the numbers mean. Here is a link to the handbook for the early 1000 saloons so you can see what you ought to have and might be able to pick up at an autojumble http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-Minor- ... 19ee232157

Welcome to the world of being grabbed by a Morris Minor - it's done it to all of us on here too :-)

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

Looked like BMS from the photo. Sorry bout that.

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
bmcecosse
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by bmcecosse »

Note the gearbox and rear axle numbers -these may more accurately date the car build. the engine may have been changed for an earlier one from a scrappy at some point in it's life.......
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brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

Fair point Roy - always a possibility :-) will be interesting to see what the bulkhead number is

brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

Fair point Roy - always a possibility :-) will be interesting to see what the bulkhead number is
Last edited by brucek on Thu Jun 05, 2014 11:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

Probably an error was made when the old log book was transcribed onto the DVLA system. Obtain a Heritage certificate which can then be used to go back to the DVLA to have the current log book rectified if necessary. It is possible, of course, that the car was built in June 1960 and for some reason was not registered for a year. Probably worth going back to the original owner to see if he can remember what happened. Nothing to get overly worried about - more a conundrum to solve to make your ownership even more interesting.

For the record, the dates and numbers I've quoted are as mentioned in the Original Morris Minor book and on other web sites. Rather than the oracle I'm probably just sad :-)

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

Sometimes the older memories remain but recent ones cannot be recalled. Hope you find something out.

Very easy to write 0 and 1 similarly so my bet would be on a transcribing error somewhere along the way. The old log books were hand written. When these were entered into the 'computer' errors did occur as I found out myself. As the current owner you can request photocopies of all previous registration information on your car from the DVLA so when you get your new log book back, write and ask them for this. You should see a copy of the original log book which may reveal why the numbers for date of reg appear to contradict the dates of build.

Bulkhead number is very clear and according to 'the book' there was a timing cover modification at engine number 453032 which is dated June 1960 which is quite close to your engine number. There may be some ambiguity with exact numbers and occasionally anomalies which appear to contradict the data do appear. After all this was BMC not Rolls Royce so sometimes cars were made with what was available rather than what should have been fitted. Trim items and colours are sometimes examples of this.

Of course, it could just be that, for some reason, the car just sat around at a dealers and was not registered until much later. Maybe a potential purchaser wanted the car, paid a deposit then died and the car couldn't be sold until the estate was wound up. Maybe someone wanted the car, put a deposit on it then was posted abroad? Who knows? The date of build is the important date for originality rebuilds so I would assume it's a June 1960 ish car and wait to have the exact details confirmed by the Heritage certificate when it arrives.

Original Morris Minor is the book by the MMOC Club secretary Ray Newell. You can get it from the MMOC itself via the club website (click the link in my earlier post and it's listed there) or Amazon or E-bay. Good luck with the search :-)

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

The Heritage Certificate won't be able to confirm the registration number of the car as this was allocated after it left the factory and dealers just didn't send that sort of info back to Cowley. The reg no was allocated by the forerunner of DVLA so as long as the car is on their system - and I have just checked that it is (date of expiry of last tax disc was Feb 1988) https://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPo ... ution=e1s2 so the reg no will stay with the car until you choose otherwise.

As stated before my best guess is that your car was first registered on 19th June 1960 not 1961 and there has been an error in transcribing the 0 for a 1. Your cert will probably be with you long before 28 days are up - they just say that to give them the most time to deal with high volume of requests. The 'original' log book copy will be the most useful piece of info to confirm whether my hunch is right or not :-)

As for the convertible - it's your car to do with as you please. I think if it were mine, and given it's low mileage and originality etc., I'd probably try to keep it standard but if it's going to live in Greece a drop top would be very pleasant indeed. Opinion is divided as to whether you should or should not - at the end of the day as long as you don't try to pass it off as a genuine convertible then it doesn't really matter - do whatever you wish and just make sure that the conversion is done properly and competently and then enjoy using the car as much as you can :-)

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

No that's where it should be - if it's not it has probably been obscured by rust/crud/underseal.

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
Last edited by 864 BYX on Mon Nov 10, 2014 11:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
brucek
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Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by brucek »

As you lie on the floor, looking up at the axle, feet towards the rear of the car, the number should be on the right side of the axle casing, facing the gearbox about half way up the axle. It will be about 3-6 inches from the inside U bolt. If it's not there, don't worry about it too much. This area gets lots of weathering - even on a low mileage car. From what you have said already the car has not had much done to it so it is almost certainly the original axle. The brakes sound good too but be prepared to give every part a very close inspection. After all, these are the bits that stop you having an accident!!!

As a matter of course, and to give yourself peace of mind when it comes to driving the car, I would replace ALL parts of the braking system no matter how good the parts may look. Brake fluid, especially the sort that was available in 60/61 absorbs water after a while so the chances are that all the wheel cylinders and brake lines are contaminated. The master cylinder too should be replaced as a complete unit because the internal seals and rubbers will almost certainly have perished by now. Be warned - the master cylinder removal and replacement is a bit of a job!!! You need ALL the parts of the braking system to work and to be honest, putting new fluid into old components that have stood for many years will probably just be a waste of good fluid.

Gearbox number is useful to have and, if that agrees with the certificate it just proves the car is still as it left the factory. Provenance - the confirmation of the cars originality - is really helpful when you sell the car, and nice to have if you are going to keep her.

864 BYX

Re: 948 Gearbox mated to 1098 Engine

Post by 864 BYX »

Bye Bye
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