Anyone help?

Post by **luflorence** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:48 pm

Hey there,

My boyfriends grandad has recently given me his Morris Minor. Considering the car hasn't left the garage for 13 years I asked my mechanic if he could give it a thorough check over this was back in July, my mechanic is now being very iffy about the whole situation and is unsure whether he wants to go ahead with having this on his hands.

I wondered if there is anyone out there at all who would be able to help me out on this one, my mechanic said that the car would need to be towed out of the garage before he can check it obviously due to the petrol prob seizing up etc...

Does anyone know any recommendations for people that could prob take a look at it, as none of my family have any idea about old cars plus I have phoned every mechanic in my local phone book and nobody seems to want to touch old classic cars?

Thanks alot

Lucy

Ratbag · Post by **Ratbag** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:51 pm

A hint at location would be useful....

Ratbag · Post by **Ratbag** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:52 pm

...and don't say "at my boyfriend's grandad's place"

Post by **luflorence** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:20 pm

sorry durh that would help its in Loughton, Essex IG10.
I am desperate for it to be moved out and so is he, i was thinking of AA but that would mean paying a bomb?

Post by **Onne** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:40 pm

There is a man in Loughton who restored my car

in the mid nineties though. PM me if you want his details, I'll look em up for you then

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:10 pm

The brakes will be well seized on - that's why it will need towing out of the garage. The petrol will have evaporated - and the petrol pump will need to be cleaned up. Don't try to start the engine (obviously a new battery will be needed) - before removing the spark plugs and pouring a good quanity of thin oil down the bores - then gently turn it over using the starting handle - if it's not completely seized. If it turns ok - connect up the battery, check there is plenty oil showing on the dipstick (top up if not showing) then churn it on the starter until the oil pressure light goes out - and keep churning for another 10 seconds. Only then - clean up the ignition points in the distributor, fill the radiator with water (and it may all run out through rotten hoses) fit a new set of spark plugs - pour a little neat petrol down the carb intake - and see if it will fire up ! If it does - don't let it run for more than a couple of minutes before stopping and checking for leaks. It will almost certainly need all new hoses, new fan belt - and it would be wise to rene all the ignition components (points/condenser/rotor arm/dizzy cap) - and after a few minutes running up to temperature - change the oil and the oil filter before taking the car on the road. The clutch plate will likely be stuck to the flywheel - but this sometimes comes loose if you can get the engine up to temperature - and let the heat soak through. There are some brytal ways to try to free it off - towing down the road in gear with foot hard on the clutch pedal is one - but it's likely to be gearbox off or engine out to get at the thing. Then you have to start freeing off the brakes (likely all need renewing) and the steering - just lots of grease should do it.

Post by **alex_holden** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:35 pm

If you put petrol in the tank and the pump clicks when the ignition's on but no fuel comes out, you may find that the old petrol has turned to varnish and blocked the pickup pipe in the tank, which is what happened to mine (after being sat for 15 years).

The key thing to find out is whether the car needs much welding to get it through the MOT. Was there a specific reason for it being taken off the road in the first place (eg. MOT failure)?

Post by **bmcecosse** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:43 pm

Alex is right - first move is thorough survey for rust - the mechanical stuff is all easily fixable - and at bargain prices compared to modern cars - but lots of underbody rust is the death warrant.

Post by **luflorence** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:03 am

Hi all

Thanks alot for all your replies.
In answer to Alex Holden - he kept the car in the garage as it was his Mother's and once he retired he was going to work on it as a project but never suceeded, it has taken him all these years to get the garage cleared out.
As I have always admired it from day one he said that I can have it for nothing. He has put a metal seal on the car when his mother was driving it as a bit of a deterent I guess from rust appearing.
My boyfriend and his dad have checked round the car he sound there appears to be a bit of rust on the wing but thats about it, its more the chassey iam worried about, are these easy to replace as my dad appears to be very anti Morris's and thinks once the chassey has gone thats it!!

Post by **JimK** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:20 am

The state of the structural stelwork is the key thing. If that's OK everything else can be fixed, but serious rot in the chassis is what kills most Minors that expire.

Have a look at this for a guide:
http://www.mmoc.org.uk/technicaltips/buy.pdf

It will give you an idea of where to look.

Post by **alex_holden** » Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:55 am

The Morris Minor doesn't have a separate chassis (apart from the LCVs) so you can't take the body off the chassis and repair/replace it like you can with some other classics. A skilled welder can cut out and replace rotten sections of the body, but if you need to pay a professional to do it for you it gets expensive very quickly. Don't worry about the outer wings - they bolt on and replacements aren't too hard to find.

If it's been looked after in the past and kept in a dry garage since it was taken off the road, you might be lucky