Morris Minor Owners Club

Also check that the front shock absorbers are tightly bolted to the bulkhead. Are there any noises such as knocks?

Start by checking the simple stuff, tyres, tracking, check the joints and nuts and bolts for tightness through the mechanism. Examine the swivels and trunnions. Finally the steering rack.

I believe the panda cars varied somewhat as local forces had their own specifications. As quite a few survive does anyone have one with an original ammeter?

The Minor styling is said to derive from the 1941 Chevrolet which has a split screen. There were one piece screens before that but they were not very large and stood vertically. The split screen allowed a greater glass area and also a degree of streamlining in an era when aerodynamics was becoming u...

For DVLA to consider reinstating an original number they require some form of official document linking the original registration to the car’s chassis number or VIN. An old log book is ideal but if you haven’t got it your best bet is to see if original records survive from when the car was new. Befo...

If noone has ever seen an original factory ammeter they remain a mystery. As the 1970 book carries the BL logo I suppose it might have been intended when the diagram was drawn but perhaps they never got around to actually doing it.

Large windows and flashing indicators came in during the mid fifties for most manufacturers. The large windows became possible for mass produced cars through developments in manufacture of curved glass. I don’t know why flashing indicators became standardised when they did but certainly the Minor wa...

There is an interesting piece on mazac on Wikipedia. It outlines the history, development and uses .The prime merits are cheapness and ease of casting. The strength varies with the proportion of copper, which of course is the most expensive ingredient. There is a list of common applications, none of...

I wrote about the mazac after a frustrating session trying to sort a pair of boot hinges with some chrome and intact threads. Even for a modestly priced car I still think they are unfit for purpose, and steel hinges are pretty cheap. Even when the cars were still fairly modern there were instances o...

And another thing...... Getting back on topic, bonnet and boot hinges made from that bl.... mazac or monkey metal. Not strong, not durable. Wretched stuff.

This could be an ongoing problem if we give Minor related advice for components not of Minor origin. You mentioned in an earlier post that your car has an automatic box from I think a Toyota. Perhaps it would be worth asking the seller for a breakdown of all the non original components used in your ...

I think restorers can be forgiven for not wanting to slap brushed black over their nice fresh paint job. Why did Morris do this? I can only guess it gave better resistance against chips from items sliding about in the boot. This reminds me of the story of a local man who restored a Triumph Stag from...

How fascinating! I’ve just had a look at mine and it has black paint just like yours. I never imagined this was a factory finish, I assumed a previous owner had slapped it on after repairs. Where it is chipped body colour shows through. It does not seem to have been applied thoroughly and is mostly ...

Standardisation never came easily to UK manufacturers. By the time of the merger Morris was already making four different medium sized engines, the XPAG unit in MGs and Morris tens, the sidevalve 1476cc engine used in vans and MO Oxfords, the high cam Riley RM and the Wolseley 4/50 overhead cam engi...

As luck would have it mine is out for some wiring work. It is felt with one black side and I think it is original. Here’s a photo together with the clips.

I have browsed ‘Original Morris Minor’ by Ray Newell and the boot photos all show body colour inside.

The row of holes through the top of the bukhead take the clips that hold a piece of sound insulation on the dashboard side.

Inside the boot the metal is body colour and the wooden floor is black.

It sounds like your starter motor is turning but not engaging with the engine. You’ll need to take the starter off and clean it thoroughly. Make sure the gear is sliding easiy before refitting.

And here’s a scan of the diagram. The ammeter is item 58.

Browsing the wiring diagrams in a 1970 handbook I was suprised to see that they show an ammeter on the alternator equipped cars. I’ve seen plenty of Minors with ammeters over the years but only accessory fitments, usually owner fitted and often on homemade brackets and with dubious wiring. Has anyon...

The doors of a two door saloon, traveller and convertible are all the same. The front doors of a four door are different but are the same as on vans and pickups.

The four door/van/pickup type are several inches shorter.