Attack on my Morris Minor

[jackcranfield]

On Wednesday I came out to find some liquid - (we think brake fluid) had been poured over the Morris Minor, causing damage to the paintwork. The car had a water proof cover over it so fortunately this prevented too much damage being done. The cover is completely ruined - the liquid has caused it to perish and split. Where it has split some liquid has got through to the paintwork and caused it to crack - apparently if it is brake fluid this paint will continue to crack and flake off over time and will need re-spraying. The back rubber window seal is also somewhat perished. This has really annoyed me - particularly when I plan to take it to a show next week. I have spent many hours polishing the car and keeping it nice and now it looks like it will need a re-spray. My advice to everyone is to make sure you car is safe and secure and ideally not parked in public view. On this occasion my car was just parked outside while its garage is re-built. Living in the middle of no where is was a surprise that this should happen.

[aupickup]

really sorry to hear that

can you claim off the insurance

[davidmiles]

Don't waste any time, go up the road and search your neighbours hedges, the container, Nitromors or brake fluid will probably have been discarded by the offender/s, its warm tonight so any fingerprints will survive well into the evening. Find it and call the old Bill on your local non emergency telephone number. Recover the container using a glove on the hand that touches the container, handle only the threads of the neck, avoid touching any smooth continuous surfaces, place it in a cardbox or paper bag, not plastic, It'll sweat and ruin any marks. Good luck, sorry to hear the bad news.

[wibble_puppy]

Jack what a dreadful thing to happen. I'm astonished and impressed by the restraint in your tone. Do you hold out any hope of finding the person who did it? I do hope the damage is speedily repaired.

[pjh56]

I'd definitely get the police involved, this is criminal damage, take david miles advice and get on to the old bill today, at the least you can get a crime reference number if you have to claim off the insurance. It sounds as though you have somebody nearby who's got a touch of the green eyed monster

I hope you find the person whose done it and they get what's coming to them.

Good luck
Peter

[RogerRust]

I doubt it was break fluid, I'm not an expert but I don't think it would attack the plastic cover if it was.

I trust you gave the car a really good wash down to remove any residues.

Give it a few days and then think about T cut if it hasn't got any worse.

[bmcecosse]

Strange that 'in the middle of nowhere' someone would be walking about with a corrosive fluid to hand. But as earlier - this could add up to a substantial claim (cover + re-spray + window seal) so do get the cops involved - and contact your insurers. Of course - if you told them the car was 'garaged' - and it wasn't - they may not pay. Although my cars are normally garaged - I tell the Insurance Co they are 'on the drive' - because sometimes I do leave one out if an early start is on the cards and the weather is good. Seriously bad news though - get the garage finished asap!

[Blaketon]

As you say its a good reason to ensure we keep our cars safe and under cover. It's such a shame that the lowlife, who attacked your car, picked this time when it was out on account of the building work.

This does lead me to wonder whether it was pre planned, so I suggest (As I'm sure you are) you think about anyone who might bear a grudge. Sometimes there doesn't need to be a reason, it can be petty jealousy/resentment, it could be a misguided eco warrior, who assumes that all old cars are polluting bangers or the result of some on road disagreement.

[aupickup]

i also doubt it would be brake fluid

[dantournay]

Report it to them and get a crime number - it may make you feel better. However, there are more than enough staged accidents which are swept under the carpet, so some damage to a Morris Minor with no witnesses is barely going to register with them. Sorry.

The old bill wont do anything as no one was maimed and speaking from experience the only way they'd take any notice of would be if it was racially motivated. I used to live in a very ethically diverse area of Birmingham and my wife's yellow Lupo was used by some NF tw@t with a black marker pen as a canvas. They also did the same thing to a Chinese family's front door further down our road. 2 officers came round that evening and spent a couple of hours taking statements and ticking boxes on paperwork. Sadly it was too little too late as if they had come round earlier they could have helped with the T-cut and elbow grease.

[Gormley]

Very sad to hear about this. It just goes to show that Minors have moved into a completely different bracket - whereas they used to be workhorses, family cars and 'bangers', they now seem to be objects of envy or worth stealing for whatever reason. Five months ago we went back to Minors after a 30 year break and bought avery smartly restored Austin-badged van. We've quickly come to realise that it needs to be kept locked up if we're not around, otherwise it's nighly likely to vanish. Even sitting with its nose peeping out of the garage, people have commented on it, and you don't know whether they are nostalgic or have ulterior motives. We find this awareness partly spoils the pleasure of owning one. I do hope you get some redress and that the perpetrator is found and dealt with.

Sorry for big picture - don't know how to smallen it.[frame][/frame]

[jackcranfield]

Thanks for the advice everyone
We informed the police and a community support officer came out to look at the damage. They said there was little they could do but you never know the culprit might be caught. Still not sure what was poured over the car and I haven't been able to find any container that the liquid came from. I gave the car a good wash down and the damage to the paintwork does not appear to be getting any worse, but it looks like at some point the top of the car will need re-spraying. A new cover is on order and we are now parking the car out of public view. We are also thinking of getting CCTV, It's a shame that such measures are needed.

[kjm]

Jack, I was very sad and disgusted when I read of what has happened to your car , hopefully you will get everything sorted to your satisfaction .

[limegreen]

I had a similar attack, though it was with marker pen on the day of the town carnival - santadawes was kind enough to help me T-cut it off before the procession.