Restoration advise.

[CharlieP]

Hi All, forgive me if I get any of this wrong, I am new to Morris Minor cars and I am new to the restoration world. I have acquired a 1953/56 four door Morris Minor, not sure which year previous owner says 1953, reg doc says 1956, my reg no is 183 GHK. I have started to strip it down and as far I can tell as a beginner it is not in too bad a condition. Now here comes the can anyone help bit, I live in Hanwell, West London and could do with someone with restoration knowledge looking at my stripped down car and giving me their opinion and advise, a bit cheeky but if you don't ask you will never know?

[philthehill]

Welcome to the world of Morris Minors.
Morris Minors are a bit like the League of Gentlemen's Royston Vasey - once in you never leave.

I would suggest that you join your local Morris Minor Owners club and get to know a few people. I am sure that you will find all the help you need there. Just google to find your nearest MMOC branch.

Phil

[geoberni]

Hi
Just a welcome from me.

As regards the year of the car, the official Records will be the 1st Registration, but it could be older if originally registered elsewhere. Equally sometimes records got messed up moving from the old County Records offices.

If you can attach some photos of the :
Front (Grill and Windscreen)
Rear Quarter, (Windscreen, rear light and rear wheel arch)
Interior ( Dashboard)
we'll be able to give you a pretty good idea of the actual build year and if it's had some common upgrades (such as indicators upgrade).

berni

[busguy]

183 GHK is definitely a March/April 1956 registration from Essex. Can you read the chassis number plate on the o/s upper bulkhead in the engine compartment? That should enable you to identify the age and model of the car. Don't post numbers openly on here, send it by private message if you send it to anyone. You don't want a cloned car! Good luck with your Morris!

[busguy]

Did you find out the chassis number on the car, 'Charliep'? PM me and we can check out the age. John

[Murrayminor]

Hi and welcome.
Hope you manage to get someone to assist with your Minor,sadly you're too far away from Manchester for me to offer assistance.
I do however have a couple of video clips showing the major rust areas on the Morris Minor which may help you ascertain how rusty or not your minor is.

The clips can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsbZsl ... Z08ArjvOjA

Regards

Dermot.

[CharlieP]

Welcome to the world of Morris Minors.
Morris Minors are a bit like the League of Gentlemen's Royston Vasey - once in you never leave.

I would suggest that you join your local Morris Minor Owners club and get to know a few people. I am sure that you will find all the help you need there. Just google to find your nearest MMOC branch.

Phil
Hi Phil,
That is a great suggestion, I will join ASAP. Also thank for your welcome to the MM club, I am enjoying it immensely, although it is a steep learning curve.
Charlie

[CharlieP]

Hi
Just a welcome from me.

As regards the year of the car, the official Records will be the 1st Registration, but it could be older if originally registered elsewhere. Equally sometimes records got messed up moving from the old County Records offices.

If you can attach some photos of the :
Front (Grill and Windscreen)
Rear Quarter, (Windscreen, rear light and rear wheel arch)
Interior ( Dashboard)
we'll be able to give you a pretty good idea of the actual build year and if it's had some common upgrades (such as indicators upgrade).

berni

Hi Berni,
Thanks your response and offer of help, I have attached some pictures hopefully you can help with the year.
Charlie

MM4.jpg (62.5 KiB) Viewed 1060 times

MM2.jpg (58.28 KiB) Viewed 1060 times

MM3.jpg (74.12 KiB) Viewed 1060 times

[CharlieP]

Hi and welcome.
Hope you manage to get someone to assist with your Minor,sadly you're too far away from Manchester for me to offer assistance.
I do however have a couple of video clips showing the major rust areas on the Morris Minor which may help you ascertain how rusty or not your minor is.

The clips can be found here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsbZsl ... Z08ArjvOjA

Regards
Dermot.

Hi Dermot,
Great clips they really help, thanks for your assistance.
Charlie

[ManyMinors]

The car pictured is a late model Series11. Impossible for it to be a 1953 car which would be an earlier model.
A 1956 Series11 would look exactly like that, so I reckon that is what you have
Enjoy it!

[busguy]

Hi Charlie, it's definitely a 1956 car from around April that year. The car chassis number 414971 is April 1956, and the chassis number letters, FAA11 indicate a RHD Minor 4 door in black synthetic paint which it surely is. So you have a genuine car, in original colour, with the original 1956 registration number on it, registered in Essex! Enjoy!! John

[geoberni]

Hi Berni,
Thanks your response and offer of help, I have attached some pictures hopefully you can help with the year.
CharlieMM4.jpgMM2.jpgMM3.jpg

Hi Charlie
That is most definitely a late SII and looking very original, even down to the rear wings from what I can see.
My Basil is a '55 but has had some latter elements, such as indicators(although I've restored the trafficators) and latter rear wings too, thanks to a few partial restorations over the years.

That's got to be a '56 as the others have said. Cherish it; it certainly looks in very good shape for a car that's not been restored already.

[CharlieP]

Hi All,
I appreciate all of the assistance with identifying the year of manufacturer, I have started to strip it down and also managed to start the engine up over the weekend, sounds ok. Maybe I will pick your brains at a later date as I progress with my restoration, once again thank you all...

Charlie