Colour / trim for '52 MM

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Cam
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Colour / trim for '52 MM

Post by Cam »

Thanks to everyone that suggested I get the following reference books, they have made very good reading and are very informative:

Original Morris Minor - by Ray Newell
Morris Minor Series MM Super Profile - by Ray Newell
The World's Supreme Small Car - By Paul Skilleter

Thanks to the books I can confirm that my car was produced between 28th and 30th May 1952, and according to the logbook, it was first registered on 6th June 1952, so that seems correct. (chassis number 147265 - 2 door saloon)

But I still have a couple of 'grey area' questions that someone could confim for me.

It has front and rear overriders. Was this standard or an option at the time, or a later fitment?

The dash is painted body colour, not the gold colour that I have seen in the books, could this be original or an aftermarket bodge like I suspect?

The interior has no carpets, red front and rear side (door) trims, a grey rear seat and beige front seats.

I think that (for a mist green car) the front seats are correct, the carpets should be green, the door trims should be beige and the rear seats should be beige. Any comments?

Did the car originally have a windscreen washer? If so, should there be a single (2-way) jet on the bonnet (near the screen)?

Where should the hand pump be located? To the right of the steering wheel, or under the dash slightly to the left of the choke?

Also, should an oil-bath type air filter be fitted, or a paper element type?

Any comments (or opinions) would be appreciated.

Thanks again folks.
Willie
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colours

Post by Willie »

Lo Cam, I'll see if I can help with the trim.
The earliest cars were fitted with the following choice of seat colours
(the second colour in each pair being the piping).
Maroon/biege suede green/biege biege/maroon
maroon/maroon. The trim panels were maroon,suede green,
or biege. The carpets were in Maroon,Suede green,black,or brown.
Your 'original Morris Minor' shows pics of a 1952 car with overriders!
If you have the swivel ash tray in the centre of the dash then the panels
should be gold.
Willie
Cam
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Post by Cam »

Willie,

My front seats are exactly the same as those in the lower picture on page 25 of the 'Original Morris Minor' book.

And my dash is the same as the top picture on page 28 - except it's all painted mist green (except the chrome), and I have a plastic Bull logo instead of a clock. Interestingly when you open the glovebox door, the inside is painted gold!!! - there's a surprise!!

I suspect then, that my interior should look something like the middle two photos on page 26, although the body colour looks more like the left hand photo.

After studying the book, it seems that I have grey series II rear seats, like those on page 46 (but in grey).
Your 'original Morris Minor' shows pics of a 1952 car with overriders!
Yes, but was that a factory option or a standard fitting? The reason that I ask is that my overriders seem to be in the way of the sidelights, so I was thinking of either moving them or removing them. But now I check, I can see that I have a 1000 front bumper!! The series MM & II have an extra fixing head visible, so the overriders are closer together. Hmm......
I might just move them closer, as an early bumper might be impossible to get hold of, and this one looks like it might brighten up well.
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grey seats

Post by Willie »

You are right,your grey seats are not original because Dove grey
were only available from the Series 2. See the colour on my pics
Willie
Cam
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Post by Cam »

See the colour on my pics

Mine are darker than that.

See below:

Image
Willie
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seats

Post by Willie »

They look as though they are Red ones which have been painted
with Grey vinylcote??
Willie
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Post by Cam »

Very possible, but why? when the front seats are beige?

Unless they were done for a different car first? who knows, I suppose it's all academic now, they are coming out anyway!!

p.s. check your e-mail
Willie
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overriders

Post by Willie »

Cam, the only thing I have been able to confirm is that the overriders
on your year car were an official 'factory option'. I have no idea as
to what choice,if any, the purchaser had as to the colour of the
trim.
Back to painting.....each session would be in the opposite direction
to the previous one i.e. North to South followed by East to West to
give good coverage. How long between TOP coats? if I paint,say,
the bonnet, by the time I had finished North to south i would go back
and start East to West straight away. For a good finish you should
keep the gun at the same distance from the surface,so you have to
follow the contours of the panels carefully. You are no doubt already
aware that,unlike some of the plonkers on the DIY shows, you do not
keep spraying when you reach the end of a panel and reverse back
over it! You release the trigger just past the end and re-press it as
you start back the other way.
Willie
[img]http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e197/wuzerk/mo9.jpg[/img]
Cam
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Post by Cam »

Thanks for that, Willie, what about primer?

I made the mistake once of applying sucessive coats too soon and ended up with a nice 'crinkle effect in the paint' which I then had to leave for some considerable time before sanding down again.

Also, is etch primer only used for bare metal, or can you use it on part bare metal / part old paint?

Obviously, spraying with aerosols, I have been a bit limited with exposure to the 'proper' stuff, so I am a bit confused.

I have bought the Haynes car bodywork repair manual, so I will have a read of that as there is a large section on spraying.

I don't know if you have seen this manual? if you have I would not mind your opinion as to whether they know what they are on about or not!

Thanks again.
Willie
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paint

Post by Willie »

Regarding primer/filler coats, i mentioned earlier that I have had
trouble when I have not let these coats dry COMPLETELY. Unfortunately
the 'crinkle' finish did not appear until AFTER i had applied the top coats!
( took about a week),very upsetting. I think it is because the under-
coatings are thicker and therefore need more time to dry properly.
The top coats dry much more quickly. The ideal for amateurs like us
are several warm,dry,sunny days, then you get trouble with small
flies! Re Etching Primer, I don't think it is really necessary on
steel bodies but do not know if it is good on old paint. The main
problem with areas where you have not removed all the old paint
is that you can get a reaction sometimes which only appears,obviously,
when you apply the finish! It takes the form of a sort of wood grain
effect. The only way to avoid it if it happens to you is to apply a
Neutralising coat(you would have to talk to the paint supplier about
that), You will have to check with your year of car because some of
those models had synthetic paint instead of cellulose,which WOULD
probably interact?
Willie
[img]http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e197/wuzerk/mo9.jpg[/img]
Willie
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paint

Post by Willie »

I haven't read the Haynes manual......would imagine they made
sure they knew what they were talking about?
Willie
[img]http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e197/wuzerk/mo9.jpg[/img]
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