Recent acquisition

for those with Series MM sidevalve cars produced between September 1948 and February 1953
Forum rules
By using this site, you agree to our rules. Please see: Terms of Use
jagnut66
Minor Legend
Posts: 3635
Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:28 pm
Location: Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by jagnut66 »

That car on gumtree is a real 'barn find' Richard. From a UK point of view it's in amazing condition, you are really lucky with that over there.
I prefer your colour though, be it Mist or Porcelain green.
I hope you decide to keep it when you respray the car, it really suits it.
Though it doesn't look like it needs a respray to me??
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
gtt1951
Minor Addict
Posts: 978
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:01 pm
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by gtt1951 »

Richard,
I notice, with the rad out, that your engine isn't fitted with a water pump (or heater - not needed, I suppose, in Australia), but it is the slightly later engine block with a blanking plate so a pump can be fitted if required.
I also notice that the bulkhead has been cut to allow heater hoses to be fitted through.
Have you had the engine running?

George.
Image
'50 Low-light with 918 Side-valve engine,
'51 High-light with Side-valve 918 engine,
'55 4-dr with 803 engine,
'56 Traveller with 1098 engine.
RichardBarnes
Minor Friendly
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 11:37 pm
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by RichardBarnes »

Hi George,
Yes I’ve driven the car, including today. It doesn’t have the original engine, and it is USHM3. It didn’t have the optional heater, and the two holes with rubber blanking grommets are common to all cars, I think.
It’s a sweet little engine, and of course has very leisurely acceleration compared to the A series!
1948 Series MM, 1970 Traveller
gtt1951
Minor Addict
Posts: 978
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:01 pm
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by gtt1951 »

Hello Richard,
A 1949 low-light just sold on eBay UK (classified ad) and I'm adding a photo of the bulkhead which doesn't have the
hose holes pre-drilled.
The seller is a guy that looks to have imported a large number of vehicles and parts from Australia, going by the lack of rust anywhere on this car.
Low-light-12.jpg
Low-light-12.jpg (464.44 KiB) Viewed 3691 times
Low-light-1.jpg
Low-light-1.jpg (293.34 KiB) Viewed 3691 times
Low-light-5.jpg
Low-light-5.jpg (322.71 KiB) Viewed 3691 times
Someone has got themselves a nice car.
George.
Image
'50 Low-light with 918 Side-valve engine,
'51 High-light with Side-valve 918 engine,
'55 4-dr with 803 engine,
'56 Traveller with 1098 engine.
philthehill
Minor Maniac
Posts: 10767
Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2012 12:05 pm
Location: Hampshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by philthehill »

Note those early Girling dampers in the above photo.

gtt1951
Minor Addict
Posts: 978
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:01 pm
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by gtt1951 »

Yes, I've only noticed those after posting - had to go through the images I lifted off the advert to see anything else unusual.
Here is a close-up of the off-side damper.
Low-light-2.jpg
Low-light-2.jpg (257.15 KiB) Viewed 3682 times
And for those of you that hadn't seen the advert, the only duff things were the seats, as far as I could see.
Low-light-4.jpg
Low-light-4.jpg (285.18 KiB) Viewed 3682 times
ManyMinors
Minor Legend
Posts: 2752
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:41 am
MMOC Member: No

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by ManyMinors »

I spotted that car on ebay and thought it not bad value for money for such a sound shell.
Obviously there is still plenty of work to do elsewhere :wink:
JohnV
Minor Friendly
Posts: 67
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:48 am
MMOC Member: No

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by JohnV »

philthehill wrote: Mon Dec 21, 2020 11:16 am Note those early Girling dampers in the above photo.
My April 1949 car has quite different dampers. Were Girling front dampers used interchangeably with the standard item? Were they replacement parts? I've never seen dampers like those on a Minor as far as I recall ...
I have two Minors in upstate New York. One is the 1961 Traveller my dad bought new that year in London, where I was born. It's had a hard life but is still running cheerfully at 54K miles. The second is the oldest Minor confirmed to survive in North America, a LHD high-light Tourer built in April 1949. It's a total basket case, but will be restored over the coming years.
RichardBarnes
Minor Friendly
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 11:37 pm
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by RichardBarnes »

What did the car sell for?
1948 Series MM, 1970 Traveller
RichardBarnes
Minor Friendly
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 11:37 pm
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by RichardBarnes »

By the way, this car was unearthed and bought by me last week. A 1948 model and maybe the 12th oldest MM and therefore Issigonis Minor in the world. More photos when I get it home. Those rear lights are rare!
Attachments
887064C8-F7EC-4A99-86C1-625FFFE4E12F.jpeg
887064C8-F7EC-4A99-86C1-625FFFE4E12F.jpeg (3.07 MiB) Viewed 3635 times
CF267846-09CA-48CA-BFAF-94B7A1AB81E4.jpeg
CF267846-09CA-48CA-BFAF-94B7A1AB81E4.jpeg (3.96 MiB) Viewed 3635 times
1948 Series MM, 1970 Traveller
gtt1951
Minor Addict
Posts: 978
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:01 pm
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by gtt1951 »

RichardBarnes wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 2:00 am What did the car sell for?
It was a Classified Ad with a fixed price of £5500.00 - don't know if it was actually bought at this price.
That maroon MM look very nice - great find.

George.
Image
'50 Low-light with 918 Side-valve engine,
'51 High-light with Side-valve 918 engine,
'55 4-dr with 803 engine,
'56 Traveller with 1098 engine.
gtt1951
Minor Addict
Posts: 978
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:01 pm
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by gtt1951 »

Richard,
The same seller is now advertising a Tourer, same vintage, but in much more need of TLC, for the same price of £5500.00.
Here is the link if you would like to see what conditions cars can be in, here in the UK.
https://ebay.us/WN7Psy

I envy you your fantastic cars.

Seasons Greetings,

George.
Image
'50 Low-light with 918 Side-valve engine,
'51 High-light with Side-valve 918 engine,
'55 4-dr with 803 engine,
'56 Traveller with 1098 engine.
Owlsman
Minor Fan
Posts: 325
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2018 6:26 pm
Location: Sheffield
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by Owlsman »

I know beauty is in the proverbial eye of the beholder and all that.............but of all the words I'd use to describe this car, 'lovely' isn't one of 'em :D
RichardBarnes
Minor Friendly
Posts: 35
Joined: Wed Oct 07, 2020 11:37 pm
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by RichardBarnes »

Goodness, £5,500 seems “top dollar” to me, I’ve decided to sell my green MM on gumtree, for almost exactly that amount, but in much better condition:
https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/rose-pa ... 1264195701
To make room for my maroon car.
Happy Christmas everyone,
Richard
1948 Series MM, 1970 Traveller
User avatar
geoberni
Minor Legend
Posts: 3563
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2017 11:19 am
Location: North Leicestershire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by geoberni »

gtt1951 wrote: Wed Dec 23, 2020 12:23 pm Richard,
The same seller is now advertising a Tourer, same vintage, but in much more need of TLC, for the same price of £5500.00.
Here is the link if you would like to see what conditions cars can be in, here in the UK.
https://ebay.us/WN7Psy

I envy you your fantastic cars.

Seasons Greetings,

George.
That same seller is also offering an Australian Thames Trader tipper truck.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Thames- ... SwVYZf27l3
So I'm a little suspect that the MM might be an Aussie import too. :wink:
Basil the 1955 series II

Image
sparesman
Minor Fan
Posts: 326
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:40 pm
Location: norfolk
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by sparesman »

I think it is an Australian import. It was offered for sale on ebay a few months back.
1934 Morris 10/4 in Dark Green / Black - BGO517
1953 S11 Traveller in Birch Grey - oldest survivor ? Export model now reg PPO924
1953 S11 Traveller in Black - 3rd oldest in UK PPX344
sparesman
Minor Fan
Posts: 326
Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 7:40 pm
Location: norfolk
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by sparesman »

I think it is an Australian import. It was offered for sale on ebay a few months back.
1934 Morris 10/4 in Dark Green / Black - BGO517
1953 S11 Traveller in Birch Grey - oldest survivor ? Export model now reg PPO924
1953 S11 Traveller in Black - 3rd oldest in UK PPX344
gtt1951
Minor Addict
Posts: 978
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 5:01 pm
Location: Farnborough, Hampshire
MMOC Member: Yes

Re: Recent acquisition

Post by gtt1951 »

A lot of this chap's offerings are container imports from Oz. I have bought a complete front bumper from him - series MM bumper iron, split valences, filler piece and 2 very corroded blades.
The bumper iron is currently fixed to my 1950 MM and fits a lot better than the iron that it was bought with!
The signature photo shows the Oz bumper iron, split valences from Sparesman and the blades and filler piece from the original car purchase.
George.
P.S. The Oz valences are in very good condition with no perforations and just need rubbing down, priming and painting.
Image
'50 Low-light with 918 Side-valve engine,
'51 High-light with Side-valve 918 engine,
'55 4-dr with 803 engine,
'56 Traveller with 1098 engine.
Post Reply