Sorry I haven't a clue

Let us all know what you are up to with your current restoration project. Get that Minor on the road!
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lindopski
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Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by lindopski »

I have just bought a Morris that looked like it needed saving, I must admit I am VERY novice and this old girl will need a fair bit of work probably but what the heck eh, you only live once :)

I'll no doubt be driving you mad with questions for years, sorry :D couldn't leave her to the scrap man.
I'm enrolling in a welding course too haha.

I'm going to try and add a few photo but bear with me :D as I'm not forum savvy
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Oh boy.... Will I need some advice :D
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Belmont
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by Belmont »

Very brave of you! I hope it works out for you =) Do you know any details about the state of the car? Will be interesting to see what's underneath that surface!
Proud owner of a 1959 Morris Minor 2 door saloon called "Duchess"

Videos featuring our car available at:
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lindopski
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by lindopski »

I don't know a great deal.
It was last on the road in 2015 (passed MOT)
Seems to have sat since, needs welding, starts and drives etc.
It is living in a storage box at the moment so out the elements.
I'm expecting a total basket case but soon find out - she arrives Friday...yikes
kennatt
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by kennatt »

well done for accepting the challenge It will be OK ,in the end,< everything can be repaired or replaced . When doing your assessment make sure you take the sill covers off,the ones below the doors,even if they are welded on,which they shouldn't be, It,s one of the major rot areas. Good luck.
Belmont
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by Belmont »

Will be looking forward to an update after friday then!
Proud owner of a 1959 Morris Minor 2 door saloon called "Duchess"

Videos featuring our car available at:
YouTube
Murrayminor
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by Murrayminor »

nice project, I look forward to the updates.
Proud owner of my first Morris Minor
DAVIDMCCULLOUGH
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by DAVIDMCCULLOUGH »

Good man!!! You should start a post in the restoration section and keep us all up to speed. 8)


Too many Minors so little time.....
myoldjalopy
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by myoldjalopy »

Good on you for deciding to save another Minor from the scrap heap! Funnily enough I met someone today who recently bought a 1954 model for £150 and has a similar project on his hands to you.......It is encouraging that people are now saving cars that in previous years would have been ditched 8)
lindopski
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by lindopski »

Well the old girl has arrived. I was in work when it was delivered so I asked the chap to leave it on the road outside.

Well...

It starts miraculously after an age of faff, the choke is stuck and once you finally get the car started you have to stall it to get it to stop.
The gears are interesting haha, I'm used to either automatic classics or my old MGB I had years ago which had tiny movement on the gear change so the long reaches for each gear felt weird.
Also plenty of oiling,greasing etc required as the accelerator seems to go from zero to revs through the roof.

It's rusty and holey all over the place and once finished welding it will probably be 95% new metal.

The learning curve for me will be like watching a lightning jet take off but what the heck eh, have to learn somewhere.
Just hope I don't wreck the poor car with my untrained efforts.
Murrayminor
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by Murrayminor »

If you are methodical in your strip down you will soon realise how straightforward these cars are.
I took mine apart and bagged and labelled everything then placed them in a plastic box and wrote the contents on the outside.
I can now see what's in each box at a glance.
Post some pics to keep us updated.
Good luck, you are saving a car not wrecking it.
Proud owner of my first Morris Minor
StillGotMy1stCar
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by StillGotMy1stCar »

Glad the old girl has arrived safely.
Regarding having to stall it to stop the engine and assuming it isn’t caused by the ignition being retarded causing hot spots.
It has a permanent live feed to the coil for some reason, so it is best to disconnect the battery after you have stopped the engine to stop the coil overheating and running the battery down.
I expect you have done this but you may not realise the coil will overheat.
If the battery has run down charge it immediately, they don’t like being left flat.
Looking forward to your progress.
Regards John
lindopski
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by lindopski »

Been messing about again today
It appears that the car starts a lot better and runs well, even switches off fairly well ...when your not pushing/pulling the heater cable for some choke :D

Now I am using the actual choke it does make a difference haha.

Lubed up some cabling with a bit of WD40 and also gave a few terminals a quick going over with a bit of wet and dry paper.

The rad leaks quite well on the lower left side and spurts out if you squeeze the hose. So didn't run her for long, I'm not sure of the vintage of the oil either and the tyres are mainly dried out pin holes with rubber attached so they will all need changing.

I've taken a video on my phone but don't know how to get it on here yet.
The bit at the back/bottom of the front wheel arch/in front of the drivers door looks a bit holey and crusty the sills, at least the bits I can see look a bit tatty too, behind the doors too at the bottom also full of filler bonnet held on with two bolts instead of four.
Floor I have seen so far is original but holding, again tatty at the front next to the drivers door. About 4-5 inches in length.
Bet there is loads more to find yet.

The spark plugs seem to have 4 different varieties of HT lead and also the plugs themselves look about 25 years old.
Coil has I think 4ohms resistance across it and battery is about 13v

Car is also a patchwork of original paint, rust, yellow primer and isopon or whatever wiped on in globs with a finger, haha oh boy.

Had to spend some time on the scimitar as well which pinched some moggy time today. (It was stuck in front of gate but is now running again fairly well and shifted)...that one is all electric problems, probably due to flipping fibre glass and earth issues.

Air filter in the moggy looks like it's been in there since 1966, how was this on the road till 2015 is beyond me lols

Non the less, it will be nice in the end...with your assistance and guidance folks

Also tried to join the club and got to payment and the payment what's it sat spinning round.
Closed page and it now says I'm a member awaiting payment but won't let me pay argh!

At least my Haynes restoring a Morris minor book arrived today. :)
King Kenny
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by King Kenny »

Once you start it will become easier. My son in law has a Mini in similar condition and was scared stiff until I talked him through the restoration prosses. I showed him how to do welding and now the front half of the floor is done. Starting is the hardest part of the process. Just take your time and don't expect to finish for a year or two. Good luck and keep us informed of your progress.
1969 Traveller in Almond green. Owned since 1979.
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geoberni
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Re: Sorry I haven't a clue

Post by geoberni »

lindopski wrote: Sun Sep 08, 2019 1:38 am
I've taken a video on my phone but don't know how to get it on here yet.
Videos require hosting elsewhere, e.g. youtube and a link posting. :)
That's standard for PHP Bulletin Boards as far as I'm aware, simply because of the typical file size.
Basil the 1955 series II

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