Safety in mind

[The Scotmoose]

Loving to read the discussions here on the forum and have been working my way through the various topics. I have learned so much about our great little cars.
Our MM Monty has been very good over the months we have had him now. I am getting around to one or two jobs with the interests of safety in mind. I am not worried overly about strict originality (if I cause any offence by that statement, it is not my intention to do so) and the car is in reasonable state to start with - I still want him to look like they did back in the 1960s and 70s. Any additions are the same ones I did back in the day. I am enjoying getting back to the days when I still had hair and I also love the smiles the little car puts on people's faces.

1) The wipers were just terrible, so I have fitted two speed wipers - replaced the rack, spindles, arms, blades, bezels at same time and performance is now brilliant.
2) Electric window washers are now in place and make "skooshing" so mush easier when on the move.
3) Hazard Warning Lights - I am in the process of trying to put hot spaghetti up a cat's bum, behind the dash, but will get there.
4) I have two period correct driving lights still to be fitted on the front, with a fog light and reversing light to be added below the bumper at the back.
5) I also have the usual gauges (rev counter, oil pressure, amp meter and temperature gauge) to be fitted, so as to better monitor what is going on under the bonnet.
6) A fire extinguisher is now fitted on the tunnel behind the front seats (ashtray removed as car is a Non-Smoking area). Don't think I would ever carry any more than two in the rear. There are seatbelts on the front seats and at sometime in the future if I start to have rear-seat passengers, I will consider seatbelts for the rear.

Monty already has had the brakes converted with servo and discs, but I am going to have to have a really good look at them as I find them a bit soft (hopefully a good bleeding and adjustment). I don't know if a new master cylinder might help.

Can anyone think of any other obvious safety items?

[geoberni]

A friendly word of advice, and apologies if you have past Minor experience, but when posting here it's preferable not to use 'MM' as an abbreviation for 'Morris Minor'.
It is very confusing when most Minor owners frequenting these Forums are aware that Minors are in 3 main categories, the MM, SII (Series II) and 1000 (covering S3 and S5). I say 'main categories' because there are several different subdivisions, such as MM Lowlight and Highlight to pick the most obvious...
So your 1968 (I looked up your earlier posts to see if you had said what your car was) is a far cry from my '55 SII, those MM models that came before it and even S3 that came along in Oct '56.

If you think the Brakes are 'a bit soft' it could just be your inexperience with the car, if that's the case, probably a good job you haven't got 'standard brakes'
I regularly go from driving my Minor, put him in the garage and then put my modern back in front of the garage doors and push the modern's brake too hard
But if you haven't done so already, check to see if the Master Cylinder is leaking into the Box Section.
I noticed that you were previously advised to replace the brake fluid, did you do that, was there any difference?
I'm assuming that as your Monty has a Disc conversion, that there is a Remote Reservoir fitted under the bonnet somewhere?
Just because that hasn't noticeably dropped, there could still be a small leak from the MC. Just a drip every time you first press the pedal, I've had that recently, resulting in a MC replacement.

I can't think of anything else to add to your list of 'Safety items' but then you car was initially built with far more that mine was....

[svenedin]

I like originality but I understand your safety modifications.

I have fitted a hazard light switch because I went through a phase of breaking down rather too often and other drivers become irate if they do not know why one has stopped in a daft place. I carry a warning triangle too. The problem was the fuel pump so of course I have not conked out since fitting the hazards!

I have inertia reel seatbelts front and rear. My dog travels on the back seat and must be safely restrained for his benefit and mine (he is a big dog).

I too completely overhauled my wiper system but I kept the original Lucas DR3a motor as changing it was a step too far for me. I had trouble with new wheel boxes giving an incorrect arc of wiper sweep and so used NOS originals (hard to find). In any case, my car rarely goes out in the rain. My convertible hood is almost always folded down Summer or Winter.

I carry a fire extinguisher in the boot. I have no additional gauges. I have never had an issue with the original brakes.

I would suggest fitting a quick cut out to the battery. I used one like this but there are lots of different types. It is also very useful when working on the car. https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/ ... thout-fuse You can also fit an inertia cut out which will cut off the power in the event of an accident.

If you have halogen type headlights already (the type with a bulb that can be changed, not sealed beam) it is very easy to change to LED headlights and they are much better in my opinion. I chose a type that requires no additional wiring at all. https://www.dynamoregulatorconversions. ... s-shop.php

Stephen

[mowogg]

Having had 2 windscreens go over the years, I cannot recommend enough the benefits of a modern laminated screen. The difference when this broke (crack in screen) compared to a conpletly blown original was incredible. On top of that mordent screens don't come with the 60 years of scratches that reflect light. Wipers work a lot better on a new screen too

[svenedin]

Having had 2 windscreens go over the years, I cannot recommend enough the benefits of a modern laminated screen. The difference when this broke (crack in screen) compared to a conpletly blown original was incredible. On top of that mordent screens don't come with the 60 years of scratches that reflect light. Wipers work a lot better on a new screen too

That’s a very good point. My screen has numerous scratches.

[kevin s]

Anyone found a source for good wiper arms and blades? the wiper mechanism on ours is fine but they jump and judder over the screen.

Ours has uprated brakes with a dual circuit master, laminated heated screen, 4 inertia seatbelts, an inertia switch on the fuel pump, is re-wired with 15 fuses, street KA high back seats, an orange beacon we can stick on the roof and 13" wheels which give us a wider choice of tyres.

[svenedin]

Anyone found a source for good wiper arms and blades? the wiper mechanism on ours is fine but they jump and judder over the screen.

Ours has uprated brakes with a dual circuit master, laminated heated screen, 4 inertia seatbelts, an inertia switch on the fuel pump, is re-wired with 15 fuses, street KA high back seats, an orange beacon we can stick on the roof and 13" wheels which give us a wider choice of tyres.

The stainless wiper arms and blades from ESM seem good but for some reason they will not stay folded back when I want to clean the windscreen by hand like the old ones did.

[simmitc]

If the car is used all year as opposed to just "shown" in the summer, then heated front and rear screens are available, and are a great safety improvement for winter.

[svenedin]

If the car is used all year as opposed to just "shown" in the summer, then heated front and rear screens are available, and are a great safety improvement for winter.

Yes I’ve been tempted by a heated windscreen (I don’t have a rear screen in a convertible). My refurbishment of the heater and heater motor (which was a lot of work) seems to have made a heated windscreen unnecessary.

[geoberni]

I carry a fire extinguisher in the boot.

Professionally, as a recently retired H&S professional, I would question the value of having an extinguisher in the Boot, especially if you usually have it locked when driving around.
By the time you've got out of the car, unlocked and opened the boot, that's more than enough time for an engine/petrol fire to be out of control, or beyond the size that a small car size extinguisher can cope with.
Rather than thinking you're OK because you have one, I would time yourself....
From a driving position with the engine running,
turning it off,
removing keys,
pull bonnet handle (to pop it and give a space to aim the extinguisher in),
exit the car around to boot,
unlock it,
find extinguisher wherever it is stowed,
around to front of car and
point extinguisher under the raised lip of the bonnet

Best to have it inside the car, where you can grab it on the way out.

Basil has a 1950s CTC (Carbon Tetrachloride) extinguisher mounted where I can take it out of the car with me.
I wasn't looking for an operable extinguisher when I got it, most period extinguishers are empty when sold, but this one came with an unused internal pressurised container.

20230126_103256.jpg (1.4 MiB) Viewed 21113 times

CTC isn't very nice stuff if you breath it in, but it is a good fire suppressant and was a very common substance right until the mid 1980s, for everything from Dry Cleaning solvent to Fire Extinguishers. It was even the liquid used in original Larva Lamps ,
You'll see that even my extinguisher label says 'Avoid Inhaling Fumes'....
CTC was the suppressant used in the old 'Pyrene' pump handle extinguishers that used to widely be seen on vehicles, such as buses back in the day.

On the subject of Wiper Blades, I do have a smile when owners of later cars complain about them; try having an MM or SII, our blades are comparable to pre-WWII ones... There's a reason you don't take a Split Screen out in the rain

[svenedin]

You’re right. I haven’t really worked out where to mount the fire extinguisher in the cabin. It’s a modern one. For many years I carried an ancient silver extinguisher filled with goodness knows what. Probably carbon tet. I will post a photo for interest if I can find it. The battery cut out is really important. I had a horrible experience of the starter solenoid jamming on meaning the starter motor continued to run even with the ignition off. There was smoke and horrendous noise but I quickly disconnected the battery and disaster was averted. Very scary. I have also heard of RB106 control boxes jamming on and causing a fire. In addition, the fuel pump is electric.

[Bill_qaz]

I have a modern extinguisher I mounted it under the passenger seat just behind the pivot point of the seat, it doest intrude into the seat cushion. My thinking is
1/ get the passenger out
2/ I can lift seat and grab extinguisher from drivers seat
3/ Battery isolater and bonnet release are next to each other and easy to reach when I am out of the car.

Pyrene extinguishers used to be on workshop welding bottle sets but the fumes can be very nasty coming off the hot surfaces and I believe that's why they were removed by H&S
They look nice particularly polished up on old cars but I wouldn't want to use one for real.

[geoberni]

Pyrene extinguishers used to be on workshop welding bottle sets but the fumes can be very nasty coming off the hot surfaces and I believe that's why they were removed by H&S
They look nice particularly polished up on old cars but I wouldn't want to use one for real.

It was discovered that at high temperatures (not great for a fire extinguisher), it decomposes to make Phosgene, one of the WWI trench gases.
They initially thought the CTC fumes simply displaced the oxygen, much like a CO2 does, but then found the fumes actually inhibited the chemical reaction of the combustion process.
They used to be everywhere, they were introduced in around 1910. They were on all manner of vehicles and aircraft, if you watch an old WWII movie and they crew are trying to extinguish a fire onboard, they'll be hand pumping a CTC/Pyrene extinguisher...

It's toxic in enclosed spaces, but so are many everyday substances, like fumes from burning plastic. If I were using it on a fire, I'd be out in the open spraying it under the bonnet
We were still using it in liquid form for engineering cleaning work in the 1980s.
The danger comes from Chronic exposure, ie regular inhalation of the fumes.

[Bill_qaz]

Yes I can remember using ctc as a cleaner degreaser a bit like the day they gathered the mechanics in the bus garage and giving us each a bucket, hand pump and mask and told don't blow off the brake dust with the airline anymore spray it with water. Apparently asbestos brake dust is bad for you.
If we were aware of some of the stuff we dealt with over the years before H&S it scary

[The Scotmoose]

Thank you on the heads-up on my use of MM as an abreviation of Morris Minor - It was definitely an oversight on my part (who said my brain was unplugged AGAIN! lol). The brakes strangely enough, were down to the vacuum pipe not being tightened properly. I tightened it and hey presto, they worked properly. I have checked master cylinder not leaking and brakes are now smooth and progressive. Delighted! I see that there are a lot who have made similar changes to their cars in the interests of safety, as indeed BMC and BL did back in the day with things like better windscreens etc. I have found that attaching my fire extinguisher along the tunnel where the now redundant ashtray was is perfect, giving easy access to both passenger(s) and driver in an emergency. I am going to put a smaller one in the boot. Thank you everyone for your comments.

[ndevans]

Having had 2 windscreens go over the years, I cannot recommend enough the benefits of a modern laminated screen. The difference when this broke (crack in screen) compared to a conpletly blown original was incredible. On top of that mordent screens don't come with the 60 years of scratches that reflect light. Wipers work a lot better on a new screen too

Seconded. Well worthwhile.

[The Scotmoose]

Hi there everyone - Happy New Year to you all. Have been checking and there is slight weeping from master cylinder and one of the rear wheel cylinders (thank everyone for the advice about soft brakes etc). Have decided to replace both rear and master, as well as all of the flexi pipes. The metal pipes appear to have been changed fairly recently, but still a possibility I will change them too. Car off road until I can stop confidentli. I have also bought poly bushes for everywhere. They will be going on as I weld anything that needs done (mostly crossmember and drivers side sill). I have seen some of these windscreens and rearscreens that have heating - would consider one for the back. The car (as you all know) is such great fun to drive and the number of people waving and pointing is amazing.

[Blaketon]

Not see this topic before. I don't think a battery isolater has been listed but well worth it. Having been present, when something shorted out, does it all go up fast (I was lucky to have a wire cutter on hand)!! Most cut outs are bypassed with a fuse, that blows if a high loading is put on it.

I read recently, that on some Minors, the sidelights are not fused and that headlamps aren't on any. It was suggested that each headlamp be fitted an inline fuse, so if one goes, you have the other.