WHATS THE WORST JOB ON A MINOR

[kennatt]

jUST SPENT TWO DAYS FITTING A HEADLINER TO A SPLIT SCREEN got to be the worst job I have ever done on a minor. I once changed the screen rubber on the split screen ,that was bad enough,If anyone is contemplating doing the liner,pm me and Ill tell you how I managed after three attempts to get the liner looking reasonable.I think the main problem is that the replacement liners are not to good a fit anyway. You are guessing where to fit the front onto the wooden former,and then you get the length too short or too long,got it right the third time. Got the liner from Tom Roys and asking in passing if they fancied doing the job. I now know why they laughed and said they were far to intelligent to even think about it. oh the joys of being a moggy owner

[bigginger]

I'd still go for repair/fabricate/fit the toe board and lower wheel arch, closely followed by flitch replacement

[kennatt]

yeh andrew but once you sus out what bits you need out comes the mig and your done. Don't have to take them off twice before you get a good fit.And you can cover them up with Black stuff ,if the welds not to pretty.Can't hide a fault even minor with a headliner

[wibble_puppy]

ok kennatt i agree with you. getting the headlining out of my van was bad enough, I'm dreading putting it back in again, let alone having to make a new hardboard front piece as we had to break the old one in the end to get the blimmin thing out

let's have pictures and descriptions of how you did yours!!!

[bigginger]

yeh andrew but once you sus out what bits you need out comes the mig and your done. Don't have to take them off twice before you get a good fit.

Agreed in general, but you CAN'T get these bits, you have to make them, and try fitting them a hell of a lot more than twice

[kennatt]

The advice I got, was after you have fed the struts through and re wired the sides.get everything lined up in the frame,then insert the front wooden former ,after stapling the liner onto it and fitting the two little clips. THESE TWO CLIPS ARE APPARENTLY ESSENTIAL to hold the liner tight.Slide everything back .Insert the front wooden former driving the clips over the edge of the front framework. Pull the wires front and back to tighten things up. It is also essential to fasten the side wires through the attachment point on the door B post.You can see it easily its just a wire connection.If you don't use this,which I didn't first attempt.the centre section dosent pull tight. You basically pull the front wires to tighten the front half against this B post and the rear wire the rear half. Once you have done this fit the rear end behind the rearcreen rubber. On the split screen there are some hook up attachments. Don't know about later models.Now the trouble is that the new headliners are an after market stitch up(pun intended) they are not the exact same size as the original,they are longer and so when you get to fitting the rear to rearscreen.Too much material very baggy. I had measured the amount of fold over on the old wooden former and duplicated this onto the new set up.I had to then take off the FRONT WOODEN FORMER without damaging the headliner.More of that later.decided that I would fit the rear first and move everthing forwards so I could get the length about right by trial and error on the amount of material to fold over the wooded former.Obviously too much and it will not reach got it right on the third attempt. Then pull the wires as before. Its by no means perfect' a few creases but will let it settle and may have another go later.To get the front clips off,which I did three times,I was advised to bend a blunt kitchen knife into hookshape slide it between the headlining and the front frame until you locate the metal clips. You are trying to get the blade between the clip and the car frame so you can pull them out and over.Worked for the first time when I was taking the old liner off wanst bothered about damage. Didn't the second and third time, paranoid about damaging the new liner, went to bed and then it came to me ,as things tend to if given enough whisky and time.Locate the edge of the clip with the bent knife.Mark the frame with a pen, drill a hole in the frame right under the clip insert screwdriver through the hole push the clip up and over, hey presto wooden former out with no damage.The hole is located near where the sun visor sits so will move it an inch to cover it.Don't know if there is a better way to do this,or fit the liner,what we need is someone who used to work for morris who knows the RIGHT way.If they are still alive Hope this helps anyone mad enough to try it cheers ken

[mal]

Just reading all the hassle you've had fitting the headlining

No wonder Chris at Tom Roys wouldn't touch it anyway at least you've got it done now and we all know where to come for our new one's to be fitted

Mal

[wibble_puppy]

that's fabulous! thanks very much for posting all that, kennatt

If they are still alive

Did you mean "after fitting more than a couple of headlinings"?

Let's see some photos! or did you not take any?

I'm liking your screwdriver technique there, I'll remember that. Maybe one could position the clips (look! i said that word without swearing!!) so that they are exactly behind the existing holes in the frame which are there for the sunvisors? I don't fancy drilling any extra holes in mine The problem I found with the "make a special tool to get the clips out" thing was that before you've seen how the clips are shaped and positioned it's very hard to make your knife or your screwdriver into the right shape to get 'em out. Mind you, even a local Minor bodywork expert wasn't able to get mine off - which is why everything ended up in a heap of scrap metal and splinters and bad language.

[Peetee]

The worst job for me was replacing the quarterlight rubbers. As if it wasn't hard enough getting them home the top quarterlight hinge that sits in the rubber was even worse. Luckily I'm the sort of person who can't find his tools once they are put down and try as I might I couldn't locate my 10lb lump hammer.

[kennatt]

dont own a digi camera (very ancient codger )Also still not 100% happy with end result. Thinking about having another go .I do like having fun will let you know how it goes.Yes chris at tom roys said .well at £25 an hour the bill would be more than the cars worth . cheers all

[wibble_puppy]

ROFLOL @ Peetee and btw your sig file always makes me grin, dude

ah kennatt well we can't get blood out of a stone, or photos on the forum out of peeps who don't have digital cameras.... your vivid words will have to do me - do post more if you learn more (if you are mental enough to have a fourth go at it )

[kennatt]

found out that on the split screen you can take off the cover in the upper door post remove the semaphore indicators and gain access to the central wire gave both sides a pull and gains loads of tension accros the whole of the liner much better now might leave it as it is don't know if there is access on the later minors,probably is . cheers to all

[chickenjohn]

I'd still go for repair/fabricate/fit the toe board and lower wheel arch, closely followed by flitch replacement

No, thats easy! I agree, headlining on a saloon is hard- going from friends who have done this, and the dreaded master cylinder!

[ndevans]

Worst job on a Minor? Three words......one piece exhaust.

Oh-and why couldn't the timing markers on the bottom pulley be somewhere more visible than on the underside?

[RogerRust]

Where do you live Ken. I may need some help soon! I'll pay your petrol and feed you!!

Thanks for the write up which I've printed for reference. I particularly like the idea of drilling two holes to get at the springs.
Roger

[Judge]

'What's the worst job on a Minor'? Easy. Any job that stops you driving it

[bigginger]

Blimey! Are you meant to be able to drive them?

[mal]

Yes chris at tom roys said .well at £25 an hour the bill would be more than the cars worth

I think at that price I'd have jumped at it, you must have got hold of Chris on a good day, it's usually £45 ph

The worst job for me was replacing the quarterlight rubbers

Just wondered why you say that Peetee ? I've just spent an easy haf-hour replacing the drivers side, will do passenger side tomorrow..unless I aint done it right, will see when it rains

Easy. Any job that stops you driving it

I like that Bill should have mine back on the road this week now the engine bay is finished, just a few 'Minor ' jobs to finish.... can't wait as I've certainly missed driving it

Mal

[dunketh]

ANY job!
Especially when decades worth of previous owners have bodged and wrecked just about everything on the car from replacing bolts with the wrong ones to plating over joins and welding shut sill covers!

(not that experience has embittered me or anything...)

[Judge]

should have mine back on the road this week now the engine bay is finished, just a few 'Minor ' jobs to finish....

Coming into concours then Mal?