Classic long distance trials

[bill amberg]

Hello
Has anyone experience with preparing a morris minor for classic trials?
Im interested in information or a car
Many thanks
Bill
South Somerset

[philthehill]

Bill
I had a go at Production Car Trials with my Minor way back and found it had poor traction off road and lacked the ability to grip. Still got the dent in the rear panel where I slid back into a small tree.
Whilst not exactly set up for long distance trials (more long distance rally) the Minor in the link below was set up to deal with the rough. You may be able to extract some ideas from reading the book.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313816765164 ... OSwfUBh0go~
What do the motorsport rules say about modifying the car?
Once I know what is eligible I may be able to give you some pointers.
Phil

[bill amberg]

Phil
Many thanks for the link to the book i have ordered it and will enjoy reading it.
The regs are expansive but essentially you can do anything to the car , the more you do the greater the handicap. I went to the start of the Exeter trial on saturday night to see off my friends in a model T and was taken with the idea of having a go next year. I have had Morrises all my life one way or another but my current Mog is to good to chop. Having spent my youth trying to get my old ones to perform better i thought it would be fun to get a cheap runner and modify it . Raise and improve suspension, beef engine and brakes, add weight to rear and i dont know what else!. Many thanks for any advice
Bill

[bill amberg]

Phil,
As i wrote the last message i realised all to slowly that you might be Philip Young!
Looks like an adventure
Looking forward to receiving the copy
All the best
Bill

[philthehill]

No I am not the Rev Philip Young though I have done a couple of 12 car club rallies in my Minor as well as driving tests, production car trials, sprints and many speed hill climbs but those being not as high as the Himalayas.
For starters:-
Yes raise the suspension, replace all the suspension bushes with poly bushes, fit traction bars to the rear axle (available from ESM), transfer the battery to the boot, tow hooks front and back. Chance the engine to a 1275cc Marina, replace the gearbox with a 1275cc Midget gearbox as it is stronger. Have the half-shafts heat treated or replace with super strength ones (the half-shafts would be a weakness when trialling). Fit a sump and gearbox guard plate, fit a skid plate to the diff housing, put all fuel and brake lines inside the car. Put a couple of spare wheels inside or on the boot lid for both weight transfer and in case you have a puncture.
Fit disc brakes to the front (if the pads/discs get wet they will still allow braking) and Wolseley 1500 rear brakes. Fit Minor van wheels. Fit the bigger capacity fuel tank. Fit stainless steel brake hoses and stone guard coils to the flexible pipes.
Good luck
Phil

[bill amberg]

phi
thats really helpful and i will start my search. im hoping to find a project car that someone has started this process already?
sounds like fun
apologies to the Rev. Young!
all the best
bill

[Chief]

Maybe you could find out who modified the '59 Minor for "Eight Go Rallying"
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bgywnk

Since it was an off-shoot of the actual 2018 endurance rally:
https://www.endurorally.com/events/road-to-saigon-2018/

It's possible the BBC used cars provided for them by the organisers, or they'd know who owned it and contact details, so you might get some additional information through them.

[bill amberg]

chief
these are great links i will look into it
many thanks
will keep you posted
bill

[kevin s]

All the above mods are great but the most important thing is to get a really sound bodyshell to start with, a bit of rust in the chassis legs bump stops or spring hangers will soon end in tears if you start driving it hard.

The other thing is weight reduction, it reduces the load on all the components and means you don't need so much power, can you ditch bumpers, trim and fit fiberglass panels lighter wheels, battery etc.

[bill amberg]

Kevin
I think you are right to remove lots of weight, it will make a much more nimble car too. Bumpers could be modified and rear seats etc could all come out, though i am keen on keeping it a Minor that will be half the fun,.
I wonder where else you can save weight without losing the character?
All the best
Bill

[kevin s]

You could fit fiberglass wings, bonnet and boot, punch some lightening holes in the door inner, perhaps plexiglass side windows and sliders in tbe door ones to save all the winder and quarterlight parts.
Headlining and rods is another oppurtunity, get single leaf parabolic rear springs made (possibly make escort ones fit?)

With a Minor being a very simple car there aren't the oppurtunites on lareger better trimmed cars but I reckon you should be able to get 10% out.

[philthehill]

The inside of my Minor is bare with all the trim and original seats removed only to be replaced by a weighty full roll cage . The front has been replaced by a full fiberglass unit. The steel boot lid has been lightened and is now lighter than the fiberglass replacement. Again with the doors they have been lightened and are also lighter than the fiberglass replacements. Door glass has been replaced with plexiglass. The other windows are still glass. I am loth to replace the rear side windows as they carry MSA scrutineers stickers which bear out the cars competition history.
You can get a replacement plexiglass rear window which cuts down the weight.
Again I would emphasise read the MSA blue book because you do not want to do anything that gets you thrown out of the competition when the car is examined by a scrutineer.