An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon

[alex_holden]

Early this morning we took it to the frame guy. He's a good fellow and smart, and has lots of experience welding, but he wants $3500 for the whole shabang, and wants to keep Mog for a whole month!

Sounds about right for the amount of work required. The bit I'd be most concerned about if I was doing the job is aligning the new chassis leg that will replace the distorted/bodged one.

So we're buying a little MIG. I'm going to try and learn all I can before having a go at Mog.

Take a look at the tutorials and forum on http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

One thing, though -- the frame guy said he wanted to put the floor panels in using butt welds. I see the advantages to this, but aren't other welds possible too?

Yes, but sometimes a butt weld is the best choice. If you're letting a new piece into the middle of a panel, for instance, and want a joint with no overlap that can trap water and rust from the inside out. The panels would originally have been spot welded together though, and plug welding is usually regarded as an adequate substitute for spot welding.

[Fingolfin]

It has been a while, hasn't it? I've gone on a trip and done some other things, and Mog has languished. Life happens. Anyway, I'm back home, and work on Mog is going to restart today, with emptying and refilling the dampers, and probably lubricating the steering rack. Grease, right?

From a fella in Tennessee I bought lots of Minor parts! He had three nice Minors, one modified with a 248 V8 engine, one chopped to form a convertible from a saloon, and the last a saloon in showroom condition, with no changes. I seem to recall agreeing not to post photos, though, so unfortunately I can't show you.
Anyway. He sold me for $200 a complete 948cc engine and gearbox (missing only the dynamo and gearshift -- everything else present), and for $150 a wiper motor, a headlamp switch, some rubber grommets, and I don't know what else. A buncha stuff. And I got my free bonnet -- which isn't in great condition, but it might clean up nicely and be of use.

We know a man here in Bolivar who will do welding work at a premium, we've discovered, and he's very good. I'm going to help him, as an apprentice. So Mog's going to him tomorrow evening.

Another thing we obtained on our trip was a 1959 Pontiac Catalina, and I can show you that:[frame][/frame] Another resto is in the works! But that one is dad's. The Catalina is about twice the length of Mog.

[Fingolfin]

Mog is now at the welder-man's, and I'll go over there at seven tomorrow morning to work. Yay!

Been doing some engine work, just poking around. My engine is in remarkable condition, overall, but some bits need replacing -- like the flywheel:
[frame][/frame]
The rockers had a bit of surface rust on them, but I think they're good. Notice the plug on the head, bottom right -- this engine is a 948cc, but apparently has a head from an MG1100.
[frame][/frame]

One more thing -- how the devil does the pulley wheel come off? I need to replace it and can't figure it out.

[Fingolfin]

Progress has finally been made on the structure! We've ripped out the old floors and the crossmember:
[frame][/frame] Didn't take too long, either. Note the temporary stiffener spot-welded onto the sills.

Then I used an air chisel to knock off the remaining rotted driver's side sill, from the crossmember forward:
[frame][/frame] Kinda looks pretty in there now, doesn't it? The rust will be ground off in the morning and the repair section placed on...
And we're also putting on the new crossmember tomorrow! So excited.
Then come the floors, and then the rear spring hanger repairs -- and then it comes home, and I'll do the chassis leg and the little patch repairs myself.

I know how to weld now!!!

[katy]

Quote: "One more thing -- how the devil does the pulley wheel come off? I need to replace it and can't figure it out."

Remove the big bolt in the end of the crankshaft, 1+5/16" AF if I remember correctly. If it's the long one w/the starting dogs you'll need a box wrench or a deep socket. Then the pulley should slide off, but may be tight.

[foghorn14]

Great progress!!!!

[Fingolfin]

My thanks, Foghorn, it's not implausible the car will be on the road in three weeks. I'll drop by when that happens.

Katy -- spot on -- we managed to scrounge out a flywheel wrench and, holding it still, got the pulley wheel to come right off. No trouble at all.[frame][/frame]
And there's the timing chain cover off. It certainly looks nice in there, to me. The chain is practically new. But note all the formagasket someone applied...it's gross and won't come off properly without ages of scraping. But I did eventually clean up the cover and paint it:[frame][/frame]

Sructure stuff to come tomorrow.

[Fingolfin]

All we've been doing has been ripping out old, bad metal -- except a few patches -- but today we began putting things back in.
[frame][/frame]
The sill repair panel spot-welded in, along with a 1/4" strengthener panel at the back of it, to take the load of the crossmember;
[frame][/frame]
And the crossmember and 'camel hump' welded back in. I stood on it; it's not going anywhere. The middle of the car's as strong or moreso than when it left Cowley.

Tomorrow we work on the rear spring hangers, and then it comes back home -- wherein I will do the rest of the work. In two weeks. No joke. Watch me.

[davidmiles]

Go Fin Go! looking forward to seeing the updates.

[Fingolfin]

And an update you shall get, David. Since the 29th --
[frame][/frame]
We replaced both rear spring hangars (and the car sits a good two inches higher in the back than it used to!);
[frame][/frame]
I disassembled the right front suspension (and withdrew it all) for rebushing and lubricating;
[frame][/frame]
Dropped the sleeve that was on the right chassis leg (note that the eyebolt wasn't really held by anything); and
[frame][/frame]
Finally dropped the chassis leg itself. The air chisel ate up the engine bay floor.........but it can be repaired. Hopefully, so can the 'triangle'.

Oh, another thing. Anyone have suggestions on how best to repair this? It's in the left front wheel well -- and that's the inside of the bulkhead crossmember you can see. Someone GLUED on a patch...
[frame][/frame]

Tomorrow comes the new chassis leg...... Sunglasses because it's so damn hot out here! And also because grinding requires eye protection.

[Fingolfin]

A brief update, sans photos. The right engine bay floor was eaten up, not just by the air chisel but by an earlier trauma, beyond repair. A new tie-plate is on order from ESM (should be in North America by now), but it's obviously delayed replacement of the chassis leg by several days. My 10 August deadline is slipping, but I built in about two weeks extra, just in case...

Some of the floor will go in tomorrow, probably half but maybe 3/4 of it -- the front right panel has to stay out to make putting in the leg easier.

[Fingolfin]

It's going so slowly...

The chassis leg is still not in, the structural work is still not finished. Because little things keep happening. The tie-plate arrived today, for instance, rather than its anticipated Thursday or Friday, so none of that could be reassembled. And today a high-pressure gas hose exploded on my MIG...so I can't weld tonight...I am so very frustrated!

But I have made some progress. Wanna see?
[frame][/frame]Got the new tie-plate...
[frame][/frame]...as opposed to the old one.
[frame][/frame]The engine is ready to go back in the car, complete with newly-painted fanblades, thoroughly inspected dynamo, and a new fan belt. And also the crank-starter from a spare engine.
[frame][/frame]Almost all of the patches are on. You can probably make out all three of them in this picture -- my grinding skills aren't that great yet -- but they're all very solid. One included a nut, which I'm quite proud of.
[frame][/frame]Got a new interior mirror, which is superbly snazzy as compared to the old: it actually reflects a full image.

And finally...[frame][/frame]Just half of the floor so far, and that not even ground down...but well over 200 welds on the half, not counting the central seam-spots, and seam welds to come along the underside edges to forestall rust. The final remnants of the old floor, top center-right, are now out.

Lots of other little tasks have been done too. I greased the handbrake cables (no change from its stuck-in-off position), greased the prop shaft U-joints, and have placed some ten patches so far (and at least five more to come). Would have placed two or three of those tonight, had the MIG been in working order.........

I'm going to be done with the gorram structure by Thursday the 12th. I swear it, unless the welder gives out.
Tomorrow was my original deadline for everything...and school starts the 25th...I'm running short of time...

[ASL642]

It's looking good - these things take time. Yes it's frustratingly slow sometimes with hardly anything to show for hours of work, but you will get there and it will be worth it. Really enjoying watching the progress you're making.

[RobMoore]

It's coming along nicely indeed.
May I suggest that whilst you have the engine out you paint it, it all adds to the look and will look much nicer as a clean painted unit once your finished.

[Fingolfin]

Haha, my thanks to you both for your complimentary view of my resto -- I certainly feel the opposite of 'nicely indeed' but I suppose you're your own worst critic, ya?
Rob, about the engine -- and indeed all the paintwork -- that's a later resto. I know that there's nothing more permanent than a 'temporary' fix, but the body paint is bad too...it's all coming back apart in a year or two for a proper paint job, inside and out, and of every separate component, with the proper colors. Right now I don't care what it looks like -- so long as it's sturdy and not rusting out!

A little progress. I'm going to miss my deadline for end-of-bodywork by one day: it'll all come together tomorrow. You know what that means......[frame][/frame]IT'S A NEW CHASSIS LEG!!! And also a new tie-plate. (This is a preliminary photo, after tacking. There are now spots and seams everywhere. You can bounce on it.)
Bouncing on it means also that it can bear weight...[frame][/frame]IT'S SITTING ON THE GROUND AGAIN!!! Small victories.

Tomorrow will be a looooong day. I plan to: place the remaining floor sections, and seam weld them from the underside; patch at the right front spring hanger (small hole), the passenger sill (several small holes and rot to an unknown extent), and the driver's side chassis leg (front can be bashed with a hammer, making a lovely crunching sound); place the gearbox (and refill it) and prop shaft; reconnect the clutch; place the fuel line; place the brake lines (except that across the front xmember, for engine fitting); and grind down as many welds as possible and spray the bare metal.

The day after sees the engine.

!!!!!

[Fingolfin]

To illustrate my overambition (see end of previous post) but also my progress...dun dun dun...it's a floor, folks!
[frame][/frame]
Grinding down the welds tonight, too, and probably at least starting the seam-welding. The humidity is low so I wanted to paint tonight (underseal, you know), but I doubt that'll happen. The seam-welds will have to go mighty quick to get to undercoating.

But tomorrow's another day. I'll almost certainly be done with the welding tomorrow, putting in those last patches.

Why has it taken so long to get here? My welder keeps breaking down. Two days ago it was an empty bottle, and we had to skip Sunday because the bottle shop wasn't open. Today that same hose (which I replaced) burst, which was due to my own ignorance. But, anyway, the bodywork is almost done, and that's what's important.

[Fingolfin]

And the driver's side of the floor ground and painted in Rust Reformer:[frame][/frame]
The rest to come today. Seam-welding of the underside is half done, again the driver's half, and ground a bit (why would it need lots? No one will see it), and since the humidity is low for a third day in a row I'll give it a prime and two or three coats of underseal.
The welding is nearly done! So pleased! But school starts in a week, and I have to be there a few days before, so it won't be ready in time. Dad's gonna finish it up for me.

[Fingolfin]

A tiny update on plans. I'm going back to Fulton tomorrow, and I've decided that, since I'm being delayed anyway, the other chassis leg and the passenger sill really should be patched with proper repair panels, rather than bent-up sheet. Best do it right while I have the chance. So the bodywork will continue a short time.

Thanksgiving break gives me perhaps a week, in late November, and Christmas break gives me a full month. I'm hoping that, with periodic three-day weekends in between, I'll be able to have it road-worthy by January -- just right to take it to school for my third semester.

But progress for now is going to slow to glacial speeds. (Of course the glaciers are moving pretty quick these days.)

[t_hinchliffe]

Lol, great blog; just read it through from the start. Inspiring. Keep going...

[Fingolfin]

Just a picture for you.[frame][/frame]
We've moved it indoors! It's at my grandmother's house, huzzah! A nice concrete floor to work on, and lots of space, and I can easily brave the Missouri winter.
No real work yet, but I have decided it's going onto its side and I'm doing the underbody work correctly, the way it ought to be done and the way I wanted to do it. That may involve stripping it further down, but that's not a big deal.

Christmas break begins the 17th of December...