An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
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- Minor Legend
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Thank you very much, Foghorn, that means a lot to me. Have you started on any of your Minors yet? They're a lot of work, but great fun!
Sorry I haven't posted in so long...I kinda lost interest in the messageboard for a while. But anyhow, Mog is about "finished," insofar as I've run out of things to do on it and it's ready to go on the road when there's enough money. (Anybody care to contribute to the cause...? )
At the beginning of summer break, I started in on modifying the new wiper gear sweep, because it was much too large (despite being stamped 100 degrees!). I did this by drilling the drive peg from behind, drilling a new hole, and then welding the peg in the new hole.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
It took a few tries to get the sweep right, but eventually I got it good enough -- they no longer go off the windshield, but the driver has enough field of view. (Don't mind all the pollen.)[frame][/frame]
Next I started on the right-rear wing; it was the only wing that was original, and the only one not repainted, and moreover its taillight did not match the location of the opposite light (I suppose this location was "correct" but the other side was higher and more prominent, which I preferred). You can see the difference here:[frame][/frame]
The wing came off and had its paint stripped -- about six layers, I think.[frame][/frame]
It's fascinating to watch chemical stripper work...[frame][/frame]
After a few days of work, the wing came out pretty well.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
With the wing and taillight remounted, the rear of the car looks much more symmetrical. Mmmm, symmetry! [frame][/frame]
Looks pretty good alone, too.[frame][/frame]
Moreover, the taillights still work! Here are just the running lights...[frame][/frame]
...and both the running lights and the brake lights (actuated by a piece of PVC pipe).[frame][/frame]
My dogs like being in Mog! Here's our eight-year-old basenji, Sammy, in the driver's seat.[frame][/frame]
After some fiddling, I finally got all the gauges a consistent brightness (and bright enough to read easily at night).[frame][/frame]
The next big project was headrests. Mog's front seats are not original Minor seats, but are out of a different car (I don't know what); the seats have headrest bracket mounts on their backs, so the first task was to make brackets that would fit (after finding nice headrests). Here's what I came up with:[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
As you can see, the headrests have adjustable height, and they have internal angle adjustment too. The brackets themselves took a lot of work to make, but are fairly simple in design: thick plates to bolt to the seat back, welded to vertical tubes to take the headrest studs.[frame][/frame]
Here's what Mog looks like now:[frame][/frame]
And here's a nice artsy shot for those of you who like that sort of thing:[frame][/frame]
So what's left? Not much, really. The only major things are: paying the sales tax, transferring the title, and having the car inspected, licensed, and insured; having the driver's seat restrapped and restuffed; resealing or replacing the dampers; and stopping some minor engine leakage (which I believe is from the timing chain cover and the oil pump or backplate). There is of course the matter of learning to drive it well. Beyond these things, the car is done, and the car can already be considered "operational"...just not "roadworthy" because it's not licensed.
The sales tax (including tardiness penalty) comes to about $400. The title transfer, inspection, license plates, and insurance should together come to less than $100. So it's doable, and I'm saving money as well as I can toward it. I hope to have enough money by a month from now. Wish me luck, friends!
Sorry I haven't posted in so long...I kinda lost interest in the messageboard for a while. But anyhow, Mog is about "finished," insofar as I've run out of things to do on it and it's ready to go on the road when there's enough money. (Anybody care to contribute to the cause...? )
At the beginning of summer break, I started in on modifying the new wiper gear sweep, because it was much too large (despite being stamped 100 degrees!). I did this by drilling the drive peg from behind, drilling a new hole, and then welding the peg in the new hole.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
It took a few tries to get the sweep right, but eventually I got it good enough -- they no longer go off the windshield, but the driver has enough field of view. (Don't mind all the pollen.)[frame][/frame]
Next I started on the right-rear wing; it was the only wing that was original, and the only one not repainted, and moreover its taillight did not match the location of the opposite light (I suppose this location was "correct" but the other side was higher and more prominent, which I preferred). You can see the difference here:[frame][/frame]
The wing came off and had its paint stripped -- about six layers, I think.[frame][/frame]
It's fascinating to watch chemical stripper work...[frame][/frame]
After a few days of work, the wing came out pretty well.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
With the wing and taillight remounted, the rear of the car looks much more symmetrical. Mmmm, symmetry! [frame][/frame]
Looks pretty good alone, too.[frame][/frame]
Moreover, the taillights still work! Here are just the running lights...[frame][/frame]
...and both the running lights and the brake lights (actuated by a piece of PVC pipe).[frame][/frame]
My dogs like being in Mog! Here's our eight-year-old basenji, Sammy, in the driver's seat.[frame][/frame]
After some fiddling, I finally got all the gauges a consistent brightness (and bright enough to read easily at night).[frame][/frame]
The next big project was headrests. Mog's front seats are not original Minor seats, but are out of a different car (I don't know what); the seats have headrest bracket mounts on their backs, so the first task was to make brackets that would fit (after finding nice headrests). Here's what I came up with:[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
As you can see, the headrests have adjustable height, and they have internal angle adjustment too. The brackets themselves took a lot of work to make, but are fairly simple in design: thick plates to bolt to the seat back, welded to vertical tubes to take the headrest studs.[frame][/frame]
Here's what Mog looks like now:[frame][/frame]
And here's a nice artsy shot for those of you who like that sort of thing:[frame][/frame]
So what's left? Not much, really. The only major things are: paying the sales tax, transferring the title, and having the car inspected, licensed, and insured; having the driver's seat restrapped and restuffed; resealing or replacing the dampers; and stopping some minor engine leakage (which I believe is from the timing chain cover and the oil pump or backplate). There is of course the matter of learning to drive it well. Beyond these things, the car is done, and the car can already be considered "operational"...just not "roadworthy" because it's not licensed.
The sales tax (including tardiness penalty) comes to about $400. The title transfer, inspection, license plates, and insurance should together come to less than $100. So it's doable, and I'm saving money as well as I can toward it. I hope to have enough money by a month from now. Wish me luck, friends!
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Fantastic job!
Sir Hugo Reginald Von Bartesby - "Burble and Squeak"
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Yes, very good indeed!
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Thanks everyone! I'm currently waiting on dad to gather the money to pay his car insurance bill, at which point he'll purchase Mog's insurance too. Shouldn't be expensive, but we're waiting.
In the meantime, Mog has a big oil leak from the timing chain cover, so I'm gonna replace it for a 1098 one with the rubber oil seal -- I possess the new cover, a brand-new oil seal, and lots of gaskets. I'll let you know how that goes.
Have some more pictures of Mog -- this time with its hubcaps back on, finally! [frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
In the meantime, Mog has a big oil leak from the timing chain cover, so I'm gonna replace it for a 1098 one with the rubber oil seal -- I possess the new cover, a brand-new oil seal, and lots of gaskets. I'll let you know how that goes.
Have some more pictures of Mog -- this time with its hubcaps back on, finally! [frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
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- Minor Friendly
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
A lot of work, though certainly paid off. It's looking great! Hope you get to enjoy clocking up some miles in it soon.
Will be quite a great pair once you're finished the traveller as well
Will be quite a great pair once you're finished the traveller as well
1955 4Dr Series II
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
I do like the finish to those wheels, Maroon B is a lovely rich colour.
Whilst the piping on the rear wheel arches certainly stands out in white, it's a shame you couldn't get any to match the body colour, is it not manufactured any more?
Best wishes,
Mike.
Whilst the piping on the rear wheel arches certainly stands out in white, it's a shame you couldn't get any to match the body colour, is it not manufactured any more?
Best wishes,
Mike.
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Mike, the paint looks a lot like Maroon B but in fact is a custom color that I had mixed by a local shop. I don't know if they make piping to match -- I thought white would look nice, and I'm pleased with it as it is. The former owner had used the original piping (in Clarendon blue, I think) but had simply painted the maroon over them, which had cracked over the years.
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Well I for one think she looks great - after all the hard work especially when all the parts have had be sourced from across the "pond". Looking forward to some pictures of her when she's insured for the open road!
Lou Rocke
MMOC 43512
Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Well done Fin
Mog is looking really good, you must be pleased with how she looks
I bet you can't wait to get her on the open road
Nick
Mog is looking really good, you must be pleased with how she looks
I bet you can't wait to get her on the open road
Nick
[sig]9332[/sig]
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
great to see you're near the end of a very long road, she's looking great, what a head turner she'll be. Not too many of these in your neck of the woods. Bet the insurance is cheap too.
Regards Dave
Regards Dave
smile, you never know, you might be winning.[IMG]http://i67.tinypic.com/2ro3j37.jpg[/IMG]
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Well, after four years and twenty-six pages in this resto thread, Mog is finally road-legal.
Yesterday we took Mog into Bolivar (Bah-li-ver in the local dialect, the nearest town) for inspection. The drive into town was interesting...here we are just leaving home, which is the low black-topped structure in the background:[frame][/frame]
Before getting on the highway, my nerves got the better of me, and I had to have dad take over.[frame][/frame]
We proceeded up the highway then. Mog never did a better speed than about 55 mph, but we did get to try the wipers operationally when we drove through a sudden rainshower.[frame][/frame]
We made it into town safely. Bolivar's a pretty place.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
Finally we arrived at the shop, Atteberry's MFA (long ago this stood for Missouri Farmer's Association). The red Chevy Blazer and the pink-and-purple woman are my mother's car and my mother, respectively -- most photos are credited to her.[frame][/frame]
Compared to your MOT, this was a cakewalk; mostly the inspector was concerned that the lights and wipers worked and that the car could start and stop safely, and not much more. This disappointed me, as I wanted Mog to have a thorough go-over in case I had missed something important, but I know Mog is safe enough.[frame][/frame]
Mog passed, and this is the sticker in the window that proves it:[frame][/frame]
Then we drove home as the Sun stuck its head out from behind the clouds:[frame][/frame]
And that was that for yesterday. Today I have yet to drive Mog, but we took the Blazer into town and paid for Mog's title transfer (I finally own it in the legal sense!), and the sales tax, and the license plates. These went on Mog as soon as I returned home.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
David, insurance runs about $50 a month, but that will be lower if we have the car appraised (since it's a classic). In any event, I am now broke, but I have a road-legal car! Now comes the hard part: getting Mog to run well. I mentioned before that it won't go over about 55 mph, which is enough for small highways but not enough for big ones (usually 60 or 65) and certainly not for Interstate superhighways (usually 70 to 80). I have a month before school begins, though, so I can play with it.
Yesterday we took Mog into Bolivar (Bah-li-ver in the local dialect, the nearest town) for inspection. The drive into town was interesting...here we are just leaving home, which is the low black-topped structure in the background:[frame][/frame]
Before getting on the highway, my nerves got the better of me, and I had to have dad take over.[frame][/frame]
We proceeded up the highway then. Mog never did a better speed than about 55 mph, but we did get to try the wipers operationally when we drove through a sudden rainshower.[frame][/frame]
We made it into town safely. Bolivar's a pretty place.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
Finally we arrived at the shop, Atteberry's MFA (long ago this stood for Missouri Farmer's Association). The red Chevy Blazer and the pink-and-purple woman are my mother's car and my mother, respectively -- most photos are credited to her.[frame][/frame]
Compared to your MOT, this was a cakewalk; mostly the inspector was concerned that the lights and wipers worked and that the car could start and stop safely, and not much more. This disappointed me, as I wanted Mog to have a thorough go-over in case I had missed something important, but I know Mog is safe enough.[frame][/frame]
Mog passed, and this is the sticker in the window that proves it:[frame][/frame]
Then we drove home as the Sun stuck its head out from behind the clouds:[frame][/frame]
And that was that for yesterday. Today I have yet to drive Mog, but we took the Blazer into town and paid for Mog's title transfer (I finally own it in the legal sense!), and the sales tax, and the license plates. These went on Mog as soon as I returned home.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]
David, insurance runs about $50 a month, but that will be lower if we have the car appraised (since it's a classic). In any event, I am now broke, but I have a road-legal car! Now comes the hard part: getting Mog to run well. I mentioned before that it won't go over about 55 mph, which is enough for small highways but not enough for big ones (usually 60 or 65) and certainly not for Interstate superhighways (usually 70 to 80). I have a month before school begins, though, so I can play with it.
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Good to have her road legal though. Like you say now it's play time!
1954 Series 2: 4 door: "Sally" -- Back on the ground with (slave) wheels and waiting to be resprayed......
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
1970 Triumph Herald 1200: "Hetty" -- Driven back from Llangollen in Wales (twice.....)
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Congratulations!
Too many Minors so little time.....
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
big congrats with the MOT and as you say time to get it running right ready for regular school runs , well done
Kind regards
Scott
Kind regards
Scott
When you're in up over your head, the first thing to do is close your mouth.
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Nice work, $50 a month seems very expensive, what will it go done to after appraisal?
"Once you break something you will see how it was put together"
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
Thanks Marky. We don't know quite what it will be after appraisal -- it's one of those "try it and see" things. $50 is in line with our other cars, but is rather high for a classic; but keep in mind, I'm only 22 and they like to gouge the youngsters.
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
They like to gouge everyone if they can
Over here it puts the cost up a lot of you buy insurance monthly.
Over here it puts the cost up a lot of you buy insurance monthly.
"Once you break something you will see how it was put together"
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
what I saw, you were driving without license plates?
Is this allowed in the US?
A few weeks ago, in Texas, I saw also some cars without.
In the Netherlands the first police car will stop you.....
Is this allowed in the US?
A few weeks ago, in Texas, I saw also some cars without.
In the Netherlands the first police car will stop you.....
MM '51 LHD sidevalve
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- Minor Legend
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
You're allowed to drive without plates if you are driving to have the car inspected, but I drove a bit before that, which technically is not legal. But Missouri is very rural and has few police, so I got away with it.
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
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Re: An American Moggie ~ My '59 Morris Minor 1000 2-door saloon
I drove around some more today, having replaced the left-front damper with a spare (which mercifully doesn't leak hardly at all -- the old one leaked like a sieve!), having fixed the torsion bar issue (http://mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=5&t= ... 21#p485521) and having sort of fixed the engine mount issue (http://mmoc.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=6&t= ... 19#p485519). I also loosened the engine steady bar a bit, as it was shaking the car badly and may have contributed to the engine mount issue.
I'm very pleased to report that Mog is now much quieter! The torsion bar thing was causing loud clonks and rattles, and those are now gone. There are some remaining suspension rattles but they seem to be coming from the rear -- tightening those nuts is an easy job. The bonnet pull seems to be rattling in its hole in the firewall, so I'll have to cut out some rubber for that. All together, though, Mog is now very enjoyable to drive.
The oil pressure warning light starts to flicker on when the pressure gauge reads 50 psi. Surely 50 psi is quite healthy for an A-series engine. Mog runs about 70 psi when started from cold, and gets to 35-40 psi when fully hot. Is my warning light sender bad? Or do they all do this?
I'm very pleased to report that Mog is now much quieter! The torsion bar thing was causing loud clonks and rattles, and those are now gone. There are some remaining suspension rattles but they seem to be coming from the rear -- tightening those nuts is an easy job. The bonnet pull seems to be rattling in its hole in the firewall, so I'll have to cut out some rubber for that. All together, though, Mog is now very enjoyable to drive.
The oil pressure warning light starts to flicker on when the pressure gauge reads 50 psi. Surely 50 psi is quite healthy for an A-series engine. Mog runs about 70 psi when started from cold, and gets to 35-40 psi when fully hot. Is my warning light sender bad? Or do they all do this?
The way to a man's heart may be making food, but the way to my heart is buying me car parts!
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.
Come read about my Minor at An American Moggie.