Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

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craigb
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Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by craigb »

Hi everyone

I don't currently own a Morris and yet I find myself breaking the golden rule and restoring a car that I didn't dismantle! I will though be restoring this early '49 tourer SMM2927 as if it was my own and I need to do it as fast as I can.

The long story is one of my best mates of nearly 50 yrs now has an inoperable brain tumour. We don't know how long he has and it is like 'the real Dave' is gone already with his short term memory totally gone and his mind having trouble focusing on pretty much anything anymore. His business was mainly building and maintaining a number of race cars but he had also taken on the restoration of a 1949 low light Morris Minor convertible for another school friend of ours. The car was her fathers who died before he could complete the restoration and she just wants to finish that and keep that memory or her Dad. She has been stuffed about by various cowboys over the years before Dave agreed to take it on and do it properly, until he got cancer.

At first i was just helping by trying to organise a company to take it on but after some scary quotes and me worrying that this whole cycle could just continue, I have decided to take it on. Somewhere in my head is that there was this mess that Dave had got on track to fix things and if i can finish it off and to that standard it becomes a good memory and honours his work, something finally 'fixed' rather than a bad memory and in all this mess it never gets fixed. It will be good for me too, with another close friend in hospital now looking like the end to a 14 year fight with cancer and I need to do something positive!

I started with the shell sitting up on a rotisserie after having a top level black spray job. I have space issues myself and the car needs to get back on its wheels to be shifted safely anyway, so I am full steam ahead! A number of parts have been missing but I have now worked my way through most of it and nearly to the point of it back on wheels with Motor to go in very soon.

I do have a soft spot for Morries - Early memories of my aunties 1000 called Matilda and always loved that distinctive exhaust note - my first car was a 1960 Series 5 Oxford, had a couple of minis, A 60, fond memories of mates cars.... not so fond too being in a rolled Minor!.... My only current connection is an Adelaide built 1964 Bacchus clubman with B series MGA motor, Major gearbox and diff.. google it if interested!

Thanks for all the help so far. I keep finding very specific things on this early car but so far all the answers i have found here.

Craig Baulderstone
diff in, rear guards on - back on wheels!
diff in, rear guards on - back on wheels!
DSCN2275.JPG (1.13 MiB) Viewed 3051 times
brake and fuel lines in
brake and fuel lines in
DSCN2278.JPG (1.17 MiB) Viewed 3053 times
Front suspension and brakes nearly there!
Front suspension and brakes nearly there!
DSCN2279.JPG (1.14 MiB) Viewed 3053 times
philthehill
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by philthehill »


DAVIDMCCULLOUGH
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by DAVIDMCCULLOUGH »

Looking great, well done!!!


Too many Minors so little time.....
craigb
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by craigb »

Just a quick snap of a bit more progress. Rear drums and shoes were machined wrong and had to have a bit more trimmed off the shoes, otherwise would be sitting back on wheels. Panels all on now and seem to line up pretty well but as it happens, of course the new door seals i had sent are the wrong length - no doubt for a 4 door and a bit short! Unfortunately my mate Dave passed away on Thursday, but after 6 months of brain cancer there is also some relief in the end of suffering. He was the best mate you could wish for and was lucky to have known him for 50 years - He died 2 days before his 55th birthday. Now it makes sense to move the car to my place and that should happen in the next week when hopefully I will have my drivers licence back....... after I had a stroke 29/6 but so so lucky to have been in the right place and my wife being very quick to get onto an ambulance -within an hour I was in hospital, having been through a CT scan that spotted the clot and having clot dissolving drugs pumped into me. Different stroke to the classic I learnt about in first aid - no physical effects and even my words not slurred, just that the words i was saying made no sense to my wife - the clot was in my parietal lobe. Since then they think they have found a small hole in my heart, probably from birth, and that would explain why a fit 55yo with perfect blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol etc has a stroke - but just as I hate a car with intermittent faults you cant pin down, I am glad they found something and apparently fairly easily fixed. Wednesday they will do an ehocardiogram via my throat that will give a better look at my heart and they will make plans from there. I have so far made pretty much a full recovery and feeling very lucky to be alive! Need to press on now and get things like this Morrie done and hopefully still in time for the owner to make the Bay to Birdwood here..... but time is getting closer!
morris 29 7 18.JPG
morris 29 7 18.JPG (1.94 MiB) Viewed 2880 times
DAVIDMCCULLOUGH
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Location: Whiteabbey, Co Antrim
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by DAVIDMCCULLOUGH »

Craig, so very sorry for the loss of your friend.

Sounds like you have also had a bad time. The old saying your health is your wealth is very true. Wishing you continued good health and hoping to see that car out motoring again soon!!


Too many Minors so little time.....
craigb
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by craigb »

Couple more progress shots taken a few days ago - bumpers went on last night and have the dash panels back from paint so more photos later. None of it has been straight forward either from different parts of the early cars or just simply finding the right screws and bolts when you inherit a car in pieces with nothing marked and all sorts of bits missing. I have had a lot of trouble making it all fit though - between grit blasting panels, then the painter apparently had a lot of trouble getting it all straight to paint but clearly he didn't bolt panels up and check fit after he did his panel work. Its hard bending panels and making them fit after they have been painted but I think i am finally there. Putting the photos up I am just disappointed looking at those front sidelight/indicators. Once again i picked up on the car in painted form and instead of filling the holes from previous indicators, they just painted as is. Not really left with a choice so just fitted something that will cover it. Owner is not that fussed and that is most important - I just like that smooth front without them. Also I have the original lights with sidelight globe but they are very old and need rebuilding. Keeping costs down for the owner i just fitted the sealed beams off the spare car and wired the sidelights into the indicators. For the rear I have a couple of small indicators i will hang under the rear bumper.

My workshop not quite the Taj Mahal of workshops in the earlier photos!
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DSCN2407.JPG (1.12 MiB) Viewed 2675 times
don58van
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by don58van »

Fantastic work Craig!

Don
irmscher
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by irmscher »

Well done Craig the restoration you are doing is a credit to you :)
DAVIDMCCULLOUGH
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by DAVIDMCCULLOUGH »

Great work!! Nearly there. :D


Too many Minors so little time.....
craigb
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Re: Early '49 Tourer - Adelaide

Post by craigb »

Getting close now.......
Where is that knock.... with my trusty helper!
Where is that knock.... with my trusty helper!
Morris front.jpg (423.8 KiB) Viewed 2313 times
missing window frame still, waiting for winder
missing window frame still, waiting for winder
Morris side.jpg (420.44 KiB) Viewed 2313 times
Morris rear.jpg
Morris rear.jpg (446.49 KiB) Viewed 2313 times
Morris dash.jpg
Morris dash.jpg (216.65 KiB) Viewed 2313 times
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