mercrocker Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Been fannying about with the Volkswagen getting ready for a short, wet cold summer out and about. Usual crap - the submersible freshwater pump has used up its three-year life cycle, the various electrical bodges inside have been re-bodged for another few months and some more gaffer tape has been applied to the original front rubber floor-mat. I was underneath checking out a small but persistent oil drip and OMGHGF crystals along a head joint both of which seem no worse than last year when my hand brushed along some roughness around the OSR inner wheel arch. Bugger. Initial inspection seemed to point to peeling underseal so out came the pound-shop wire wheels and 1974 B&D. Pretty soon it was obvious that the underseal was glopped over a previous repair which has predictably come to the end of its life. I don't remember having this area attended to before so I guess the repair pre-dates my 11 year ownership. This is what I ended up staring at..... The hole is about the size of a 1p piece now that it is back to good steel. Its the bottom of the section that helpfully collects rainwater from the rear side vents, I guess the previous weldage covered up a drainage route of some kind so its just gradually rotted out the lower shelf. This view hopefully shows the overlap of the repair plus the hole in the first pic, looking up to the vent above, which should not be seen from up under the van... Which would explain this bubblage.... For now, I have just used my usual arsenal of body repair skills and equipment.... I am hoping with some probably unfounded faith that I can just get the overlap seam welded up, the hole replaced with new metal and a proper drainage restored into it somehow (or just leave the hole to provide that!) Anyhoo, its gonna wait till winter now - I lost a good four weeks a few summers ago sodding about with a jacking point which was being repaired 15 minutes before welder's wife went into maximum overdrive labour and he lost his mojo for about a fortnight.... Plenty of red oxide and chassis paint should hold it till then - luckily the van never sees salt. This is the offending vehicle - hopefully as un-dubberized as its possible to get (although I did fit an 8 ball knob courtesy of jakebullet) I will show you inside it next time (nothing worth waiting for, believe me, unless you like Auntie Flo's living room in Eastbourne just before she went into care.) Suffice to say we have curtains matching the shrubbery... Some big spendage is looming on this bugger, though, new engine and that welding plus all the interior soft furnishings need replacing as they are getting pretty threadbare. Going to just ease it through the summer - it rarely clocks up more than 5000 miles as we fortunately live near by many of the things we use it for, beach and forest chilling out after work and the occasional run up North. What else can we look at today? Mrs Rocker has gone out in the Merc - that will be the next OMG prodding subject - the Minor is away up the lockup with the Fiesta so it just leaves this gratuitous pic... Covered in shitehawk plop from being used for work all week. This is the rear wheel arch skillfully rebuilt by the geezers who did Dan's Capri. They used a Mk1 Transit panel which is the approved substitute for these Morrises but which does need quite a bit of work to look this good.... The old one was a lot worse than this front which will need doing at some point in the near future... They also made a very nice job of the front passenger door which was the frilliest of all the somewhat lacy doors. It wasn't cheap though, so the rest will have to wait a bit longer. All my vehicles get used - apart from the W-reg Fiesta WBoD I don't possess a "modern" but still expect to be able to do tip runs, go to work, on holiday and rarely clean anything so no apologies for the state of them. They do run up a fair bit of expenditure but I like to get my pound of flesh between each big bill! More next time. Angrydicky, Split_Pin, Dirk Diggler and 24 others 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Loving the Cowley and the T25 - top shiteing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickman Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 About time for a proper fleet introduction. I wish my camper was only that rusty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 I hope mine is.....! Tickman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanky Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Ah, the T25 is the only part of your fleet I'd not yet been introduced to. looks in good shape bar the speed/drainage hole! The Cowley is really nice, my daughter still talks about it from when you came and picked that gearbox up and she saw you driving away! I also like the tactical placement of the Vactan bottle in pic #4 Asimo and mercrocker 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squire_Dawson Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Good stuff - about time we had some fleet news! Impressive repairs. Bastards here keep heavily gritting the roads but with any luck some of my chod should be pressed back into service next week. mercrocker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthecapriman Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 Lovely motors! That Cowley though... drool! They did do a lovely job of that arch didn’t they. I’d never of guessed it was a modified Transit arch. Can’t wait to see more. mercrocker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hooli Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 Oof that Cowley is a thing of beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted April 24, 2018 Author Share Posted April 24, 2018 Had a dig at some rust today on the Minor. Wish I hadn't.... This is the rear wing join leading down to the end of the sill and base of the C pillar. As mentioned elsewhere the car has had 4 new heritage wings over my ownership. I suspect that the restorer* who did this for me glued this one on. There is hardly anything left of the flange, I dread to think what's gone on underneath. The apex of the inner wing area directly beneath the edge of the rear window is apparently AN SOD to repair. Why do I always discover these things the day after filling the tank? Ah, well bugger it... To be continued. HillmanImp, Sigmund Fraud, Stanky and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Wonder if I can take a welder on as hand luggage.. mercrocker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickman Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 That is a nasty spot to repair, my first Minor was a 4 door and went near there. It got welded but not by me, this was about 25 years ago before I had access to a welder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted April 24, 2018 Author Share Posted April 24, 2018 Aye, its not going to be cheap.....It's up the barn now, sulking. Initial plan is to whip all 4 wings off and the sill covers, gut the interior and see what I am up against. It's a gnat's cock from needing an engine rebuild too. Think this is going to be my retirement project..... Squire_Dawson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbenn Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Lovely fleet you have there, the Cowley is a beaut. Shame about the Minor rot. Mine had work in that area a few years ago. I had no input into it, other than waving a screwdriver around, but I seem to remember it took the guy a bit of work to sort. Top marks on using matching tape while it awaits repair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillmanImp Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Shame about the Minor rot. I'd say that was some major rot. mrbenn and mercrocker 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squire_Dawson Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 At these panel joints I apply Denso tape over the flange because there's always rust traps with bolt-on panels. Once repaired it will be good for many years, I suspect the 'restorer' wasn't too fastidious about preparation. And that's some good period running repair! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted April 24, 2018 Author Share Posted April 24, 2018 At these panel joints I apply Denso tape over the flange because there's always rust traps with bolt-on panels. Once repaired it will be good for many years, I suspect the 'restorer' wasn't too fastidious about preparation. And that's some good period running repair! This is what has pissed me off....no doubt he did weld it up properly but without decent prep and proper rustproofing afterwards I was wasting my money. I have religiously scraped, painted and rustproofed this car for 14 years but nothing that would have prevented rot in this metal-to-metal area. It will live again, too much money and emotion tied up in this car - it was our wedding car and we have had caravan holidays, rock and roll weekenders and all kinds of fun with it. Its also got me to work every day for much of that time..... Squire_Dawson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickman Posted April 24, 2018 Share Posted April 24, 2018 Aye, its not going to be cheap.....It's up the barn now, sulking. Initial plan is to whip all 4 wings off and the sill covers, gut the interior and see what I am up against. It's a gnat's cock from needing an engine rebuild too. Think this is going to be my retirement project..... I have pressed the unlike button for you. As you say though it has done you well over quite a few years and will again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 Right, its bleedin' hot today and I am not in the mood for much fettling. I woke up quite up for it, failed to sort out a slight brake imbalance on the Cowley - going to get some new adjusters and try again. It is not bad, just not right - one wheel a bit warmer than t'other at back. Spin fine, pull up fine, both wheels lock at the same time with the car in the air on both hand and footbrake. The handbrake isn't like the Minor - its compensated so only one cable adjustment. Anyhoo that can wait for now. Soon after I started sorting out the job, a shelf fell out of Mrs Rocker's cake-making cupboard - luckily the Kenwood mixer was already out but fixing that took another hour. So, fuck it - smol job time. One of the bugbears of the Cowley is I cannot lock it the driver's door. I bought another handle which didn't work smoothly. I tried swapping all the guts around to no avail. Then I remembered a box of finest shiney monkey shite from that there India that I ordered months ago. In the box was a new filler cap, new door hand, new boot handle all with a common key. First up, the filler cap. Fucking ugly, sticks up like a monk's bell-end and no way that is going on my car - Anyway, I had since found out that MGA ones fit - OK they don't lock but then again they probably won't seize up locked either. Looks cool - little lift tab and nice finish - Which is more than can be said for the surrounding paintwork... Ok, what about the boot handle.....Bit shit really, its already pitted and they must have modified the Myfriendstan ones to fit behind the inner latch like on a Minor. Fucking pain, I am not wrestling with that so I will keep the one that's one there - it locks but is apt to spin round upon lifting the lid which has only caught me once. Once only. See... Let's hope the door handle is OK, then. Now, first of all a quick reference guide. Wasting hours, probably years, of my life at car boot sales does occasionally pay off... But the handle is crap too....They are supposed to have a sprung ball in the anchorage. Not a hole.... The ball bearing is sprung against this cup affixed to the door , this locates the handle which is otherwise only held on with one screw through the door which nestles behind the door seal So, I took all three handles apart, used the best of each and finally have a working, locking handle. Only Indian bit is the actual lock which to be fair does not look too bad a quality. It's all on the floor because like a proper Indian, that's where I work. Nah, its just easier to pick up flying spring-loaded screws when you are already down there! Job jobbed, door actually shuts and opens a lot easier now - I took time to adjust the length of the bolt that pushes against the inner door latch which promotes smooth operation. One more job, off to the locksmith down town for a new key. I don't trust this fucker... I am cooking tonight, as well, as Mrs Rocker has been baking-for-profit all day. Looks like I better go and cool these down... Squire_Dawson, dave21478, Sigmund Fraud and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbenn Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Nice works on the door lock. Looks a bit of a faff but well worth the effort! And that tip about working on the floor is genius. I can spend ages searching for that critical part I always seem to drop when working on the car. mercrocker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 So there is a ball bearing that should go into the handle to force the end against the ring... #mystery solved! Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tickman Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 So there is a ball bearing that should go into the handle to force the end against the ring... #mystery solved! Thank you I was just about to draw your attention to that! 320touring 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bezzabsa Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 Nice cowley.. how much are the hindustan thingies??? and can you still buy them here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 If you mean the actual cars, Fullbore Motors packed up long before HM stopped making Ambassadors, parts you can still get (from India) but quality is questionable and decades of "development" have meant they mostly bear little resemblance to actual Morris parts. Most of the Ambies I know about are now in worse condition than unrestored Cowleys and Oxfords! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bezzabsa Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 remember Top gear (i think) doing a spot on them...seemed a good intro to 'classics' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 I think they probably may have been at one time. Unfortunately buying now gives you the same headaches as a British Morris, an Isuzu engine that is a lot harder to get parts for than a B series and usually a horrid dash! I do however sometimes wonder about updating an Oxford or Cowley with, say, an MX5 engine and disc brakes. If the steering and suspension are in good order it doesn't really need upgrading, just decent tyres. You would then have something approaching a retro-styled highly useable car although you never heard me say any of this! eddyramrod and Squire_Dawson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squire_Dawson Posted May 22, 2018 Share Posted May 22, 2018 No need - trade up to a Morris Isis. 6 cylinder C Series with all the potential that implies. mercrocker 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted May 22, 2018 Author Share Posted May 22, 2018 You don't get the rack-and-pinion on those, though! Squire_Dawson 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 I don't mention my 190E much on here, partly cos Merc but mainly because its Mrs Rocker's daily and I hardly ever see it.....However, we have done a couple of longish runs in the past couple of weeks - Southampton to Lowestoft and Southampton - Skegness which has reacquainted me with it. First thing I noticed was the increasing wear on the front tyres - why do women do everything full-lock to full-lock and whilst stationary?! There was a slight tremor through the wheel, too, indicating balance was less than perfect. So today I scored 2 Goodyears for £60 each fitted and celebrated by giving the car a two-bucket wrong'un. The wheel is rock-steady now and the car noticeably tracks better so I wish I had done the tyres before the two trips away, never mind.... Whether you like Mercs or not, here it is anyway.... One of my mates who has no interest in cars except to sign the lease on a new Ford every year remarked that it looked in good condition for an '08 plate! Which leads me on to one of the reasons I bought this car - the local (Bournemouth) registration. It actually came from Majestic Garages down there which recently closed down - really kicking myself for not doing the supplying-dealer photo-shoot thing. Under the ownership of saddler and equine supplier Peter Vincent in Newbury the car was PTV7 for a number of years but is now back on its original reg. Other reasons I chose this car over the dozen others I looked at.... Windy Millers all round.... Compulsory transmission on one of these (along with petrol injection) Keine hinter kopfstutzen! Or in English - Hindrance to Reversy-backward going. Jobs needing attention shortly.... Some rust......(its been treated a couple of times but I need to do it properly soon!) A dent. Which some gruntfuttock did and fucked off... Early bolster wear warning..... Basically, I have had this for about 7 or 8 years now, got it with just over 60K, now up to 122K and although it gets a monkey spent on it every year (bit more a couple of years back with the cylinder head overhaul) it remains one of my favourite cars and, to me, the pinnacle of automotive quality. Yeah, bit controversial that, but in a perfect equalitarian society - this is how Cortinas should have been built, and remained being built. I have always liked Mercs, even as a kid. My Grandad was a P6 man and I loved those too. The W201s remind me of those Rovers - compact, well-built (in most cases), advanced for their time without being avant-garde and comfortable without being luxurious. Like the P6 rear seating is very compromised but as a two-person car (as well as a daily for the Missus) its all we need! It even sounds like a P6 four-pot.... I hope to be driving this until I unplug my E-licence of the future - or at least one like it. Tickman, BorniteIdentity, Amishtat and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BorniteIdentity Posted July 31, 2018 Share Posted July 31, 2018 Ooh, lovely to see this for the first time! My 201 is even more spartan than yours; not being afforded Einspritzung or Automatisch Übertragung. I bloody love their simplicity - particularly the one I have now over its lavishly appointed predecessor. Oh, and it’ll do 40mpg brim to brim because of the tall gearing. Here’s mine which got a quick wipe over on Saturday. Keep on rockin’ Squire_Dawson and mercrocker 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercrocker Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share Posted July 31, 2018 That looks nice! Good work on the fuel consumption, too! Part of £500 maintenance this year was a new set of injectors which has seen my touring consumption back up in the high 30s. The boxes on the autos have a S and E setting which seems to do little except hold the elusive first ratio a bit longer when booted. I always laugh when I see them referred to as "switchable" autos in Ebay ads and the like... BorniteIdentity 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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