Another project. CRAPPY MINOR.

[Lankytim]

Jon Cedric got hold of that and ended up keeping it in exchange for welding my Allegro up, which is going to get it's own thread soon.

 

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[seth]

Brilliant work Lanky! 

[Lankytim]

Yep, they put A and B prefixes on, then 'age related' ones (which were usually something like HSU, I think) that couldn't be sold on. Is it worth lobbing a 1098 in to it, Tim, or not worth it for the extra 'power'?

I do have a spare 1098 but apparently the 849cc box won't last long with the extra oomph.

 

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[Taff]

For the indicators you might want to look at how American cars did theirs - the sidelights had dual filament bulbs like a stop and tail light and a special relay and switch would make them flash.  On the rear it would look like the brake light was flashing and worked when the brake lights were on too.

 

1961 VWs had the same but the indicator switch had some fiendish internal wiring to make it work.  But it would give the best mix of flashing lights and not having to put later lights on the bodywork.

 

you can get a control box which is a doddle to wire up, sits nicely out of site and does exactly this with your rear lights. And the day after you fit it, some mouth-breathing bell end will drive up your arse and tell you "your right hand brake light was flashing, mate". non-classic drivers can be stupid cunts sometimes.

 

I know it's not original but I would be tempted to go for the later rear lights with the amber indicator, if only to stop some hoop hitting you. Two od my yanks have had dickheads drive into them; while I know it's unusual to see a flashing red light on one side of a car in this country, apparently it's not unusual enough to prompt them to slow down enough to avoid hitting you

[I_am_Diesel]

Breaking into the garage, vandalising the car and trying to torch it ............kids can be right arse holes.

[Tickman]

I do have a spare 1098 but apparently the 849cc box won't last long with the extra oomph.

 

 

Does it have the smooth case box 'then, as long as you are not doing too many drag race starts you should be fine.

Not like Minor gearboxes are difficult to find either.

[Lankytim]

I haven't checked but yes, it will do. I'd love to stick a 5 speed box in with a larger engine of some sort but that can wait.

 

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[chaseracer]

Your neighbours must love you! 

 

 

 

BTW, I have XM doors & tailgate in the right colour, should you have need...

[vulgalour]

BTW, I have XM doors & tailgate in the right colour, should you have need...

Didn't realise they were straight swap for the Minor.

[Cavcraft]

I haven't checked but yes, it will do. I'd love to stick a 5 speed box in with a larger engine of some sort but that can wait.

 

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PLEASE bum rape a Marina 1.8 for the mechanics.

[Lankytim]

A Marina has already been bummed for it's front brakes, so presumably that particular Marina died soon after.

 

Chaseracer, I may have need as every panel on my XM has a dent somewhere. 

[chaseracer]

Chaseracer, I may have need as every panel on my XM has a dent somewhere. 

 

Excellent.  I'm not very far from you.

[Split_Pin]

Love this thread, old Minors are grand, especially because of what Hirst mentioned😎

[DeeJay]

You've got to leave the old A-Series in it, what's the point of a Minor if it doesn't drive around sounding like a flatulent old woman?

Do the engine change and drive around with my wife in the boot. 

Sorted.

[Lankytim]

My pal has a 1500cc Nissan A series engine, which is apparently a clone of the Austin A series... could it be a straight swap I wonder?

 

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[sloth]

theres a guy here that fits the datsun a14/15 range of engines and boxes into minors. it makes them a nice thing. 

[jonny69]

I have no idea what's going on now, other than you seem to acquire and chop up a fair number of crusty old Minors.

[dollywobbler]

Brilliant.

[Lankytim]

I have no idea what's going on now, other than you seem to acquire and chop up a fair number of crusty old Minors.

Just the one, the other had already been chopped up..

 

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[Lankytim]

UPDATEZ

 

This crock is being fettled and taken to bits. The fire damage has all been taken back to bare metal along with the floorpan. Good news is there isn't much more rust. The floor under the pedals still needs patching and the passenger rear floorpan has the odd pinhole but it's generally mega solid, there's even some brazed repairs!

 

 

 

I've taken the rear wings off for access to repair the rear of the boot floor and rear panel and predictably there's some grot where the wings bolt on. It's been repaired where it's accessible inside the boot, but the areas behind the rear quarter panels have a few holes, but again it's mint for a minor. 

 

The rear inner wings were absolutely covered with fibreglass inside the boot, which got my blood pressure rising but when the rear wings were removed I found that the inners has been repaired properly (i.e gas-welded patches) and for some reason glassed over on the inside. weird eh? 

 

 

 

 

The driver's door is being replaced with a better one. I've got to the point now where 75% of the car is going to need paint so i;m seriously considering a colour change while the interior and windows are all out, I don't really like the grey colour and think a nice bright colour would go well with the black leather interior I've got. Yellow? Orange? Any ideas?

 

The rear bumper is being deleted as I like the smooth bum look on these earlier Minors with the small rear lights. Plus the rear bumper wasn't very straight. Not sure weather to keep the front or not. 

[mercrocker]

Highway Yellow perhaps?  A briefly offered colour choice for Minors (nothing as Gritter shaded as you would think from the name...).   Further to the indicator/trafficator malarkey I am running the Cowley with giffer-added orange flashers from the 1970s and the original trafficators to which I have fitted flashing LEDS.   The LEDS flash inherently - same electrical feed as original.   Everything is wired up to the original switch, the dash tell-tale works etc.   I think flashing trafficators are quite well noticed these days - helped by great fat door mirror repeaters and people are quite hip to seeing indicators halfway up the side of the car.   Like what you are doing with that Minor - was rather hoping it stayed multi-hued as you don't see Minors or anything 60s for that matter in that kind of used state these days.  Cant blame you for wanting it all one colour, though.

 

I did this to mine but some folk confuse it with primer -

 

 

 

[Tickman]

If you are keeping the front bumper just loosing the over riders make a surprisingly big difference to the look.

 

John

[Lankytim]

I did think of that, losing the front bumper completely looks a bit odd as the wings finish higher than the front panel. removing the overriders is a good look .

 

Changing the colour may just break the bank though...I have all these ideas on what I want to do but ultimately the budget will decide what happens. OMG RAT L00K has a charm of it's own, as long as it's real and not fake.  

[mercrocker]

I ran mine without a bumper or valence at the back for a while but that was just because the bloody towbar didn't fit properly....Never liked the over riders.   Mine has fibreglass valences.   Totally agree that bumperless rear only really works with early rear lights (and no towbar) but front end is messy without them.   What about sourcing some slim rear over riders and mounting them on fabricated bracketry using the original rear bumper irons but without a horizontal bar of any kind....

[KruJoe]

As a recent convert to a bright yellow little car, I can confirm that such a colour REALLY makes a difference as to how well people notice you out on the road. Other drivers steer well clear, so may be a factor in deciding what to do about flashers too.

I can't speak for orange (ask Capsule_Boy about that one), but yellow works well.

[DSdriver]

As a recent convert to a bright yellow little car, I can confirm that such a colour REALLY makes a difference as to how well people notice you out on the road. Other drivers steer well clear, so may be a factor in deciding what to do about flashers too.

I can't speak for orange (ask Capsule_Boy about that one), but yellow works well.

I can vouch for that, a mate of mine had a bright yellow minor in 1968 or 9. It had no bumpers and not much in the way of brakes apart from a really good handbrake which was primary stopping power. It also had a stage 2 head which, when it died, was donated to my 803cc Austin A30.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

What became of this?

[Lankytim]

I had issues at home and sold a load of my cars, this included. The guy who was restoring it bought it off me. TBH I regret getting too ambitions with all the work, I should’ve just done the bare minimum to get it back on the road and just enjoyed it.

 

The Minors present state is a rolling shell fitted with Slot mag alloys. The front chassis needed replacing along with a few other crucial pieces. Fibreglass and underseal have much to answer for!