Project 'Needs Minor work' - dull old British car nonsense

[barrett]

A few weeks ago I went over to my friend Ray's house to oversee a photo shoot with one of his cars. Ray is something of a character, in the best possible way. He is an expert in conservation, and used to work at the Brighton Pavilion in that capacity. He lives in fabulous, semi-rural location in an old cottage surrounded by 'ancient' outbuildings which he has mostly constructed himself over the last 30-odd years out of scraps of building material. He also has a great little collection of scruffy old cars - a Riley Nine, a 1930 Standard Nine, a Vintage Humber, an Edwardian electric car and this fantastic 1922 Albert G3 Sports Model, which is the car I was interested in that day. Ray is quite a private chap so no photos of his set-up, but trust me, it's totally idyllic. The cars are all tucked away in rickety wooden sheds covered in ivy and they all look pretty much ready to expire, except in fact they are fastidiously maintained but kept very much Oily Rag cosmetically.

 

Ray spent the first 30 or so years of his life driving exclusively prewar cars. Eventually, with two young children in tow, he capitulated and splashed out on a modern car - a Morris Minor Van. This was replaced shortly thereafter by a Traveller - this was the late 1970s, I'd guess. The Traveller was never replaced, and has been his 'modern' car ever since. Him and his wife use it almost daily for all duties. They've never really seen the point in 'upgrading' when it does everything they need. 

 

When Ray's Daughter was 17 she was learning to drive, and wanted a car. Quite by chance Ray heard of a Morris Minor four-door for sale locally and went to investigate. It was being sold by its first owner, an elderly lady who had been William Morris's secretary. The Minor had been her daily driver since 1965, but on her retirement she had been giftted a brand new Minor, one of the last made, which had been in dry storage ever since. She was about to start using her 'new' Minor after some years and no longer had any use for her '65 car. Ray bought it, took it home and it became his daughter's first car. She used it every day, going all over the place and racking up the miles. Once a year, Ray undertook a program of preservation on the car - pouring oil into all the box sections and chassis legs, into the sills etc, greasing the trunions, cleaning the underside and generally making sure it was in fine, safe fettle. Like with his Vintage cars, he didn't much bother with the non-structural or cosmetic side, preferring to let things mature naturally and patching up when it was needed.

 

Flash forward several years, and Ray's daughter is starting a family of her own. She can't put car seats in the Minor so, like her dad did, she gives in and buys a 'modern'. The Minor is put on blocks on Ray's drive and covered over with a tarp. Where it sat for five years until I noticed its familiar bulbous shape on my visit. Oh dear.

 

I didn't want a Morris Minor. I didn't actually want any car, especially not one that would need a load of recomissioning work. I've actually been enjoying driving round in the 404, which is now functioning as 'a car' for the first time, and there is a big queue of projects waiting in the wings. Then again, I really missed having a scruffy old car for daily-driver duties in good weather. I really don't need a modern car for commuting duties, but I've gone a bit soft over the last couple of years because blasting up the A23 instead of travelling the back lanes means I can stay in bed an extra 15 minutes or whatever. Not really the sort of image I should be projecting.

 

I couldn't, however, get the idea of this Minor out of my mind, so yesterday I popped over to have an actual look. I'd already decided to buy it, assuming I could afford it, but I thought I should poke about a bit first. This is the scene which greeted me - Ray's daily driver on the right

 

Underneath, as one might expect, it is remarkably sound. Ray put in a new cross member a few years ago and the spring hangars have been welded up to a very good standard. I couldn't honestly find anything seriously wrong with it underneath. He fired it up - running off a slave can as the tank has been empty for a while - and it sounded sweet and lively. Ray reckons it'll need new rings soon as it eats a lot of oil, but it's not smoky in the slightest. Over a very civilised cup of tea and bit of shortbread in the garden (temp was in the high 20s yesterday) we shook on the deal. He's happy for it to go to a good home and he knows I won't bugger about with the way it looks too much, and let it go for a reasonable price - especially considering what totally rotten 'project' cars go for on ebay. I think we were both quite chuffed.

 

Anyway, today we popped over with the trailer and loaded it up. The whole process took all flippin' day because we were just standing around nattering about nothing in particular. It's so much nicer to buy a car from a friend! We eventually got back to the Big Shed and unloaded it. The car was absolutely filthy and has no brakes, plus all the tyres are toast. I spent ages giving it a scrub and hoovering out the interior, which was full of mouse droppings and whatnot. Here it is post-wash. Edison is unsure what to make of it.

 

So, what now? I haven't had an old British car for ages and tbh I am totally clueless about these things. I'll order a set of tyres tomorrow and then a mate is coming over on Thursday to help me investigate the brakes. Hopefully it'll be a couple of new cylinders at worst, but even a brand new master cylinder on these things is only like £100. Although it had a big service just before it was laid-up (including a new clutch) It's probably prudent to do oil/filter and air filter etc before going out in it. Lots of odds and sods don't want to work - one sidelight, one indicator, and the bonnet won't stay shut. I'm sure problems will become evident with a bit of use, but I am hoping for a 'lightest possible touch' deal here. The body it utterly disreputable - it's the nastiest looking Minor I've seen for a long time. The door bottoms - and several other bits - are sculpted out of pure wob. I feel like it would be a shame to change any of this too much. When we were looking at it yesterday I realised it looked just like the Minors I remember from childhood, back in the '80s when there was still one on every street being driven daily. That was when I was first discovering cars, even before I could talk, and I loved anything obviously 'old' - these would have been the most common old car around and, I suppose, quite formative in their own way. Ray said he felt just the same about the Vintage cars he would see in his childhood in the '40s and '50s, which is why he drives a scruffy old Riley Nine.

 

 

The extent of the pog is evident in that mirror! I have carefully cleaned around the larger of the snails and will attempt to preserve it for as long as I can.

 

I'm really looking forward to blezzing about in this old heap. Hopefully I'll be able to get it up and running before summer is over. I suspect my opinion might change after the fourth or fifth inevitable breakdown, but even a thicko like me can (hopefully) get his head around how a Morris Minor works. I just hope I can do its previous owners justice. As we were leaving, with the car strapped down on the trailer ready to start its new life, Ray looked a bit wistful. "If you ever decide to sell it," he said, "Please can I have first refusal? This is the first car I've sold since 1983..."

 

[forddeliveryboy]

This captures so well the hidden side of the old car carry-on, those who have such fine abilities and appreciation of this world they understand the rightful pecking-order where money comes a long way down, if not quite at the very bottom.

 

Good pics, too.

[trigger]

That has such great potential, It's going to look such at home on the streets of Brighton.

 

 

I got to take this one out for a drive on Friday, the oldest car I've ever driven and the first car I've driven a car on cross plys!, This ones got a 948cc and still felt pretty slow so god knows how a 803cc must feel, It was a lovely little thing to drive (slowly) though, I can see why, 70 years after first release they are still a popular classic car.

[Cavcraft]

Great story and well bought. They are actually really reliable cars and simple to maintain mechanically, so all being well you won't have any big problems in that department.

[loserone]

Shouldn't this be in the Moderns section? Mods!

 

Horrible looking car, I bet it's charm wins you over from 10 feet though. Even under a CPT

[skoda_fan]

If it weren't for the photos that would sound like a made-up story. Great stuff. Have fun with it. (Do not paint* etc).

[mercrocker]

That is lovely.   I hope you reach the Nirvana of long-term Minor ownership.  Its like having a faithful dog that never has to be put to sleep.   Mine is now in its second week of structural repairs 40 miles away and I am missing it.     

 

One of the bits of blurb that Charlie Ware (another saviour of the architectural as well as mechanical) used to sell his services with was "The Durable Car".   His point was that whilst the Minor is not intrinsically or materially more durable than any other mass-produced mid-century British tin their sheer usefulness and "fixability" which made them attractive to buyers long after they were fashionable.   It's these qualities which make them such a good choice today, especially if like me you just want to buck the trend and have a daily which owes nothing to modern values but everything to days when you paid good money for a quality product that was right for the job and would remain so for as long as you wanted to keep looking after it.

 

Enjoy it and take advantage of the Minor forums too - there is a wealth of information on them from all over the world.   

[AMC Rebel]

I remember the Charles Ware "durable car" - I am sure it was even in the newspapers at the time.  He included calculations to show that despite poorer fuel economy etc and allowing for replacement of large sections of rusty body, they were cheaper to run than an equivalent new car.

 

Edit - it's on their website and there's even a book!

 

https://www.morrisminor.org.uk/55-durable-car-ownership

[lesapandre]

That is lovely.   I hope you reach the Nirvana of long-term Minor ownership.  Its like having a faithful dog that never has to be put to sleep.   Mine is now in its second week of structural repairs 40 miles away and I am missing it.     

 

One of the bits of blurb that Charlie Ware (another saviour of the architectural as well as mechanical) used to sell his services with was "The Durable Car".   His point was that whilst the Minor is not intrinsically or materially more durable than any other mass-produced mid-century British tin their sheer usefulness and "fixability" which made them attractive to buyers long after they were fashionable.   It's these qualities which make them such a good choice today, especially if like me you just want to buck the trend and have a daily which owes nothing to modern values but everything to days when you paid good money for a quality product that was right for the job and would remain so for as long as you wanted to keep looking after it.

 

Enjoy it and take advantage of the Minor forums too - there is a wealth of information on them from all over the world.   

He was manufacturing parts in Sri Lanka I recall. Does that still happen? He could almost manufacture a new car. CW died a few years ago - I still have one of his catalogues somewhere.

[wuvvum]

That has such great potential, It's going to look such at home on the streets of Brighton.

 

35988512_2044019919183144_7927531866226163712_o.jpg

 

I got to take this one out for a drive on Friday, the oldest car I've ever driven and the first car I've driven a car on cross plys!, This ones got a 948cc and still felt pretty slow so god knows how a 803cc must feel, It was a lovely little thing to drive (slowly) though, I can see why, 70 years after first release they are still a popular classic car.

Glad you enjoyed your drive of the Moggy - it did look nice.  948cc cars are indeed slow - the later 1098cc Minors are much more usable in modern traffic.  I even overtook a few people in mine.

[Squire_Dawson]

A late 948 has ample power as they had the benefit of the later distributors and carburettor which were great improvements on the earlier examples, though there was nothing really wrong with them. But the carburettors especially were an improvement and essentially 'maintenance free' apart from topping up the oil when needed. The 948 is said to be the smoothest and quietest of all the A Series engines. From my experience, Thousands are 50 MPH cruisers and rather loud inside but will go faster if needed - you will thoroughly enjoy exploiting their capabilities on A and B roads.

[dougiefourspeed]

He was manufacturing parts in Sri Lanka I recall. Does that still happen? He could almost manufacture a new car. CW died a few years ago - I still have one of his catalogues somewhere.

They were but knocked it on the head a while ago. Basically because it worked out cheaper/easier to buy from the considerable number of people who were already manufacturing Minor bits in Sri Lanka.

 

Top purchasing Mr Barrett. Your pal sounds like a good egg. Looking forward to seeing where you go with this one.

[Zelandeth]

Love the story and the car looks a cracker.

 

Love the dog named being named Edison as well - here's our fluffy idiot, Tesla.

 

I've nearly bought several Morris Minors over the years, nearly as many as MGBs...however have never actually bought one of either yet.

 

Thought this year might be the year...then the Invacars happened.

 

Really do need to at least get a proper shot of one someday.

[garethj]

Decades ago I had a 1967 "Minor 1000" which was 1100cc.  It still had the farting trombone exhaust note of other Minors but a bit more pep.  At the same time I had a VW Beetle and it was interesting to compare the two; the Volkswagen would cruise happily at 60mph while the Morris sounded like it needed another gear at 25mph when you were already in fourth.

 

However as they knew back in the 15th century, comparisons are odious so driving the Minor as it feels right to be driven is a very pleasant experience.  Perfect for popping into St Mary Mead to pick up Miss Marple and sort out that body in the fucking library.

[lesapandre]

They were but knocked it on the head a while ago. Basically because it worked out cheaper/easier to buy from the considerable number of people who were already manufacturing Minor bits in Sri Lanka.

 

Top purchasing Mr Barrett. Your pal sounds like a good egg. Looking forward to seeing where you go with this one.

I see the Charles Ware operation is still going...moved from Bath to Bristol.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=morris+minor+centre+bath&oq=morris+minor+centre+bath&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.10182j1j7&client=ms-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:5329517592330422445,rc_q:Charles%2520Ware's%2520Morris%2520Minor%2520Centre%2520Ltd,ru_q:Charles%2520Ware's%2520Morris%2520Minor%2520Centre%2520Ltd

[RoadworkUK]

It's well worth having a Minor in any good car collection for the exhaust blart on overrun alone.

[Tetleysmooth]

Nothing at all to do with this thread really, but a far distant memory just sprung into my otherwise empty head.

 

I passed my RAF driving test in a Moggie 1000 Traveller .

 

How's that for a startling piece of info.

[wuvvum]

A late 948 has ample power as they had the benefit of the later distributors and carburettor which were great improvements on the earlier examples, though there was nothing really wrong with them. But the carburettors especially were an improvement and essentially 'maintenance free' apart from topping up the oil when needed. The 948 is said to be the smoothest and quietest of all the A Series engines. From my experience, Thousands are 50 MPH cruisers and rather loud inside but will go faster if needed - you will thoroughly enjoy exploiting their capabilities on A and B roads.

The one Trigbert drove was a '57, so pretty early I think.  Agree about the 948 being smoother though - the 1098 always sounds to me like it's about to put a rod through the block at anything about about 3,500rpm.

[Asimo]

I hated that fart from the exhaust and got rid of it on mine by cutting the tailpipe off and bodging 'n bending to get a side exit in front of the back wheel.

[Guest VicN]

a Moggie 1000 Countryman.

Is there such a thing? I thought it was a Traveller?

[Vince70]

I think the traveller is different as the wings and doors are made out of stolen lead flashing.

[Guest Hooli]

Lovely tarmac load bay as they had some left over mind.

[BorniteIdentity]

I’d have bought anything with a back story like that.

 

I said elsewhere that I’m keen on the whole ‘car for life’ ethos atm. I’ve no plans to ever shift the Granvia on; once kids fly the nest it’ll be converted into a camper. The Avensis is 20 next year and already has 216720 miles on it. The 190 is probably what would get compromised for something like a Minor - but I’m delighted with it atm.

 

Enjoy the car dude. Looks brilliant.

[dougiefourspeed]

I see the Charles Ware operation is still going...moved from Bath to Bristol.

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=morris+minor+centre+bath&oq=morris+minor+centre+bath&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l3.10182j1j7&client=ms-android-samsung&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#trex=m_t:lcl_akp,rc_f:nav,rc_ludocids:5329517592330422445,rc_q:Charles%2520Ware's%2520Morris%2520Minor%2520Centre%2520Ltd,ru_q:Charles%2520Ware's%2520Morris%2520Minor%2520Centre%2520Ltd

 

Aye, its his son (Zac, I think) who runs it now.

[mrbenn]

Great story, and looks like an example well worthy of attention.

 

I’ve had mine 17 years now and have turned my hand to everything except welding. That is the next thing to learn. As noted, they’re very simple to work on, parts are cheap and availability is excellent.

 

Just don’t go round corners too quick, particularly on poor road surfaces. It’s amazing how much of a vinyl seat you can gather up when you realise you’ve overcooked it.

[Zelandeth]

Just don’t go round corners too quick, particularly on poor road surfaces. It’s amazing how much of a vinyl seat you can gather up when you realise you’ve overcooked it.

Same goes for vinyl bus driver's seats. Especially if there's no seatbelt.

 

Nothing like suddenly realising halfway around a roundabout that the only thing keeping you in the seat is the death grip you have on the steering wheel...

[Tetleysmooth]

Is there such a thing? I thought it was a Traveller?

 

Yeah, it's a Traveller. I thought about later on while I was out and about.

The Mini was the Countryman.

Had other things on my mind this morning, like having a camera shoved up my Jap's eye.

[barrett]

Right, first things first. It was wearing five different brands of tyre, and each was cracked, perished or flattened in a slightly different way. I ordered a new set at the beginning of the week and had them fitted to the rims yesterday. Today I got around to putting them back on and already it's a huge improvement. I have fitted some very expensive Pirelli Cinturatos which have literally doubled the value of the car in one fell swoop. This part of the project was kindly sponsored by Longstone Tyres so I feel obliged to say you should all had over to www.longstonetyres.co.uk and buy some rubber, whether you need it or not.

 

Whilst the car was up on axle stands this evening I had all the brake drums off. The rear brakes actually look pretty good. The cylinders look like they were fitted just prior to lay up and seem to be moving easily enough, but with no fluid in the system it's hard to be sure. I'm leaving these well alone until I'm certain they need fiddling with. The fronts are a different matter entirely, all four cylinders are seized solid and the flexis are well past their use by date. I'll order some new bits later and, hopefully, the brakes will be all sorted. Assuming the mater cylinder is fine etc etc. We'll cross that bridge later.

 

Annoyingly, taking the o/s drum off has revealed a very nasty axle oil leak so that'll be a half shaft out to replace the hub seal whatsit. Way beyond my skill set I think so I'll farm that one out. This will have to wait til the brakes are done and the car is movable under its own steam.

 

Here is a photograph almost identical to the last one, but showing the new tyres. I reckon they look great!

[Zelandeth]

Well I'm about to go looking for three 145/80 R10s, so may well give those guys a try...always nice to have a recommendation to go on...

[New POD]

I remember the Charles Ware "durable car" - I am sure it was even in the newspapers at the time. He included calculations to show that despite poorer fuel economy etc and allowing for replacement of large sections of rusty body, they were cheaper to run than an equivalent new car.

 

Edit - it's on their website and there's even a book!

 

https://www.morrisminor.org.uk/55-durable-car-ownership

I read about him in 1986 and was interested in his plan to make parts in the far East. I needed a year out in industry on my HND in production engineering. he sent me the book (lent out and never seen again.) and forwarded my details to AD engineering of Wells Somerset who were doing development work for him.

I had an interview with them and they took me out in a rally minor. 1275 Marina engine with the best mods vizard could suggest a 5 Speed Toyota gear box and disc brakes along with a full roll cage.

 

There were 2 issues that later imerged. 1) they didn't want to pay me. and explores to me how I'm to spend 12 months in Wells with no money coming in. 2) I transferred from the 1st year of the hnd to second year of degree and they didn't think it would meet the requirements of the course.

shame.