project Morris Minor Ratrod - First drive since 1989!

[SiC]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

robbing it of its identity

Best not talk about this cars identity tbh

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

those look like some lovely period plates on the car it would be a shame to lose those!

They'd look lovely on my garage wall.

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

I can see it being considered worth a bit more because its matching double digits and their are 8's at that

Maybe, but most valuable plates end up on retention as there are a limited number of buyers prepared to pay a lot for one. Why spend £k for a plate when you can get that N88 CWL for £250. 

[captain_70s]

6 hours ago, SiC said:

Best not talk about this cars identity tbh

Stick it on a plate nicked from something circa 1969. Make it more legit. 👌

[Noel Tidybeard]

the Chinese consider 8 to be a lucky number

[New POD]

1 hour ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

the Chinese consider 8 to be a lucky number

And they they don't sell cars with 8 spare wheels. 

[SiC]

It's first drive since 1989. 

[Rusty_Rocket]

Excellent work.  I think it looks perfect as it is.

[Crackers]

Noice. 👌

[dave j]

Great to see it driving! 

[Matty]

Do you have some sort of soft focus filter on the sound on your phone? Apart from the first gear whine, it sounds nowt like mine. Its quiet for a start

[LightBulbFun]

3 hours ago, SiC said:

It's first drive since 1989. 

awesome stuff!

I particularly love the first gear whine  

(and the "emergency" stop made me jump LOL)

[SiC]

35 minutes ago, Matty said:

Do you have some sort of soft focus filter on the sound on your phone? Apart from the first gear whine, it sounds nowt like mine. Its quiet for a start

Just a standard Pixel 5 and uploaded to YouTube through their app with no editing. Camera stabilisation is on though. It does have a massive crack straight through the glass infront of the wide angle camera! Thankfully doesn't show most of the time. 

[Snake Charmer]

Your repairs look well, the bonnet and roof look great, I would clear coat them to seal in the moment.

How many Amps is the alternator, is the ammeter big enough?

[SiC]

6 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

Your repairs look well, the bonnet and roof look great, I would clear coat them to seal in the moment.

I'm thinking of just painting the bonnet to be honest. Looks like it's got a bad case of acne.

6 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

How many Amps is the alternator

45amps according to the spec.

6 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

is the ammeter big enough?

No it only goes up to 30a. Currently pegs at those limits after startup and the needle sticks. It's what I'm tapping on the video.

I have a cheap Chinese unit kicking around somewhere that does 50-0-50 and should be ample. Just no idea where it is!

I was bidding on a replacement on eBay but I have been outbid already. 

[Snake Charmer]

Ooh 30/30! 🙈 I hope the cables are big enough, might be better than the heater! 🤣

[SiC]

Apart from fitting the new ammeter, another brake bleed, replace the fuel pump (got one on the shelf) and the tyres could do with a change, this is ready to go. Paint possibly needs redoing but it certainly is genuine Patina.

Naturally I've already started looking at the next thing to buy and pondering about selling this... (Mini again)

Probably let go with plate and engine, as cba to get an MOT for that plate removal and already getting an itchy trigger finger on something else. I've had my fun on this project in getting it back ready for the road.

Trying to figure how much. Thinking maybe 2750 sort of figure on the open market and forums slightly less. Do w reckon this is reasonable?

[busmansholiday]

Would have thought you could have got more than that for the plate alone. I'd seriously rape it of that then advertise it at that. You may be able to fund a couple of projects with the money, and buy your Mrs some flowers.

[jonathan_dyane]

I like the car a great deal.

Number plate would also appeal to far right.

[SiC]

Sold subject to payment. Collection will be next month.

Yes I've bought, fixed up and then sold another project without properly having fun driving it. 🙈🙉

"IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN BUY SOMETHING TO REPLACE IT"

...Guess who said that 🤣

 

Apart from a Mini, I'm quite tempted to buy a scissor lift instead like @Andyrew has

[Noel Tidybeard]

yes but how much did her car cost?🤣

[SiC]

3 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

yes but how much did her car cost?🤣

Far too much!

[Matty]

5 minutes ago, SiC said:

Far too much!

Mines been very vocal so far about her new car being hers and nothing to do with me. Came home the other night saying "drivers window won't come down". "You'd better learn how to get Z4 doorcards off then love" I said 😁

[SiC]

10 hours ago, SiC said:

Apart from a Mini, I'm quite tempted to buy a scissor lift instead like @Andyrew has

Or a holiday apparently...

(And a new garage door)

[SiC]

The sale of this Moggie has effectively paid for my new garage door. So it's only right I put it away. Which means finally a clear drive!


Before it goes off to it's new owner, I had a check over on the ammeter. Pulling the ammeter found a potential fire hazard waiting to happen.


Likewise the under bonnet look modifications weren't exactly reassuring either.


I decided to remove all this ammeter (not particularly useful for an alternator anyway) and replace it with something more useful.
The modified wiring I cut off at where the factory wiring started - unfortunately not long enough to connect back to the starter switch. So I crimped on a new short piece. Btw I love these heatshrink crimp pieces. When they are heated, they have hot melt glue that seals off both ends and thus make the join watertight.



The other end hand a ring terminal attached, then heatshrink to provide strain relief and sealing.


While I was having a poke around under the bonnet to check other wiring I found the coil wire looking a bit suspect. Pretty much snapped off in my hand after a gentle wiggle. Fixed this up while I was there.


Back inside I fitted in a rev counter. Much more useful instrument. I also cleaned up some of the other wiring on the temperature gauge.


It actually works pretty well! Shame it's not got a chrome ring to match the others but it's not particularly offensive looking. Not particularly expensive to buy either. Has a switch on the back to change between 2 to 8 cylinder operation too.

 

The horn does attempt to work but let's out a weak fart. As usual with these things the contacts on the horn push were dirty. Gave them a good clean-up on both the button contacts and where they make electric contact to the wheel.



Also got some new wipers on order. The original ones were split to pieces and useless. I tried MGB wipers but these are too large. So I ordered some Valeo Silencio wipers on order that should fit. While not original looking, they should actually work as wipers. Hopefully handy given where this will be going!


Finally got a new washer pump coming from Amazon as the one here has packed in. Should be a straightforward enough swap.

Apart from this, I don't think there is anything left to do on it! Interior could do with a good scrub down to remove decades of dirt from sitting in a garage. I did clean up the dials and remove some of the encrusted o-ring residue that always seems to happen on these Smith's gauges.


Much like selling the 1100, now I've finished, I kinda regret selling it. 🤣

BUT I have a MG Midget that (I bought nearly 5 months ago!) is waiting for its turn to be sorted. Before that I will get the BGT down for a check-over and service - ready for this summer.
Hopefully I'll have both the BGT and Midget together on the road before the end of summer. Perhaps some wishful thinking there...!

[Matty]

What does the rev counter wire into Si?

[SiC]

9 minutes ago, Matty said:

What does the rev counter wire into Si?

Dizzy points. It uses the switching of that to figure out rpm. 

 

[Matty]

4 hours ago, SiC said:

Dizzy points. It uses the switching of that to figure out rpm. 

 

Cheers for that. Want to do one myself soon