BMC/BMH/BL Readers wives #End of year round up#

[SiC]

  On 27/03/2022 at 21:09, New POD said:

Minis are overrated 1950s tat.

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Who cares! They're iconic cult cars and are great toys nowadays. Most hardly to any mileage to wear them out like they were when used as daily drivers. 

[artdjones]

BMC Minis are an example of the patrician, top down,  you-poor- people-will-like-what-I-like, attitude to design that's similar to that which modern architects have. The French, when designing their people's cars managed to build cars that were comfortable, with four doors, and enough space to accommodate back seat passengers that were over the age of 12. They also realized that even poor people may want to take luggage around with them.

[captain_70s]

  On 27/03/2022 at 16:17, Matty said:

Acclaim more than counts as well. Looking forward to seeing the Dolomite get sorted

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It took me and Girlfriend_70s to the seaside today, as it remains my most functional car.

[BL Bloke]

Since I bought my first car, a 1970 Austin 1300 2 door, back in 1979 I've owned 17 BMC/BMH/BL/Rover produced cars. Most of them went to the great car park in the sky a long time ago but I do have the Rover 45 that I bought back in 2019. Not as much of a bargain as I originally thought as it was probably on its way to a OMGHGF moment when I bought it but it has been fixed and is still under 34K miles despite being 19 years old.

 

 

[SiC]

Got a solution to my ammeter problem on the Moggie tonight. The alternator is rated at 45amp, so while not a huge margin, at least it's still within rated limits of this one. 

 

[SiC]

These seem a good price if anyone wants to discover why BMC stuff is addictive. Found on the 1100 club members for sale page.

 

[SiC]

Speaking of addictive, I saw this on FB a while back and it made me chuckle as it's true.

 

[High Jetter]

  On 27/03/2022 at 18:54, Yoss said:

I've had dozens of Leyland stuff over the years but this is the only one left. 

I've had it 27 years now. It's not been out in a while as you can see from the picture I've just taken. I really do need to tidy up the garage. It has to move soon as the clutch has started to slip on the Felicia and that's an in the garage job. Then the Triumph will go into daily service for a few days. It still works as far I know. 

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Is that a FWD? I had a 1500 TC, cracking car.

[Yoss]

  On 27/03/2022 at 22:54, High Jetter said:

Is that a FWD? I had a 1500 TC, cracking car.

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Yes, it's FWD. It's a bit of a double edged sword. It drives really well but the FWD itself is a bit Heath Robinson. Dare I say it was probably rushed in to production. They saw BMC (they were still separate companies at the time) having great success with their FWDs and wanted some of that. But without spending any money. 

 

[High Jetter]

Not sure of the timing (it's late). FWD preceeded toledos & dolly tho. Not sure the idea came from BL, need to research that.

[Joey spud]

  On 27/03/2022 at 21:13, Fabergé Greggs said:

The sunshine of the last week or so has meant I’ve been dailying the Morris. A little list of niggles do nothing to stop it being a daily delight 

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That looks perfect just the right amount of shonkyness.

[High Jetter]

Looks like someone's kicked it in the door shuts!

[Joey spud]

  On 27/03/2022 at 20:36, Matty said:

@Joey spud can't remember if I've asked this before now, but what size are those wheels and what size tires are on em? 

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They are Minor centres fitted to early 14'' / 5.5J  Focus rims that have also been reversed and joined together with the welded turned up to eleven.

Tyres are 185/70's

I'm sure some folks will shudder and say they're dangerous (nuns and kittens etc) but the car will just be poodling about locally and not doing 30k a year ripping around the M25.

[New POD]

  On 27/03/2022 at 21:16, SiC said:

Who cares! They're iconic cult cars and are great toys nowadays. Most hardly to any mileage to wear them out like they were when used as daily drivers. 

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Indeed.  Do they deserve cult status? Maybe they do. But every time a young person tells me they really want a mini, I tell them.to buy a Talbot Samba, or an mx5 😁

[Matty]

  On 27/03/2022 at 22:12, SiC said:

Got a solution to my ammeter problem on the Moggie tonight. The alternator is rated at 45amp, so while not a huge margin, at least it's still within rated limits of this one. 

 

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Is 50/50 the chance of it working correctly, being a lucas product 😆

[Matty]

  On 27/03/2022 at 21:13, Fabergé Greggs said:

The sunshine of the last week or so has meant I’ve been dailying the Morris. A little list of niggles do nothing to stop it being a daily delight 

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Looks just right that. Lovely

[Yoss]

  On 28/03/2022 at 05:55, New POD said:

Indeed.  Do they deserve cult status? Maybe they do. But every time a young person tells me they really want a mini, I tell them.to buy a Talbot Samba, or an mx5 😁

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Oh, hang on, let me just go and look at all the Talbot Sambas for sale. There must be dozens to choose from. 

 

Actually, I just looked and there is one on ebay and it looks lovely, but you get my point. Most of the time it's not something you can just go out and buy. 

 

Apologies for going off topic but this the one on ebay at the mo. 

Seats look lovely and it has what look like Cromodora wheels. £5k seems reasonable for anything these days. 

So I sort of get your point but it's not normally an option. 

 

[Angrydicky]

Worked on a couple of my Austins yesterday.

Brake overhaul on the Somerset, one wheel cylinder was seized and it was pulling to one side. Also the master cylinder was leaking. I’ve rebuilt the master and got a new set of wheel cylinders, hoses and some new rigid pipes to go on. First thing it to get the brake shoes relined.

I fixed the Hampshire column gear linkage, before I could only get second and fourth. With the full contingent of gears I gave it a test run up and down the drive, well as much as I could with no brakes whatsoever. Drives really nicely actually! Engine runs sweetly after its top end rebuild, and the gearbox is nice and quiet, just the usual Austin gear whine.

 

[Angrydicky]

Technically this Somerset is a BMC car as it was built a year after the BMC amalgamation (1953) although it is an Austin design. The Hampshire is too old. Ah well it’s a relation.

[Matty]

  On 28/03/2022 at 14:43, Angrydicky said:

Technically this Somerset is a BMC car as it was built a year after the BMC amalgamation (1953) although it is an Austin design. The Hampshire is too old. Ah well it’s a relation.

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Our A40 is a BMH car if I've got me dates right. Its not stopped me putting a BMC rosette in the back window. I mean apart from wierdos like us whose to know 😁

[ETCHY]

  On 27/03/2022 at 21:13, Fabergé Greggs said:

The sunshine of the last week or so has meant I’ve been dailying the Morris. A little list of niggles do nothing to stop it being a daily delight 

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They really were a great design. Better in many respects than the mini & proper sales success.

Unfortunately they suffered from Issigonis being an insufferable know it all dick & ignoring pressed steel fisher concerning  body design & thus building in rust traps (& lets be fair they must have been bloody obvious as crap like that was pretty much ignored in the 1960's !)

I like that one, it looks like how I remember those still on the road in the late 1970's, great patina !

[meggersdog]

Earlier ones did have the Leyland sign on them so I'm including this.

 

Still haven't fitted the new heated screen yet hence the black plastic sheet.

[Matty]

It's certainly more than welcome bud 👍 

[captain_70s]

On Volvo jumping duties today.

[Matty]

Whodve thought. Reliable Triumph rescues stricken Volvo 😁

[Matty]

Yo @SiC what do you reckon to this? 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Mini-City-E-998cc-27600-miles-from-new-a-rust-free-car-drives-perfect-/185352588274?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

[SiC]

  On 28/03/2022 at 19:39, Matty said:

Yo @SiC what do you reckon to this? 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-Mini-City-E-998cc-27600-miles-from-new-a-rust-free-car-drives-perfect-/185352588274?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

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It's top money for one of the less desirable engine/years. Quite a while before that's exempt. I also always struggle to believe any Mini is rust free. Maybe with enough filler. 🤣

I checked out a early 80s white Mini that some old boy was having to sell after giving up driving. Admittedly that had a few repairs over the years but it was reasonable miles, low owners and interesting history. At the time it was bidding at 3.2k. At that price I struggled to justify that sort of money for that trim, spec and condition. Ended up selling for £4.3k and the buyer went through with it. 

If I'm getting a Mini, I think I'll be disappointed unless it's a full fat MK1 or a later but with 1275 lump in it. But for what I'm prepared to pay, it's probably going to be another welding project. 🙈🙉 

In my (probably unrealistic) mind, that should be a 4.5k max car. Maybe a grand more with low miles. Admittedly it's a dealer, so they've got their fat margin in that price too. 

[SiC]

This is pretty much my budget and what I'd want. Of course prefer in better condition but this is saveable. Plenty of panels about and not that expensive. Which helps their value too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Morris-mini-1960-barn-find-/304402744413

 

[Matty]

I think ultimately I'm going to want a 1275. The 1098 that's in mine is a good rebuilt lump with a 295 spec head and a bigger inch and half SU. It goes well but percentage wise the power increase from a 1098 to a 1275 would be well worth it. Plus 1098s don't really like to rev much. First job is to sort the front suspension. No sense in making it quicker if it won't go round corners 🤪

[Matty]

  On 28/03/2022 at 19:53, SiC said:

This is pretty much my budget and what I'd want. Of course prefer in better condition but this is saveable. Plenty of panels about and not that expensive. Which helps their value too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Austin-Morris-mini-1960-barn-find-/304402744413

 

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You really do have a thing for welding 😆

Know what you mean about the earlier styling though