My Minor

[tortron]

This thing hangs out in the back of most of my pictures. So here's a run down

I bought it 10 years ago looking like this



It's a 1951 4 door Morris minor. Powered with a 918cc side valve 4 cylinder engine and a 4 on the floor box.

I painted it Matt black and daily drove it while I was at uni.


Gradually I started fixing it up and replacing all the worn out stuff. Not too bad for rust, everything rubber had failed, and the brakes were toast.





And since then it's been in and out of storage. I usually do a bit of work on it every year or so
At this point every part of it has been apart and replaced or rebuilt, or modified. I'm at the point where I'm replacing stuff I originally replaced when I got it......
Paint has taken a hammering in storage so it's due for a touch up. Probably black again. I have red leather seats front and back, new black carpets and headliner, still need to do the doors. I made a custom 5 dial instrument panel and have a very rare clock in the glove box and Speedo with trip meter
Engine wise I have skimmed the head to up the compression, tracked down a rare optional water pump (not fitted unless special order) ported the intake and exhaust, lightened the flywheel, and most recently fitted a twin carb and tubular exhaust (I also have a small supercharger that I might put on). I also have an electric fan.

I have a lowlight grill I'm going to put fog lamps in



Currently it's lowered 2 inches front and back, but I don't know now, I'm getting too old to try get under low stuff. Shocks are lever arm and we're rebuilt at great expense







Just last week I got stuck back into it



Ran some fuel lines for the twin carbs (fuel pump failed and rebuilt last year)

And skimmed the flywheel and put a new clutch in as I had a bad shudder (mixed some used parts I had and it didn't work out unfortunately so all new now)
And added another muffler, a wide band port, and a v band clamp to my custom stainless "bigbore" 1 1/2" exhaust





Doesn't seem like it, but dang that's 10 years of work

[tortron]

Though I should add, the only work i didn't do myself was resleaving the master cylinder, skimming the head and surfacing the flywheel. Not too bad I think.

Coming up this round of work?
Well I still have to put the gearbox back in. And in order to get it out I had to take the master cylinder out so put all that back in. Bleed the brakes etc.
Tune the twin carbs, I have all new needles and gaskets in them.
Some rust has come through in the boot lid (I fixed it years ago, but the factory drain holes are an inch from the bottom and it only empties water when you lift it and have your head underneath). I have a set of wheels to have the centres knocked out and put in modern rims (too much hadtle getting 135/14 tyres, plus they don't have safety lips so the tyres are prone to falling off when driven hard)
Swap out the grill and inner guards for the low light ones
Retrim door panels
Install beehive heater (luxury!)
Some of the wiring could do with attention is all the original and largely in modified but man it's brittle.

That's more or less it this time around. I think I'll touch up a few repairs and bits for a fresh coat of paint next time

[geezer101]

As a kid I used to see moggies all over the place, like minis and beetles. Now - nada. I bet you don't see any of them in the land of the long white cloud either. You gonna heat wrap the headers? It might help with keeping your intake temps a little lower. Such a fun thing to drive around in I bet

[royster]

Memory lane, for me - I had a '58 two door back in 1974. I traded a '61 Valiant for it. It still could be hand-cranked, so I can say that at least once in my life, I hand-crank-started a car - but not before it whacked the hell out of my forearm.

The wiring fried, one day, and I sold it for $50 to a Morris Minor enthusiast. Of course, the steering wheel was on the left side.

Thanks for sharing this, Tortron!

[tortron]

Plenty of minors about in NZ geezer. In the summer I see at least one a week, saw 2 in one day on opposite sides of the city the other day (one was even a van). Still get offered wrecks when people find out I have one so plenty rotting away behind sheds and the like!

No plan on wrapping these ones, I did the last set I built and the runners actually iced up. They are about twice as long as the original (heated by the exhaust log manifold. Yuck) and incorporate Bakelite spacers, so there's minimal heat transfer. Might paint them white 50s style.
The direction of the build is how I would have had it if I built it in the 50s, perhaps leaning towards a factory special. So keeping everything period correct (yeah I'm cheating with the electric fan, but the solid mount fan on the generator sucks and I already lost a radiator to it. Plus the distributor is actually a modern repo with a full electronic setup inside, I found my o.g. had some weird play in the body after skimming the head....)
So that's basically why I'm not swapping the engine. An a series, it even better a Datsun A series would be dirt cheap, bolt right in, and make twice the power right off the bat..

Roster - sounds like a good swap! I considered a lhd conversion just for a laugh, it only takes a couple hours (apart from the gauges in these early ones not being in the centre). When I first got this one the starter was broken so I used the crank start for about a year before fixing it, never any problems apart from the wof inspectors complaining about it not being practical....
Unfortunately I can't use it now with the electronic dizzy. But I do still run a generator rather than an alternator (oh yeah it's converted to negative earth too) so could fix the original and keep it in the boot just in case

[geezer101]

The negative earth explains why it hasn't turned into a pile of iron oxide by now. English cars... Is there a big NZ enthusiasts community with Morries that keeps them going? It's funny how such a tiny country has such a diversity with vehicles - too bad you guys get fiercely gouged at the petrol pumps. My local price for 91 is about $1.30 p/L AUD (it was $1.62 a few weeks ago) I had a little Ford Prefect for a while but the rust was out of control and a bunch of the mechanicals had been cobbled together badly. I then had my eye on an '53 Anglia for a pocket hotrod but I had to pass on that project.

[tortron]

Gearbox and cross member back in and attached to the driveshaft.
Special ordered some 30mm copper washers for the engine and gearbox sump bolts. So they are in and filled with fresh oil.

Now I need to put the master cylinder in and rebleed the whole system.
And then finally, at last, I can staet on tuning the carbs

[geezer101]

It always amazes me with Brit gearboxes. They are so dinky to look at but are built to take a direct hit from a tank shell. I can't say I've ever heard of one 'blowing up' so to speak.

[tortron]

So I captivated my crossmember nuts, put all the brake lines back in, hooked up the clutch linkage.
Pulled the manifolds and tightened up everything and put in some new gaskets in the flanges.
Had ordered the wrong choke lever, which isn't too much of a problem but looks better having matching ones. Made a cheap fix



Yup that's an old NZ 5 cent piece. I had some steel I was going to use
But this will give someone a chuckle down the line I'm sure.


Can attach the cable well enough now.

Remembered how to prime an SU fuel pump and it seems to work properly now it's worn the points in a little. Got it warm, good oil pressure, spat a bunch of red liquid out of the water gallery gasket initially but it seems to have sealed itself up. Have it a basic tune enough to get it at a slow idle when warm.
https://youtu.be/x45HodJAX90

Seems to be real hot, the air filter backing plates get almost too hot to touch after just a few minutes at idle. Shouldn't be dangerously lean (unless I messed up on my carb needle selection) so I expect it to improve with a half decent carb and timing tune. This carb set up came with a heat shield but it's a pita to install, but that could be a path worth exploring

[tortron]

Did I mention I have a lowlight grill? They originally switched to the high in guard lights because of American light laws, the minor was ment to be what the VW became.

I got the grill 10 years ago. Turns out it wouldn't fit due to the headlights fouling on the inner guards, even without the headlights in the headlight area hits. Had hoped that mine being a really early high light it would fit sort of.

So I got some lowlight inner guard panels, about 6 years ago, unobtainable basically




They rust out up top where the wheel flicks muck up.



First one not too bad. Good enough to copy

Next one. Kinda thin


Using a hammer and dolly on all these patches. Welding the flanges on. A shrinker stretcher would be great for the next rusty car.


From all the fresh steel, this was pretty thin

[xboxrox]

COOL CARtortron ----> I especially like the big fenders, round headlamps & visor... Seeing it painted black reminds me of the 1st car I bought in Sasebo Japan back in 1967... It was a rather rusty black 1955 Datsun 4 door sedan; damn, that it ancient history...

[tortron]

So I now own another

A 1962 Morrie Thou
A little beaut.



Well until you get under it


Chassis legs have rusted out and a little in the boot. But the body work is good, it has a decent paint job, and a retrimmed interior.
It's an abandoned project. Looks like this at the moment


It's a bit of a task. I have replaced the chassis legs on my 51 so I'm not too worried about that. There's also a few little patches in the boot area (again same as mine)
The major downside is that the registration has lapsed sonic need it re vinned and inspected and they don't like to see signs of repair without a repair cert.
I think I can do it well enough to avoid that. (They also don't like fresh paint or underseal but I'll just paint the whole underside)
Apparently it comes with the repair sections and all parts required, and it has the original 1000cc and the 1275cc from a midget. Will have to revin with the thou.
Not surprised it was abandoned it's an intimidating job. But I figure I can do the rust over a couple of weekends. Engine in and running on another. If it's on a minor I've already done it.

If it's a basket case I'll part it out I guess. It was pretty cheap.

[tortron]

Well it took about 12 hours round trip for what should have been 5 max thanks to me forgetting about Easter traffic.

She's very nice. Also has the original plates and heaps of paperwork. So I should be able to keep those plates and get it re registered pretty easily. One engine in bits, appears to be a fully rebuilt one for some reason taken out and head off. Other is probably a 1275 and was bench run. Otherwise I dunno anything about it.
A few bits are apart, but the bulk of its there. Only seems to be missing the driveshaft, but will unload and check it out in the AM.
Paints pretty decent, interior is brand new. Front chassis legs are no longer existant, and the patches last owner made are not to my standards (made from sections and looks wonky to me) IL probably cut it out and order premade ones to save me making them.

The paper work is great. The second owner lived just down the road from me

[geezer101]

Yikes! That is some really ugly rust hiding under the glossy painted shell.

[tortron]

Yup. I was totally prepared to strip this one for parts.
But reading the history and receipts it would seem that everywhere else has already been replaced before paint. There's no nasty bubbles in the body work so I'm thinking it is just those chassis legs needing replacing. Can get a pair from the usual minor parts suspects for around 300 delivered. So might just do that. By the time I measure twice and cut once (sections include the lower A arm mount etc) its probably smarter just to get them sent.
In any case the guys patchwork repairs don't fly with me, so they definitely won't fly with a grumpy inspector

[tortron]

Have all the parts needed to have this on the road again. Have CAD file drawn up of the alignment jig, place I asked to make it haven't gotten back to me. So need to chase that up.
Can't start till my Ute is rolling again anyway.

Here's my current winter ride



Brand new off the showroom floor 2019 Suzuki gn125.
Amazingly it does over 100kph 2 up which is better than the gn250 I had 10 years ago. I wonder if they are using the 150cc cylinders that are printed 125...
Anyway. Nice little economic bike for the city with no risk of being stolen or tears if I find it knocked on its side.
A few mods make it that little bit better, I built a pannier rack for some canvas bicycle bags and put on some fork gaiters and a headlamp guard to save premature wear from road grit, and will look the part on some camping adventures (I want to embarrass the boys on their 1200 BMW adventure bikes) also have an led light bar to go on and a screen. Rack cost me $8 in steel and all the bits I bought came in under $40 so it's cheap fun. Currently costs $0.05 per km to run, can't take the train for that!

[tortron]

Ordered the wrong switch, but I threw the rest on anyways and just have some toggles ziptied to the bars for now.
Dual function LED light bar white flood and amber fog light was my idea.
Run off a relay from the battery rather than off the ign, but I don't think il forget and drain the battery. The switch lights up too.

[tortron]

Pretty much fully "built" now
Only thing I would really change is the tyres, came with cheap city tyres that are ok for about 50kph in the dry. A set of spoked wheels at a size where I can get good tyres would be a welcome addition, but are worth more than the bike

I have some plastic hand guards, not so much for brush protection but for the wind. But I sneak through a pedestrian gate and I barely get through as it is.

Going to go on a few back road/gravel rides and see how it goes. Maybe just an a/t front tyre would be fine. Looking at the "farm modified" gn125s they sell here all they do is raise the front guard, add rubber mudflaps, lower the gearing, flat bar with brush guards, and canvas seat cover, and those things get given hell in all sorts of muck. So probably I would never need to raise the exhaust like a DR125 or need a sump guard.

Dirty thoughts about riding around the world or something silly, but maybe around NZ first

[tortron]

So I went ahead and got a new front tyre
A heidenau k60 scout. Same size 90/90 18, some say they don't like the way it feels on the road, but considering the factory front tyre on this costs $18 for a new one I'm Gona say it will handle much nicer. I rode home in the rain the other day and needed about 5 times the stopping distance so hopefully a half decent tyre will help.


Rear tyre is a 16. So not many options there. Ideally I would swap to the earlier wire spoke wheels and run 18" front and back. But I don't want to spend any money on that. The rear tyre is kinda chunky and I'm more concerned about washing out the front anyways.

So some final finishing mods

A sheepskin pram liner with the head piece removed fits quite well.




A 12v socket this side and I will fit a dual USB with volt meter on the other. Ign switched relay circuit from the battery with an on off switch mounted behind the battery cover as well.
I think that's all I will do to this bike, other than some fiddling to set up the suspension just right. I think I can fit two 1.5L fuel bottles in the rear pocket of my panniers, and that would be an additional 100km/60miles I could go, I already have a ultra small tent that will go well on this (my wife and I can juuusssst squeeze in together, but have been thinking of a tarp to sling over the bike as additional cover.
I don't think I will need a bash plate (maybe as the bike gets older I will abuse it further...) The exhaust could be adjusted a little.
Maybe a bolt on plate to increase the foot of the side stand would be useful.

Looking forward to getting into some good weather this summer, there's quite a few sea side camp sites an hour or two ride from where I am, so some mini camping adventures are coming up.

[Giovanni89]

Sweet little bike! MSR fuel bottles (used for white gas camping stoves) make great extra fuel storage. You can buy a version of their whisperlite stove that will burn gasoline from the bottle as well if you want a camp stove for your adventures. I'm lucky. Giant fuel tanks are available for my big red pig.

[tortron]

Yup I cycled 15 months with a whisperlite, I even wore it totally out, msr saw my blog and sent me a new one.
I now have two 1.5L fuel bottles (not msr, I will inspect them before putting them under pressure with fuel inside), so besides the stove I can go another 60miles. I was pretty surprised to see the total range of those dual sports, I get nearly 400 before bone dry. I'm not going to do it, but you can buy parts for these GN's so cheap that it would be worth it buying another tank and making it bigger if needed.

Not that I'm too serious about it, but it gets a few laughs from riders when they see it kitted out for offroad

[tortron]

Fitted the scout today
The nipples touch the fender, so I may raise it a little for offroad stuff, to avoid filling it with mud and gravel.
Also got two 1.5L fuel bottles which will work with my MSR stove and give me about 110km extra range

[Giovanni89]

That tire looks a lot more grippy! Nice setup. You're going to have a lot of fun on that bike

[tortron]

I hear they are not so great on the highway. But considering its a 50/50 tyre and the front tyre that came with the bike is cheaper than the ones on my bicycle, I think it should still be a massive improvement.

Wired in the relay etc for the 12v sockets. Deutsch connectors so at least my wiring won't be the ones to fail.

Turns out there is an unused socket under the tank, at least 3 of the wires are for a fuel gauge that NZ models don't have. One is an ign switched 12v so easy wiring.


Don't have the usb one for the other side yet, but wires are ready to go

https://youtu.be/W3lnLIWG_qo

[tortron]

All wired up, replaced some connectors with Deutsch ones.

Headed over to the east coast and yesterday I crossed the old Motu road and then back through the waioeka gorge. My great grandfather had a farm up there and he hand built the Motu road. Carrying his camp and tools in a wheel barrow and slowly traveling along with his wife as he built it with a pick and shovel.

Only met 2 hunters in a 4wd and a propper adv bike.