Morris Minor
Matt’s Morris Minor convertible project steps up a gear
What started with a spring hanger repair has now blossomed into a concourse restoration... and that includes all the panels. The best way to get a perfect finish is to strip them completely so I’ve had them dipped and stripped at Enviro-strip, who did an excellent job. It means I’ve been able to start welding and prepping with confidence. The rear wings are NOS, so only required the lower light hole (for larger, late-type lamps) welding up.
Wings bolted on, I masked the edge and applied a generous amount of body filler to the arch. I finished off by turning the scraper on its edge and cutting a smooth line between the wing and body where the piping will sit. The piping will cover a multitude of sins, so perfection right up to the edge isn’t essential (but you can guess that I’ll be striving for it).
Surprisingly solid
I was surprised to find that the old front wings were in very good shape, once stripped of their paint - that raised a happy eyebrow. Holes were evident from additional sidelights, wing mirrors and a radio aerial and both wings required a plate for the bottom-most mounting holes on the return flange. Bare steel made for easy welding repairs – dipping really works.
Rear wing fit confirmed at the body side then, but now I needed to make sure the axle fitted correctly. Time for a call to ESM Morris Minor spares to purchase everything I needed to rebuild the axle. The list ran to new hub seals, O-rings and gaskets, lock tabs, genuine replacement rear brake cylinders, Mintex brake shoes, springs
and Uk-made drums. I started work on the axle by stripping it to its bare components and cleaning it thoroughly before treating it with plenty of rust converter and finishing it with Frost Chassis Black aerosol. The offside drum had been filled with EP90 and it was abundantly clear that corrosion on the sealing surface was to blame for tearing the high pressure seal.
Total stripdown
Judicious use of 320-, 400- then 800-grit wet and dry polished out the damage, which was then coated in a smear of red rubber grease to prevent recurrence; it should also aid seating of the new seal. With this done, the hubs just slid back into place. The half-shafts still need to go in and the brake lining and drums fitting, but this will be done once the axle is on the car and the hub nut can be torqued properly without the axle casing dancing across the workbench.
For the front, I’ve secured a Marina disc brake conversion for just £200. All it needs is some replacement discs. I acquired it from a friend and it’s had recent new hubs and refurbished calipers.
I initially wasn’t planning on fitting discs, but as I needed to replace the front hub bearings, wheel cylinders, drums and shoes, and because I am also replacing the master cylinder, it’s easy to remove the top hat seal, (a modification required for disc brakes) and add a remote reservoir to provide sufficient fluid movement for discs. I think, for now, I’ll run without a servo. I’ve driven disc-equipped Minors both with and without servo assistance and prefer the pedal feel without. For now this project is motoring. On the road by summer? If I get a fair wind and enough time in the workshop, it will be!