Morris Minor
Nearly weathertight, Matt’s convertible takes another big leap forward
There comes a time in any restoration when all the preparation begins to pay dividends and big bits start to go on. This month, that’s exactly what has happened with my convertible Morris Minor project. It’s gone from long-term project to a car that requires finishing. It’s a good feeling, and one that’s keeping me motivated to keep pushing.
With the driver’s door welding finished, I made use of the newest tool in the workshop, an Abranet dustless sanding system on test from Mirka (mirka.com/uk/uk) which made final filler work an awful lot easier and cleaner.
Once primed, guide-coated, rubbed down and ready for paint, I hit upon a problem. The ‘Beast from the East’ weather made applying the top coat impossible in the PC workshop, which is far from the ideal environment for painting at the best of times. I happened to mention this to Tom at Nene Valley Body Repairs when I stopped by to check on progress with the Citroën 2CV (see p96), and he kindly allowed me use of his heated, extracted spray booth. I definitely need one of those in my life. Using the proper kit paid dividends and before long the door, front panel and front bumper valance were resplendent in six coats of HMG Paints’ finest cellulose.
With the door in paint, it could be fitted along with both door tops, allowing me to check the fit of the hood frame. I also took the opportunity to fit the front panel and grille and the LED H4 headlights supplied by Better Car Lighting.
Next was the scary bit; fitting the roof. First, a piece of foam was glued onto the bottom of the header rail to give it some ‘squish’ and seal nicely to the top of the windscreen. This was then hidden with vinyl before the ferrule which locates the frame could be pressed into place.
are a few creases, but John Simpson told me these will come out with the careful use of a wallpaper steamer. Finally, the job could be finished off using Hidem Banding along the front edge to cover tacks.
Under the bonnet, the hose set from Classic Silicone Hoses arrived and fitted beautifully, maintaining an original equipment look but with fit-and-forget peace of mind.
Another fit-and-forget item was a brand-new Powerspark electronic distributor. I’m fed up with messing around with poor quality modern points and condensers, so going electronic seemed logical – although I will be keeping both the points and condenser in the boot as an extra insurance policy.
With the ignition side complete, it was on to fuel. I’ve opted for a cast Marina 1275 manifold, the ports of which I’ve matched to the head with a die grinder. This gives a larger diameter inlet and exhaust, allowing for use of a 1½in exhaust system and an HIF 38 carb. Annoyingly, the choke cable is too short so, although I’ve made it work for now, it will require further thought and fettling before I can call the job done and dusted.
I had hoped to have the engine bay built up with just wiring to finish this month, but on pulling the radiator out of storage I discovered that something had fallen against it, rendering the core scrap. I posted it off to Ready Rads in Birmingham who are going to re-core it and return it to me ready to fit. It’s a shame, but I know it’s for the best.
This car has got to be right. I’m still aiming to take it to Spain in May, although I need to be careful. All this progress is exciting, but I can’t progress at the expense of the fit and finish I’ve worked so hard thus far to achieve.
‘The car has got to be right. I’m still hoping to take it to Spain this May’