Vintage Minor Register

Ian,
Great pictures, and what a superb guide to originality. I can see the dilemma you are in re. restoration/repair, but I am sure that you are going down the right path. Keep the pictures coming,
Regards, Mike.

Ian,
Hope the hand is recovering, impressed with what you can achieve using only one! In answer to your question, yes Mike Thomas was able to recover the original registration as it had never been re-allocated. Thus it has its original Antrim issued registration.
Mike.

Ian, This whole alignment issue is one that has been dogging me for some weeks. It hasn't been made any easier because the original vertical drive bearing has been replaced at some time by a solid bronze bearing and an oil seal. These together are fractionally deeper than the original. However using...

A little more progress to report. Setting the head up took ages, and I lost count of the number of times it came apart and went back together again, but finally all seems to be well. It wont finally be tightened down until I am happy with the alignment of the dynamo. The final drive was time consumi...

Point taken, I'll add it to my to-do list!
Mike.

Ian, thanks for that which is very useful. I can now confidently progress! As for the side plates, well I prefer them that way! Just so long as they do their job and keep the water where it should be. Interestingly on the saloon engine the plates were just that, flat steel plates which I assume had ...

Slowly making progress on the engine. With the big ends done up good and tight, plus loctite, the sump has gone back on. The stainless steel water jacket plates were powder coated and have also gone on. The almost new Minor camshaft I got with the s/sports spares was almost perfect apart from the go...

Before fitting the sump I thought that I would have a closer look at the oil pick-up pipe that sits in the bottom of it, ( referred to in the Information Manual as the " internal oil suction pipe"). This consists only of a copper pipe with a wide slit along its lower length which is bent t...

Alister,
Thanks for your kind offer, but quick research indicates that lower pulleys from the two models are not the same, (unless anyone knows different!) I will look out for you and the Humber at Brooklands again this year. Best wishes,
Mike.

Ian, Yes they are aircraft grade socket headed bolts with K-nuts, supplied by Pigsty Racing as used in their A****n seven racers. I was keen to use something better than standard when I saw how the standard items had thinned and stretched, and were clearly close to breaking! Yes, I think I will shor...

At last the weather has improved a little and temperatures in the garage are just about bearable, so a little more progress to report. Post xmas the main bearing was attached to the crank, the support ring attached and the whole assembly installed in the block. The con rods were attached and the fro...

Yes I thought I would probably get s/steel, but possibly painted black? Incidentally whats the best way to overhaul the external copper oil pipes. I believe they get brittle with age and require annealing, how is this done? Would it be better to use new copper pipework and solder in the old connecti...

At last some engine progress to report. The block, crankshaft and rods have just been returned from Pigsty Racing. The block has been rebored to +60 and thoroughly cleaned. The crank had the caps drilled out and the oilways completely cleaned, some needed to be drilled as the debris had gone solid! ...

The clutch linings came from S&V,
Mike.

While waiting for the engine block to be returned I got on with overhauling the clutch. I have just rivetted in the new linings and changed over the clutch fingers. Interestingly these are a little deeper at the point where the adjustment screws go through, however the new thrust pins are a little l...