UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

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martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

I have been persuaded by Ian that I should start a thread to cover my story with this car.
I bought it in August this year and it is in extremely good mechanical condition. The car was owned by James Wheeler who retrimmed the interior and had the engine rebuilt by Dave Cooksey. So I am in possession of a Morris Minor with pobably about 2000 miles on the clock.
Just Arrived
Just Arrived
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Since then I have taken it for an MOT which it passed with a few items to fix.
Loose steering ball joint (now adjusted), a new coupling disk (still to be fitted), rear lights not red enough (new lights fitted), rear wheel bearing play (to be done) and some play in the spring shackles which need further work. I have also adjusted the front engine mount and installed a fan belt (which shows how much play that bearing has) and I am working on the front brakes with new pull-off springs now in my posession to be fitted this week.
Between this fettling I have enjoyed two days out. The first for lunch at a local venue with a stop off at the Sywell airfield for coffee with the roof open it was such a warm September day.
At Aviator Hotel
At Aviator Hotel
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The second was to celebrate the VMR Drive Day this weekend when we were with our friends and their 1927 Morris Oxford Tourer. Another day of good weather whilst we drove round the Northamptonshire country side stopping only for sigthseeing, necessary refreshmetns and photos. Both cars performing in an exemplary fashion.
Boys' Toys
Boys' Toys
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My wife Jean and I at a photo call.
My wife Jean and I at a photo call.
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So back to the garage to fix a few things and prepare for the new season.
Ian Grace
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Re: UF7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Martin,

Thanks for the report and photos. Keep us all posted as you continue to fettle the car. This is the ex-James Wheeler car which is well known to the Register and a regular atendee at our rallies and gatherings. James often frequents this forum, so excpect some feedback from him too in due course.

Cheers and happy autumn Minoring,

Ian
gubben
Posts: 83
Joined: Thu Aug 01, 2013 7:21 am
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Re: UF7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by gubben »

What a nice car! Congratulations!

/Thomas
martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

Re: UF7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

So the dust has settled and with help from other members, I was delighted to be be able to take up the invitation to display UF 7090 as part of the Morris Centenary exhibit at the NEC Classic Car Show.

The display won the award for best large stand and this was to the credit of all who worked to put the exhibit togther. A collaboration of the many Morris owners clubs, co-ordinated by the Morris Minor Owners Club.

The vehicles were arranged chronologically from the first Morris (a 1913 bullnose MX837) displayed on a revolving stand and photographed with Stirling Moss, to a Morris Ital of the late 70s.
The show stand (display boards showing signs of 'wear'!)
The show stand (display boards showing signs of 'wear'!)
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My car appeared after a Cowley coupe and before a magnificently prepared 1935 Morris Oxford saloon. In total there were three Minors at the show. John Nagles 'classic of the year' entry (OW4224), my saloon (UF7090) and another 1929 saloon (PN6603) exhibited by the Bexhill 100 Club. A rather interesting early Minor with a SV engine in place of the OHC.
UF7090 - the Minor repesentative and PN6603 in the background.
UF7090 - the Minor repesentative and PN6603 in the background.
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Traveling each way to the show was something of an adventure. I was trailered from near to Gaydon to the NEC so only had a 35 mile journey at each end of the show through the villages of Northampton and Warwickshire and was blessed with beautiful autumn sunshine for both journeys.
Bright & shiny and off to the show
Bright & shiny and off to the show
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Having spent hours setting up the brakes, it appeared that I had tightened them up rather enthusiastically and arrived amid much squealing and groaning. Using the 'John Wrigley' brake balance method resulted in blistered fingers from the O/S! Before heading home I slackened off by one turn and what a surprise. The little car actually accelerated when the throttle was pressed and on one stretch of level country road reached 50mph! I'll not do that too often, but cruising at 40 and pulling up moderate inclines without changing down was a refreshing experience. This has certainly increased my enthusiasm for days out.

So although this was a tiring weekend with more time on the train between Northampton and Birmingham than I would have liked, it was a most memorable and satisfying event.

Martin
Ian Grace
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Re: UF7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Wonderful report an congratulations on your display. What you say about the brakes really reinforces what I always say about taking the plunge, putting miles on your car, and road-sorting it. The more you drive it, the better it gets! If only owners of so many other perfectly roadworthy Minors would push through the initial teething troubles to arrive at a bullet-proof, go anywhere motor car that offers a whole new world of vintage motoring enjoyment.
martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

We had our first outing of the year and it was quite an adventure on a cold sunny day. We joined the Leicester and Northants Morris Register Noggin run to Duddington for Sunday lunch.
However, our carefully planned route was right out of the window due to road closures and diversions so we saw rather more of Kettering and Corby than we had wished for and only just arrived in time for lunch.
The car behaved very well (now that I have removed the all the oil from the distributor it runs so much better) and managed the 85 mile round trip without faltering. I still need to get the brake balance right, but at least
we managed to cruise at 40/45 for long stretches of the A roads, even up moderate inclines so I was extremely happy.
We all enjoyed a lovely lunch at the Royal Oak and although I was the only Minor, there were several other classics amongst the 'moderns'.
Unfortunately, due to the need to get petrol and desire to arrive home before dark, we were unable to take part in the little treasure hunt that had been arranged. A pity, but there will be other times and many thanks to Pat Farmer for all his organisation.
The line up
The line up
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A moments rest in the gloom to let the traffic go by
A moments rest in the gloom to let the traffic go by
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Ian Grace
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Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Excellent, Martin. Thanks for the report and what a great start to the New Year. This is what our cars were made for!
martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

Well we had a bit of SUN!! on Thursday, so after all the tinkering with tappets, yet more brake adjustment and fixing an intermittent connection to a headlamp, I thought it was good day for a little run. Even more so as Jean had a house full of her friends celebrating a birthday and I needed a good reason to escape! So first up to the village shop for a few things before I went off to see a friend with his 1931ish SV Minor with a beautiful 1931 black radiator and immaculate dark red paintwork, but with an indistinguishable chassis number. One day he will perhaps clean off the dumb iron to disclose the chassis number and then we will really know its pedigree. The engine number suggested that that was 1933 (it also had the later large water take off on the block) and the car also has the later large hubbed wheels.
Anyway it was a glorious run - 10 miles each way - and having just read Ian's comment on driving Minors hard, I certainly managed to keep up with traffic in the 30 and 40 mph limits and kept in top gear for all but the steepest of inclines. I like to think that this was due to the adjusted tappets, but it might just be my increased confidence driving the car. The main difficulty was driving home directly into the bright setting sun which gave even less forward visibility than normal. The downside to the outing was that some rather disturbing grumbling and knocking noises emanated from the clutch / gearbox area at certain speeds, so back to the garage to pull up the floorboards, find my 3/32 gauge and check the clutch adjustment to see if that is the reason.
There's always something to do, but then isn't that why we love these old cars so?
martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

Another beautiful day of sun yesterday, so we drove to the Black Horse at Foxton in Leicestershire to join a Classic Car meet that was an impromptu event for any classic cars to enjoy.
The Black Horse is also the venue for our local Morris noggin, so we met some of our Morris friends and had a very pleasant lunch.
UF7090 drove very well with the newly adjusted clutch removing the clutch judder I had experienced and was one of the oldest cars there. It was 'beaten' by a 1920's Swift and equalled by a 1930 Alvis. Then, apart from a Morris 16, all the other cars were post war classics, but they all gleamed in the sun.
Lined up at Foxton
Lined up at Foxton
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Just ahead of the Swift
Just ahead of the Swift
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Home again after about 50 miles and we were only lost once on the Northamptonshire back lanes. Unfortunately I got the camera setting wrong so not many usable pictures.
Ian Grace
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Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Spring at last?!

Great to see a Minor being used for such pleasant outings. Keep it up!

Ian
martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

I have done a bit of fettling and restoration in the last week or so.
The main noticable item is the rechromed front bumper. It was looking very tired, so I had it redone and used vinyl tape for the black stripes. It looks very good and with the addition of a few badges (sorry no VMR yet) it is smartened up for the new season. I also fitted a new cork washer in the fuel tap to stop the leaks on 'main' so I now have a true 'reserve' and will not need to carry pots of petrol about with me. Not exactly a major restoration job, but little by little I am sorting things out.
Bumper bar 'before'
Bumper bar 'before'
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Bumper 'after' and smartened up front end
Bumper 'after' and smartened up front end
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Martin
martinng
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Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

Yesterday was the VMR Spring pub meet in Peatling Magna and we had a wonderful time. The pub was the smallest part of a day that included a lovely twenty mile drive in the sun through darkest Leicestershire organised by Phil and Janie Shepherd. Some challenging unmetalled tracks and a stop at Bruntingthorpe Airfield (where the Avro Vulcan was restored) and then onwards to lunch at Manor Farm. A most memorable day with three Minors, a classic Fiesta and splendid company.
Minors at Bruntingthorpe
Minors at Bruntingthorpe
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Golden day in Leicestersire
Golden day in Leicestersire
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Ian Grace
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Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by Ian Grace »

Martin,

This is great stuff on a number of levels. First, it is so good to see the Minor tradition continuing in the Maeers family. Second, this sort of gathering is exactly what our pub meets should be all about and we desperately need to find how to replicate this sort of gathering across the country - and not just twice a year. We seem to be moving into an era where owning and driving a Minor is not the norm any more - the trend seems to be ownership without the drivership. We do need to be a broad church of course, and shouldn't presume to tell owners what to do with their cars. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't do everything we can think of to encourage owners to drive their cars and tempt them with meets just like this.
martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

After a morning fettling brakes and repositioning the rear view mirror, I went on positively the last test run before the Suffolk rally, to check clutch, brakes, rear view mirror and new speedo cable, all of which behaved well.
We had a 15 mile run into the country for a cup of tea in the sun. Let's hope next week's forecast for bad weather will change for the end of the week. The windscreen wiper has not been "fettled" so rain might be something of a challenge in Sufflok.
Attachments
At Castle Ashby
At Castle Ashby
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martinng
Posts: 147
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2013 5:31 pm

Re: UF 7090 1930 Coachbuilt Saloon

Post by martinng »

Just spent a weekend travelling 300 miles through the pretty villages of Suffolk and Essex. The weather was very hot and we had a torrential downpour to contend with, but the car managed all this.
However, during the weekend an oil leak from the engine became gradually worse and now the car is laid up waiting for some significant surgery.
In any event I will need to remove the flywheel to check what has failed and allowed the oil through.
This did not spoil our enjoyment of the days in East Anglia, but I will have my work cut out to get things up and running for July - so wish me luck!
Wet in Thaxted
Wet in Thaxted
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Beautiful Finchingfield
Beautiful Finchingfield
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Fording the river
Fording the river
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