My name is Will and I am 16, I write for Classics monthly and currently have a post war Minor undergoing restoration, I have always been interested in the pre war Morris Minors and now that my other restoration is drawing to a close I have a chance to buy a pre war Minor for restoration, I will have about £1000 maximum to spend, what would that get me ? a saloon for restoration ? I was planning on waiting until the autumn and winter to buy one as prices seem lower then.
Hi Will, Is that an ex. police Morris Minor? it looks the right colour.
Pre-war Minor restoration projects seem to start around £1000. You are probably more likely to find a s.v car at this price rather than a ohc. car.
This one sold for apparently £1000 a week ago: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1931-Morris-minor ... 4cf73bd48b
If you go for the £100 pound fabric open two seater, you don't necessary need a complete car and this might be a cheaper option. Ian was talking about making a batch of 1931 £100 fabric body kits (on this forum somewhere) and you sound like the perfect customer for him. You could put together a rolling chassis for one of these relatively cheaply if you like scanning autojumbles and looking at axles under old trailers etc. You would proabably end up with a car no less original than most restored examples as their fabric bodies have often been substantially rebuilt.
The £100 model is not vscc eligible yet but I bet they will be soon and then their value will go up!
edited: ofcourse - the £100 model isn't actually fabric bodied!
Last edited by ashford on Wed Jun 01, 2011 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
As James says, I am working on a set of patterns for the Hundred Pound 2-seater right now and these will be made available to VMR members in due course. We may also commission a batch of ash frames based on these drawings if there is enough interest, and you can do most of the floor and wheel arches yourself as they only involve straight timbers and pieces of 1/2" ply - the amount you do just depends on your carpentry skills! The body is actually steel paneled, but there are no compound curves to speak of so paneling will be straightforward. I agree that this is by far the best route to go - saloons might be cheaper as complete projects, but any saloon around GBP 1,000 will cost multiple times that to sort the body properly.
To see what a Hundred Pound Minor looks like, look at Martin Horsler's car on the website - 10/5/11. They make super little cars.
'Fraid it isn't a police minor, just a bog standard 4 door saloon.
I would certainly be interested in something like that, although making the frame my self sounds rather daunting. I would be interested in an ash frame dependant on cost. Finding a suitable chassis would also have to be a key consideration with that ( does anyone have one ? ). I am sure I could construct one given enough time and I do like the look of that 2 seater .
Seems to me like that is the way to go, getting a chassis with an engine would be my starting point.
I'm sure you are on the right track - I'd keep watching the ads on the VMR website and eBay and see what comes up. Once you have a project in your hands, you will get tons of help from other VMR members - both technical advice and spares sourcing. And I will keep an eye out for a suitable project for you and keep you posted as to the ash frame developments. You probably should try to pick up something as complete as possible - at least mechanically, and hopefully with restorable wings, bonnet and windscreen. Incidentally, it doesn't matter whether it is a scuttle (1931 season) or rear tank ('32 or '33 season) car - the Hundred Pound body will fit - except that the '32 and '33 models had a slightly different ash frame arrangement for the scuttle - but don't worry too much about that at this point.
Where do you live? If you can get to Prescott for our Summer Rally in July, you should be able to see several Minors of different types, chat with the owners and get a few rides up the hill!
I'm sure you are on the right track - I'd keep watching the ads on the VMR website and eBay and see what comes up. Once you have a project in your hands, you will get tons of help from other VMR members - both technical advice and spares sourcing. And I will keep an eye out for a suitable project for you and keep you posted as to the ash frame developments. You probably should try to pick up something as complete as possible - at least mechanically, and hopefully with restorable wings, bonnet and windscreen. Incidentally, it doesn't matter whether it is a scuttle (1931 season) or rear tank ('32 or '33 season) car - the Hundred Pound body will fit - except that the '32 and '33 models had a slightly different ash frame arrangement for the scuttle - but don't worry too much about that at this point.
Where do you live? If you can get to Prescott for our Summer Rally in July, you should be able to see several Minors of different types, chat with the owners and get a few rides up the hill!
I'm sure you are on the right track - I'd keep watching the ads on the VMR website and eBay and see what comes up. Once you have a project in your hands, you will get tons of help from other VMR members - both technical advice and spares sourcing. And I will keep an eye out for a suitable project for you and keep you posted as to the ash frame developments. You probably should try to pick up something as complete as possible - at least mechanically, and hopefully with restorable wings, bonnet and windscreen. Incidentally, it doesn't matter whether it is a scuttle (1931 season) or rear tank ('32 or '33 season) car - the Hundred Pound body will fit - except that the '32 and '33 models had a slightly different ash frame arrangement for the scuttle - but don't worry too much about that at this point.
Where do you live? If you can get to Prescott for our Summer Rally in July, you should be able to see several Minors of different types, chat with the owners and get a few rides up the hill!
I'm sure you are on the right track - I'd keep watching the ads on the VMR website and eBay and see what comes up. Once you have a project in your hands, you will get tons of help from other VMR members - both technical advice and spares sourcing. And I will keep an eye out for a suitable project for you and keep you posted as to the ash frame developments. You probably should try to pick up something as complete as possible - at least mechanically, and hopefully with restorable wings, bonnet and windscreen. Incidentally, it doesn't matter whether it is a scuttle (1931 season) or rear tank ('32 or '33 season) car - the Hundred Pound body will fit - except that the '32 and '33 models had a slightly different ash frame arrangement for the scuttle - but don't worry too much about that at this point.
Where do you live? If you can get to Prescott for our Summer Rally in July, you should be able to see several Minors of different types, chat with the owners and get a few rides up the hill!
I'm sure you are on the right track - I'd keep watching the ads on the VMR website and eBay and see what comes up. Once you have a project in your hands, you will get tons of help from other VMR members - both technical advice and spares sourcing. And I will keep an eye out for a suitable project for you and keep you posted as to the ash frame developments. You probably should try to pick up something as complete as possible - at least mechanically, and hopefully with restorable wings, bonnet and windscreen. Incidentally, it doesn't matter whether it is a scuttle (1931 season) or rear tank ('32 or '33 season) car - the Hundred Pound body will fit - except that the '32 and '33 models had a slightly different ash frame arrangement for the scuttle - but don't worry too much about that at this point.
Where do you live? If you can get to Prescott for our Summer Rally in July, you should be able to see several Minors of different types, chat with the owners and get a few rides up the hill!
Right, Thanks for that Ian, I will look out for a saloon in dire need or restoration, by getting a complete one I will leave my options open to restore it if the Ash frame developments doesn't come off or are out of my price range, I'll keep a look out for a project now but realistically unless its a bargain I will have more money, time and a car to view it in in the autumn after my Morris Minor 1000 is on the road. Then I will seriously start looking with the view to buying one.
Another option is to try and get a working one which needs some refurbishment.
I have also phoned about insurance companies and Footman James will insure me for about £600, a lot I know but better than any of my friends.
.