Vintage Minor Register

Hi Ian has the plans for the 2 seater body ever get done ?
regards steve

Not yet. Waiting on the Bormans. Hopefully this summer.

Hi Ian any closer on the ash frames ?
Regards Steve

Hi Steve,

Only slightly. Debbie Borman's husband is finishing off an MGB before embarking on the Minor - should be soon now. The plan is to engage a professional carpenter here in Seattle who I will work with to build a new body for this car and in the process capture the detailed design for further application. Keep asking!

Here's their website - I was just there with with Debbie at lunchtime today - they are going to do a little cosmetic work on my XK.

http://queencityautorebuild.com/

Ian,

I will be attending our local show over the weekend and have been informed some seasoned ash will be the subject of a "sawing exhibition", there is just a chance I might be able to bag some of this but I need to know what sections to ask for.
Can you help with measurements for me?

Regards,

Philip

Philip,

There is no short answer to this!

But I can tell you that when I make frames, most of the timbers are curved only in one plane, so you can cut them from flat planks of various thicknesses.

I have Debbie Borman's Hundred Pound frame in my barn at present (waiting for her to complete the chassis restoration before we attend to it), and I need to dig it out this weekend because I plan to lift the body off the McEvoy this weekend and both need to go in the barn.

So I will take some measurements of the thickness of various timbers today and post them here. If this is too late, then just go for 1", 1.5" and 2". I believe the sills are 7/8" by about 9" wide. Lots of pieces about 3' long by about 3" x 2" would be very handy.

Philip,

Looks like we'll finally be making a start on the Hundred Pound ash frame next week. I have the body off my McEvoy chassis and the chassis trestled in the workshop. I'll be mocking up the new floor for the McEvoy on it, and also laying down the floor for the Hundred Pound Minor on it. It turns out that there is a haerdwood specialist with white ash and Baltic birch ply about half a mile from my office - I'm visitng them later today to get things rolling. I'll be taking careful patterns/drawings/photographs as I go. I alos haver a new bandsaw and mitre saw to test out.

Ian,

That sounds good, I have given up on the idea of a rolling restoration as I've removed the engine for overhaul after seeing the state of the bearings, and it seems sensible to remove the body whilst the engine is being done. I am hoping to keep the maximum number of original timbers especially the one with the body number stamped in, the worst part (badly infested with woodworm) is the o/s cill/chassis plate.
I did not manage to get any ash last year so have left it until I know exactly what I need.

Regards,

Philip

Philip,

Could you post some images of your body (or better - your car's body!) in its current state?

Ian

Ian,

I'm very disappointed that you prefer pictures of an 82 year old car body to photos of my 72 year old superbly functioning chassis!! However, no accounting for taste, I will dig it out tomorrow and post some pics.

Regards,

Philip