Vintage Minor Register

Ian,
Sorry to trouble you again, but the rebuild of this body continues to throw up lots of questions! Could I ask you firstly what grade and thickness of aluminium did you use for the body skinning? Did you skin the bottoms of the bulkhead both sides and the doors and just behind the doors in ally or in ply? The photos don't make this clear. Ahead of the rearmost floor appears to be a transverse toolbox, which my s/sports doesn't have. Was it definitely an original feature? Similarly I'm intrigued by the metal trim around the seatbase, again was this original? Pictures of my progress will be posted as and when I make it!
Mike.

Hi Mike,

Keep the questions coming - it's a pleasure to be able to help!

I couldn't tell you the gauge of the aluminium, but it was not too thick and could be wrapped easily around the curves. The purpose is simply to stop the fabric 'saddling' around the single curves. if you look at photos of Mike Jones' JN 570, you will see that whatever is underneath the sides of the tail is too thin, and saddling has taken place, spoiling the surface of the tail.

I skinned the areas that were skinned on the original body. These were the sides of the tail - only from the stern post forward to the highest point of the rear wings where there is a wooden block between the wheel arch and the double curve tail members (forward end of the perforated steel deck covering). The area forward of here to the B post is more or less flat and doesn't need metal skinning. I also skinned the scuttle over the top and down to the two ash tie members about 6" below the top, of the scuttle - per original. Again, the flat area below these tie members and the sill doesn't need paneling. The doors were also not metal paneled - being more or less flat.

Yes, there should be a tool tray on the floor behind the seat back. Three pieces of ash about 1/2" thick. Definitely an original feature.

And the metal trim around the seat base is original and important, as it is all that holds the ply seat base in position. Underneath, there is a rectangular opening filled with a rectangular piece of 1/2" ply giving access to the battery, etc.

Your seat back should have a wooden pocket on its rear face to accommodate the sidescreens, and it should be hinged to the floor.

Ian,
Some progress to report. After some time spent fettling the rear wing openings the wings now fit quite well, see picture. I have now commenced the priming/undercoating of the frame, starting in the wing sections, see other picture. This will take some time. A couple more questions. I'm about to fit the under tail panel, which I notice you cut three holes in. What purpose did these serve? I can only imagine for ventilation, but that would surely provide an ideal entry point for winged insects? My apparantly original panel does not have these. Do you have a pattern for the seatback, as I don't believe mine is original? Incidentally the trolley I knocked up to carry the body is proving very useful.
Mike

Mike,

The three holes were for ventilation. My car didn't have the original panel under there, so the holes where my idea.

I still have the original wooden seat back which has the side screen pocket behind. I will get you a drawing and photos. I also have the two original spring units if you need data on them.

Don't forget to line the outside faces of the two ply wheel arches with steel (I actually lined mine with aluminum).

Ian,
A drawing of the seatback with dimensions would be ideal, I don't think mine can be original as it doesn't have any holes for the side screen pocket which is non-existant. So anything you have in this area would be appreciated. Also anything on the spring units would be very useful. As you can see from the picture I am using aluminium sheet at the back of the wheel arches, and I'm about to start the panelling once the painting is finished.
Mike

Kine,

I will get the data to you.

Ian

Ian,
Thanks, the data will be very useful. The build is progressing as you can see from the photos. After work on the frame it had two coats of paint and is now getting its aluminium covering. Another question for you concerns the pin beading. You gave a good account of how this was to be put on in M109, but you ended up screwing it on? I assume that this is a tricky procedure, what are the problems?
Mike.

Yes, the pin beading is a very tricky job - at least for me! There are a number of challenges - the main one being that the 'pins' are quite substantial nails and take some driving in to seasoned ash. Even with a half round wooden dolly, it is not possible to drive the pins in without leaving a mark on the chromed beading. The only solution I could come up with was to very acurately pre-drill the ash where the pins were, but you can probably imagine how hard that might be. And looking at your aluminium paneling, which is screwed on, you'll also have to ensure that the pins don't line up with those screws! Then there is the business of bending the last few inches and then chroming the strips, which are long and floppy. Altogether a real pain, which is why I 'temporarily' screwed mine on, becuase I was up against a hard deadline to ship the car to England for the 2007 Summer Rally in Dorset. The plan was to do the job properly at a later date, but I ended up leaving the car in the UK and subsequently selling it.

Incidentally, it is for sale again now. Andy Streek used it very little (if any?), and is selling it because he is far too tall to sit in it with the hood up!

Well progress has been slow but steady. Among my distractions are the restoration of a BR Mk1 carriage on the Spa Valley Railway, but that's another story! The calico covering on the lower body didn't work out very well, so off it came to be replaced by aluminium, which worked well. This has then been covered with thin industrial felt and a layer of cotton wadding, before the leathercloth. I'm quite pleased with the results so far. The most awkward part so far has been getting the sill sections neatly finished. Aluminium strips were used to double over. I don't know how this was done originally. I now have the red tail section to cover, should be fun!
Ian, are you able to get those seat plans to me some time? I know you are busy at the moment, hope all goes well and hope to join you in the future. The 'bed-pan' sale didn't materialise and is still for sale.

Regards to all, Mike

Mike,

Looking good.

E-mail me next week to remind me about the seat patterns.

Ian

Ian,

I've twice tried e-mailing you recently, with no response. I'm wondering if I am using the correct address!

Regards, Mike.

Mike,

Got your e-mail yesterday - currently buried in other stuff, but will reply shortly! Likewise for about 7 other e-mails from others that I have not been able to get to this week so far.

Cheers,

Ian

I thought it was time to post an update report. The body has been finished underneath, and is now being fastened to the chassis. Now to tackle a long list of further jobs!
Regards, Mike

Looking good Mike! That's a LOT of work so far.

I'm taking your seat photos this afternoon.

Ian

Mike,

Got the photos yesterday - I'll burn them onto a CD and post them to you. I took shots of the original wooden seat back/sidescreen pocket, and the two bare spring units. I made a dimensioned sketch of the wooden seat back assembly and will include this with the CD.

Ian