MJ 1285 'Doctor's Coupe'

[Ian Grace]

Over the weekend, I heard from the chap who bought this car on eBay. Here are his interesting comments. Bottom line - does anyone have a spare SV engine and/or radiator for this car?

"Ian,

Thank you very much for the prompt response, much appreciated. And from a long way off!

My own car - which is a roof engined Ford model T (English) racer dates from 1917 having been constructed around that time as a racing car and was registered as such. I have a photograph of it at Brooklands circa 1924. It is a heart quickening car, best I have ever had (and I have run Rileys, Hotchkiss and Sunbeam) - but it is a track racer and not suited to pottering along roads because it needs full throttle (or it literally chokes) and has a very small tank. So when we moved here (2 years ago) I noticed an old black saloon in a barn,last March recovered it and found it to be absolutely original. Having repaired the roof and sorted the brakes this Morris eight (1937) proved ideal. But due to my daughter needing funds due to family problems it had to be sold in June.

A few weeks ago I decided to try again and acquired the Morris Minor from eBay.

Now, many years ago we restored a completely derelict Riley 12/4 Victor Saloon - the body being very poor. The same dilemma then - save the saloon or make it easy and build a special.Being much younger I restored the saloon rather than waste it. The Briggs body proved a hard task. But once bitten twice shy.

So to this Minor. Yes, there has been a philistine at work on the body. Whoever did it welded a couple of sheets of steel across the roof incredibly poorly instead of repairing the fabric top. Similarly to the luggage boot, two sheets of steel welded over and built out at the rear. Even worse, the rear wings have been welded to the body!

But I have examined the ash frame and can be confident that the original shape of the rear section and roof is as per the Mulliner and the original steel body panels confirm this. So it will be important to discover how this car left the factory - as a chassis I suspect.

The chassis lends itself to a special, having been restored. I have some bits and pieces to achieve this, once a suitable body comes along but it goes against the grain somewhat to destroy originality - hence my willingness to let it go to a more dedicated person. But if it is going to be a special for me then your help in locating a good usable engine would be most appreciated.

Otherwise the purchase price was £1220 on eBay and it cost me something over £150 in diesel and £75 for the trailer to get from Swindon to Newcastle and back; would like to break even or hopefully nearly!

So, Ian, if your club has any factory chassis information it would be very helpful and if there is no interest then any help to find a good engine and a good early type radiator core would be greatfully received - hopefully a little closer to me than Newcastle and certainly Seattle!!

Thank you again for getting in touch with me, etc., etc.