Vintage Minor Register

Starting to put the engine together. I have test fitted the crankshaft and have pumped oil through the oil way that feeds the front whitemetal bearing - everything looks OK - oil is finding its way right through the crank shaft but a lot of oil does get out of a small hole that is drilled into the oilway that feed the front bearing. I assume that this feeds oil into the timing chain/oil pump/distributor drive area. Is that how it should be? Does the concave side of the oil-splash washer face towards the block?

No,the concave side faces forward towards the front pulley.

Thanks Trevor - somewhere I have seen a data sheet that tells me the distance from the gudgeon pin to the top of the piston, anyone know where that info is? Is there a right and wrong way to assemble the con-rods? {look to be symetrical} - anything else not to forget when assembling the engine?

Nearly finished the Ash frame for the passengers side door but need to find out whether the lower part of the door skin should be 'staight' or whether there is a 'curve' in it {front to back} - any ideas? might it have the same curve as the top of the door? (see photo 2 that shows the section of the door skin that I have cut out along side of the Ash door-top section)

Still working on too many fronts! - Just got the engine back again, a long story for another post. - All wheel bearings replaced; Brake shoes relined/refitted; brake cams re-bushed; 3 drums on - one bake-plate to remove/straighten; starter motor in bits - making new field post; dynamo in bits fitting new bearing+bushes - rebuilding terminal/resistor box; battery box made + fitted; battery cables made + ready; carb rebuilt (not confident about needle/damper combination; wheels ready to be fitted; brake cables ready to be fitted after brake shaft sorted + front pulley carrier made ..............>>>


Going to have a blitz on the Drivers door tomorrow (welding + start new frame) + hope to finish upholstering the seats on Thursday. Stripped down the front window frame (water ingress into the laminate {looks home done!} has spoilt the screen) Just sent off samples of the screen rubbers to Ian Harris to see if he has any - anyone able to identify these sections? do they look right?

Thanks Ian - I have two headlamps. One has a holder for a single filament bulb, no sidelight hole in the relector and has a dippling solenoid. The other has a holder for a twin filament bulb and a hole for a side lamp {no bulb holder}.

Both glasses are just that, sheets of cut glass, not lenses? So I will need to find a reflector with sidelamp hole and two lenses.
also any advice on paint to use on the dashboard - have you come across any 'crackled'/'speckled' matt black paint?

Hi John,

You should be able to get mottled glass from any reputable glass supplier - the sort use in bathroom windows! They should be able to cut a couple of circles for you. The original SV headlamp glasses were cast/fluted, but the OHC cars' headlamps had a mottled/spattered texture, which is quite close to the bathroom window stuff. As for crackle finish paint, you can also pick this up in aerosols. You spray it on and wait - it crackles as it dries.

Sisters are really useful! - today we managed to complete the last seat cover. Just need to tension them + fix to frames. Will start on the door cards next. Can anyone point me towards a photo that shows what a 1933 door card + rear arm rest should look like? can anyone recommend any sheet material that works well as the base for the door cards?

the glass for headlamps is called "stippolyte", you could even have it toughened if you wanted. By the way, could only find one door glass and no others, the doors a bit of a mess but glass looks ok.

Original rear seat detail (2008 Morris Register Rally)

!933 interiors

Thanks Peter - they are the ones I need. Will have to find a piece on maghogony now. Do you have a good photo of a basic 1933 Saloon dashboard?

John

Old wardrobes etc....good source of mahogany!
A couple of 1933/34 dashboards.

Thanks again Peter - I have cut+thicknessed some mahogany this afternoon - I will follow the dash with gloveboxes design next weekend

John

The Sun shone so I let it have a look outside while I removed the paint and discovered a few more bits in need of repair.
It looks the roof structure has been removed/modified at some stage. Anyone able to suggest what might have been done? How big is the opening roof on a Minor? Might the Vynl roof have replaced a sliding roof?