Vintage Minor Register

Last year's inaugural spring pub meet at the Old Bull didn't happen for months, but I'm hopeful that it will work this year!

The date is set for lunchtime on Sunday 1st May - that's one week after the FBHVC's Drive-it-Day, to avoid the clash.

All most welcome!

Correction - we'll make it the following Sunday - 8th May - to avoid the May Day bank holiday!

If you are planning to attend, please post here!

Just a reminder that our Spring Meet will take place at the old Bull, Inkberrow on Sunday lunchtime, 8th May.

A good gathering is expected, and completely free of past restrictions!

Sadly, it's not looking good for me on Sunday. After an 80+ mile drive out to west-Herefordshire yesterday, the clutch release bearing ring/cover has tried to make a bid for freedom. It's currently sitting on the wrong side of the three fingers and is rattling away to itself. I had a problem on a roundabout where I spent a minute or so trying desperately to get the car into a gear, any gear, before it finally did. I was able to get home okay, with no real issues with the clutch until I got into Worcester when the changes were a little more crunchy than usual. I discovered the reason why after I removed the cover above the clutch and peered inside (not an easy task in itself, may I say).

That's not good! Floorboards up, floorboard brackets out, starter cables disconnected, prop shaft undone, gearbox out. At least you have a modern to turn up with?

New covers should be available from Ian Harris and/Or Sports & Vintage.

Are the covers available separately then? Was expecting to replace the entire release bearing unit.

Yes they are. I have bought covers before.

I also have a spare combined sealed bearing and cover surplus to requirement, ex-Peter Hills, if you would like me to send it over for you.

The photo below shows an original Morris clutch bearing cover and the new bearing/cover. The advantage of the sealed bearing is that it no longer needs an oil supply from the holes in the gearbox input shaft. These holes should be blanked off with small alloy pegs in any case, as they are a source of oil getting onto the clutch linings.

Excellent turnout today, including six Minors:

CAS 688 1932 2-seater Barry Ashton
VSU 309 1932 tourer Joe Reed (the landlord)
RSJ 615 1932 2-seater Jonathan Barwick (clutch fixed?)
MM 9385 1929 tourer Steve Kent
LV 1008 1932 2-seater Paul Hiden
UR 4313 1929 fabric saloon Tom Swain (from West Sussex)

Total entries around 20. As photos arrive, I'll post a selection here.

Three from Peter McFadyen to kick things off:

And these from Mike Tebbett who brought his superb GN:

No, sadly. I'd arranged to get the car to an old-school mechanic today, whom I've used over the years. I had no way of getting the car there other than under its own power, so I thought I'd attempt the 8 mile drive there and if I had any problems I could just ring the breakdown service (who will only attend if I'm further than half-a-mile away from home!!). Turned out the clutch worked perfectly, so I made the naughty decision to go the extra 5 miles and attend the meeting. Car is now at the workshop. I have neither the time nor the space (the garage is very narrow, even for a pre-war Minor) and there's absolutely no room to get the gearbox out.

Well done Jonathan, let me know if you need the sealed bearing.

Tom Swain drove up from West Sussex on Saturday, stopping by Nuffield Place on the way.



Sophie doing sterling work on navigation:



Havig a swift half at the Star at Rusper on the way home:

Lots more photos from Peter McFadyen here:

https://petermcfadyen.co.uk/#/gallery/v ... 20508-114/

And Steve Kent just sent in these nice shots, and this report:

The Minor has not been right since PWP but having thought we'd fixed its charging circuit we found we hadn't hence being towed back from the Welsh Light Car on the Sunday. Having purchased yet another cutout/voltage regulator as the one we'd just installed did not last long we found we needed yet another coil! Then we discovered that the keyway on the top dynamo yoke had sheared. We also thought to check the tappet gaps only to discover that having had a new camshaft some 5 or 6 years ago we had set the gap to 3 thou only to discover that the new cams have a different setting of 6 thou on the inlet and 8 thou on the exhaust. Having re-set the gaps and replaced all the other parts and set the cutout/regulator so that it charged we thought we'd test the Minor out on the run to Inkberrow from home...a run of about 20 miles. The car went brilliantly for about 15 miles; the new tappet settings certainly making a noticeable difference with the Minor easily able to achieve speeds of 50MPH plus. Then the fuel starvation issues that the car has been plagued with started.

However we got to The Old Bull with only minor coughing and spluttering. We had a great few hours meeting fellow Minorists and refreshing ourselves from the inn. There was a real mix of Minors and other vintage cars to be crowded around with engines inspected and coachwork and upholstery of which to be jealous.

The journey home was however less than relaxing as the fuel starvation became worse and worse until eventually we had to stop 4 miles from home to let the car cool down as this is what seems to cause the issue. Once cooled enough we were soon home but with more cough and spluttering...another problem to be solved!







The above is landlord Joe Reed's 1932 tourer. He noted, "I only got it back on Friday evening [from its engine rebuild] and we have issues with the starter motor. We think it’s a 12 volt one, so have a pair of jump leads sticking out of the side and a 12 volt battery on standby!"