Vintage Minor Register

This just in from Ewan Lambess down under:

Hi Ian,
Just got home from a 1900 km drive to Griffith,South West NSW, to pick up the remains of a Minor. It is chassis # Y329, Engine #14567A. It has Its original motor. It has every thing I need to make another Minor. I will send you photo's soon. You may call me Mad or stupid to retrieve this but it would have gone to the scrap man otherwise. Photo's coming soon. Regards Ewan. PS: time for some sleep.

My reply:

Hello Ewan,
Great news! This car is on the chassis register - here is what I have:

"Owner - Colin McIntyre, PO Box 490, Nowra, NSW 2541, Australia. Owned 'remains' in 1984. Information from Harry Edwards via Ewan Lambess"

Now I know much more! Ian

This just in from Ewan, with the pic I just put on the home page:

"It was cut in half sometime in the fifties & the rear was made into a trailer by Colin McIntyre's father. Colin tells me he can remember his father towing it home but can never remember it going.It has an engine reconditioners plate riveted onto the block dating 1950. so maybe with a little luck things inside might not be to bad??"

Hi Ian, don't seem to be getting my emails thru to you, might account for lack of postings on forum ??
Ewan

Apologies Ewan,

I just e-mailed John Nagle re the shock absorbers, copy to you. We'll get them on their way to you.

Cheers,

Ian

Latest pics of Y329 from Ewan.

He reports: "Y329 painted, we are having a heat wave with day temps in the high 30's which meant an early start as temp in the shed was in the low 40's by midday, front guards have been painted black and ready to bolt up."

A couple more images just received from Ewan. Rapid progress, Ewan!

Thanks Ian for posting the photos for me, Fitted 4 new tyres last week and have booked it in for seats and hood to be made early Jan. Have had two bumper bars made with two grooves milled into them then had the ends rolled and they are at the platers now.
Ewan

Smiths shocks arrived today, Excellent as they were only sent a week ago, seems someone was working over the christmas period.
Big thanks to Ian And john in making this happen
Happy New Year
Ewan

I'm shocked how fast they got to you Ewan!

At the trimmers.

Latest pics from Ewan. Looking sharp!

Posted for Ewan Lambess:

The time had come to fire up. Oil filter primed, plugs out, cranking over, no oil pressure. Off with the pump and filter (made one good pump out of four). Still no pressure. Off with the pump and sump. By squirting oil into the gallery oil was coming out the rear main as quickly as it was going in. I had some new M Type gears that I had bought from S&V many years ago. These are a lot wider than Minor gears so thought more volume might help. M Type gears need an adapter plate which had come with the kit. It would not fit over the gears, so had to grind out. Thought that was pretty average. Pump back on, now have 15 psi. Still not enough, so off with flywheel and bell housing. Rear main flogged out. Found a good bell housing and fitted a lightened flywheel that I had. Back together, pressure now 60 psi. That will have to do as I have been chasing my tail for four days. So carby flooded, ignition on, full choke, heart in mouth and she fired into life. After sitting in a paddock cut in half for 65 years, it lives again.

Ewan,

Hearty congratulations!!! Particularly after such a last minute trial!

I wish you many happy miles ahead.

Ian

Just in from Ewan:

Took M24068 (46879H), which turned 85 this month on a club run and up turned the ex Gary Shulze car now in the ownership of Andrew Stewart of Yarrauel NSW. Andrew is also in the progress of rebuilding two other cammy Minors. Andrew plans to join the register.

Y329 is finished. GREAT job Ewan!