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Jan 23, 2020 19:00:03 GMT
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Superb looking Minor - love the wooden dash; how did you go about getting that done? The Midget seats look very comfy, and suit the car very well; might have to find a set to go in mine - I tried Rover 45 seats but they were too big really and don't tilt forwards, so I reverted to the standard vinyl back-breakers.
What size tyres do you have on the (LP917?) van wheels - car looks very beefy with them on, and is that a Mini steering wheel you have fitted - it looks slightly different from the standard Minor 2-spoke one.
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Jan 23, 2020 21:01:49 GMT
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Very nice minor, I love the wooden dash. We fitted sport / street ka leather seats to ours which work well and only cost £70, they are even heated.  |
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Jan 24, 2020 18:01:29 GMT
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Superb looking Minor - love the wooden dash; how did you go about getting that done? The Midget seats look very comfy, and suit the car very well; might have to find a set to go in mine - I tried Rover 45 seats but they were too big really and don't tilt forwards, so I reverted to the standard vinyl back-breakers. What size tyres do you have on the (LP917?) van wheels - car looks very beefy with them on, and is that a Mini steering wheel you have fitted - it looks slightly different from the standard Minor 2-spoke one. Thank you for the kind comments. Wooden dash is a Smoked Sapele veneer I stained to be more on the red side. The speedo surround is a spare metal one made flat with veneer added, the speedo sides are carved wood, gauges are mounted in aluminium panel with the same veneer. Dead cheap to do. 
Tyres are Vredestein Sprint Classic 165R14 (so fat 80 ratio) on the van wheels. I can't fault them, utterly amazing tyres but come at a high price! Now have 4mm wheel spacers up front and 2mm at the rear to stop any rubbing on the upper trunnions (and to minimise the track width difference) though. They get intimate when the front is lowered a little and you go into negative camber (wheee!). Well spotted on the Mini steering wheel, Mk1 I believe and just a touch smaller than the Minor wheel. It's sold now as I couldn't get on with the lack of dish and didn't want to use spacers.
Just found a photo I took a while back on a 90mm lens - love it.
Missing driving it at the moment - it has a nasty hole near the front N/S spring hangar as is very common. Will be getting somebody to weld new panels across those hangars sill-to-sill. Waiting for pay day!
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Last Edit: Jan 24, 2020 18:06:45 GMT by halkyon
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fogey
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,623
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Jan 24, 2020 20:33:43 GMT
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Thumbs up for the wooden dash panels.
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Jan 24, 2020 21:46:34 GMT
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They rot from the inside of the large box section in front of the seats out across there, there didn't seem to be any protection inside at all on ours.
As long as the sills are ok, it's not too bad a job if you have some way of getting it a decent distance off the ground.
You will need to take the back seats, carpets, 1/4 trim and ideally those rather nice front seats out first though.
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Jan 24, 2020 22:04:29 GMT
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I'd also advise removing the inertia-reel seatbelt body (if fitted); one of mine literally exploded (lots of pent-up spring pressure combined with heat) following a bit of welding in that area!  |
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Marc
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,037
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Absolutely love Minors, yours is a beauty.
Nothing to add, except I'm now scouring eBay for them.
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Mar 13, 2020 20:17:32 GMT
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Just got the car back from a garage - the lovely hole near the front spring hangar is no more. Also MOT'd. Bloody ecstatic to have it back - drove back from the garage with a massive grin and giggling as I revved it, hard. FLEET PIC.  Of course now is the time to make plans! - Awesome finned front drums to go on. Look badass. - Wolseley rear brakes to go on to match the front. - Rear radius arms to go on. - Considering dual output brake servo. |
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Last Edit: Mar 13, 2020 20:18:31 GMT by halkyon
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Mar 13, 2020 21:41:23 GMT
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Congratulations, must be good to have it useable again. What finned drums and radius arms are you using?
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Took the fun car out for the only occasion permitted. Strange times we've living in - but some things must remain constant for my sanity.
- Radius arms are on but rattling nicely against the exhaust silencer on one side. - Treated myself to an impact driver so I can easily get the rear hub nuts off and put the bigger drums on the back - eyeing this weekend!
Obligatory pic.
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Last Edit: Apr 1, 2020 22:13:25 GMT by halkyon
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Good to hear the Minor's back on the road. I found a hole at the rear spring shackle in mine so dear knows when I'll get it sorted. What about the Rover how's it going.
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Rover is sat on the driveway getting dusty - I bought it to commute in while the Morris was off the road - now there is no commute! Rear brakes now 50% Wolseley.  |
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Nice work. What radius arms are those, and how do they attach?
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Ah it's just the ESM kit painted black. At the axle it's another plate in the U-bolt sandwich, each front hangar has two plates that bolt into the spring hangar itself, on one side using the existing little bolts that hold the pin retaining plate and the opposite is drilled to match.
I've been meaning to ask @waxoyling- which telescopic shock setup do you have front & back?
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Last Edit: Apr 5, 2020 15:09:59 GMT by halkyon
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Interesting, I was under the impression all those radius arm kits needed welding on, but I see the ESM one is bolt on. Do you find it makes much difference?
I fitted Mr Grumpy's telescopic shock kits front and back in the mid 1990s, which use Gabriel Red Ryder (US made) dampers, though I think the fronts are just the generic classic Mini size, which of course, don't really have enough travel for Minors, making the car somewhat crashy going over potholes.
Hence, I removed the fronts a while ago and reverted to stock lever arms but still have the telescopic rears fitted, though they are somewhat harsh going over speed humps with no load in the boot - my Traveller actually rides better when it's got a load on board!
I did consider reverting to rear lever arms, but recall they tended to be pretty poor at damping when I first owned the car.
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Interesting, I was under the impression all those radius arm kits needed welding on, but I see the ESM one is bolt on. Do you find it makes much difference? I fitted Mr Grumpy's telescopic shock kits front and back in the mid 1990s, which use Gabriel Red Ryder (US made) dampers, though I think the fronts are just the generic classic Mini size, which of course, don't really have enough travel for Minors, making the car somewhat crashy going over potholes. Hence, I removed the fronts a while ago and reverted to stock lever arms but still have the telescopic rears fitted, though they are somewhat harsh going over speed humps with no load in the boot - my Traveller actually rides better when it's got a load on board! I did consider reverting to rear lever arms, but recall they tended to be pretty poor at damping when I first owned the car. Personally I would fit saloon (5-leaf) springs with radius arms. The saloon springs will be stiff enough for normal use, they'll improve the ride and also make the car less tail-happy. The radius arms will take care of the axle tramp, leaving the springs to get on with the business of springing. |
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1953 Minor (Long term project)
PT Cruiser
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Thanks for the suggestion - I may well look into that...
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Interesting, I was under the impression all those radius arm kits needed welding on, but I see the ESM one is bolt on. Do you find it makes much difference? I fitted Mr Grumpy's telescopic shock kits front and back in the mid 1990s, which use Gabriel Red Ryder (US made) dampers, though I think the fronts are just the generic classic Mini size, which of course, don't really have enough travel for Minors, making the car somewhat crashy going over potholes. Hence, I removed the fronts a while ago and reverted to stock lever arms but still have the telescopic rears fitted, though they are somewhat harsh going over speed humps with no load in the boot - my Traveller actually rides better when it's got a load on board! I did consider reverting to rear lever arms, but recall they tended to be pretty poor at damping when I first owned the car. Interesting. I find that with the extra torque from my rebuilt engine and relatively fresh rear springs (around four years old) the dampers are easily overwhelmed and can result in a comically bouncy ride. This remained true after swapping out a leaky damper and using SAE30 or 40 (I forget which) oil in them.
Therefore I've bern thinking about Spax or generic damper kits for the rear - but avoiding the type that uses a load spreader under the boot floor - so the hardcore weld-in-turrets type or those that re-use the original damper mounting points. Was hoping you'd say "they're perfect!".
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Well, funnily enough, my rear dampers do use the 'load spreader' bar bolted (not welded, as some people advise) under the boot floor, though I've not noticed any of the cracking problems some folk report with them, despite traversing over rough country roads frequently.
It probably doesn't help that the dampers lean inwards at a 45 degree angle to the axle, which is never optimum for a telescopic damper, although a good many vehicles have them that way, even some moderns. Also bear in mind, mine are 'cheapo' oil filled non-adjustable dampers; the ride could probably be improved considerably with better quality gas/adjustable ones - I hear Konis are supposed to be one of the best.
When I had my twin-cam Minor saloon, it had new rear leaf springs and Spax adjustables all round, but even on their softest settings, the ride was pretty choppy. It could have done with a leaf or two taking out; Minor Mania built a custom convertible and found it handled best with just four leaf springs, and quite soft damping on the back.
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Many people stiffen up the rear suspension on Minors to reduce axle-tramp. This is not the best way to do it. Axle tramp is due to insufficient location, not soft springs. Improve the axle location with radius arms and that will sort out the axle tramp. Then once you've got that under control, soften up the rear suspension which improves ride, turn in and weight transfer. You can further improve the last two by stiffening up the front suspension. Even thicker oil in the front shocks helps (use SAE 30; don't be tempted to use gear oil, it's too thick and you will run the risk of shearing the mounting bolts).
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1953 Minor (Long term project)
PT Cruiser
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