Morris Minor Advice
Discussion
My sister has decided that she wants to dip her toe into the world of english classic car ownership and I'd appreciate some pointers/advice from Moggy owners in regards to what to look for/avoid.
I've owned a number of classics myself over the years but always American vehicles and although I know my way around a V8 have never had any dealings with Moggys or the like so would appreciate hearing the experiences of current/past owners.
Thanks
I've owned a number of classics myself over the years but always American vehicles and although I know my way around a V8 have never had any dealings with Moggys or the like so would appreciate hearing the experiences of current/past owners.
Thanks
I'd have another if I had the time or room (I've owned two) They are straightforward to work on. OHV engine and SU carb, they pretty much go forever although rattly timing chain is usually the tensioner and nothing drastic to worry about. See about the unleaded head conversion (hardened valve seats) as standard they are good old 4 star.
Naturally they are RWD, if you accelerate hard you get some axle tramp which is quite humorous, overall they are not great for modern motor-way traveling so the ones fitted with a five speed box make them a bit more practical and keep the sound and character very similar - it also means you have a synchro into first gear which is a bonus.
As standard they have no servo assist to the brakes so this is a reasonably common upgrade, braking is a bit poor in comparison with a modern car. Rust attacks them a bit but all the various panels can be bought cheaply enough and many parts are still made; http://www.charleswaresmorrisminorcentre.co.uk/
Most panels are bolt on (so long as the bolts haven't seized solid, otherwise they are removed with self grip pliers while bursting veins on forehead and skinning knuckles ime. These panels (Doors, wings, boot and bonnets) can be picked up cheaply enough so it's worth looking at one with scabby bits just check the underside isn't a patchwork quit of bad welding. You can have the engine out in two or three hours so long as the bolts haven't seized, as the front panel unbolts allowing the engine to come out forwards with the gearbox attached too if you prefer so a dead engine or gearbox isn't the end of the world.
Naturally they are RWD, if you accelerate hard you get some axle tramp which is quite humorous, overall they are not great for modern motor-way traveling so the ones fitted with a five speed box make them a bit more practical and keep the sound and character very similar - it also means you have a synchro into first gear which is a bonus.
As standard they have no servo assist to the brakes so this is a reasonably common upgrade, braking is a bit poor in comparison with a modern car. Rust attacks them a bit but all the various panels can be bought cheaply enough and many parts are still made; http://www.charleswaresmorrisminorcentre.co.uk/
Most panels are bolt on (so long as the bolts haven't seized solid, otherwise they are removed with self grip pliers while bursting veins on forehead and skinning knuckles ime. These panels (Doors, wings, boot and bonnets) can be picked up cheaply enough so it's worth looking at one with scabby bits just check the underside isn't a patchwork quit of bad welding. You can have the engine out in two or three hours so long as the bolts haven't seized, as the front panel unbolts allowing the engine to come out forwards with the gearbox attached too if you prefer so a dead engine or gearbox isn't the end of the world.
There's at least one lad (or his girlfriend) on here than runs one as a daily and as he reminded me some(?) have the brake reservoir under the cabin floor with a lid made of monkey-metal so I suspect some owners may not bother with brake fluid checks and changes as much as they could and from the time I had one for a few days brake are very important on a Moggy
As the Moggy is a close relative of the Spridgets I think my usual advice applies
All classic car owners should, and need to, know at least the very basics of car mechanics and maintenance a lot of which can be learnt from reading the owners Handbook
Regular checks, servicing and maintenance are essential to keep a classic as it should be, reliable - and remember the Moggy was used well into the 70s by commercial concerns for everyday work so had to be reliable
So my advice to new or potential owners -
Buy a copy of the original owners Handbook (some available as new reprints) as it tells you so much you need to know as to own, drive, service and maintain your car
Look at and test drive as many good examples as you can including some well out of your buying budget to see how good the cars should be and that you may need to increase your budget
It usually works out less expensive to buy a good but higher priced example than a poor lower priced example
Don’t accept “they all do that” check, it may be they do but a lot of times it’s just a lack of full and proper servicing, maintenance and repairs
If you buy one then;
always have the battery in good condition and all battery connections and leads clean, secure and protected, same for all electrical wiring and connections
As soon as possible do a full and proper 36,000 miles service only miss out items that you have 100% proof have already been done very recently, including;
g/box and back axle oils
brake and clutch fluids
coolant
dissy cap, rotor arm and leads (buy good quality ones) - http://www.distributordoctor.com/rotor_arms.html
fan belt
For a coolant change drain the whole system - engine block, rad and heater matrix if you can get any of these out to give them a good shake at the same time as flushing and back flushing then all the better - the sequence is flush, back flush, flush, clean, flush, back flush and flush again until the water runs clear, refill with the correct coolant mixture but bear in mind in tap water isn’t always the best water to use
Also change the rubber coolant hoses to silicone when you get the chance as new rubber ones tend to be poor quality now- http://www.classicsiliconehoses.com/
Be aware that brand new parts can sometimes be faulty, especially electrical bits (see just above) so don’t discount them when problem solving just because they are new, buy good quality parts
Check the age of your tyres if they are 6 years old or more replace ASAP regardless of tread depth, this will improve the braking, steering, ride, handling and possibly noise and safety of the car greatly
Use the car regularly - to get used to it, sort out any wrinkles and prevent the problems that occur with lack of use, and to enjoy it
Every few weeks check your horn, wipers and all switches work and heater valve turns on and off (all no problem if you use the car regularly)
Follow regular checks, servicing and maintenance as per owners Handbook
Drive in all weathers, the car was built and design to do so - I’d guess there be good in the snow with the low power, gearing and narrow tyres and wheels but everyday owners will confirm or deny this
Do not do any cosmetic or improvement work for at least 12 months of regular use, unless you need to replace parts or components, as you may need to use the money elsewhere on the car
Also very useful, you can get suppliers catalogues for free to get you started to see where things go but in my personal opinion they’re not as good as a paper copy
Cheers, good luck
As the Moggy is a close relative of the Spridgets I think my usual advice applies
All classic car owners should, and need to, know at least the very basics of car mechanics and maintenance a lot of which can be learnt from reading the owners Handbook
Regular checks, servicing and maintenance are essential to keep a classic as it should be, reliable - and remember the Moggy was used well into the 70s by commercial concerns for everyday work so had to be reliable
So my advice to new or potential owners -
Buy a copy of the original owners Handbook (some available as new reprints) as it tells you so much you need to know as to own, drive, service and maintain your car
Look at and test drive as many good examples as you can including some well out of your buying budget to see how good the cars should be and that you may need to increase your budget
It usually works out less expensive to buy a good but higher priced example than a poor lower priced example
Don’t accept “they all do that” check, it may be they do but a lot of times it’s just a lack of full and proper servicing, maintenance and repairs
If you buy one then;
always have the battery in good condition and all battery connections and leads clean, secure and protected, same for all electrical wiring and connections
As soon as possible do a full and proper 36,000 miles service only miss out items that you have 100% proof have already been done very recently, including;
g/box and back axle oils
brake and clutch fluids
coolant
dissy cap, rotor arm and leads (buy good quality ones) - http://www.distributordoctor.com/rotor_arms.html
fan belt
For a coolant change drain the whole system - engine block, rad and heater matrix if you can get any of these out to give them a good shake at the same time as flushing and back flushing then all the better - the sequence is flush, back flush, flush, clean, flush, back flush and flush again until the water runs clear, refill with the correct coolant mixture but bear in mind in tap water isn’t always the best water to use
Also change the rubber coolant hoses to silicone when you get the chance as new rubber ones tend to be poor quality now- http://www.classicsiliconehoses.com/
Be aware that brand new parts can sometimes be faulty, especially electrical bits (see just above) so don’t discount them when problem solving just because they are new, buy good quality parts
Check the age of your tyres if they are 6 years old or more replace ASAP regardless of tread depth, this will improve the braking, steering, ride, handling and possibly noise and safety of the car greatly
Use the car regularly - to get used to it, sort out any wrinkles and prevent the problems that occur with lack of use, and to enjoy it
Every few weeks check your horn, wipers and all switches work and heater valve turns on and off (all no problem if you use the car regularly)
Follow regular checks, servicing and maintenance as per owners Handbook
Drive in all weathers, the car was built and design to do so - I’d guess there be good in the snow with the low power, gearing and narrow tyres and wheels but everyday owners will confirm or deny this
Do not do any cosmetic or improvement work for at least 12 months of regular use, unless you need to replace parts or components, as you may need to use the money elsewhere on the car
Also very useful, you can get suppliers catalogues for free to get you started to see where things go but in my personal opinion they’re not as good as a paper copy
Cheers, good luck
My missus has been using one as her only car for 12 years. I know all about looking after them. check for rust in the chassis legs and rear spring mounts, these tend to go first. otherwise they are easy and cheap to maintain. ours cost £3.45 in parts last year. serviceing was or is about £25. As said they are not good for motorways or duel carrigeways, but as a local use car you would be hard pushed to find a cheaper to run car. You will need to be able to service it yourself, as parts need greasing every 3000 miles. don't neglect this as it will cost a lot to fix worn out steering and stuff. the previous email said it all really and is sound advice.
crankedup said:
Fuel pump stuck on my dear old Moggy and it ground to a halt at the roadside. Helpful chap advised me to gently wack the top of pump body with a lump of wood, I did and the pump started working again with no further troubles. Happy days long ago 
now you'd swap it for an electronic pumpI had a fuel pump play up so just hit it and decided to deal with it at the weekend, Friday the pump would start again no matter how I hit it, I had to book the day off work - so if there's a fault find the cause or Sod's Law will apply putting up with faulty items on the car is not fun or a good idea
Some Moggys have uprated brakes and 5-speed gearbox so can go on motorways with confidence - sorry to have perhaps upset some purists
Many many thanks for all the input, I'll check out the recommended web sites.
I'm very aware of the pro's/cons and service needs of classics due to having a couple of 1940's american Fords, but having never had any experiences of Moggys I wanted to get some input from those who had.
Many thanks
Mark
I'm very aware of the pro's/cons and service needs of classics due to having a couple of 1940's american Fords, but having never had any experiences of Moggys I wanted to get some input from those who had.
Many thanks
Mark
Motown Junk said:
Somewhere I've got a repro owners handbook and a Practical Classics book on what to look out for and common repairs. If you're going to Gary's Picnic, can bring them along (My Minor disintegrated 20 years ago, but hate to throw books away).
That'd be very kind of you, yes I'll be at the picnic, just ask at the Outlaw Street race gazebo or anyone wearing an Outlaw Street raceshirt for Mark and they'll point me out..Gassing Station | Classic Cars and Yesterday's Heroes | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff