And so it begins... Here's how I entered the scary new world of classic car ownership.
Background
Welcome, readers, to my new blog. This is all a bit new to me but bear with me. I feel that if I share my experiences here then it might both help other people and also encourage more experienced people to reach out to offer me some helpful information.
A few months ago I started to seriously consider buying a classic car as a little side project to tinker with and generally enjoy. An Austin A35 was then at the top of my list and I regularly scoured eBay, classic car sites and the owners club website. Prevarication being my middle name, I looked and looked but always stopped short of taking the plunge.
As the months went by another possible car started to catch my eye. Yes, it was the good old Morris Minor. There are certainly a lot more of those about which meant prices were keener and also there seemed to be a lot more support and much better parts availability. Yes, that settles it, a Morris Minor it is! Which model though? The Minor 1000 seems by far the most commonly available but no, I keep getting drawn back to the earlier models. The original Minor MM might be a bit too old though and in my opinion a bit of an ugly duckling (controversial, I know). The early Series II with its split windscreen, small rear window and 'cheese grater' grille seemed to hit the sweet spot for me. They occasionally popped up in the classifieds but good ones were just a little out of my price range.
And then one day there it was. A lovely black car, exactly the model I was after, for sale at a scrap metal merchants in Chesterfield. The price was suspiciously low but a couple of calls later and I was in my car making the 90 mile drive to go and see it. The photos I had seen were lacking some detail so I was feeling a little pessimistic but upon inspection it was so much better than I expected. Slightly tatty here and there with a few paint blemishes but other than that a very mechanically sound car with an engine that ran as sweetly as I could have hoped for. The condition of the body and underside was amazing with virtually no rust. Also, It had recently had a complete brake overhaul and a brand new exhaust. Needless to say I made a purchase and later on the same afternoon it was delivered to my house on the back of a transporter! Today is the 22nd August so beginning today I will start a diary/blog to document my experiences.
The vehicle details are as follows:
-Morris Minor Series II, registered February 1954.
-A Series engine, 803cc.
August 22nd 2019
So, yeah, today was a hectic but good day! The car is now in my garage and I'm standing here looking at it, feeling slightly apprehensive and out of my depth. So now what do I do? Well a sensible first step would probably be to inspect the car properly and make a to-do list of work I need to get this beast back onto the road.
Information on the car's service history is non existent so let's assume it will need a full service, certainly fresh oil and a new filter. Not forgetting the gearbox and differential oil too! Oh dear, looking at the oily casing of the differential, it will need a new oil seal. Well that's going to be a pain of a job. What else? Well this car originally had no indicators, only pop out trafficators, but it looks like a previous owner had sensibly fitted some aftermarket indicators. Switching the ignition on, I flick the indicator switch and... nothing. No life from either trafficators or indicators. Add it to the list.
Next?...
-The brake lights don't work.
-All tyres (including the spare) are totally shot and need replacing.
-The battery retaining bar is missing so I'll need to buy a new one.
-The original fuel cap is missing (temporary rubber one fitted) so I'll need a new one.
-The wiper blades are completely perished and one is missing a rubber retaining peg.
-The right rear suspension is sitting a bit too low causing the car to lean slightly to the right.
-The windscreen washer isn't working.
-The driver's side quarterlight window is jammed shut.
-The choke cable won't lock in place after being pulled out.
I'm sure there will be more but let's start addressing these problems first. I went online and ordered a new set of wiper blades and retaining pegs. I also treated myself to a new leather 'Morris' keyring as the one that came with the car looks like a bit of a health hazard! I might take a look at those indicators tomorrow but I'll call it a day for now. Tired but happy.
