Morris 8

[taxirod]

So with all the big bits from my purple truck now gone (apart from the chassis which is on the roof of the garage)


Time for a new project!

I had been offered another Ruby at a very good price, but chickened out because it was an old blue logbook, I just couldn't face Dvla coming to inspect it after all the nonsense I had with them last time.
Instead, I've bagged this Morris 8, similar size to a Ruby (ideal for my little garage)



It's remarkably solid, only a bit of lacyness on one running board and one rear wing, both look fairly easy to fix.

Loosely, the plan is to put it all back together using as much original stuff as possible, but with (relatively) modern running gear. Should look fairly stock apart from stance and tyres. Unlike my Ruby, this one will get painted. It's in bare metal at the moment.
Although it arrived with all the bits stuffed inside it, I was assured that everything is there apart from the headlights.
Thanks Dave for selling it to me, everything does seem to be there, but because its already in bits I'm gonna have fun working out where all the fiddly little bits go!

[taxirod]

I was going to have a 4 bar and panhard for the rear suspension, but I'm looking at the original leafsprings and wondering. They are only 30mm wide, although I guess it's a small light car. I would quite like to keep them but don't fancy the idea of them busting when I'm miles from home one day!

Before I launch into this build there are a couple of jobs I need to do on the Ruby.

I will probably sell off a lot of the original running gear from the Morris when I'm ready, in case anyone there is interested in it.

[taxirod]

I have a pair of P100 headlights left over from my purple truck, these are huge at 12" diameter, surely they will look ridiculous on the little Morris??






Surprised me, I reckon they look great. And all fitted with led sidelights, projector headlight units, and indicators. Will obviously need to fabricate a way of mounting them.

[taxirod]

I've had a pair of Mazda MX5 seats in the living room for over a year, they were for a previous project, I tried them in the Morris



Tight, but they do go in, allowed me to sit in there and imagine a future time when she's up and running.
I guess I'll put them back in the living room until I've progressed the build a lot further then.

[BadAC]

Nice. Can't wait to it come together.

G

Sent from my moto e30 using NSRA mobile app

[v8pop]

That looks wikid Ian, bit of a find mate. A hot rod and a jig saw all in one.
Good luck with the build mate, I'm looking forward to following this one.
What's your thoughts engine wise?

Cheers Tim W

Sent from my M2103K19G using NSRA mobile app

[taxirod]

Bad AC - thank you, I'm looking forward to getting started on it

V8Pop - Plan has changed from motorbike engine, to V6, and now onto a ST170 which Ive bought with Noblers help, but not collected yet.

[v8pop]

ST 170 Interesting...

Cheers Tim W

Sent from my M2103K19G using NSRA mobile app

[taxirod]

Thanks Tim.
On Thursday I made a start at getting the body off the chassis



I like the brake pedal/ master cylinder, should be easy to swap for an Mgb m/cyl, planning to use Mgb brakes all round.



Saturday afternoon I drove over to a pretty part of S Bucks to collect the engine



Engine now in my garage.



Thanks to Nobler for putting me on to this engine and giving lots of advice.

Today I moved various bits to my sisters garage, freeing up some much needed space to work.

[v8pop]

Nice one Ian, looking forward to following this, useful having spare family capacity as well mate.

Cheers Tim W

Sent from my M2103K19G using NSRA mobile app

[taxirod]

Thanks Tim.
Today I decided to strip the Mgb back axle, prior to narrowing it 6 1/2". The axle had its own ideas and didn't play ball. Maybe it had been left out in the rain for years.
I did manage to remove all the old brackets.
Brakes were seized and the adjusters wouldn't cooperate, even when I tried welding a nut onto them for better grip and heating up/ freeing offness. Once I'd struggled and got the drums off, one of the split pins broke into pieces which resisted my attempts to remove them. The other side, the split pin came off nicely, but the castellated nut wouldn't move, the whole axle was moving, and the shaft turning...eventually I made up a special piece to push a bolt onto the back of the hub and prevent it turning, then, with wifey standing on one end of the axle I finally got the nut loose.
Then it's just a simple matter of sliding the hub off. No! My puller wouldn't shift it, rubbish puller I think.

[mygasser]

you can borrow my big boy's puller when you come here next week ian
neil.

[taxirod]

you can borrow my big boy's puller when you come here next week ian
neil.

I was gonna ask you!
Many thanks.
I got a little bit of garage time today, removed the Lever arm shox from front, and stuck 'em on ebay.
Removed front axle ready to take to Neil next week.
I remember when building the Ruby that most bolts were Whitworth. And I only had 2 Whitworth spanners!
At the Supernats this year, Mark (Blackpop racing) sold me an old socket set, it has a whole section of Whitworth sockets which are coming in useful on the Morris.

[BadAC]

Looking busy. What you having done to front axle?

G

Sent from my moto e30 using NSRA mobile app

[mygasser]

ssshhhh, don't tell him

[taxirod]

I haven't done anything to the axle ....yet!
Apart from removing it.
More on this soon.

[taxirod]

Only had about 15 minutes garage time today, I put some leather food, or whatever you call it, on the back seat.



Both parts are rather crispy, I'm not intending to have a back seat in this car, but if I can save the leather I might be able to use it to cover the area behind the front seats which will have the fuel tank, battery, and other bits.

[BadAC]

I used Connolly (about £16 quid) feed on my spare back seats and done it once a week for about 2 months, came up a treat. I used it to cover the gearbox tunnel and top of prop tunnel. And smells nice too.

G

[Blackpopracing]

Cool, I saw another complete Ruby for sale the other day & thought of you!

Will read with interest. Glad to see my Dad's sockets coming in useful.

[ivanhoew]

excellent progress ian .