Page 1 of 27 12311 ... LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 537

Thread: Morris 8

  1. #1
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1

    Morris 8

    So with all the big bits from my purple truck now gone (apart from the chassis which is on the roof of the garage)
    Name:  20230908_083057.jpg
Views: 1983
Size:  207.8 KB

    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)

    Name:  20230911_092718.jpg
Views: 1983
Size:  380.4 KBName:  20230911_092718.jpg
Views: 1990
Size:  380.4 KBName:  20230911_110957.jpg
Views: 2017
Size:  504.3 KB

    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!
    Last edited by taxirod; 15-09-23 at 02:44 PM.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  2. #2
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    Name:  20230911_112810.jpg
Views: 1997
Size:  523.4 KB

    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.
    Last edited by taxirod; 15-09-23 at 02:46 PM.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  3. #3
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    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??




    Name:  20230915_135603.jpg
Views: 1995
Size:  284.0 KB

    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.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  4. #4
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    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

    Name:  20230915_142242.jpg
Views: 1975
Size:  237.7 KB

    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.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  5. #5
    NSRA member BadAC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Posts
    346
    Nice. Can't wait to it come together.

    G

    Sent from my moto e30 using NSRA mobile app
    Small block 350 Chevy at last! Yep shoulda done it sooner.

    Gotta have fun in my old age even if I am a grumpy ol git.

  6. #6
    NSRA member v8pop's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Posts
    5,037
    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
    They say "life's a Crap Shoot" - Sure would be nice to have some Shoot for a change !!

    My Pop My Intro

  7. #7
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    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.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  8. #8
    NSRA member v8pop's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Posts
    5,037
    ST 170 Interesting...

    Cheers Tim W

    Sent from my M2103K19G using NSRA mobile app
    They say "life's a Crap Shoot" - Sure would be nice to have some Shoot for a change !!

    My Pop My Intro

  9. #9
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    Thanks Tim.
    On Thursday I made a start at getting the body off the chassis

    Name:  20231008_203421.jpg
Views: 1778
Size:  296.9 KBName:  20231008_203414.jpg
Views: 1767
Size:  340.0 KBName:  20231008_203322.jpg
Views: 1779
Size:  237.5 KB

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

    Name:  20231008_203502.jpg
Views: 1770
Size:  279.6 KB

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

    Name:  20231007_183654.jpg
Views: 1765
Size:  292.0 KB

    Engine now in my garage.

    Name:  20231008_081600.jpg
Views: 2230
Size:  399.1 KB

    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.
    Last edited by taxirod; 08-10-23 at 09:56 PM.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  10. #10
    NSRA member v8pop's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Posts
    5,037
    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
    They say "life's a Crap Shoot" - Sure would be nice to have some Shoot for a change !!

    My Pop My Intro

  11. #11
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    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.
    Last edited by taxirod; 09-10-23 at 06:06 PM.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  12. #12
    NSRA member mygasser's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    7,519
    you can borrow my big boy's puller when you come here next week ian
    neil.

  13. #13
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by mygasser View Post
    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.
    Name:  20231010_133934.jpg
Views: 1724
Size:  397.9 KB
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  14. #14
    NSRA member BadAC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Posts
    346
    Looking busy. What you having done to front axle?

    G

    Sent from my moto e30 using NSRA mobile app
    Small block 350 Chevy at last! Yep shoulda done it sooner.

    Gotta have fun in my old age even if I am a grumpy ol git.

  15. #15
    NSRA member mygasser's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Posts
    7,519
    ssshhhh, don't tell him

  16. #16
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    I haven't done anything to the axle ....yet!
    Apart from removing it.
    More on this soon.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  17. #17
    NSRA member taxirod's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Posts
    836
    Images
    1
    Only had about 15 minutes garage time today, I put some leather food, or whatever you call it, on the back seat.

    Name:  20231011_155019.jpg
Views: 1487
Size:  376.1 KBName:  20231011_155040.jpg
Views: 1478
Size:  328.7 KB

    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.
    I may live in East London, I may have a number plate that reads "Chopt",
    but I do NOT use 6" wheel spacers!

  18. #18
    NSRA member BadAC's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2022
    Posts
    346
    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
    Small block 350 Chevy at last! Yep shoulda done it sooner.

    Gotta have fun in my old age even if I am a grumpy ol git.

  19. #19
    NSRA member Blackpopracing's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    4,804
    Images
    1
    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.

  20. #20
    New guest
    Join Date
    May 2023
    Posts
    12
    excellent progress ian .

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •