Rick W Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 Things are rattling along with the Morris since i bought her 6 months ago. All bodywork has been completely stripped off down to the chassis, sandblasted and primed, then given a coat of red oxide. It was then treated with a coat of OD15 paint, which despite being horrible sticky stuff has got a very good tough finish. The front chassis where the engine bolts onto is a bit worse for wear and will probably need replacing, but as far as the rest is concerned is all fairly solid with not one seized or snapped stud/nut! Front tyres have been replaced, and we are still struggling to get a tyre off another rim. We have gone through tyre machines, hammer and chisels, jigsaws and have resorted to angle grinders now to get the tyre off the rim. It looks very much like the tyre has never been replaced since fitting in 1944. Fuel lines are on and we have the engine turning on the starter motor. We are seriously going for an engine run this afternoon, so if the old girl fires up and explodes into life i will be leaping around the workshop in joy! :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted April 19, 2007 Author Share Posted April 19, 2007 After a few hours of head scratching, tins of easy start, swearing and several batteries later we breathed life into the beast! A lot of it down to the persistence of the mech-aniacs who work for me. its amazing how productive a quiet afternoon can be. Sorting out the cooliong next, so we can run for a bit longer . :-D :-D :-D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted April 19, 2007 Share Posted April 19, 2007 Looking Good, Rick............ Where did you get your tyres ?? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted April 19, 2007 Author Share Posted April 19, 2007 Tyres are part worn from Vass, the landrover people, think they are ex 101 tyres, cost about £200 inc delivery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted April 28, 2007 Author Share Posted April 28, 2007 Now we know it runs we are concentrating a bit more on the cab, so we can sit on it and drive in and out of the workshop rather than push it in and out every day! The square tyres on the rear dont help, but they will be sorted this week. The bulkhead is in place and the rebuilt control box is fitted so the electrics can begin to be wired up. Handbrake lever mechanism has also been given "the treatment" and is back on. The brake lines have been replaced, along with the flexy hoses, and the copious amount of grease nipples, that luckily I found lying round on the back shelf of the workshop under a layer of dust! This week will hopefully see the other 2 tyres done, a piece of the front chassis crossmember replaced and the cab floor in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 :-) Looking Good, Rick...............(hang on, already said that once,....... :oops2: ) Anyways,............ :whistle: Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley Posted April 28, 2007 Share Posted April 28, 2007 Hi Rick, looking very good :tup: :tup: Ashley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted April 30, 2007 Author Share Posted April 30, 2007 We're getting there. If anyone has any good tips on cutting off the angled bead on the tyre so they fit the 1940's rims please advise! B****y hard work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 We're getting there. If anyone has any good tips on cutting off the angled bead on the tyre so they fit the 1940's rims please advise! B****y hard work! How about using a router :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted April 30, 2007 Share Posted April 30, 2007 Yes, looks good Richard. I used a jig saw with a wood blade to cut my tyres, you only need to take 3mm off all round. Regards Julian. Morris Commercial C8 GS Ford GPW Whites M3 Half track Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted May 1, 2007 Author Share Posted May 1, 2007 Hello Julian, yes, been using jigsaw with wood blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted May 1, 2007 Author Share Posted May 1, 2007 Just perusing photos and just thought I would post this, as it was how it looked when "procured" from Julian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 The front engine mount/crossmember has forcibly removed this week, as it was threatening to collapse at some point due to being so corroded. A new one has been fabricated and will replace it hopefully next week, along with some reinforcement along the engine chassis near it. (For those not familiar with the set up on these vehicles, they have 2 chassis. A main frame which carries the back body , a separate articulated chassis carries the engine and cab). It will be good to get this job done, as then we can mount the radiator and plumb in the cooling system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeEnfield Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 Does look like the tin worm, have been chomping, merrily, there; Rick :whistle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted May 5, 2007 Author Share Posted May 5, 2007 Ohhh yes! Luckily it doenst look like a structural piece, as it appears to have its 2 main engine and gearbox monuts in the middle, besides it made of heavy guage metal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted May 5, 2007 Share Posted May 5, 2007 That rust is just typical of the Morris, As far as I can see, it is all due to the Rad. Most C8 owners will have had problems with rusted Rad fairings at the bottom. I have noticed at certain times my rad will expel water, this runs out of the cap & down the back of the rad, thus sitting in the rad fairing and cross member ! Jules Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted May 6, 2007 Author Share Posted May 6, 2007 It seems a little short sighted of the people at Morris to make the lower rad bracket out of iron, with what I can only assume are stabilising pins (also made out of iron), and have them going into the bottom of the rad, which is made out of steel (?) or tin (?) as they are going to react differently to each other. ie expand and shrink thereby cracking the bottom of the rad. They obviously werent thinking long term! I would be interested to hear fromk other owners if they use anti freeze/coolant or just water. Do you fill your system to the cap or leave room for expansion in the top tank? (Give you a bell tomorrow J. if you are on here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted May 12, 2007 Author Share Posted May 12, 2007 The last tyre in the process of being "persuaded" off the rim. Please note the fine array of precision surgical instuments required for the task. There is just the spare to do but that can wait! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 Front engine mount/crossmember is now in place. It was tricky to get the exact measurements for it to get it made up due to the corrosion thinning the metal on the crossmember and the chassis. not only that but the engine chassis narrows toward the front of the truck. Bolted in as per the original. The parts of the chassis which this bolts to are going to get reinforced for strength as well as cosmetic reasons! Control box treated, painted and fitted with a new unit. (They are a fairly standard item always cropping up on Ebay on a regular basis. Showing the carb in place and plumbed in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 The drivers side fuel tank has had running repairs done over the past few weeks primarily so we can get it running and plumb the ignition electrics in. This will enable us to drive it in and out of the workshop, rather than pushing it, which, despite being stripped down is still rather heavy! This is the drivers side fuel tank when still on the vehicle. It needed at lot of work doing to it and ideally totally replacing in the future. When the tank straps were prised off it revealed a lot of pinhole rust spots under them and the tank itself seemed to be full of gravel. The pin holes were repaired with fuel tank filler/sealer. It was cleaned out with Marine Clean from Frosts and then had a good dose of Fuel Tank Sealer,(recommended), again from Frosts. A thick coat of primer, followed by the OD15 seemed to do the trick as we poured some petrol in to see if we sprung a leak. It has worked for now. The tank straps were in pretty poor condition as well, so they will get some new ones fabricated in the future. The availability of these fuel tanks these days must be next to nothing, so when it comes round to re-doing them I think the best course of action would be to cut off the ends which are still fairly solid and get a wrap around sheet of metal to form the cylinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chappers Posted June 20, 2007 Share Posted June 20, 2007 A Class bit of restoration ,nice to see some of the Morris bits associated with the Morris LRC I'm about to get started on. Was the engine originally shiny Green??. Keep up the good work Rick it's a credit to you regards Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted June 20, 2007 Author Share Posted June 20, 2007 Thanks Steve, I went down this route trying to find out what colour it should be. Morris engines from the factory for a large part were a horrible shiny bright green colour, although there is no hardand fast rule from what I can make out. i used Hammerite dark green, I think it looks better as I tried out car plan engine enamel green and it didnt look right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted July 5, 2007 Share Posted July 5, 2007 Yes, Rick has it right. The Morris Engine was a shinny dark green colour from the factory, mine was in parts where it was not over painted with british army duck egg green in the 1950's. Will we see an addition to the morris club at Beltring this year Rick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ackack Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 This is what you need for splitting rims... I did eleven 14.00-20 rims in one day with this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 Despite all best efforts, we have been too busy at work to crack onwith it. Beltring next year! Progress has been very slow recently, especially with house move,etc. I have a large new garage now to make the wooden back body. Its just the fabrication of the cab which will take the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.