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Progress on my Morris Mini Pickup


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  • 4 months later...

Finally got my body guy working again, and went to spend some time in Tarija. Stopped by the shop 4 to 6 times a day keeping on top of things, got several details worked out, and finally progressed on to the paint, although I had to come back to Santa Cruz for the weekend.

First was installing the seat belts that he had forgotten. These came with a delivery van I bought 18 months ago, but had no use for in the rear, so he made steel boxes and welded them into the side panels.

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grinding_box.jpg

seat_belt_installed.jpg

While he was doing that I took off the padded dash pieces and took them to an upholsterer to recover.

torpedo_antes-despues.jpg

Then we sealed the bed to the fenders with foam I got in Santa Cruz

bed_sealed.jpg

and finally the paint, Sikkens poliester. 2 liters of base, two liters of top, and two liters of clear. Rover/Austin/Morris Color: COF, sometimes called BLVC 818, called (from what I can determine) "Signal Red" from 69 to 77, "Flame Red" from 88 to 99, and in some models "Modena Red" in 88 and 89.

Base coat

base_coat_applied.jpg

Final (not yet polished)

top_left_painted.jpg

hood_painted.jpg

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  • 2 months later...

Earlier this month I stole away for a week to get a little done on the car. There are a lot of details in putting a 92 engine in a 90 half of body and attaching it to a 75 pickup, including the change over from inches to metric. I made an adapter for the threads of the brakes and changed one end.

Here is the cargo bed painted after filling the crevices.

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Had to make a bar and supports to cross over to the brake booster on the right-hand side of the car[/TD]

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And make some brackets to fit the radiator that came with the body to the engine, and to support the alternator[/TD]

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Here is the brake booster. Since increasing the engine size from 998 to 1275cc, I'm going with power assisted disc brakes.[/TD]

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And finally, the adapter plate for the in-tank fuel pump.[/TD]

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[TD]adapter_plate_fuel_pump.jpg[/TD]

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  • 1 month later...

Finally a little more to report. Spent 2 weeks here, mostly trying to figure out the wiring and the rest of the hoses. Since it is a 75 truck with a 90 cabin and a 93 engine, things don't quite fit together. I found I' missing the module that connects the dash and power to the computer, so that will have to come from the UK.

I made a harness and fished it up and over the cabin to get to the rear, completing the circuits for the tail lights and things. Also made license plate frames to match the size of our plates, and sealed the gas tank.

In theory Monday the body will have all its details worked out and I can bring it home to play with.

Here is the making of the license plate brackets from a sheet of stainless

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And the sealing of the gas tank after the adaptations and cleanings.

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Today we were assembling the final details and polishing. will have pics tomorrow.

As for the pump, the engine I put in requires higher pressures, and a return fuel line, so it seemed better do just drop in a complete pump assembly with return, although I had to keep the old sender to match the gauges. Dropping the tank is 6 bolts.

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This afternoon I finally brought it home, washed it, polished it with Meguiars, and took a few pics. Still a couple of minor details for the body, but mainly waiting on a module from the UK so I can connect the power to the computer and fire it up. Tomorrow I'll make the gas lines and start on the interior.

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Thanks for the comments. Here is where the interior is after yesterday and this morning. I sealed it up, fixed the seat mounts, and covered the roof and floor with Fatmat.

Of course a few details like having forgotten to run enough wires through the cabin for the fuel gauge and pump, but that just takes time. I also installed the LED bulbs (I'll add before someone asks, the white stuff around the tail light housings is rope caulk. I use it to seal lots of areas that need something flexible and simple, but effective.)

I now have to go back to Santa Cruz to whip the office into shape, and wait for the relay module and brake cables to come from the UK, so it will sit for a few weeks, but in my garage.

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Edited by Richard1 (see edit history)
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  • 5 months later...

Time to update a bit.

I got the module from the UK, figured out the wiring, and found the computer was defective, so I found a technian who replaced a diode and the engine runs nicely. But when I put it in gear it spit oil out of the filter housing without moving the wheels, so after widening the gasket area, using a bigger gasket, etc., I pulled the power pack to check the valve block and valves, as I was told that was probably the fault. But the valves were find, so I started with the rest of the transmission and found the discs were bent and the pressure plate broken.




















clutch_plate.jpg
Clutch_plates.jpg
cracked_disc.jpg
broken_plate.jpg

 

I located a fabricator of the automatic transmission parts in the UK (Martin Altira of KM Precision Engineering) and ordered the parts.

Meanwhile I made some more modifications to the chasis to fit this transmission better, and repainted it.











frame_repainted.jpg

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

I still had problems with the transmission after installing the clutch pack, so the engine and sub-frame come out again, making a total of three installs. At least I have it down to 70 minutes for two people to pull the radiator, starter, filter, wires, exhaust, fuel, brake lines, steering, etc. and get the complete unit out through the bottom.

Aside from some dry o-rings, which were probably causing the low oil pressure. I was missing the tube that feeds the converter. I also adjusted the bands while I had it apart, so with that fixed, I replaced everything and finished the wiring, set the timing, etc. Runs nicely in and out of the garage, but need to put stronger spring on the brake and accelerator returns to drive safely. Also need to move the muffler to a place where it does not scrape my driveway.

Filled it with 10W-40 Motorcycle JASO MA2 oil to help the AT discs.

Dash and new switches are now installed and wired. Haven't found a practical solution to adding the oil temp gauge, so I'll get something else for that hole. It was easy to put a T for the oil pressure gauge. And of course the Tach is just some wires.
 

clutch_pack_with_pump.jpgclutch_pack_governor.jpgassembling_pack_and_governor.jpgoil_pressure_forward-neutral.jpgoil_pressure_reverse.jpgdisassembling_valve_block.jpgchecking_band_adjustment.jpgmotor_mount.jpgdropping_motor_to_frame.jpgpulling_motor-frame_into_body.jpg


 
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