Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

34HF90 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 62

Greetings all. I don't post here often but am in need of words of wisdom.....

I'm starting to tentatively plan the restoration of my Ausin 1000 van (AKA Morris). She is in quite a state body-wise although she has been dry stored for a few years and her decay mostly arrested.
One of the points I'm ruminating at the moment is the roof gutter. This is severly rusted and crusty all around- as they go. Rolling Eyes

So- do I remove the gutter altogether and be done with it (making good the seperating seam underneath) or set about making/buying a new gutter?
Years ago when i was driving this vehicle, the roof actually partially detached when in motion due to the corroded water trap around the gutter. Shocked

Brackets were then hastily welded inside to keep it on!

It seems to me that the gutter idea on these vans was a poor idea really, and they might have been better off without it.

What does anyone think?

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

To me one restored without gutters could look a bit odd, but I hear where you're coming from as they'd not be straightforward to replace.

How bad is the rest of the rear body tub? could you find a better one to work with I wonder?

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

clan chieftain · Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell

Years ago we had this problem with the Minor 1000 mail vans that worked on the Western Isles because the sea water spray rotted them . We just plated them until they became time expired.
They will be very difficult to replace but I suppose with a bit of time and effort it can be fixed. What is the rest of the body like. Is it worth fixing.

Larry.
_________________
The Clan Chieftain

colwyn500 · Joined: 21 Oct 2012 Posts: 1745 Location: Nairn, Scotland

I am about to approach the same sort of thing on my little Fiat. I think that a lot of ingenuity is called for. I am going for a metal shrinking tool to help me and am considering using a 3M bodywork adhesive to ensure a neat distortion-free job.

This is the state of my car; thankfully the rain channel is more or less OK on the other side but this side is even worse than it looks.

DSC_6222 by peterthompson, on Flickr

This is a link to (I apologise) another forum of which I am not a member where a very brave young man has taken on a b****** of a challenge including fairly heavy duty guttering. Please keep us informed with photos of how you do approach this job.

http://www.classicfordmag.co.uk/cf-forum/showthread.php?t=365&page=3

34HF90 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 62

Regarding the state of the body...not TOO bad, in that it's floors are mostly sound, and what isn't is repairable. The majority of the rust damage is above the waterline as it were- caused mainly by it's previous owner keeping it outside for years. As we know, Morris 1000s don't like this much. As a consequence, wings and doors are shot, as are the a and B post anchors. Chassis is remarkably good though, and I feel it deserves a second chance.

Have considered a re-body, but are there actually any left available for breaking? I sometimes think that it might be better to bash on with what I have, rather than be waiting for something better to turn up- if it ever does. There are cost considerations too.

Regarding the gutter, I'm erring more on the side of removing it altogether. It just seems such an obvious rot point there seems little sense in making more trouble for the future. The problem is the odd look if I do....

As an aside, ISTR there used to be available a fibreglass roof section years ago- anyone remember this? Possible the memory playing tricks though
Smile

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

34HF90 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 62

Greg · Joined: 03 Dec 2007 Posts: 445 Location: Dreamland Margate

This is a link to (I apologise) another forum of which I am not a member where a very brave young man has taken on a b****** of a challenge including fairly heavy duty guttering. Please keep us informed with photos of how you do approach this job.

http://www.classicfordmag.co.uk/cf-forum/showthread.php?t=365&page=3[/quote]

That is certainly an interesting project in that link, and what a neat job he's making of it.....superb!

ukdave2002 · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4232 Location: South Cheshire

D4B · Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 2083 Location: Hampshire UK

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

This frame on which to mount a Moggy van rear body while being worked on, might prove handy!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-MINOR-VAN-BODY-DOLLY-RESTORE-PAINT-AND-MOVE-YOUR-VAN-BODY-WITH-EASE-/150976024349?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2326df4f1d

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

34HF90 · Joined: 07 Feb 2011 Posts: 62

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22780 Location: UK

Maybe sourcing a rear body like this one, rotten down below but with good gutters, is the way to go?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/morris-1000-van-body-complete-with-rear-doors-/160956391755?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2579bfa14b

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

Carcruiser · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Worcestershire

Hi,
Just seen this post. There's various ways to repair the Minor van guttering. Yes its a poor design - any condensation on the inside of the roof runs down to the inner part of the guttering, which due to its shape will never have been painted properly and so rusts between the spotwelds.

My personal preferance is to take the roof off. Easiset to chisel or powersaw through the guttering against the top of the van sides so you're cutting through the guttering, not the roof edge or van sides. (You can drill the spotwelds out if you can find them and can spend the time...).
Now with the roof off and out of the way (The van body won't distort assuming floors and crossmembers are ok) You can unpick the inner part of the guttering from the flange on the top of the van sides, and if required repair the flange on the top of the van sides. (Repair sections are available if you don't want to make your own).

I prefer to spotweld (or plug weld) the new guttering (various suppliers stock it) to the top of the van sides for the roof to sit on. Don't forget to leave a gap between the long side pieces and the corner curves for water to drain off.

The roof, once the outer bit of guttering is pick/ground off, and any repair sections made and fitted round the roof edge can then be placed back on the body, clamped down and spot or plug welded back on. Seam sealer round the gutter channel applied with a finger produces the right channel radius (prob how it was done when new), then its jsut paint and rust proofing.

If chopping the roof off is too daunting its possible to work round the body cutting out a side, then a corner one chunk at a time and grafting in the new bits, though getting the roof off gives much better access.

If all the metalwork dosn't appeal then you can still get grp roofs which you can stick or bolt onto the flanges on the van sides.
_________________
cheers
Iain McKenzie
www.fairmilerestorations.co.uk

Carcruiser · Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Worcestershire

This is the first one I did a few years back. It had been bodged and plated over on the inside, so I cut through the body about 1" down from the guttering all round.

_________________
cheers
Iain McKenzie
www.fairmilerestorations.co.uk