Engine Starts!

 

Well, the engine was started. That's a significant milestone. I am told that it went well. It appears that there's oil leaking from the place where the MORRIS badge is riveted to the valve cover. That's fixable.

Weekend Video (Close to Starting Engine)

 

It’s incredible when you see things turning on. This past weekend, we expected to start the engine, but we ran out of time. That’s coming. Attached are some videos that show progress. The interior light and a few other gems are to be seen.

 

 

Narrow List and Happy New Year

The list of things to be done has been narrowed.

Happy New Year everyone.

 

Alas, Rubbers!

 

I spent years and maybe 200 hours looking for suitable replacement rubbers for the rear doors. However, what I really needed was proper terminology. They are rubber “buffers,” and they are relatively plentiful. Except for the hole in the front, they're dimensionally correct.

Having "Fun" With Little Details

 

I'm a little confused about how these instrument lights are supposed to be wired. I think 2 of them go to the instruments and are on their own circuit, but the third goes to the red power on indicator in the centre of the console. It's very hard to tell without having another van to look at for comparison. I looked at the drawings in the shop manual and they could have been clearer as well. The two instrument lights are meant to be wired serially. The bases  (of the fixtures)I have the residue of the original wiring and I just see one wire being connected and I'm not really sure where the ground wire goes if it goes anywhere for the two that have just one wire connected (unless the mounting acts as the ground).

Access Again

 

I couldn't access this blog for a long time because I misplaced the password and no longer used the email associated with it (and used for password recovery). In any event, I found it!

There are about a dozen things remaining to be done. Most are straightforward but require skill (something I don't have). If anyone wants to get a hold of me, my email is charlesgrahn@gmail.com.

Grill or Grille (or Front Panel)

 

The front panel thingy is painted. Just some wet sanding and then to attach the shiny bits.

Thanks for continuing to follow the blog. I have COVID, but I am mending nicely.

COVID Countdown

S​ummer is kind of here, and I have resumed van work. I stopped in the winter because it was too cold, and I just can't work in the cold like I used to. There are precious few items left to be done. The front panel has to be painted too. But otherwise, it's the fuel line to the carb, the throttle linkage​, assemble the engine cowl and ignition and instrument wiring. All the summer's car shows are cancelled owing to the COVID. I fiddled with the chrome side mirrors that I purchased about 10 years ago, but I couldn't get them to a place I liked. Instead, I'm going with the Land Rover Series ones you can see in the accompanying photo. They're period correct, and the colour will look good I think. The other photos are from yesterday. Yes, the reflection is a 1947 Chevy Pickup.

Carb Linkage Problem.

So I am trying to fit the Lokar throttle linkage to the Weber carb, and I think I might be missing pieces because it isn't obvious how they should go together (the end can be seen in the first photo). Worse the bracket that the linkage is supposed to be fastened to (see #2 above) it too close to the engine cowl to work. #1 is the pedal and #3 is the throttle.

Ho, Ho, Ho

I continue to make slow progress on the van every weekend. As I complete things other things reveal themselves in need of fixing or repair. I expect that, but the list of thing outstanding seems to be dwindling. One problem is that the accelerator linkage won't work because there's no enough room between the bracket and the cowl, so some modifications might be needed. I'll test fit the cowl next week and get a better sense of what needs to happen next. I might also start some of the cooling, which I've looked forward too. Last week I put in the side glass and added the seat. Seat might be premature, but at least it's out of the way. Attention starting to turn to the carb and transmission. Aiming to be done by Christmas. I know, I said that before.

Saturday Routine

I'm doing a little bit of work each weekend, and I really enjoy it. First time in a few years actually. I like working through problems, and getting my hands dirty. Now this blog is getting tiresome, yes.

Above are photos of the PCV to catch can; the gas pedal and linkage; a photo of the original gas cap, which has gone back into place, where it's been for the past 70 years. Also about is a blueprint more a strike plate that I am going to put at the back at the base of the rear doors. I don't know what the original looks like, but this will look very posh and be made out of brass.

Milestone Day

From 2008: Okay, on the whole, that's an improvement.

Putting the pocket doors on and adding the slats was one of those milestone days I had looked forward to for years. That happened yesterday. I'm pretty happy with the way everything looks. I also mounted the wiper motor, and create a bracket for the transmission cooling (necessary deviation owing to the use of the automatic transmission). I'm going to mount it on the frame behind the front valance. I won't get much airflow, but I don't think I need much, especially in this climate. Next major thing to happen will be side windows, and then probably cooling.

New Electric Morris JE

This looks really sweet. I think I'm going to have to buy one to see an all-in-one photo. I hope they do one in my van's colours and then I can have them side by side. Here's what's on tap for this weekend:

Drill hole for wiper electrical
Tap and attached motor
Add wiper
Attach e-brakes
Tighten the rocker bolts
Align doors
Attach pockets doors
Attach starter to cowl and install cowl.

The List

The glass was replaced about a month back and now I’ve been dealing with other things. In the photos above – the floor was installed and I’ve very happy with how it turned out after two earlier failures. It just lines up really straight. Long-time readers will recall that I added an interior light so that I would govern up a hole in the section above the window. It looks really smart. Similarly, there was a section on the interior that has some poor paint, so I added a fan, and looks really great too. The pocket doors and interior slats will happen next. The list of remaining things is pretty small but getting smaller every weekend.

One Step Forward and Two Steps Back

Were my weakness and my power
You were the thorn and the flower
You were my sunshine and the rain
Made me feel so good, brought so much pain

Now one step forward and two steps back
Nobody gets too far like that

I had three objectives this past weekend: 1) install the trim around the inside of the windshield, 2) attached the locks and install the wiper motor. I successfully did none of them. First the windshield cracked. Next the chrome for the interior door handle is a little "overspec" now, meaning they don't fit together, and I didn't even get to the motor. I did however take the steering wheel home, sand and paint it. It looks really good. The windshield will have to be replaced. I will do them all next weekend, plus I'll install the battery and the interior light.

Lockness Monster

Last weekend I sat in my front yard painting the locks with a paint can. It's an interesting way to meet people it turns out. They turned out about as well as I could have expected. Of course not perfect, but good. I want to keep the original look so they'll stay gray in colour. In the next month or so a lot of assembly will happen but some non-assembly too. The front grille will be painted, and that will be an exciting milestone to have occur.

VW "Impersonator" and "Sabbatical"

Okay, I have been absent from this blog for a while, and when I left there was a really demoralizing problem fitting the front windows. I simply didn't want to continue until that got solved, and I am happy to report that it now fits (see the bottom photo). I also had a family member with a serious health problem, and while that continues, I am also happy that treatment appears to be being met responsively.

In the meantime the shop has another van, a much younger German one, which I call "Claudia." She's painted suspiciously like her English cousin, Victoria. But hey, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! The next things to do are to put the pocket doors in and paint the front grille. I know I have predicted completion before, but I expect it'll be this summer.

Drips, Handle, Dimples and Mr. Woo.

So the door problems have been fixed, but there another problem: the windows don't fit anymore. I mean the glass is flat as before but the aperture has seemingly changed shape. I'm freaking out for the second consecutive month, but Aaron is chill. We'll see. It could be a show-stopper.

The drip rails have gone on.

The front valance is going to be painted black and the manufacturing plate reattached.

The rear door handle problem has been solved.

The little dimples on the front have been reattached.

Lastly, I came across "Mr. Woo" while talking home from work. At 13 years old his rear legs recently gave out on him. But he's no ready to give up on life and his "parents" bought him a pair of wheels and he's busy racing up and down the side walk near where I park my car. There's a metaphor in that somewhere for all of us.

Major Setback

Since last week: front fenders and the radiator panel have gone on. Instruments found.

The colored pieces are coming together, but somehow after all the paint and polishing the front doors don’t fit right anymore. The leading edge rubber doesn’t touch the body on either side. The left side is really bad, it’s about 3/8 out and the right is about 1/8 out. I noticed it last week after reviewing a photo I had taken of the van, and I confirmed it this week when I examined the doors carefully (I closed them). In a finished product, this is a major setback.