I replaced the radiator, the water pump, new head gasket, wheel bearings, drums etc. I even went to attend a 10 week welding course through Sutherland community college! I began starting some minor repairs along the bottom sills and then realised it was quite a bit worse than expected. I talked to the local garage who has blueslipped and pink slipped my minis over the years and is an Austin and mg man himself. He said he couldn't pass it with the rust. I said what rust! He proceeded to show me that under the blackjack around both rear suspension was rotted through and the top seams were beginning to rot through and the front chassis rails were rotting. His suggestion was either to re-shell the car or pay to get the rust fixed. I got a few quotes but it was really ridiculous what people were trying to charge. That's when my darling wife decided if I wanted a moggie we could put the pink one towards another one and she'd pay the difference seeing as I gave up the van!
So we scoured around and then through a stroke of luck and Steve (my mini mentor, bestest friend) was put on to the moggie we ended up buying!
Back in 1960 a lawyer bought a silverpine green morris minor from the dealer (still has the sticker on the back) for his wife! She drove it for 2 weeks and said “I’m a lawyers wife I want an mg” so they sold it to the man I bought it from. This guy has done everything to keep it beautiful. He’s a doctor who has used it as a daily driver every day he possibly could since! About 8 years ago he got the exterior resprayed but the interior and engine bay are still original paint. Being a daily driver he’s thrown a 5 speed in it and telescopic shocks. The seats are also original and in need of some attention. The hard part has been that he put some very big tyres on it and it makes it tough to take any more than 2 people in the car!
We got it ridiculously cheap and he didn’t publically advertise because of Steve. He had made a promise to his wife that for his 60th birthday he’d sell the morris and buy a sports car. 10 years post that he finally decided to sell it! He’d recently paid to have the chassis rails completely replaced and just wanted to recoup that expense and pass it on to someone that would love it. So after an initial interview and a drive I think he was happy to know it was going to a good home and the pink moggie went to pay for half of it!
I’ve been driving her nearly every day! We called her “Miss Molly Peabody” (because she’s green) at the moment I’ve taken her off the road this week to bath the carby and put a kit through it and re-do the eyebolt bushes as they are worn.
