Another Car Found Us

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Steve Simmons
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Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

I fought against it but lost. The wife bought another car. I've spent the past three months fixing it up. Here's how we found it. The car sat for 25 years and there was a rat living in the engine. The whole car was covered in rat excrement but fortunately they didn't get inside or I would have refused to touch it. I threw away a 3-gallon bucket full of rat crap from the tarp it was stored in, plus what was in the car's mechanicals. The bugger even managed to poop INSIDE the engine. There was a huge rat nest on top of the battery and everything was stained from the car being used as a bathroom. It took about 10 hours to get it clean enough that it didn't gross me out just to work on it.
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Morris Minor
Morris Minor
morris-a.jpg (208.66 KiB) Viewed 10334 times
Morris Minor
Morris Minor
morris-b.jpg (269.41 KiB) Viewed 10334 times
Morris Minor
Morris Minor
morris-c.jpg (216.38 KiB) Viewed 10334 times
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Steve Simmons
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1937 MG SA Saloon
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1969 MGC GTS
Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

And here is how it came out. There's still a lot to do but at least it's safe. To start, I rebuilt the braking system and carbs, patched some wiring, installed new tires and tubes and changed all the fluids. The fuel tank also had to be removed to unclog the intake screen. Still on the list are radiator and heater hoses, bushings and some other stuff I can't remember.

Upgrades include a "10CC" 1098 engine, ribcase gearbox, front disc brakes, modern seats upholstered to look the part, AM/FM/Cassette with electric antennae, turn signals in addition to trafficators (which I still need to fix) and extra gauges including tach, water temp, oil pressure and ammeter.
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Morris Minor
Morris Minor
morris1.jpg (246.7 KiB) Viewed 10333 times
Morris Minor
Morris Minor
morris2.jpg (231.83 KiB) Viewed 10333 times
Morris Minor
Morris Minor
morris3.jpg (257.96 KiB) Viewed 10333 times
Morris Minor
Morris Minor
morris4.jpg (226.7 KiB) Viewed 10333 times
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tannyo
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by tannyo »

Wow! That was a lot of work. Good job Steve.
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gorms68
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by gorms68 »

That must be a very early cassette player.....

Very cool find!
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Larry Kluss »

You're a brave man, Steve. But looks like a great find. What year is it?
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Steve Simmons
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

It's a '59. And for Chris, the radio is from the 80s. ;)
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Larry Kluss
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Larry Kluss »

Nice! I look forward to seeing it in person.
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by equiprx »

I would prefer if my wife brought home a rat infested car instead of flea infested cats and dogs.
Wanna trade?
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Steve Simmons
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

You haven't seen the size of the rat we accidentally brought home in the car.
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morris-rat.jpg
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tannyo
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by tannyo »

Is that a rat or a possum? How did you get rid of it?
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Steve Simmons
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

For a second I thought it was a possum because it was huge. A fierce battle of wits and bravery ensued, with the rat escaping to fight another day. The only casualty was a $150 car pocket he chewed a big hole in. But there's a strong chance that a hawk plucked him from our yard shortly afterward.
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by tannyo »

Hooray for the hawk. It’s saved some old car’s wiring from being eaten.
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Martin Keller »

Nice looking Morris Steve.

The giant beedi glowing eyed rat would have added to the HP if it had stayed in the engine..... :D .....

:drive
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Steve Simmons
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

Darnit. You know what, you're right. I could have double the horsepower had I just left him in there. Oh well.
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Martin Keller »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :thumbs:

:drive
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tannyo
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by tannyo »

Hindsight is always 20/20.
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Fifty Six MGA »

That's awesome. We took a lot of trips to England when I was a kid, I was born there and my extended family is all there. Minors were still pretty common, but I'd never see them in Texas where I grew up, so I loved them. If I had a place to park another car, that or a MG Magnette would be on the short list for sure.

Or another BMW 2002.
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Steve Simmons
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

It was fun while it lasted. The engine sat for so long that the rings were a bit stuck and there was a lot of blowby. It looked like a steam train coming out of the crankcase vent. So I had to pull the engine apart to check things out. The rings were indeed stuck, and Malcolm strongly urged me to get new pistons as well. So I'll be honing and then putting it all together as soon as I find the correct pistons. On the bright side, the bearings look very good so I'll just re-use them. This is also a chance to replace the valve stem o-rings, as the ones in there are hard as rocks. Looks like some of the valves have top hat seals so those will either get replace or discarded, depending on what I find when it comes apart.

I did learn one thing, rat sh*t doesn't dissolve in hot oil. I found some pellets in the oil pan, still crunchy.
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by VWNate1 »

Nice Steve ! .

I'm glad you saved it, I've been cleaning rat/mouse poop for decades and it's never easy nor pleasant .

My '60 (?) Morris two door is still waiting for me to get back to it...
-Nate
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Stewart »

That blows Image


On the positive side at least it's not rust.
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Steve Simmons
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1937 MG SA Saloon
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1967 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8
1969 MGC GTS
Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
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Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

First up is a view of the pistons. Note the knurling in an attempt to make them fit. And no, they didn't come out that clean!
Morris pistons
Morris pistons
old-morris-pistons.jpg (221.65 KiB) Viewed 10113 times
The other thing you have to watch out for is "Lifter Rats". They get into your engine through any opening you leave uncovered, and they poop in your lifters. Here we have an example of what I found in the #4 lifter. I'm glad I decided to pull and check them. :wtf:
Lifter rats
Lifter rats
morris-lifter-poop.jpg (143.19 KiB) Viewed 10113 times
And while cleaning the valves I decided to test the springs, which led to this. The open spring rate is 30 pounds below factory spec and the difference between the stiffest and softest spring is 10 pounds. I don't know what springs are supposed to go with whatever this cam is but I figure it must be at least equal to original if not higher, so I've ordered new stock springs as well.
Morris Spring
Morris Spring
spring-test.jpg (64.03 KiB) Viewed 10112 times
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VWNate1
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1961 Morris Minor W/ 1973 1275 CC engine & gearbox

Ural Solo Motos , old Honda 90 CC Tiddlers
Location: Sunny So. Cal. , land of fruits , nuts & flakes

Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by VWNate1 »

:bow: .

? Is there any way I can get you to work ion my Morris.....?
-Nate
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Steve Simmons
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1937 MG SA Saloon
1946 John Deere AN
1949 MG TC
1953 MG TD
1958 MGA Roadster
1959 Morris Minor 1000
1965 MGB
1967 MGB GT (UK-Spec)
1967 Austin Healey 3000 BJ8
1969 MGC GTS
Location: Co-Nay-Ho Valley
Contact:

Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by Steve Simmons »

Yeah, convince my wife to sell hers. :lol:
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VWNate1
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Mercedes Diesels OM 616 & 617

1969 Chevrolet C/10 pickup shop truck
250 I-6 , TH350 slushbox

1959 Nash Metropolitan FH Sports Coupe

1961 Morris Minor W/ 1973 1275 CC engine & gearbox

Ural Solo Motos , old Honda 90 CC Tiddlers
Location: Sunny So. Cal. , land of fruits , nuts & flakes

Re: Another Car Found Us

Post by VWNate1 »

VWNate1 wrote: Wed Mar 06, 2019 5:25 pm :bow: .

? Is there any way I can get you to work on my Morris.....?
-Nate
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