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Restoration Project
On this page you will be able to follow the loving restoration of our recently bought Morris 8 Series E. We purchased it in a reasonable mechanical state however it has pretty poor body work and interior.
We have been privately restoring the car for a number of weeks and it is nearly ready to move onto the body ready for respray. I have added below, some photos of the car when we went to look at it originally.
 
After a long wait, the car is just about ready to go to the paint shop for it's body restoration and spray. It now has a new head gasket, spark plugs, new brake system, new clutch, and many, many more things. Engine over heating lead to a recoreing of the radiator.
We picked the car up on Friday 13th January 2009. Since then we have been preparing the car to go to the body shop on Monday 19th January. We've been removing all of the interior trim, seats and rotten seals as well as the sun roof. We have removed the majority of the grease from the car's underside and degreased the engine compartment.
For now, I will leave you with a few photos of the car when we were removing grease from different parts, aswell as the interior.
 
6/2/09
We finally collected the car today from the paint shop! Over the past few days, it's had 4 coats of top-coat and had the sign writing done. All that's left to do now, is to sort the chrome trim out, and the interior overhaul (this being quite a big job in itself). We also need to do a little mechanical work on the tappets, and steering. I will leave you with some up-to-date photos of the car taken today (6/2/09) of the new paint job. The birth of our Staff Car was to be kept under wraps untill the first event of The South West Battle Group. Not to be! We were spotted taking her home.
Staff Car M1655065
CBW 230
 
For those of you interested in Military Vehicles of the Second World War an explanation of the signs.
Our family Regiment is the 16th/5th Queens Royal Lancers. At the out break of war the Regiment had just returned from India. After an initial attempt at being a Machine Gun Regiment, on the 12th September 1940, in the UK, saw the formation of the 6th Armoured Division. The 16th/5th Queens Royal Lancers were to become a tank Regiment within the 26th Armoured Brigade. The 16th/5th Lancers were the Senior Regiment of the Brigade and thus distinguished by the red square with white 51. (this you will see on the off-side on the car). The formation insignia of a mailed fist on a black square is that of the 6th Armoured Division. The Division saw action in the deserts of North Africa as part of the 1st Army and on through Sicily, Italy and Austria where it saw the end of the war. It is interesting to know that the 16th/5th as an armoured Regiment were to be equiped with Matilders, Churchills and the American Shermans. More interesting to know that the Regiment fought through the Po Vally of Italy, dismounted as infantry. The terrain being unsuitable for tanks. My father served right through these years of 1939 to 1945.
The first to join the then 16th Lancers, on horses was Grandad Ernest Wood. Then my father Arthur Wright through the war years and then myself Michael who served throught the 1960's and early 70's.
Son James (webmaster) is still at school but will never serve with the Regiment as it was amalgamated in the 90's with the 17th/21st Lancers.
Our re-enacting family is mum Deborah who portrays a Junior Commander (Captain) of the Auxiliary Territorial Service. Dad Michael 16th/5th Lancer as a 'Brevit' Major and son James as a foot slogging Para.
Easter 2009.
Well everything has not gone as expected. In fact far from it!
We were hoping that the garage we purchased her from, would do a good mechanical job for us. No further comments on that!
We found that the (don't worry steering had a smashed steering box). I wonder why it swerved of it's own accord. Break failure! Why? The near side front shoes were freshly "cut down" for no reason. Yes they were the correct one's. Location pins also cut down so the lead shoe fell off the wheel cylinder.
Don't worry, the engine has good compression but needs running in again after somany years off the road. Rubbish! Every valve was burn't beyond redemption and the valve seats were like Cheddar Caves. "Yes we have checked all oil levels and are fine". Odd! the rear diff took 1 ltr on Good Friday and there were no leaks. Enough said! Some of you will know of whom I speak and I would never have another vehicle from them. My family's lives are too precious to loose.
Easter! sunny weather, gave us the chance to have a few runs out though Marazion, Penzance, Newlyn and Moushole and notched up a total of 100 great miles of showing off! I now have restored my confidance in her and can now get on and enjoy.
The Moral "do it your self, if you can". Now we are looking forward to really showing her off at the Bodmin three day wartime event. Only the head lining to do before the event.
This page will be updated as the restoration continues. |
