REPLACING REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS

After bleeding the braking system again, I noticed the additional pressure created by the new master cylinder caused the rear wheel cylinders to leak.  Fortunately, I had a new set of wheel cylinders in stock.  First, the brake drums, shoes and defective wheel cylinders were removed.

The new wheel cylinders are then fitted to the backing plate.  

The new cylinders are held in place by a rubber boot that protects the mechanism from road debris.  The hydraulic fittings were cleaned thoroughly.

Next, the brake shoes, springs and retaining clips are refitted.

Finally, the brake drums are fitted and the initial wheel cylinder adjustment is made.

Before the brakes system can be bled again, two defective brake lines must be replaced.  This should be a simple task...wish I hadn't said that.

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

REPLACING THE BRAKE SYSTEM MASTER CYLINDER

When we attempted to bleed the brake system hydraulics, we noticed the master cylinder was not operating properly.  

The master cylinder is located inside the frame rail supporting the driver's side floor pan. 

You can see the pivot of the brake pedal in the upper left hand corner of the photo to the left.

After receiving the new master this morning, we removed the original cylinder and cleaned the inside of the frame rail.  Fitting the new cylinder was not difficult.  

Tomorrow we will replace the wheel cylinders on the rear wheels and bleed the brakes again.  

I love this car...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

FUEL TANK RESTORATION IS COMPLETE

Although the fuel tank was in exceptional condition, a cosmetic restoration was required.

First, the paint and rust was removed from the outside of the tank.

After the surface was cleaned with grease and wax remover, a special coating for fuel tanks, from the Eastwood Company, was applied.

Finally, the tank is coated with a quality rubberized undercoating.  The tank looks new.  

Thanks for tuning in...

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

Your comments and questions are greatly appreciated.  By the way, we now have viewers from France and the United Kingdom.  

PRESERVATION

There is a movement in the car world that can best be described by the word "preservation".  Car shows, both local and national, are now emphasizing the importance of patina; that is the preservation of visible signs of use and wear. This indicates that the car has been carefully maintained and not overly restored.

Obviously, most automobiles cannot survive forty-eight years without bumping something unless it has the  continuous protection of several armed guards. Bill and I spent several hours today straightening and polishing the original bumpers and overriders on Morris.  The finished product was astonishing and reflects the new trend toward patina.  Additional photos will follow.

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

BRAKE INSTALLATION COMPLETED

Today, I completed the installation of the rear brake shoes and drums.

Next, the brake pads were fitted and the hydraulic lines attached to the new front disc brake assembly.  Bill cleaned the front suspension components and prepped them for paint.

Tomorrow we will be changing the brake fluid in the master cylinder and bleeding the braking system.  If all is well, all the components will be torqued as specified and the wheels remounted.  

On schedule...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

DISC BRAKE CONVERSION

Lori and Bill are so excited about Morris.  They want the car to have the appearance of an original Morris Minor 1000, but have certain performance  upgrades.  One of those upgrades is the front disc brake conversion.  

The front brake drums appear to be a bit "crusty".

After removing the brake drum, the dual wheel cylinder setup is revealed.  The brake shoes appear to be in good condition, but it doesn't matter.  This assembly will be replaced in its entirety.  

In order to adapt the disc brake calipers to the spindle, an adaptor must be installed.  Its sole purpose is to attach the caliper to the spindle.

Now that the caliper mounting bracket is attached, the new rotors, caliper, hub and bearings can be installed.  The aforementioned new parts are for a MG Midget.

Tomorrow we will be cleaning and painting the original suspension parts shown in the photo to the right.

Stay tuned...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

RESTORING THE BOOT

The boot on Morris has been neglected for years.  Yet it remains in almost pristine condition.  Bill scraped and cleaned the interior of the boot.  He discovered only minor corrosion.

After removing the bumper supports, we applied new seam sealer and recoated the boot with a good quality rubberized undercoating.  The bumper supports have been sandblasted and recoated.

Now the restored fuel tank can be reinstalled.  The wood boot floor will be refinished and installed after the bodywork and paint are completed.

Thanks for your interest...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

RESTORING THE INTERIOR

The removal of the interior door panels and seats on the Morris is actually quite simple.  The front seats are secured by only two bolts each.  The rear seat bottom merely clips into place and the rear seat back is secured by two wing nuts.  

After the removal of the window operator and the door handle, the door panels are easily released by  spring clips.  

The vinyl covers over the openings in the door appear to be original.  They will be replaced by a clear, adhesive backed vinyl sheet which will prevent moisture from attacking the new door panels.

The rear side panels are secured by screws.

The seats will be upholstered in ivory  leather and the door panels will be done in matching vinyl.  The original "roll and pleat" design will be duplicated in the new upholstery.  The piping incorporated on the seats and side panels will be done in green vinyl to match the exterior color.

The headliner will also be replaced.

Morris will ride again.

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

RESTORING THE REAR BRAKES

The dismantling of the rear brakes revealed an almost pristine assembly.  It appears that the wheel cylinders had been recently replaced.

The next step is to change the systems fluid and see if the system is operable.  If not, the wheel cylinders and perhaps the master cylinder will need to be rebuilt.

I remain hopeful...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

I welcome your questions and comments.

RESTORING THE FUEL TANK

Usually, the fuel tank on a car this age has major issues.  That is to say, rust and corrosion has taken its toll.  However, Morris's tank has been well preserved.  The mounting flange around the perimeter of the tank shows some signs of rust, but it is only on the surface.

But, as you can see, in the photo to the left, the surface rust is easily removed and solid metal is revealed...amazing.

A view of the inside of the tank reveals very little corrosion.  

The surface rust is easily removed from the exterior surface of the tank using an abrasive plastic wheel.

After the exterior surface of the tank is cleaned, it is treated with a rust preventative solution.

As the solution dries, the remaining rust and corrosion is neutralized and the exterior surface can then be sealed with a special fuel tank coating from the Eastwood Company.  Prior to installation, the tank will be coated with rubberized undercoating.

Exciting stuff...

Tom McCurry

Tommy's Topless Cars

tommystoplesscars@yahoo.com

843-338-2253

Your comments and questions are welcomed.