With the chassis now in clear sight, I have to think about some kind of strategy around the rebuild. Starting a work like this without a good plan is plain madness. I risk to end up with a lot of wasted time because of the difficulty of finding parts or craftsman to do some specialized work for you is real. On the other hand, waiting is a part of the restoration process
First thing to decide is the way I will go with the chassis, concerning the engine. The original block is ready, but for the moment thats all. The cylinder head has been frost damaged, and had a bad repair in the past. Since it is a head specially made by Morgan, a OH conversion of this type of Standard engines, it is not simply a matter of buying another one. Also the aluminium oil pan, for as far as I know also unique for this MOG engines, is damaged by corrosion. It seems to be that the engine has been standing on moist ground next to the car, in the years before Jean found it. A badly corroded oil pan is the tragic result.
So as a possible solution, I bought about a year ago the engine and gearbox of an MK II Ford Escort. With little changes to the MOG chassis, that must be suitable to build in temporarily in the project. Just to speed things up a little, and to get the car earlier on the road. The correct engine can still be fitted afterwards, once it has been finished. But on the other hand, long-time experience learned me that such solutions mostly are crap. Once the car is running with the donor engine, the chance of being reunited with his correct engine is very little.
So after a bad night sleep I decided to go for the hard way, that is with the original engine and gearbox. I have the correct parts, so I strongly think thats the best solution, and because there is only one proper way to restore a car: Original, or as close as possible to that. It will probably set me more than a year back, but as I already wrote, I am not planning to die in the next years, so time is on my side.
My first concern then was the cracked cylinder head, who was going to repair that in Belgium in a proper and reliable way? I have no idea. But in England there must be specialists for such a job on every corner, that can be no problem And because the biggest auto jumble is on the calendar for 11 and 12 September 2010, we go over there. Only for one day, because before I had no such plans, and finding a place to sleep on such a short notice can be forgotten. So on Tuesday we decided to go. Me my son a good friend, and my brother in law. The next Sunday morning at 04:00 am we were on the road. Beaulieu here we come!
Huge, thats all I can say about the auto jumble at Beaulieu, all other words are too little, to small You have to have a good plan, and about ten eyes to see a bit of all that is there. In that way you only miss the half, the other half you can keep for next year But despite such massive supply of parts and services, finding someone to repair a cracked cylinder head like this in a proper way was not so easy as I thought.
After seen about the half of the field, I was getting a bit desperate. Until in the late afternoon a Belgian friend we stumbled on, tipped me about Nick Hood from Surelock casting repairs. We managed to find his trade stand, and I showed Nick some photos of the cracked head. After taking a good look at it, a simple smile and yes I can do that was the answer. What a relief... http://www.castingrepairs.com/ So we went quickly up to our car to get the damaged part, and left it with Nick to be stitch repaired. By Christmas he sayd it should be ready, and that was all fine by me
So my major mission of the day was accomplished, from now on I could browse relaxed around the field and dream a bit about the further order of the restoration. My next big concern would be the oil pan, but I hope that is not gonna be the worst part. Once those to two major parts are back in shape, I can reassemble the engine and start thinking about the carburettor and ignition. Also tricky parts, but they are all in my pile off boxes, and looking repairable. It surely will take some time to find the right replacement parts, but it must be possible. And in the meantime I can start working on the chassis.
And after a good pint or two, my straight plan took more and more shape: having a rolling chassis by the end of 2011. Do I grab to high, or is this wishful thinking? Only time will tell
In the following months, a lot of maintenance on my other cars kept me from start to work on the MOG chassis. But smaller things like disassemble the drive train, the rear axle, and repairing the support for the spare wheels, has succeeded.
And then around half December came a phone call from Nick: the cylinder head is ready, pressure tested and all! As he had promissed, in time for Christmas. The repair was not really cheap, but on the other hand, good work never is. And when it arrived, the quality of the job surprised me. The guarantee Nick gave me on the repair will be long gone before I start the engine for the first time. But I am strongely convinced that the guarantee wont be needed
Next step now is completing the cylinder head, by grinding the valves and seats, and putting it all together. That work will be done by my friend Eric. He has the skill, the tools, and the machinery to do so, that will be fine.
In the meanwhile I try to find out what colour the engine must be painted in to be correct (if you know, mail me!). Than trying to find a sound oil pan (mine is really bad, if you have one, mail me!) and off course to go on with the chassis. Because now I have a deadline to catch !
It must have been 1970 when Paul, a bartender in a local club in Mechelen (Belgium) who was driving an MGB at that moment, woke up my interest in sport and classic cars. He had a collection of old cars, most of them British and dating from 1930 till ± 1960. One day he appeared in a 1952 flat rad Morgan he bought around Antwerp. Until then, I never heard of Morgan before. But when I saw that car in burgundy with black wings, I was hooked for life. I was 18 than, very enthusiastic, and with only one small problem: money
But things got better, and in the mid 70's I made my first steps in the classic car world. In an early MGB, and until today I still think that is the right choice for a beginning classic car enthusiast. Later on, more MGs Triumphs - Austin Healey and Jaguars came and went, all with their own ups and downs. But no matter what, British cars have always been my favorites, and they still are. Years and cars went on, but with the past in mind, I always kept one mark above them all: MORGAN. Simply because of its authentic looks and charisma, for me still the real thing ".
So when Jean, a good friend, in 1983 traced a Morgan series 1 in Brussels, and rescued the car from demolition, for me the Morgan madness really got started. I nagged him the ears of the head to sell me the car. But nothing helped. He was planning to restore the Morgan itself as a present for his wife, so she could drive it on classic car meetings. But I got the promise, that if he would not implement the restoration, I would be the first one having the chance to buy the Morgan.
And yes, people with a word of honor really exist. In 1990 we saw each other briefly at a classic car show. He asked me almost casually if I still wanted the car, and a simple yes among friends was enough to make my dream come true. Finally it happened! Exactly one week later I went to collect the car, or what had become of it. Now the Morgan 4/4 was completely in bits and pieces, and stowed away in boxes. The chassis was hanging on the ceiling, the two halfs of the body on the wall.
Fortunately for me Jean is a talented technician, so not of that "in boxes thing" was a problem for me. The car might have been dismantled, but is was done with logic and sense, I was sure abouth that. And on the other hand, he had some things already done in his own perfectionist way. The engine block was overhauled, the dashboard and gauges were very professionally rebuilt, and a correct set of 6 brand-new tires was also present, among some other small parts.
Up on arrival with my treasure at home, my neighbor asked me if I was starting a old iron business... I told him to start a carreer as stand up comedian. He is not really that funny, so he helped me to unlood the trailer, and after that everything was neatly inventoried and locked away. It had to wait a little bit, because I still had an MGA 1600 to restore for my wife. And MGB for my son.. And after that a Triumph TR 3 that I owned since 1975... Because I realized that the restoration of the Morgan would not be for the near future, in 1996 I bought me a metallic gray 4/4 from '76. So with the Morgan virus re-injected, things would speed up I thought. But then came a lot of alterations to the house, followed by the restoration of an Austin Healey 3000. Later on we moved to a larger house because I needed more space And then out of the bleu a nice Jaguar MK II crossed my path, with of course some minor work on it. And before I knew, it was 2010
But fortunately, in the meanwhile I had the great idea to have me build a new skeleton body for the Morgan. Simply because on the 1996 MGCC Silverstone gathering I met two older gentlemen who were engaged in the manufacture of body's for pre war MG's. Two fantastic craftsman who were willing to build me a brand new body, a Morgan was a challenge for them. They were both along in years, so I realised I could not postpone the job for years. That was the little pressure that I needed to act immediately!
We made a shortbreak to England with some friends, just for fun, and to deliver the remains of what was once a wooden frame personally in Newcastle upon Tyne. John and Roberts workshop Ashframes International, was located above a local garage. Fully stuffed with machinery, wood, and craftmanship. They used a winch to hoist up and down al what they needed or produced, by a hatch in the floor. Unthinkable for us here in Belgium, but at that time just simple and normal for them.
The agreement was that they would bring my newly made body to the next MGCC Silverstone gathering, and so it happened. In June 1997 the wooden body was brought home by a friend with a little van. It was tucked away in a safe and dry spot, and there it stayed, and still is Just on another more spacey location because of the change of residence, and with a little more dust on it.
So a few months ago, with the ugly number 6 comming in sight in front of my age (altough still 2 to go), I decided I dont have half a life resting to start and complete the restoration. Not that I am planning to die, o no far from that, but I am a bit worried on the practical part of getting in and surely out the car on a minor flexible age...
So in juli - yes 2010 - we decided to take the chassis of the wall, and move it to a good spot in my workspace. There is much thinking and planning ahead, but Finally after 20 years the restoration has started!
Welkom op mijn blog. Een blog die als alles goed gaat, na verloop van tijd aan mijn vrienden en bekenden een mooi overzicht zou moeten geven betreffende de restauratie van mijn Morgan series I. Ik hoop ook dat er na verloop van tijd wat reacties zullen op komen van mensen die met een gelijkaardig project bezig zijn, want erg veel informatie is van dit type wagens niet te vinden.
Voorlopig is er nog vrij veel dat ik kan plaatsen, omdat er een achterstand op berichtengebied in te halen is. Maar naar de toekomst toe zal er minder frequent nieuws te rapen vallen, gewoon omdat de restauratie nu eenmaal geen fulltime job maar een hobby is. Het werk zal dan ook niet altijd even snel vorderen, maar ik doe mijn best!
Na deze intro schakel ik over op Engels als voertaal voor mijn blog. Dat om een welbepaalde reden, het internationale aspect. Ik hoop om via deze blog in contact te komen met collega liefhebbers die me kunnen bijstaan in mijn zoektocht naar informatie, fotos en onderdelen. En al zal mijn Engels niet steeds even correct zijn - ik ben ook maar een autodidact op dat vlak - zal ik er alles aan doen om mijn taal van Shakespeare op deze manier bij te schaven, zo vang ik twee vliegen in één klap.
Veel plezier met mijn blog "Morgan series 1".
Jeff
Welcome to my blog. A blog that, if all goes well, after some time should give a nice overview on the restoration of my series I Morgan. I also hope that some reactions will come from people how are undertaken a similar project. Maybe we can help each other, because a lot of information on this type of Morgan cannot be found.
At the moment there is pretty much that I can post because there is a lot of old information that can be told. But in the future my posts will be less frequent, simply because the restoration is not a full time job but a hobby. The work will not always go quickly, but I do my best!
And though my English is not always correct - I'm an autodidact in this field - I hope it will improve my skills in the language of Shakespeare. Then I catch two birds with one stone, and that will be fine.
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