Sorry, that bit hadn't registered. The critical thing, apart fom the timber, is knowing what the underside of the sills should look like. Botched Minors often have everything hidden behind welded on plates that do little for the structural integrity, but hide the rust at MOT time. If the sills have been replaced properly, it'll show.
Incidentally, for an everyday Minor, I wouldn't see fibre-glass wings as a disadvantage as long as they were good quality. Though they'd knock a bit off the value. Not sure if everyone else would agree with me on that one...
Sounds like they weren't properly protected after fitting - common with some 'restoration' work. My brother's Stag had lots of new panels and a superb paint finish. But only on the outside...
Hmm, that says more about the people who did the work than the panels / vehicle, as others have said, it sounds like a couple of half-witted grease monkeys did the work...
The real killer on any Minor Traveller is the state of the wood, even if you do the work yourself, to replace all the wood is going to cost real money.
Just as a matterof interest, what sort of wood did Travellers use? I assume it was probably ash, but does anyone know for sure?
FWIW I have always reckoned the Traveller was the nicest handling member of the Minor family. One more thing about them - not from personal experience, you understand - if you have one of those roof racks that clamp onto the guttering, don't overtighten the clamps or you'll pull the gutters off.
A40 only if you can find a Countryman, and not a big boot space with the seats up. Parts are hard to find. Stick with the Moggy. Mini Countryman is also quite rare although there are enough Clubman estates about. Mini prices are rising towards Minor levels now.
They were...a very good job. Sadly the previous owner let his daughter have the car for a while. As you can probably guess, she didn't follow required maintenance.
With modern professional refinishing products [1] there is really no need for a repaired vehicle to rot out were it has been repaid and as part of any restoration un damaged and un repaired areas can also be dealt with similar products.
[1] meaning products that have been available for over ten years.
What have you been smoking? I drive a 16 year old Golf. It doesn't need waxoyling every year, it starts no matter what, and I expect it to last for the rest of time. Whereas a Morris Traveller will spend most of it's time trying to turn into iron oxide.
Not if the 'insides' are properly protected after repair. Which is what makers discovered some time ago - unless you think your VW is made of some special steel.
Come on. Think about it. The only reason classics become classics (ie, old, sought after and expensive) is because they have a propensity to pack up or rust to nothing and become rare.
MK2 Golf GTi:
Wax filled panels from new Fuel injection, so the engine runs and lasts better Closer tolerances and better materials for the engine + running gear Engines known for being able to run to stellar mileages without problems. No habit of random "black boxes" packing up and killing the whole car, and the FI system can be replaced relatively cheaply with a new one if it did pack up and parts weren't available in the distant future.
120mph and 45mpg+ (not at the same time mind), so it's actually usable as a day to day car
10000mile service schedule, so I don't spend every weekend underneath it.
Minor:
Panels not filled with wax from new, but can be DIYed 20 years after the car was built Carbs. Shite starting on cold days, crap fuel economy, crap fuelling in general so the engine's never quite getting the right mixture. End result of shorter engine life between rebuilds. Old engine design, with old materials etc.
I know for a fact that the Golfs are very easy to work on, and suspect the Minor is too, so they're probably even in that stakes.
As do most cars after a certain number of years. With most cars, spares, especially body panels can start to become difficult to obtain after 20 years or so. Not so with a MM. If you were so inclined, you could build a completely new car from spares alone. Not that many would, because it would be very expensive, but it does show how comprehensive the spares situation is at present, and it's a situation that is likely to continue into the foreseeable future. Don't forget that most MM on the road are already over 30 years old. Nearly double the age of your Golf. Mike.
Oi! Some of us can still set up an S.U. carb (or even two, or three) and a conventional ignition system so that the engine starts first time, even in winter.
yes you can NOW - but what about 15+ years time? Unless the general public decide that the Golf is a classic and worth preserving, they'll just disappear. Now the moggie already IS a classic, and so won't disappear in
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