1939 Morris Eight V8

[owen]

Bit of an update, been toying with swapping out the engine for a diesel or a 1.8t vag engine, then was playing about and noticed there was no rear gearbox mount. I jacked the box to bring the output flange level and it has given a little more foot room.

Today I have finished off the alternator mount using 10mmx40mm flat bar, and started on floor cross members.







So next is to order aux belt for alternator and 4 land rover v8 engine mounts as they are cheap and I need to replace a couple of mounts, and make a gearbox mount

[owen]

Started making floor crossmembers, set the crossmembers every 200mm so the floors shouldn't bend, I am debating buying a bead roller so I can add some strength into the floors as I have 0.8mm steel for the floors. Also haven't decided weather I should weld the floors in or screw them in, there's no real gain to screwing them in other than easy to remove. Originally I was going to screw them in, but now might just make the transmission tunnel removable to make it easier to remove the engine and box


how to upload photos in google website

[akku]

good to see something positive happening with this, I saw in on eBay a couple of times... Needed the right home. Looking forward to seeing more !

[owen]

Couple more cross members today, I am only working on the car between jobs for work, and in between renovating the house. So will mostly be little jobs done

[igor]

But progress, even in small steps, is nevertheless progress.

[owen]

Had sometime spare today, made the last crossmember, then seam welded it all together and other than the weld underneath which will be done when I jack the car up, its all welded in. Forgot to get a photo so will add that next time. Next step is to make the same thing the other side. Then start on transmission tunnel

[owen]

This is the finished floor crossmembers



Started making a floor template



Here is the template made



Still not 100% sure if I am going to weld the floors in or screw them down, if anyone has an opinion please let me know.

[glenanderson]

There’s a lot to be said for screwing them down. Particularly if you think there’s a possibility of further modifications in the future… 

[crockpot]

Screwed down if it's viable.

[ducklooker]

Interesting rod that!!
Bookmarked.

[owen]

Cut the floor from the template, then made a fill in panel for the back of the floor as the morris floor seemed to go uphill towards the prop







I then ran out of welding gas so that put a stop to most the work until after the bank holiday. I fitted the front end without the wings on as I wanted to see what it looked like like a ratrod with open fenders

[owen]

Start of passenger floor minus the mig welder

[igor]

Is it legal to run fenderless in the UK? Here in NZ it is possible to get a fender exemption for things like T-buckets and the like but I'm fairly sure there is a cut off date.

[edwardbear]

This needs a rolls grill and mascot

[owen]

Aug 28, 2023 7:22:59 GMT igor said:

Is it legal to run fenderless in the UK? Here in NZ it is possible to get a fender exemption for things like T-buckets and the like but I'm fairly sure there is a cut off date.

In the uk you can mot a car without arches or mud gaurds as its not testable, but if vosa or a traffic officer in the know pulls you over it comes under construction and use law, which says there should be tyre coverings. I have a plan for this, if I go down this route I will make some mud guards using round bar or small tube, make them easy to unbolt, and use the tread off a tyre as the mud guard so unless you really loom it will look like it has no mud guards.

[stealthstylz]

Unless you're gonna move the front wheels forward in relation to the grille taking the front fenders off will always look rubbish. 

[owen]

Aug 28, 2023 9:18:59 GMT stealthstylz said:

Unless you're gonna move the front wheels forward in relation to the grille taking the front fenders off will always look rubbish. 

The wheels are pretty close to the front of the grille, and I would be fitting skinny tall tyres, have you got a photo so I can see what you mean as at this point in the project its easy to move stuff around the way the front end is built I could in theory move the hubs 6-12 inches forward

[stealthstylz]

This is what happens when you take the fenders off that style of car with the axle in the stock position. I've used Pops as there's more of them.



Awful. Looks like it's doing a nose dive. Same theory with literally any fenderless car - when viewed from side on the vertical line where the bonnet meets the grille needs to be no further forward than the centre line of the wheels.

Gopping.



Same idea but with the axle in the right place






It's a fundamental proportion of what makes something look right and not look right.

[ducklooker]

stealthstylz said: This is what happens when you take the fenders off that style of car with the axle in the stock position. I've used Pops as the 

It's a fundamental proportion of what makes something look right and not look right. 

As an aside, that is as cool as a penguins undercarrige!

[owen]

Got gas for the mig today, seam welded the rear floor in fill panel, and then started making the outer floor mount for passenger side, without a tool to put a bend in box section I am having to slit the box and then weld it back up, it's amazing how much the original morris chassis bends here is a picture of the piece I made to follow the chassis shape



Still thinking about weather I should move the front suspension forward and run open wheeled, or test out how good I am at body work and make the wings fit nicely