It sure took a long time and to say that the old Bluebird sewing machine behaved itself would be an overstatement, though finally the Drivers seat upholstery has been done (well at least until the vinyl splits again on the base).
It wasn't exactly as envisioned, though it'll do for the time being, though both the seat base and the passenger side seat faces will both need to be redone at some stage. No hurry just yet though. Just like the paint job on the car, it looks ok from a distance.
Well look at that, the last update was March 2018, that was certainly some time again wasn't it. So in reality I would guess that no one even looks at this stuff anymore as it has been so lacking in updates. In defence of it though, things have been a bit on the strange side, not much travelling or anything was done it the Morris in the latter part of 2018 and early 2019 and following some travel overseas in later 2019... well we all know about COVID19, yes COVID19 and here we all are in latter middle 2021 and we are still going no where and doing nothing here. Lockdown number 5 is officially over tonight, though with the usual post lockdown cautions of distancing, masks and limits on persons at work or in cafes and restaurants and while it may be tedious, it does work.
Anyway on the car front, not much has been happening. The Count needs the front seat upholstery repaired as it has split with age and given it sits outside most of the time and the upholstery was done way back when I first got the car it hasn't done too badly, so that will get a shake up with something a bit different. Have bought a 1955 Bluebird sewing machine for a grand total of $50 to try and do this with, so hopefully it will do it and hopefully I won't stuff it all up! Collecting the machine though did require a half day trip to Geelong, so at least that was a bit of a drive for the Count.
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| Former Federal Woollen Mills, North Geelong |
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| East Beach, Geelong |
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| The mighty Bluebird, '55 like the Count |
Have finally managed to do something about the gearbox and now the diff as well. New custom made gearbox was made up for the Count by John and Ben Needham in Melbourne. It now looks mostly original, though is a smooth case box, from a later 1000 car, with the old Series 2 tail so that there was no need to modify the floor of the car, and swap the handbrake lever, to put the remote change in as it still has the original Series 2 shift. The internals have been updated as well and it is basically running as an 1100 box now. The gear ratios are hugely improved and make it so much more usable.
The last two weekends have been taken up by having fitted, then removed and then refitted a reconditioned 4.55 diff as well (so hopefully there will be no leaking of an oil anywhere, though have a spare new pair of rear brake shoes just in case). It has to come back out following the initial fitting as on filling the diff, with the hard to come by correct oil, it commenced flowing back out of the pinion seal just as fast as it was going in. Long story short, whoever had assembled the recon diff at the place I bought it from, and I might add at considerable expense for freight, had fitted a hub oil seal instead of the correct pinion oil seal, which unfortunately was never going to hold oil, so thus the removal, repair and refit. Annoyed? Yes, yes I was indeed. The response from the supplier when the problem was identified?
"yes it does look as though the seal in there was a half shaft seal. I can only apologise!"
Well yes seem to be that is the least you could do. I guess on the plus side we do now know how to change the pinion seal in a Morris Minor, no it isn't a fun job.
Now where were we with that upholstery...
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| I am sure that it isn't supposed to do that... |
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| ... and back out again |
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| Slight size difference between the half shaft seal (fitted) and the correct pinion seal (to be fitted) |
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| Gearbox had to be removed again as well as the speedo drive gear was fitted in the wrong place and needed rectification, did get a whole new batch of mount rubbers while out thought. |
Well, it's been a while between posts, with not a great deal happening between them, though that is the way of it sometimes. There are ...
