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Mals 53 Splitscreen Ute

 
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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:42 pm    Post subject: Mals 53 Splitscreen Ute Reply with quote

Here is my new addition. I recently bought this at a clearing sale and thought it looked like a good little truck. It had sat in a hay barn for the last 35 years not going and then travelled on the back of my car trailer for another 1100 kms over a few days. Since getting it home I got underway with the sympathetic restoration. I had forgotton what a great job getting the master cylinder out was like. Thankfully with the help of a mates 2 post hoist it made it quite a bit easier. So new master cylinder all round, new flex lines, original shoes still have some life in them. New rear lamps, a bit of electrical and the compulsory sump gasket which leaked more than I could put in. Original last of the big bangers 803 which surprisingly is running fine, clutch is a bit how ya going but box seems good. New shackle rubbers, redo the rear shockys and away it goes like a swiss watch, an old swiss watch. I think its a 53,
Type OFQ51
Car No 4372/30217
Engine Number 02/62946
Rosebery Cream

30217 is stamped on the bulkhead and the Stock Number is 53/501

Have loaded up a photo, hope its not too big, if okay I will list a few more, cheers Mal





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Bally
At rest


Joined: 19 May 2011
Posts: 219
Location: ACT

PostPosted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 5:41 pm    Post subject: Mals 53 Split Screen Ute Reply with quote

G'day Mal
Welcome to the forum. Love your 53 ute. I have a 52 4 door. Look forward to lots more pics.
Cheers Bob


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 6:28 pm    Post subject: Couple of more photos, Reply with quote

Hi Bob, hope these show up okay, its had more hits than Dolly Parton but it was a working truck, Mal.







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Monk
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Posts: 671
Location: Canberra

PostPosted: Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hey that looks really genuine. Had a hard but honest life by the looks of it.

You'll get a lot of fun bringing that up. How is it in the rust department?

Cheers,

David


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 6:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi mate, surprisingly next to nothing. A bit of surface rust on the passengers door and a couple of spots on the drivers side rear wheel arch. Cab floor is perfect as it the tub floor. Chassis is perfect as well, so really happy with that. It spent all its life on two farms, not even sure its ever had rego. Mal.


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Monk
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Posts: 671
Location: Canberra

PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 7:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Must have been a long way from the coast! That should be a really great project, what a find.

D


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Sat Oct 03, 2015 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

At Gulgong NSW, but I was going out past Nyngan for a week, and then travelled back to the coast, so went 400 kms past and then 700 kms back, it was the most the old girl had travelled in 35 years. Done about a km since, and that was like riding a ride on lawn mower only a bit slower.!! Need to renew the muffler, a couple of tyres and then a bit of rego perhaps. Mal.


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Mon Oct 12, 2015 9:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Slowly but surely tracking down the history of this little truck. Originally bought new at a Dealership in Coonamble which had a dealer network with York Motors Sydney. Originally bought by the owner of a property Nyleve for his elderly father to drive down the road to collect the mail. He hardly got it out of 3rd gear. From 53 to 1970 it had only done around 400 miles from new. It was then sold at a clearing sale at the farm for $80 and driven over to Gulgong NSW. From there is was used by the owners wife to drive the kids down the road for school and used around the farm. By the looks of it, it worked fairly well on the farm and hit most fence posts and everything else attached to fences. It then sat in a hay barn for the last 35 years going in there in about 1985. Again it was sold at a clearing out sale and bought by myself. I think it was garaged due to the fact that the tank was had it and not holding fuel at all. I have since repaired the tank as they are getting scarce on the ground. It now has 7000 miles on the clock. It most likely has never been registered as back then it was used on country roads and not taken into town.!

Still tracking down some previous people who knew the truck. Mal.


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Monk
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Posts: 671
Location: Canberra

PostPosted: Tue Oct 13, 2015 5:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds brand new Mal! Apart from the occasional love bite from the fence posts, anyway!


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Mon Nov 02, 2015 8:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



Had the original owners details signwritten again. You could just make it out faintly and luckily there are still a few signwriters around that can freehand.


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dirty hands
At rest


Joined: 16 Jun 2006
Posts: 693
Location: Ipswich QLD

PostPosted: Mon Nov 09, 2015 8:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mate you have to park that ute

further away from the barbed wire


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes mate, thankfully it is now retired to my shed and hopefully a couple of car shows, I think it has earnt a gold watch at least.! Cheers Mal.


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MarkyMark
4th gear


Joined: 19 Jan 2015
Posts: 75
Location: melbourne

PostPosted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 7:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice ute and cool patina - love it


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 10:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have regained interest in my old ute again. Bought a set of new Nankang tyres, and doing the front suspension rubbers. I have replaced all the rear rubbers and had a new engine pipe and muffler fitted. Looking forward to joining a club and driving the old girl around. Maybe down to the pub.!! No real sure if the original 803 is up to the job but time will tell I guess.


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frosty
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Joined: 23 Dec 2003
Posts: 3829
Location: 4559 near a big pineapple, Qld

PostPosted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 1:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mal,

Here is a link to the local Newcastle Morry group

https://www.morrisownersclub.org/


cheers


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have spent a few days and dollars again on the old girl. Replaced some front trunnion bushes which were flogged out. Front suspension is good now so I guess the next to go will be the steering ball joints.
Next job drop the cross member down to replace both rear gearbox mounts and the big centre mounting ring. Then onto renewing clutch linkages, bushes etc. The gearbox was drooping down causing the relay shaft to be off as well. Plus a new set of tyres. $$when will it end.


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 6:30 am    Post subject: Gearbox relay shaft renewed. Reply with quote

Replaced the gearbox mounting ring yesterday of my old ute. Bit of a job but very pleasing to throw away buggered bits of rubber etc. For those who have done this job it's a bit tricky. On an LCV you need to drop the cross member. I only had one bolt that needed to be cut off with a grinder. I put a rachet strap around the gearbox and onto the steering rack to lift it to the right position. Then off with the cross member and prop. I bought the kit for the relay clutch shaft from Morrismagic and it was perfect, thanks. My clutch was struggling to work as the box had dropped causing the shaft to drop and just made everything problematic.

All renewed now and just a matter of putting everything back together and not having to many bits left over!!


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 11:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah well, thought I had just about finished but alas after replacing relay shaft etc, mounting ring, etc and thinking the clutch was okay. How wrong I could be, it's just about on its last legs, which I should of realised when it took up most of the adjustment. After driving it a few ks, it now leaks oil out of the pushrods inspection covers as well. A smart man told me once that if you have to do more than one job on an engine it's easier to take it out.!!

Have just removed the engine today in a few hours, and I must say its the only way to go. Pull the front end off, break a few of the hockey sticks little 3/16th bolts. Unbolt everything again, prop, gearbox cross member, relay shaft, engine pipe etc.

Even thou it was time consuming it's probably one of the easier jobs on a ute at least. Far better than the brake master cylinder.!!

Now will replace the clutch, fit new gaskets to the inspections plates, and put a new timing chain in as the old one was rattley as well. Will replace all the manifold gaskets and while I'm at it, do the sump gasket that even thou it's new it still leaks. Getting there, can't be too much to go.! If you think of anything I should look at let me know before the engine goes back in.

PS engine ran well and gearbox seems okay as well.


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John Ballard
valued contributor


Joined: 11 Feb 2004
Posts: 2646
Location: Dubbo NSW

PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just a little advice here, it is much cheaper to rebuild a 948cc motor than an 803cc. Your gearbox clutch etc will all fit.
You can probably pick up a 948cc engine from someone here.
Make sure the oil leak is not coming out of the breather pipe, as this means you have compression in the sump from worn rings and pistons.
cheers.


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks John will keep that in mind, thought I would see how the old motor goes for a while and then if it gives up will go the larger engine, cheers Mal.


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DON58VAN
Full Licence


Joined: 25 Sep 2008
Posts: 863
Location: Sydney/Bowral

PostPosted: Mon Sep 25, 2017 7:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm with John on this one.
Its not just the capacity difference or cost of reconditioning. The 948 is a much better engine all round. I know that this might seem surprising given that it appears to be almost the same engine, but there are lots of detail differences that transform it. It makes the Minor a much nicer (and more practical) vehicle to drive. You can keep the 803 in the shed in case you decide you want matching numbers somewhere down the track.

My tuppence worth.

(Sorry to all the 803 owners, but I struggled along with one of those for years. I have since owned a few of 948s and a 1098.)


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 7:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm attacking a few jobs on the engine now that it's out. Turns out the clutch plate pressure plate and bearing were very good and most of the problem was the bent clutch fork.. Took the clutch etc to my local repairer to set the spring tension and saved me a heap of money as it can go back in when the replacement fork arrives. Renew timing chain, gaskets here and there bypass hose on water pump while its out and easy as well. Waiting on parts to arrive is the worst thing. Getting there.


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John Ballard
valued contributor


Joined: 11 Feb 2004
Posts: 2646
Location: Dubbo NSW

PostPosted: Thu Sep 28, 2017 8:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I probably have got a fork here, you know they have a bend from new.
A lot of play can be attributed to the carbon thrust washer which should be replaced no matter how good it looks. Cost about $20.


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palpuppyfood
Got the keys


Joined: 02 Oct 2015
Posts: 41
Location: Newcastle

PostPosted: Mon Jan 01, 2018 7:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks to John, I now have a bench seat to replace my buckets. Off to the upholsterer to lessen my wallet a little bit more again. Yellow Ute


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