Morris Minor

[Nemo]

Just seen one of these and I am again wondering about this version

https://bestcarmag.net/sites/default/fi ... nor_MM.jpg

Was it an early model or a special edition?

Thanks

[redsturgeon]

Its an early MM version. 1949 I'd guess .

My first car was a 1957 version that cost £15 in 1975.

John

[Nemo]

Thanks John. I used to wonder every time I saw one.

[scotview]

Always fancied a Morris Traveller, green, tan seats and nice light ash timber framing, lovely.

Could put my fly rods in the back and pretend to be Jack Hargreaves, Out of Town. I suppose a flat cap and pipe would be obligatory. My misses has always said that would suit my driving style (Reginald Molehusband) !

[bungeejumper]

Always fancied a Morris Traveller, green, tan seats and nice light ash timber framing, lovely.

Described by Edna Everage, I think, as a typical Old English half-timbered car?

BJ

[ReformedCharacter]

They were very good cars for the time. It was claimed, probably with some justification, that they had better handling than any pre-war saloon. I remember that they had a propensity for 'axle-tramp' if you really threw them about. They also had a reputation for the front wheels falling off, although apparently only at low speeds and usually while navigating roundabouts. One of my aunts owned one, its semaphore indicator used to stick in the out position and sometimes I was asked to give it a tap so that it would retract. Very nice and simple to maintain in the days when cars had multiple grease points.

RC

[Mike88]

Just seen one of these and I am again wondering about this version

https://bestcarmag.net/sites/default/fi ... nor_MM.jpg

Was it an early model or a special edition?

Thanks

The model shown is the early split screen version dating to probably around 1948 when they were first made. I doubt whether there was a special edition in such an early model; indeed the only special edition model I am aware of is the purple coloured Morris Minor 1000000 built to celebrate the millionth car built.

Sadly I couldn't recommend buying one unless you have deep pockets to buy a renovated one. I've worked on a few and rust is the greatest problem. The engines are easy to work on if you purchase a model with an A series engine. The engine in the car pictured is a side valve and should be avoided. An earlier poster referred to the Morris Traveller. I've worked on one of those as well. The wood rots badly and the surrounding metal rusts badly. The wooden frame is part of the structure and is important for obvious reasons.

Some of the other problems are the gearboxes, axles and I even recall driving in one where the engine flew off its mounts into the radiator. That was probably rare but it was fun towing it home.

Back in the day you could buy a BMC Gold seal engine for £55! Engine reconditioning is easy on the non split screen models and no end of places would be able to help. But, if you buy one, you will spend more time tinkering than driving which is not for everyone.

[Breelander]

Just seen one of these and I am again wondering about this version

https://bestcarmag.net/sites/default/fi ... nor_MM.jpg

Was it an early model or a special edition?

Thanks

The give-away is the number plate. Some classic car owners have a 'Show Plate' for putting on just while displaying at a show that describes the car. But in this case it says 'Victoria' at the bottom, so it appears to be a genuine Australian registration plate. This one says 'MM 1949' (ie. it's a 1949 Morris Minor).

Apart from the split windscreen, another key indicator of being a very early Morris Minor is the plate linking the two halves of the front bumper. The original prototype design was deemed too narrow, so it was cut down the middle and widened at the last minute before going into production.

Early cars had a painted section in the centre of the bumpers to cover the widening of the production car from the prototypes. This widening of 4 inches (100 mm) is also visible in the creases in the bonnet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Minor

[MonsterMork]

This one says 'MM 1949'



Er, I'm a 1967 model acksherly

As an interesting aside if my little pea brain remembers correctly the first car to recieve an MoT was a Moggy Minor, back in September 1960.

MM

[redsturgeon]

I would agree on the rust issues. Mine needed extensive welding on the sills before passing its MOT when I bought it. My dads mate who was selling the car did the welding on one side and when I took it for its MOT it failed on the other side. My mate then did a bodge job that we were dubious about but it passed and gave two years trouble free motoring until a ran into the rear of another car and scrapped it to buy a VW Beetle.

John

[quelquod]

They also had a reputation for the front wheels falling off, although apparently only at low speeds and usually while navigating roundabouts.
RC

Now that takes me back to university days when we rescued a flatmate’s moggie whose front offside wheel had “fallen off” using only duct tape and careful driving. IIRC the front hubs rotated on the screw thread of a suspension member and in due course with use and lack of lubrication the thread stripped, the hub dropped off it on the first decent bump, and left the front end sitting on the suspension with the wheel still partly attached by the steering linkage but lying flat out to the side of the car. As you say - not all that uncommon in the day!

[bluedonkey]

We had a green Morris Traveller c.1965, it's funny, thinking of it I can hear the exhaust note it used to have.

[bungeejumper]

the hub dropped off it on the first decent bump, and left the front end sitting on the suspension with the wheel still partly attached by the steering linkage but lying flat out to the side of the car. As you say - not all that uncommon in the day!

Not completely unknown these days either. My neighbour's Volvo estate did the same thing a couple of months ago. Wheel splayed out sideways, as described. With the added bonus that her two tonnes of Swedish engineering came down on the brake disc, which duly shattered. She won't tell me how much the repairs cost, but I suspect it was a bit more than a roll of duct tape.

BJ