Morris Minor options from new?

Post by **stephenpolhill** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:47 am

Hi there. I was wondering the other day, what sort of options and trim levels were there for the Moggies when you bought them from new. I know there wasn't a great deal, but I thought that some had cigarette lighters and others not (like mine) and if any, what options were available. Also any idea of prices from new for the 1965 range?
Thanks
Steve

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:54 am

I'm not aware that cig lighters were ever offered as an official option although could have been offered by some dealers. In fact most options were dealer fit anyway. Options were pretty much limited to radio (dealer fit) and heater (again dealer fit on early cars but later came as a factory option on "Delux" versions) The only other options I can think of would be bumper over-riders which were also standard on Delux cars. Wing mirrors would also have been dealer fit. Early production lines were not set up with sequenced builds like they are today so all cars came off the line the same except for body/trim colours and Standard or Delux versions.

Post by **stephenpolhill** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:57 am

Would that make mine a Delux model with dealer fog lights and RH side wingmirror? And what do mean by bumper overriders?
Thanks

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:07 pm

Bumper over-riders are the verticle things sticking up on the front and rear bumpers. If it was a Delux version you will have a "D" in the chassis number, so something like "MA2S D 123456"

Post by **stephenpolhill** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:09 pm

Oh I thought they were all standard. Yay mine is Delux. A few numbers and letters.. a space.. D...then the chassis no.

Post by **PSL184** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:17 pm

No, they weren't standard although so many cars have them fitted nowadays you can be forgiven for thinking so

Post by **stephenpolhill** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:19 pm

Hehe. Thanks for the info.

Post by **Lukey** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:28 pm

This thread makes me giggle, I feel really posh now with my deluxe heater.

Post by **stephenpolhill** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:29 pm

Same here. Thats one more thing to say to people who laugh that I've got a moggy. Its RWD, coupe style, delux model

Post by **Lukey** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:39 pm

Post by **Sidney'61** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:01 pm

Just to confuse things, my car has all the delux model features and is delux according to the heritage certificate but doesn't have a 'D' on the chassis number

I'm not quite sure yet whether I can boast about it

Post by **Peetee** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 1:43 pm

I'm not quite sure yet whether I can boast about it

Relax bro.
You is all blingd up.

Post by **simmitc** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 4:19 pm

One factory fit option was reclining seats. I've seen these detailed against several cars in the original production ledgers now held at Gaydon. They were not high-back like modern seats, but looked very similar to standard 1098 seats except there was a chrome lever that allowed the back-rest to move.

For export models there was also an uprated heater.

Post by **DAVIDMCCULLOUGH** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:57 pm

I have a BMC approved accessories brochure from December 1968! Options were,
seatbelts
seatcovers
wingmirrors
roof rack
tools
driving lamp
fog lamp
reversing lamp
switch panel
badge bar
wheel discs
anti mist panel, for the back window
under seal!!!!
travel rugs in 12 different tartans
tail pipe extension
wind deflector
radiator muff

My blue Minor is an Irish built, basic spec and it came without a passenger sunvisor and no armrests on the back(2 door)

Over the years you could also have had either leather or vinyl trim, or the two tone in the early sixties. Really early on the passenger wiper was optional and it wasnt until about 1964 when windscreen washers were fitted as standard.

I can only find a price list from May 1963 at the mo, a basic 2 door was £426, plus £89 6 3 purchase tax making that a total of £515 6 3. A delux was £24 more expensive and a traveller cost a futher £90!

Post by **MGFmad** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:00 pm

Did the Deluxe model get ashtrays as well? - seem to remember reading this somewhere.

Also some later cars don't seem to have the front parcel shelf fitted - was this a Deluxe fitting or just that some have been removed or fallen off?

Post by **8009STEVE** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:30 pm

brochure from December 1968! Options were,
seatbelts

Didnt seat belts become a legal requirement in 1967?

Post by **Sidney'61** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:38 pm

That's what I thought.
think it was 1965 though, they had to have belts in the front.

Post by **Dean** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 8:52 pm

This is a great thread.

My early series II is a Delux LE apparently as it has two.... yes two sunvisors, the passenger visor was an option back then I'm led to believe.

Post by **FrankM83** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:46 am

well my 53 van had trafficators, passenger seat, passenger sunvisor and passenger wiper as option , out of all those it only got the passenger seat, so no indicators at all

Post by **DAVIDMCCULLOUGH** » Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:23 am

I looked up seatbelt law, from 1965 they were required to be fitted with mounting points and actual belt from 1967. It did not become law to wear them until 1983!

That being said I had a 1971 2 door saloon that never had belts fitted, it still had the white blanking plugs in the bit below the window and on the rear floor until I removed them fitted seatbelts.