Idle Speculation....

Post by **Ondergard** » Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:00 pm

... there's a bloke in my village who owns a couple of classics, including at least one Minor, but the one I see most of all is a '52 or '53 Morris Oxford. When my brother visited the other week, we saw the MO and my brother (who knows nothing about Morrises) mistook it for a Minor - until he saw the front grille, of course, and took a proper look.

He it was who referred to the MO as "A Morris Minor, with a mean mouth, on steroids", which I thought wasn't a bad description on the fly (especially the mean mouth one - he meant the grille, of course).

Anyway, I wondered, idly, about modifying an MO. We all know you can put a variety of meatier engines in a Minor - 1275 A series, Fiat twin, etc - but what engines do you think you could put in an MO to beef it up, in place of its 1478 sidevalve, or whatever it's standard lump is?

Post by **IaininTenbury** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:08 am

I understand that the B series in popular in the MO world. Varying capacites, 1498, 1622 and 1800 Marina / MGB etc.... Never driven one, but I guess it would perk things up a treat!

Post by **Ondergard** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:35 am

IaininTenbury wrote:I understand that the B series in popular in the MO world. Varying capacites, 1498, 1622 and 1800 Marina / MGB etc.... Never driven one, but I guess it would perk things up a treat!

Is there an "MO World" then? I hadn't realised!

Actually, the MO is so like the minor in many ways... was it intended that the MO was going to be some sort of Morris Major, or something like that? A kind of companion car for the larger family or something?

I must admit I rather like them. Beef one up with an 1800 engine as you indicate, and I rather like the idea of having an MO and a Minor.... and an MG Midget with wire wheels and a 1275cc engine, of course....!

Post by **mike.perry** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:11 am

There was a twin carb MO at NEC, the owner said it went quite well, and there was a six cylinder Triumph engined MO at last years Abingdon Air Show.
However I think that they should be kept with the original 44bhp engine as there are so few left

Post by **twincamman** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 9:33 am

Apparently, the owner's club does an adaptor to fit a B series to the MO box.
No idea how strong the box is though.

Post by **Judge** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:09 pm

We had a very nice MO on this years MOT-UK, and it's also expected to be taking part next year, as well as in the LEO Run. Not sure if the owner would consider fitting a different engine though.

Post by **stevey** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:41 pm

Not sure if the owner would consider fitting a different engine though.

doubt it that car is mint!!