Newbie Needs Minor Assistance

[Dad's Daughter]

Hi, I need some advice & didn't quite know where to turn. When I was a kid, before multiple-car families, we always had a big station wagon to haul the kids around in. My dad had spent many years in Europe during WWII & liked the little commuter cars that America hadn't discovered yet. He got a Morris Minor to travel back & forth to work, not from any great love of the cars, just because they were economical transportation. He'd drive one until it died, & then get another. I just thought they were cool little cars, & still remember the way they sounded & smelled, nothing like American cars. As it turned out, my dad would pass away when I was only 5.

I may not remember a lot from my childhood, but I remember every car we ever owned. I was very much a tomboy & grew up doing lots of things my siblings never did, like going skydiving & getting my pilot's license on a 1946 Taylorcraft. But my favorite thing is the hobby my husband & I share, which is classic cars. I have a 1969 Olds 442 & he has a 1952 Chevrolet pickup with a Chevy small block. Obviously, we're generally into horsepower & flash, but I always remembered my dad's Morrises. I live outside Washington DC & recently found someone who has a 1960 Morris Minor 1000 2-door that she is thinking of selling. It is all original & has been sitting in a barn for the last 2 years. The owner knows nothing of its value, & thought that I, as a car enthusiast, would be able to tell her what it's worth. I told her that, on American cars, I know what is prone to rust, what leaks oil, etc., but this was new territory for me. I'm not even sure why I contacted her when I saw the ad, but the thought of possibly driving this little car has me intrigued. Can someone tell me what I need to know before I get into this too deep? Like how hard is it to get parts? Thanks very much! - Lee

[Fingolfin]

Hi, Lee, and welcome to the forum! I am a young Moggie owner out of Missouri and have some experience in this subject area...(finally! Something about which I'm knowledgeable! )
Your dad had the right idea. Minors are still among the most economical cars one can own. A saloon (sedan) in top condition can get 50 miles per gallon, and can do 75 mph, too. (Mine gets some less mileage and a lot less speed, lol.) They definitely have a distinctive odor that I just love, and the engines sound -- and run, if rightly tuned -- so sweet.
About this lady's Minor. If you're going Minorhunting, the most important thing to look out for is RUST -- and it can appear in strange places. Get in and stomp on the floor, and see if there's squishy patches; take a good look at the underside and try and look out for underseal coating rust; look carefully at the center crossmember and the door pillars; check the quality of the hood, the fenders, and the trunk door. (On this forum, those are called the bonnet, wings, and boot, respectively. ) The engines were generally fairly high-quality, but ran on generators (dynamos) and points ignition, and had somewhat under-par fuel pumps. A finely-tuned textbook example of a 948cc Minor engine -- like mine -- will get 37bhp, and the later 1098cc can get about 50. Also, in my experience, the wiring and some of the smaller electrical components are easy to kill; I've had my Minor for two years and have had two shorts already.
I got my '59 2-door, in pretty good condition -- some small rust but overall a good body, and it runs a treat -- for $4500. If hers is in mint condition, I'd look to pay at most $10000. If it's a rustbucket but there's a fair engine, or vice-versa, I'd go for under $2000.
The condition of parts for the Morris Minor is fantastic, compared to some other cars from the period. Parts availability is roughly comparable to the Volkswagen bug. However, whereas VW parts suppliers are often based in the States, the Minor parts industry is based in the UK -- so be prepared for haggling with Customs and sometimes high shipping fees. In my experience, the most reliable parts suppliers are Bull Motif (http://www.morrisminorspares.net/) and ESM Spares (http://morrisminorspares.co.uk/), but there are many fine suppliers out there. An importer Stateside is Brit Auto Parts (http://britautoparts.com/html/morrisparts.html), but I haven't used them, so I can't recommend or decry them.
Now watch someone come along and correct everything I just said.
A final tip: this forum has been absolutely invaluable to me during my restoration. If you want to learn more about Minors, the best way is just to peruse the Owners' Club messageboard.
Please keep us advised if you're going to purchase; if you're serious about it or just curious, take some pictures and post them (we love photos); and if it turns out this isn't the one, don't give up! 14997 Minors were officially sent to the US, so a good lot have survived, and many of them around DC. Happy Minoring and good luck!

[MarkyB]

"On this forum, those are called the bonnet, wings, and boot, respectively."
Not just this forum, the whole country!

[Fingolfin]

Haha, I know, Marky! Trust me, I'd never denigrate the UK -- I'm an Anglophile from way back. Imagine I said it in a conversational tone: "On this forum..." as opposed to, say, American auto boards.

[ASL642]

[moggydriver62]

There is a morris minor club based in ohio,I can't find address at this time, but will try to find
it . Maybe someone else may have it ?Morrises are very prone to rust. You realy need someone
to check it out,There can be alot hidden under bondo and new paint.
kenny.

[LouiseM]

Morris Minor Registry of North America. Contact: Tony Burgess, 318 Hampton Park, Westerville, Ohio 43081-5723, USA. Ph.614.899-2394, Fx. 614.899-2493

[Dad's Daughter]

You've all provided quite a bit of information, just what I needed! They've decided they want $3000 for it, but I still haven't seen it because the owner doesn't know how to upload digital pictures. I don't know if I'm ready to take on something like this. We're going to the big automotive event in Carlisle, Pennsylvania on Friday. It's common knowledge that you can walk the grounds there & pretty much pick up all the parts to build an entire Mustang or Chevelle. If you own something less popular, like my Olds, you've got to be willing to dig for your treasures. I know how hard it's been with my car, I can just imagine what we'd be in for trying to locate parts for a Morris Minor in Maryland. But I will probably go see & drive it if someone doesn't snap it up before I can get there. I'll let you know how it goes, & thanks again for all of the helpful information!

[mike.perry]

Check the body carefully, around the rear spring mounts, door posts, crossmember and overall condition underneath, beware of fresh underseal. Bubbles on the body surface usually hide worse underneath. List all the faults you can find and try to negotiate the price down. As has been said, almost all spares are available

[MikeHA4]

Words, yes, we have to translate British English to American English. Fingolfin said something I'd query: That is,that the Wings are Fenders. I'd disagree. The Wings are the panels which arch over the wheels. They are still there in modern cars as the panels in the same area, over the wheels and from the lighting fitments to the doorpillars.

The Fender, I take as in to 'fend off' - 'push away' so translates to the Bumper, in British English and is the chrome bar across the front of the car and its support components behind. The verticals fitted to it are to protect the main bumper and are called Over-riders. Modern cars have no over-riders and the 'bumpers' are in painted plastic and moulded to shape in with the front/back of a car. Nowadays, they are designed to absorb the shock of an impact so they are destroyed in a crash... Old fashioned spring-steel bumpers, now thats the thing to protect your car bodywork! The Dodgems have it right!

[alex_holden]

Fingolfin said something I'd query: That is,that the Wings are Fenders. I'd disagree.

I believe fender is the american term for the wing. They use the same word we do for the bumper, AFAIK.

[Fingolfin]

See, what'd I tell you? Everyone'd come in and pick it apart. No fear. I believe fender = wing, but I've been often wrong in the past.
Lee, if you do indeed get a Moggie, I'll tell you now that I've got family in Prince William County and we go and see them on occasion. When my Mog runs properly, I intend to bring it out there and stay for a few weeks -- so I'd be happy to come find you during that time and help however I can.
Regardless of our little quarrels on the messageboard, the Moggie Community sticks together.

[kittyfell]

Virtually EVERY part is available in UK for Minors, except sadly a full new bodyshell. Check out Bull Motif http://www.morrisminorspares.net/shop.php who will send to USA I believe. Many mechanical parts are common to the MG Midget/AH Sprite. At $3000 it would need to be a very good one - not a wreck needing work!!

[moggydriver62]

At $3000.It would have to be a very good one .If they put salt on the roads up there check very carefully
There was a 2 door car less engine and trans for $200.on L A Craigs list this week.Very minor rust.I see someone
gave you ,M M.club address.
good luck,kenny.

[Pyoor_Kate]

kittyfell - you have to remember though, that Minors are much rarer out here. It's the equivalent of trying to find a 60's 'merkian car here - you end up paying the premium because there aren't that many.

I seriously consider picking up a wreck and throwing it in the back of the shipping container with my minor to flog on arrival to help pay for the shipping because they're worth so much more over there...

[ASL642]

Very good idea, buy on e plus a spare for parts.... If you do consider buying a car from the UK, post on here first there may be someone near to it's location in the UK who could give it a quick check out for you before you buy. It's been done before.

[Fingolfin]

Not sure about the shipping-in-one-from-the-UK idea -- I ordered 10 kilos of parts and shipping cost me $200. The shipping on an 800 kilo Minor would be prohibitively expensive, and of course it'd be right-hand-drive (though some people like that). There have been those who have done it before, as our friend Regalia Queen says, and indeed Foghorn in Bolivar had a Traveller shipped in. (Beauty, too.) So it is certainly an option, but in my opinion it'd be better to try and save one of the original American ones.
If you had LOTS of disposable cash, I'd actually suggest finding a clunky one in the UK and importing it for use as a parts car -- if only because there are so few American ones left, and so many in Britain. But overall that could cost upwards of $10000. Be forewarned. Minors are fantastic cars, and not costly compared to others from the era, but the cost can skyrocket if you need lots of parts (and aren't in the UK).

[aupickup]

but a car is shipped by cost of weight, it is shipped in a container with other cars

there are specialized companys that do that

a friend of mine had a VW camper shipped from california from a garage, and the garage sorted the shipping
it was cheaper for him to import the VW than buy one here and have it restored