1959 Minor?

[MrIan]

Could this be a 1959 model ?
ie with fresh air heater, no trafficators, in line wipers, later lights ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-MINOR- ... t_74wt_958

[minor65]

No, it has got to be a 1963 with the 1098 sidelamps and taillamps. As it has duo tone interior and the later 1098 wipers

[busguy]

No, it has got to be a 1963 with the 1098 sidelamps and taillamps. As it has duo tone interior and the later 1098 wipers

Not sure, given what is presented. It does look to be an early 1098cc engined 1963 or early 1964 'transitional' Minor, but it is fitted with a 1959 correct 948cc engine according to the ad. Older steering wheel, push/pull switches, duo tone interior, but later wipers and lights. The reg number is a Jan/Feb 1959 issue.
The change to the later wipers is not an easy one to achieve, but I believe it has been done on major rebuilds.

[MrIan]

I can understand updating the lights, even at a push updating the heater (a pain cutting the bulkhead mind you for the air intake), I can even understand filling in the trafficators (as a previous owner has done on my 1959) .
BUT re-drill and modify the scuttle for later wipers ???
Unless it's been a re-shell job I can't see it being a 59.

Still a nice looking car mind you.

[mike.perry]

No passenger door key lock
No Trafficators
Fresh air heater tube
1098 oil filler cap and air filter
1963?
Ask for chassis number

[ManyMinors]

The entire car is exactly the correct specification for a late 1963/early 1964 car: late wipers, indicator lights (you can see the factory fitted flasher unit & wiring to it) and fresh air heater combined with the early dash layout, pull starter and banjo steering wheel. This spec only lasted about a year. The only thing earlier is the chassis plate which appears to be stuck on!
Almond green wasn't even a colour option in 1959 so it's a ringer almost for certain.

A car of that age will have had the (correct) chassis number stamped into the bulkhead so that's probably still there
Don't forget that cars like this are relatively easy to date. Each piece of glass is date marked and almost every Lucas component, of which there are many, is too ......

[chesney]

You can tell it's a later shell as where the 'elephant's trunk' fresh air intake passes through the dash it has a raised section to accommodate the intake, unless the bulkhead has been changed, it's a a post 63.

[MrIan]

Looks like it's been removed from ebay now. Maybe sold.

[bmcecosse]

And it's not an LBM shell ! Definitely a re-shell - or more likely a 'ringer' .

[MrIan]

You must excuse my Minor newness but what the heck is an LBM shell ?
I keep seeing it mentioned

[kennatt]

what the heck is an LBM shell OH NO don't start that again do a search please I think it got the record for the highest no of pages But if you must know LONG BODY MOULDING god Never thought I'd type that again

[MrIan]

Ok search and read about LBM !!! quite a discussion, then came across AWMP !!!

Fun Fun Fun

[POMMReg]

LBM ceased early 58, after this WMP, change - date vehicles visually.

[gtt1951]

I think that the earliest this car can be is 1964. I used to have a '63 Traveller - clap-hand wipers, and a 1964 duo-tone saloon. This car is like my old saloon - parallel wipers, but it has had an earlier passenger door fitted (no lock).
You can still view the original advert on fleabay, and the photos.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-MINOR- ... t_74wt_959

[ManyMinors]

Updates were generally introduced ready for the Motor Show in October. The specification of the Almond Green car in the pictures was introduced in October 1963. Prior to that, the earliest 1098cc cars had the duotone interior but clap hands wipers, the earlier round type heater without the air intake pipe, and the earlier smaller front and rear lights with no amber flashing indicators but the Lucas DB10 relay unit which made the brake lights flash.

The car pictured was known as the 1964 model but was available from October 1963. It only lasted one year and in October 1964 came the later dashboard with the toggle switches and black speedo etc, 2 spoke steering wheel, heatformed, single colour seat covers along with plastic interior mirror, crushable sunvisors and so on which lasted largely unchanged until the end of production.

[MrIan]

So the only 1959 part of the car is the registration number.
Very strange.
I questioned it here because I was cross checking it with my 1959 minor (previous owner 'updated' it).
Mine has the recirculating round heater with the early bulkhead pressing, clap hands wipers but modernised with later front n rear lights and trafficators removed, still has the relay to flash the brake lights for indicators but newer type can installed too all of which I'd like to put back to original hence ebay searching for lights n bits.