Morris Minor Owners Club

I think these models besides obviously the early cars are the best looking Minors.

I'd guess its the right mileage. Carpets are original and the duotone seats look very good (the light fabric is somewhat fragile) which suggests a sub 50k mileage. Indicators are correct for the year - looks original and decent really. Big question is underbody structure - if ok probably a fair ish price especially if its negotiable as suggested.
Gearbxes can be noisy on 948s with slow synchro but the engines can be the sweetest of all Minor variants.

B post has not been replaced (or at least no evidence of this from the pics) This model never had trafficators. The lights and everything else are correct for the model. It may even be a 1098cc if its a later Series 5 ie after 62 but before 64.

So what does it means that it's the earlier ones?

Having no indicators seems a bit terrifying I think.... am I right in thinking the newer ones do have indicators ?

James

It does have indicators.

I think the car is one of the change over modesl, which makes it more interesting.

I'd go for it if the underside is good. Even at full price it's not a lot for a nice Minor. I paid more for mine.

It does have indicators - The front lights flash white and the rears flash red... Not what most people expect to see these days but its the same as my dark blue one and its kinda qute and quirky Peetee was referring to the old fashioned semaphores which were first replaced by this style of flashers before the conventional amber ones.....

Where are they? The back lights look 'all red' whereas on newer models the back lights are amber and red.

James

Thanks PSL, that makes sense now! Surely they can be replaced then, with amber flashers.... if wires are there already ?

Yes mate - They are all red - You only get one double filament bulb to do brakes, side lights and flash... like I said its quirky !!!

They can be replaced easy enough but then you loose the charm

If you do buy it - please don't change the indicators !! Keep them as they are!

Not that easy to change.The relay on the inner wing switches the brake light off on the side you indicate and turns it into an indicator - so only two wires; side and brake/indicator going to each light. (Plus earth of course). You'd have to run extra wires to the backof the car. Fronts are easy its just a double filament bulb (stop tail type) in the side light. As it happens I've just converted one back to this arrangement from later stuff. Far more fun!

Okay. I won't change them! I was a bit scared at first, but it seems like actually it'd be kinda cool. Especially as a second car.

I was going to see it tomorrow before work... but because Auto Trader told me it was closer than it was, it would have been a bit of a rush to get back. So I have decided to take my more mechanically minded friend with me on Saturday, that way there's no rush and I we can give it a good going over taking in all the points.... and if it's gone before Saturday, then it wasn't meant to be.. and there's plenty more fish!

Amusingly my friend has been doing some of his own research on car forums he frequents... and one reply went thus...

Check the ECU has not been swapped, also the ABS can play up on these, at this milage the fuel injectors do wear out. The rain sensors for the wipers are iffy on the soft top as is the auto areial and the built in sat nav. Adjustable self leveling suspension can be prone to leak. Usually no problems with the HID lights but earlier models do suffer from the candle holders coming loose.

Very funny The speling kind of gives the game away!

Can I just confirm... as this is a changeover it doesn't have the sticky out things on the pillars... but does have the flashing indicators. If it has a space for them, can't trafficators be added? ...or is that sacrilege again?

Also, with the engines... how do you tell which minors came with 948, and the 1098? Is it just age?

What's the difference between the two, other than cc.

Am I therefor right in thinking it has poorer brakes?

Oh, and I got an insurance quote of £187 this morning. So it's making me want it quite a lot!

You won't be able to easily add trafficators because the B pillars changed and you'd have to hacsaw holes to fit them. The changeover from 948 to 1098 came with series 5 cars (September 62 onwards). A 948 has 7" front drums whereas a 1098 has 8" front drums.

Is the engine any different other than the capacity ?

No, not really, they look very similar. The 948 will have "950" cast into the block down on the right side (as you look from the front) and the 1098 has a metal tag with "1100" on it to the right of the crank pulley. Engine numbers also start differently assuming you still have the plate on the head.... I think its fairly safe to say that Moggie engines started with a "9" for 948 and a "10" for 1098's although engine numbers are not my strong point

Should just add that the fourth figure of the chassis number will tell you what was originally fitted at the factory.... 3 = 948, 5 = 1098 Although that doesn't mean that is what is still fitted as they are interchangeable without too much work.... many 948's have been fitted with 1098's as a useful upgrade for more power and vice versa for more economy....

Are the earlier engines a lot slower than the later ones ?