Morris Minor Owners Club

I got given my mum's 1970 Traveller when I was 18, and still have it 22 years and 60,000 miles on!

It was a great car to learn both the fundamentals of roadcraft (having passed the driving test aged 17 in a yukky Nissan Sunny) and car maintenance on.

In fact, I've replaced most major parts on it over the years - swapped the original 1098cc for a MG Midget 1275cc, which promptly destroyed two standard Minor gearboxes so I replaced those with a matching Midget close-ratio one, also replaced the differential which got a bit whiney, uprated the front drum brakes to Ford ventilated discs, fitted electronic ignition and fuel pump, extra gauges, alternator in place of dynamo, etc.

They're quite fun because you can treat them as a never-ending 'rolling restoration' project - there's always something that needs doing, or improving...

Main plus points are relatively cheap, readily available parts (many can be adapted to fit from other BMC/BL cars such as Mini, Midget, Austin 1100/1300, Marina, Allegro, etc.), practical and fairly reliable, cheap classic insurance and free road tax.

What is more, if maintained properly, they hold their value or go up steadily, so you can be driving an appreciating asset as opposed to a modern, depreciating one!

Main plus points are relatively cheap, readily available parts (many can be adapted to fit from other BMC/BL cars such as Mini, Midget, Austin 1100/1300, Marina, Allegro, etc.), practical and fairly reliable, cheap classic insurance and free road tax.

You'll actually have a hell of a lot more trouble sourcing spares for these cars - I know because I recently got rid of my trusty Allegro due to spares prices and availability.

We have a Barnsley branch of the MMOC www.barnsleyminors dot co dot uk 01 011four 24six 8357 Suggest you contact them and see if they know of any local cars for sale. You may even get offered a drive in a member's car to see if you like it!

I'm 16 and have just bought one, I haventer had as much fun in a car, ever! ,cheap on insurance, cheap to maintain, bags of fun. I love it, buy one!

My two sons share a 1965 Minor, one is over 6ft tall and luckily their Minor has the adjustable drivers seat so he fits in easily. The insurance on a modern car, a scenic, was quoted at £5997. I bought the Morris on this site for £1000 and they paid £1100 for insurance with footman james. They had to join the club which is fine. This way they save shedloads of money and are on the road and can pay for it themselves. I do have to do little jobs on it now and again but they are learning. It must be the cheapest way for a young driver to get on the road nowadays.

Hi Mate

Good things

Very cheap insurance costed me £220 a year, fully comp, named driver and no tax!
Look great!
Parts are cheap
Girls love them, (never underestimate the pulling power haha)

Bad things

Mine does around 30 mpg which is great, but you might want more
Can be abit sluggy, in stop start traffic.
They are not as safe as say a polo, corsa etc , But it's how you drive it that matters.
And can need the occasional tinkering, but that's dead easy!

I would say yes get one, But not if you want to blend in and be like everyone else.

The positives far outweigh the negatives!

Good luck!

rodders1marsbar wrote:High Harry, Im in nottingham and go to the east mids branch and Madmogs in Mansfield, The Barnsley branch is prob the best onefor you and there are a few young lads like yourself in that club, they are a great crowd and have regular meetings and outings and they often come down to our meetings/gatherings and think there some members younger than you also, If you want i can get you the details if you wish, also one of the young lads where i live has just bought his first minor, he's 18 no licenceyet as on provisional and he has just paid £750 for full comp insurance, will get the insurance co for you if you wish.
Good luck hope get one and hope to see you at some of the meets.
Cheers Mate Rod

who was that insurance with?

rodders1marsbar wrote:High also one of the young lads where i live has just bought his first minor, he's 18 no licenceyet as on provisional and he has just paid £750 for full comp insurance, will get the insurance co for you if you wish.
Good luck hope get one and hope to see you at some of the meets.
Cheers Mate Rod

Thanks for the information,
my dad got a hypathetical quote of third party Fire and theft with footman james for £754 . so any help with other companies would be greatly appreciated

Again, thanks for the help everybody wasnt expecting such a brilliant response!

kwik fit: £2160
Insure2drive/go compare:comp: £1647.76 3rdtandf:£1572
Adrian flux:£4000 LOL
Insure2drive/confused.com £1725.34
Premium choice:£2158.16
Youchoose/moneysupermarket:£1807.56
Lancaster:told me to jog on
Fj third party:£754.56
£716 without dad
Comprehensive:£1200
£1137 without dad

im 17 aswell and a new driver, i live in a rather safe postcode.
hope this helps.

The question is not "Is the Morris a good first car?" It is "Are you a good owner?" If not it will plague you with silly problems until you get to know how to keep it running

True, true. These old cars need a lot of maintenance and attention, but if you keep on top of it then it really isn't much.
You need to get it into your head to check your oil every few days, top it up, check clearances regularly etc. If you do this you can't go wrong at all really.

Thank you for the information everybody its been incredibly helpful and ive purchesed my first car earlier today, thanks all!

What did you buy?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI. ... 0859222965 i know it has some rust problems, and people have already told me i should have viewd it be my family are like genious's when it comes to classic cars+ if there is anything too wrong with it, he has only said "JUST NEED SOME BODY WORK" so if the chassis etc is destroyed i can just refuse to buy it for false advertising.

sorry for long paragraph haha

Good luck - hope you enjoy your first experience of driving the best classic in the world!

thanks!, i will do for many years to come hopefully! ^^

Hi Harry did you buy the morris and is it ok ?[frame][/frame]

This is wonderful advice people (not that biased which is useful), I was wondering what rough price for a mechanically sound moggy is?

Don't worry about a mechanically sound Minor, parts are easy to change. Make sure that you get sound bodywork unless you are competent in that area