Morris Minor Owners Club

My friendly mechanic told me that my 1960 2 door saloon was odd because it has a large rear window and trafficators. Does anyone know if he is right and if so how many were made like this?

he is not right. The (early series III , that's the "new" Minor 1000), still had trafficators fitted. I don't know until when exactly, but your car is one of the last with them.

Only the splitscreen had a smaller reaar window (series MM and II)

The larger rear screen came out in October 1956 (chassis number 448801). The Trafficators continued until August 1961 (chassis number 925555). So at a rough guess there were 476,754 vehicles produced like yours over a 5 year period!

That don't sound that special!

Doesn't sound like a "rough guess" either

Well, they are all 'special'

Thing is though there is NO shortage of self proclaiming 'experts' who will tell you all sorts of things. I've heard some crackers over the years.

Hopefully with this forum we can 'pool' together many decades of experience and hopefully come up with the right answers. Well, some of the time!

I've heard some crackers over the years

The best one I heard was the bloke who was convinced that my 1960 car MUST have been converted from a splitscreen because it had clap-hand wipers.

I get all sorts of strange reactions to my lowlight van:

"I haven't seen one of those for years"

"Still have the sidevalve engine ?"

"3 wipers - didn't realise they had 3 wipers"

"Did you make the van back yourself (converted from a sedan) ?"

"What make/sort of car is that ?"

Then again it's a strange looking beast so strange reactions are to be expected .

yeah, the most common question we get is does it still have those stick out indicators? (trafficators). One day I will be able to say yes, instead of explaining the entire morris history to them. the last time a guy a petrol station kept me there for 45mins!!! I only wanted £5 worth!!

stevey wrote:yeah, the most common question we get is does it still have those stick out indicators? (trafficators). One day I will be able to say yes, instead of explaining the entire morris history to them. the last time a guy a petrol station kept me there for 45mins!!! I only wanted £5 worth!!

You'll have to make a recording & just give them a copy.

The questions from my peers are usually good, i've had some crackers.

"Bet its got a big motor?"

"How many mpg does it get?" - strange question from a 17 year old lad with an earing

"Do you have to wind the wipers yourself?"

"Is it a beetle or something" - aren't people ignorant

minor_hickup wrote:"Is it a beetle or something"

I had that from a 'junior' when I had my tracking done once. The worrying thing was, he said that AFTER he had adjusted the tracking! He also twisted my steering rack gaiter to the point of destruction and melted one of the covers on my adjustable front dampers! Needless to say I never went there again! (Formula 1 auto centre - Milehouse, Newcastle, Staffs).

I changed over to 'Best Tyres' in Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent and they are brilliant. Really know their stuff, kind, polite and cheap. The chap who did my tracking there used to race Escorts, so knew all about setting the correct tracking for RWD cars unlike the previous bone-head who set everything to zero degrees regardless if it was FWD, RWD or 4WD/AWD!

What REALLY annoys me about comments from other people is when they SWEAR they had a car with "this particular feature and spec" and when you point out that Minors never had this they argue the point even though the evidence is right there in front of them!

My favourite is the usual one about the pick-ups - "Did you convert it yourself?"

Yes I have the remark a few times,as well as "It`s a cut down van, Morris never made pickups"

well of course you know that in the late 60`s, there were a few pick ups that were cut down vans, when a pick up back was not available for a customer