Morris Minor Owners Club

Can anybody confirm the number of 4 dr sedans made using the lowlight body, ie. short bonnet with highlight guards and grille being the only changes from the lowlight. The particular one I have just aquired even has the lowlight bootlid and latch, if the front guards and grille were replaced it would pass as the real McCoy. it was manufactured in the UK, and is very restoreable despite sitting out in Queensland weather for many years in the middle of a farmers paddock. I have seen a number of 2 drs and tourers of the 'transition' type, but only ever owned 2 and seen one on Australian Ebay recently with 4 doors.

The earliest 4 door that I know of is SMM 72587 in Malaysia and the next is SMM 74352 (LHD) in England. These are both export highlight MMs with lowlight bodies. Lowlight 2 doors were still being built for the home market. By 1951 4 doors were quite common in UK. There were no lowlight 4 doors and as there is no separate chassis code for different bodies I don't think that the records show a breakdown of numbers produced, only total numbers of cars

I am thinking that someone must know how many of the 4 dr transition cars were produced, apparently the factory used up the extra lowlight parts mostly on 2 dr sedans and tourers. This car is virtually a 4 dr lowlight in all respects except guards and grille.

The chassis number would give a clue to it's date. I guess if Mike doesn't know... I'm not sure who else would.. he is the MM guru.

From 1949 on North American export cars had highlight wings. According to records the 1st 4 door was SMM 62551 and as I said earlier, the earliest surviving 4 door that I know about is SMM 72587, unless anyone knows different. When the cars eventually all went over to highlight wings in 1951 they were simply highlight wings on a lowlight body shell. In late 51, early 52 the body shells were re designed with the straight inner wings, holes in the engine compartment floor and the long bonnet, but still with the straight engine compartment bulkhead crossmember, that was not changed until mid 52 in anticipation of fitting the A Series engine which was fitted to a few batches of 4 door export cars. From mid 52 onwards the only difference between a Series MM and Series 11 body was the bonnet badge.

mike.perry wrote:but still with the straight engine compartment bulkhead crossmember,
that was not changed until mid 52 in anticipation of fitting the A Series engine.

Hi Mike, allot can happen to a car in 60 or so years, but I have seen a fairly early (49 I think) Low Light
that had the rebated bulkhead cross member! This car was owned by a member of my club and I
had many occassions to look it over and to my eye it was all original.

Also there does seem to be two types of the straight bulkhead cross members, one that is full height
of the shock absorber mounting and the second which is narrower and has a bracket welded in and
the top retaining bolts are visable above the bulkhead crossmember?

Also an "older" friend of mine has stated that in his younger days he has seen two, 4 door LOW LIGHTS.
Given that this low light feature was from an old model, most people would not have wanted to date thier cars by
putting on the older model fronts and guards, so it is unlikely they have swapped fronts.
Could it be possible that a few of these cars where made and sent to , shall we say a car hungry country
that was not all that fussed about the new appearance?

Comments....?

oliver-morrisminor wrote: I have seen a fairly early (49 I think) Low Light
that had the rebated bulkhead cross member! This car was owned by a member of my club and I
had many occassions to look it over and to my eye it was all original.

Quite correct! The 1948 and early 49 cars all had this rebate, maybe due to a production run of panels when a different engine such as the flat four was destined to go in it before they changed to the flat type to suit the sidevalve

Not a lot of people know that!!

Just found a dismantled but sound transitions four door car. It is car number 98750 with engine number 99273. I think this is a May 51 car. Anyone know many transition four doors are left?

Hello new member here,

We also had one of these models you are talking about, when we bought the car it was just a rolling shell and had not been on the road for many years.

Sadly it has now gone to the graveyard in the sky, but we do have a 1949 Lowlight fully restored

Ben

benb wrote:Hello new member here,
we do have a 1949 Lowlight fully restored

Ben

Hi and welcome aboard Ben, what about posting a photo of your 49

Hi Ben,
Could you pleas PM me the details of the car, chassis no etc for the Series MM Register
Thanks

Hello Mike,

The main id plate has two numbers they are z9838/9 and 22325 im not sure which number means what.
Thanks Ben

Some pictures

Is there a plate with SMM followed by a number? 9838/9 could be a local construction factory serial no.