Morris Minor Owners Club

I posted a topic about who perhaps had the most original Morris Minor Traveller. I thought there would have been a few more replies but never mind.
I have put in my other topic the story of this car and how I found her so will not repeat it.
I took her for an Mot the other day after checking her all through after such a long lay up and she passed without any advisories.

But on arriving at the garage I could see people looking at the car because she does not have glossy 2 pack paint on her body.

"She is a dog and will fail the Mot" I could hear them thinking.

The Mot tester who used to work on these cars when new was really impressed with how original she was,even calling over some of the younger mechanics to look underneath her.
The underside of the floorpans and under the wheel arches still has the factory paint that was applied from new.Including the spare wheel area. She has never had thick underseal or waxoil applied thoughout her life.

A welder has not been within twenty feet of her bodywork.

The paint is original,apart from the red oxide which the second owner applied over some of the stone chipped areas thinking he was doing some good, I am going to carefully remove this and leave the Almond green paint as it is.

My first thoughts when purchasing her was to carry out a full restoration to better than new condition but have decided to leave her as she is warts and all.

A car is only original once in her life.

With only 44,000 miles from new she drives superbly even with the 950cc engine.
I have driven many restored models over the years but none have felt as taught or smooth as this one albeit on crossply tyres.
She is very quite to drive I have noticed, unlike our other modified Traveller which has had all the usual work carried out etc to improve her performance.

And how many times have people restored their Morris,fitted different doors, new weather strips to the bottoms of their doors and around the aperture to find the doors do not shut properly....these doors clunk to a perfect fit.

Same with the rear doors,they are not bowed like many doors you see,and they shut how they are supposed too.

The only rust on the car is to the bottom of the passenger door on the outside,two small holes,the undersides of the doors are like new.

So for now she will stay as found,even unpolished .!!!!

Morris Mike

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my floors are original and 122000 miles fom new on original engine

Looks a nice solid traveller lose the crossplies

And have it resprayed, and treat the wood with 5 star and teak oil - it's all very well being 'original' - but it just looks tatty as it is....

Love it tatty now and again.!!!
Nothing wrong with original type tyres,makes driving more fun.!!!
As for respraying the Traveller?....not really at the moment.

More often than not instead of using a new van parked in the yard to collect items from the suppliers,garden centres ,merchants etc I jump in this,it puts a smile on people`s faces when I turn up. ...[frame][/frame]


I have not seen another one any where in this area out and about.
Totally original from 1956,never welded or painted.Great to drive,if you do not mind being looked at,especially at traffic lights.
Or I could use this if I need to show off a bit of glossy paint.....[frame][/frame]

Or sometimes this one......[frame][/frame]

These two vans are in very good order,but remember......"Glossy paint dos not alway`s make a good vehicle".

Owned,driven and restored by me.

Morris Mike

Love it tatty now and again.!!!
Nothing wrong with original tyres,makes driving more fun.!!!
As for respraying....not really.

More often than not instead of using a new van parked in the yard to collect items from the suppliers I jump in this....[frame][/frame]

Totally original from 1956,never welded or painted.Great to drive,if you do not mind being looked at.
Or I could use this....[frame][/frame]

Or this,still looked at....[frame][/frame]

"Glossy paint dos not maketh a good vehicle".

I love this....[frame][/frame
But no doubt in a months time it will look like this....[frame][/frame

All work carried out by myself and vehicles owned by me.


Morris Mike.

Excellent. Lovely to see it like that. You can always 'restore' it sometime in the future, but how nice to preserve its originality now. It'll just be another very nice restored car when painted, but something special and of much interest now. Good luck with removing the red oxide.

I would probably spent more time at a show looking at the original traveller than the rows of shiney restored ones! Even though my own traveller had to get new wood and a shiney new paint job because everything needed replacing I was able to keep most of the old chrome and the original seats.

As for crossplys they are fine as long as all four are fitted, my Dad put crossplys on the front and radials on the back once which is still legal but it was a disaster to drive, my MM still has crossplys fitted.

With the original 950cc engine fitted in the car I do not expect to need state of the art tyres to keep the power down onto the road.!!!

Morris Mike

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very nice

I think I would describe the condition of your traveller as "honest" Nice car.

As honest as the day is long our little Morris.
The reverend`s choice of transport.

Not like those bad Jaguar MK2`s ferrying bank robbers and the underworld around.

Morris Mike

As honest as the day is long our little Morris.
The reverend`s choice of transport.

Not like those bad Jaguar MK2`s ferrying bank robbers and the underworld around.

Morris Mike

I expect you all to form an orderly que when looking at my original 803 Minor... and if you want to sit in the driver's seat it's £1 a turn.

Just like the VW Golf Rats we now have a moggie rat

.

understand why you want too keep it original, but if you dont sand down and treat the wood it will only rot and get worse, i see some black staining on the side rail near where meets rear pillar, be a shame to leave the wood AS IS to the elements. also you say no polishing. polisihing does two things, yes makes cars shine, but the main thing and most important seals the paint and chrome and gives it some protection, and the rain runs off instead of sitting then like a wet blanket. Beadage is good which polish gives! also waxoyl, dinitrol or oil the underside, dont leave it.... they all need some protection however original if you plan on using it and not garageing it 24 7..... nice find all the same and number plates MAY fail mot as numbers are not as clear as the black has faded so much, but then thats being picky! And as for crossplies, brave man! Most are old and cracked and out of shape now as many gone flat with being stood and damaged side walls etc. get some new radials on for safety but thats me!

I run Dunlop D40 crossplies - expensive but a really nice feel and I have never had any trouble in the wet or dry, even with my enthusiastic driving.

I have seen quite a few other Minors with the same tyres. Of course it's personal choice but they do suit the car well.

The car passed its Mot a few weeks ago as it is.
It only needed the usual thorough servicing and checking over before the Mot.
As mentioned it did not need any welding and it has never had any.

Although it had been garaged for a total of 35 years it was in the condition mechanically a similar vehicle of say three years storage would have been.
Everything had been greased and lubricated before storage,and it was on wooden blocks.

I drive it around as it is at the moment,its great.

It is kept indoors and only goes out on dry days,so no fear of the car getting wet or damp.

I may carry out work in the future on the car but have other projects to attend too at the moment.

Morris Mike