Morris Minor Owners Club

Hello again.
I am researching the possibility of buying a morris traveller for work.(Traditional signwriting and gold leaf.)
Having a conversation with my partner,she asked..
"Aren`t classic cars just for sunday driving,local trips.? "
Does she have a point?...I hope not..I was looking to use it more than this.

They certainly can, my traveller is my everyday car used for short and medium length journeys - haven't had the chance of a really long run jet but it wouldn't bother me or the car. Just be prepared for what it takes, no modern 'comforts' of electric everything, buy modern standards they are not very quick and they take a lot more time in regular maintenance and servicing so if you don't know anything about old cars it's time to learn
Lots of people run them every day and take them far and wide, simple mods can make them a lot more pleasant to drive in todays traffic.

Hi and welcome!

They are certainly capable of everyday use, Ive only ever owned Morris Minors! Obviously there is more maintenance required for an older car with regular greasing and brakes that require to be manually adjusted as well as oil changes every 3000.

A traveller would also be a great advert for you business!

panky wrote:They certainly can, my traveller is my everyday car used for short and medium length journeys - haven't had the chance of a really long run jet but it wouldn't bother me or the car. Just be prepared for what it takes, no modern 'comforts' of electric everything, buy modern standards they are not very quick and they take a lot more time in regular maintenance and servicing so if you don't know anything about old cars it's time to learn
Lots of people run them every day and take them far and wide, simple mods can make them a lot more pleasant to drive in todays traffic.

Thanks for your positive response.I must say in the 80s..I did kind of got to know beneath the bonnet of a car,through need...
Nowadays that part of life seems to have gone..( modern cars full of sensors and far more complex,maybe..or age.! )..thank you Panky

DAVIDMCCULLOUGH wrote:Hi and welcome!

They are certainly capable of everyday use, Ive only ever owned Morris Minors! Obviously there is more maintenance required for an older car with regular greasing and brakes that require to be manually adjusted as well as oil changes every 3000.

A traveller would also be a great advert for you business!

Yes David,that was my idea..I like the idea of a bygone trade,trying to survive in a generic,plastic age of signs,helped by a vehicle that evokes the same thoughts..thanks for the help..Jimmy

with out a doubt i have used mine for 8 years as ecerday use motor ways etc

I really wouldn't swap my Traveller for any other car for medium trips. Use the baby Austin for local running about because it's so much fun ( but painfully slow!). A well sorted classic car is just as capable as it was when new...good for many thousands of miles. OK they need regular,but simple, servicing and the cost of that is negligible compared to the depreciation on a modern car.Last year my wife's Golf beat me on a 200 mile trip to Holy Island by about 30 minutes. To be fair she had air conditioned luxury and I was melting...

I use my van most days but have a modern because I sometimes have a couple of passengers who are in their eighties and the van only has two seats.

morris van wrote:I use my van most days but have a modern because I sometimes have a couple of passengers who are in their eighties and the van only has two seats.

..What about a roof rack.?..Are they sprightly 80 yr oldes.?
Good to hear your comment.Giving me inspiritaion..thanks.

SteveClem wrote:I really wouldn't swap my Traveller for any other car for medium trips. Use the baby Austin for local running about because it's so much fun ( but painfully slow!). A well sorted classic car is just as capable as it was when new...good for many thousands of miles. OK they need regular,but simple, servicing and the cost of that is negligible compared to the depreciation on a modern car.Last year my wife's Golf beat me on a 200 mile trip to Holy Island by about 30 minutes. To be fair she had air conditioned luxury and I was melting...

..Brilliant...I have also been thinking of depreciation of modern vehicles compared to a classic...love your "top gear" type challenge.That`s impressive.!

I think it depends how you look after them servicing etc and maintenance and they are as good as any

I have a Traveller as my only car. I've owned it for about six months now and it's only properly broken down (i.e. left me stuck somewhere) once. However, it does need maintenance. I think if you own one you have to accept that it's not a modern car and that stuff will go wrong with it fairly frequently. If you can fix it yourself though and spend the time fixing and improving it, I don't see why it shouldn't be usable as an every day car. I've been determined since I got mine to make it into a perfectly reliable and comfortable every day car. It's not there yet (mainly knackered engine and rear suspension plus lots of infuriating rattles) but it will be!

The question is more aptly 'are you willing to drive a classic car every day?'.
My Traveller was stood In a garden since 2001, I got it back on the road last October (after considerable welding) and it now covers 55 miles 6 days a week, I have driven it to a France and back and it has never let me down. Mechanically it has a new gearbox, and I removed the head and reground the valves, it was only this weekend I had the sump off it! (To do the sump seals) . My point being largely it's mechanically untouched.
If you're willing to service them at the regular intervals, (for me greasing comes around every fortnight or so, oil change every two and a half months) then it won't let you down. Mine hasn't in 10,000 miles of ownership!

"Aren`t classic cars just for sunday driving,local trips.? "
Does she have a point?...I hope not..I was looking to use it more than this.

Methinks that it depends on your insurance coverage.

Insurance seems pretty reasonable this side of the pond. Especially if you're an old f..t with a clean license!

I've driven Minors as every day cars for the past thirty plus years, up to 18,000 mile a year. Of course there have been odd problems now and then, but no more so than with a modern - I've not been stuck due to an EMU fault or a flat battery. They are perfectly suited for regular use.

My Husband uses one every day for his daily commute into Birmingham - doesn't possess a modern car

chesney wrote:The question is more aptly 'are you willing to drive a classic car every day?'.
My Traveller was stood In a garden since 2001, I got it back on the road last October (after considerable welding) and it now covers 55 miles 6 days a week, I have driven it to a France and back and it has never let me down. Mechanically it has a new gearbox, and I removed the head and reground the valves, it was only this weekend I had the sump off it! (To do the sump seals) . My point being largely it's mechanically untouched.
If you're willing to service them at the regular intervals, (for me greasing comes around every fortnight or so, oil change every two and a half months) then it won't let you down. Mine hasn't in 10,000 miles of ownership!

That`s quite an impressive routine you do...When you say greasing, what do you mean?..Forgive my ignorance..!

A minor has greasing points on the front suspension and other moving parts that need to regularly greased to stop the suspension wearing and make it move easily, unlike modern vehicles which have components which are sealed from the factory. Workshop manuals tell you do grease every 3000 miles but in practice a lot of owner do this more often as the minor was famous for its suspension collapsing. 3 greasing nipples on each of the fronts suspension arms, 1 on the steering rack, 2 on the propshaft and 1 on each of the handbrake cables.

If you had a pre war car they would probably need doing every 500 miles!!

The biggest issue you are likely to find is classic car insurance that covers you for commercial use. When I used my van for my business it was only available at market, not agreed value, which was probably about £35.00 in their book. Good luck though, the situation may have changed, and 20 years on it is amazing how many of my clients still remark on my lovely old Morris van that I used to show up in. You will generate a lot of business from a distinctive vehicle like a Minor.