Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi

I have seen a number of pick-ups advertised which have wooden rears rather than metal ones. Some say that they are genuine pick-ups and others have been converted. What's the general view on these as quite a few come up for sale on e-bay. I was looking out for a usable pick-up for a smallholding. What do you think?

They were never produced with wood backs - so any conversions are either of genuine pick-ups, or vans. Unless someone has bodged one onto a Traveller body which would be highly unsatisfactory I think! Only p/up and van have a proper chassis.

I don't like the wooden backs I think they look tacky but others will have a different view point. They are often proper pickups that have lost their metalwork from rust or damage. If it has a chassis it is fair to say it is/was a pickup or converted van. Your preference is the main thing if buying.

Thanks for the replies. I prefer the metal backs but these come at a premium. I suppose if the back it wooden at least it won't rust

Mine has always been a flatdeck. It would have been imported as a CKD cab/chassis and had a suitable deck built for it here (NZ).
One guide, if it was an original cab/chassis, is the absence of holes in the rear cab panel where the wellside panels would have been attached. [frame][/frame]

Built to serve a purpose, there are always exceptions
Most manufacturers of the period supplied chassis/cabs to coach builders and converters so I'm sure Morris/BMC were no exception, but yes there are plenty of home conversions around - some good some not so good.

I'm pretty sure chassis-cabs were available. I might have seen them in the Skilletter book, and I think they came with or without the cab back panel.

There were certainly conversions like gown vans made so I'm pretty sure someone somewhere made a wooden sided pick-up for hauling bales of hay around the paddock

Excellent. Hay bales, straw, piglets, children...

Thanks for the replies, I guess it all depends on personal preference and what the car's for. I just love Minors for what they are and I have seen quite a few wooden backed conversions that look pretty nice and some very nice metal ones too.

Thanks again,

Tim

I had a wooden bodied one about ten years ago. Bought it from a branch member who was going to break it for spares and got it together and on the road without spending very much. Photo shows it before I made a back panel for lights and number plate that covered the spare wheel and tidied up the rear end. I'd just painted it with a reject 'bad mix' can of blue (ish) from the local paint suppliers. It was great, very very practical with drop sides and tailgate. I went to the LCV 50th at Avoncroft in it and there bought a van with side windows (another unloved Minor variety) which I still have. Pickup got sold soon after when I was about to move - something I still regret, and as I sepcialise in rebuilding the proper steel bodies I guess its something I'm unlikely to repeat. I would have that that one was originally a van or pickup rather than a genuine chassis cab but I never looked into its history...
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As I said it was very useful, in this case transporting the front end of an Austin Ten custom car (odd thing with all the panels welded together to make a flip front, but works work!). It just sat on the back end nicely and only the angle iron frame got scratched which was quickly touched up with Hammerite whereas a proper bodied pickup would have hassled the tops of the sides...
[frame][/frame]

That looked great!

Just avoid anything bodged on to a Traveller body!

Sure, will do. Many thanks again.

Tim

Here is an illustration of the Minor bare chassis ex works for fitting a rear body section of your choice.
Taken from the Minor Quarter-Ton Van Service Parts list AKD559.

[frame][/frame]

Phil

Thanks Phil, that's a great illustration.

Tim

When I think about it - I have that Parts List somewhere. Anyone know how much it cost - and could it be ordered by 'anyone' - or only by Coachworks ?

This wooden back was on the LCV stand at the NEC restoration show and looked really good.


http://potteries.mmoc.org.uk/RallyPics/ ... G_8757.jpg

I saw that pickup a few years ago before it got resprayed.Thomas.R toe..Market gardener,it took a while to explain it to the wife!!

Headlamp AND sidelight "peaks" - would Roy's opinion be yay or nay?

Looks a bit dodgy to me,tandem wipers & GPO/PO washer jets....bottom of the B posts....etc.