Morris Minor Owners Club

What would be the best modification to improve the handling of my Morris minor. I was thinking that an anti-roll bar on the front would make the most improvement?

Thanks Peter Wolton

Depends on what you have already. A good set of tyres are usually the best place to start

After a good set of tyres make sure that the dampers at the front and rear are in good working order. Fit a full set of poly bushes front and rear.
A front anti-roll bar should be fitted as part of the front and rear suspension overhaul. Fitting a anti-roll bar on its own without doing the other jobs would not maximise its benefits.

My own Minor is lowered, has uprated dampers, negative camber on the front, rose jointed tie bars and anti-roll bar all held together with poly bushes.
On the rear I have modified and lowered traveller springs, uprated dampers and traction bars all held together with poly bushes.

Does an anti-roll bar really make much difference? Due to their small size and naturally taut handling I never noticed body roll on Minors, it being a trait of larger cars.

I’ve wondered recently if my van would actually roll over on a fast 90 degree bend, I’ve suspected it probably would, rather than loosing the rear end first. I’m not keen on testing this to the limit, for obvious reasons but would like to know! Maybe a van is more likely to do this. I also wonder if this tendency would improve if various suspension mods were added but tend to think not. Probably a centre of gravity thing.

There is nothing wrong with suspension upgrades, but do consider for what, and how, you are going to use the car; and how much you want to spend. The Minor has always been praised for its good handling, although there are traits that could benefit from being eliminated. The most important thing is to ensure that the shell is sound before adding extra components.

In the past I have fitted telescopic dampers and location bars for the rear axle. Yes, they made a difference, but I drive three minors with completely standard suspension, and if all components are in good condition, then they are fine for day to day driving - I used to cover 18K mile per annum and didn't have any problems. It is purely personal choice, and I would not criticise anyone for make the car suitable for their needs.

The simplest and cheapest improvement is to re-fill the dampers with a heavier oil. SAE 30 or SAE 40 in them really makes a big difference to the ride. As suggested the next step is poly bushes all round.

If you drive a Minor fast enough you will be surprised how much roll the car body experiences. My Minor in full flight exiting the Farm House Yard Harewood July 1993 and starting into the left hand bend, the body roll is noticeable with the N/S rear wheel off the ground and that is with the anti-roll bar fitted.

Both of my Moggies have had pollybushes fitted,oil chanhed in the dampers andmy wheels have been banded to take a wider tyre.
I find that they both handle really well for me and the pollybush replacement also avoids another job of replacing standard ones as time goes by..