Interior Originality?

[Mog]

I’ve bought a Minor first registered early ‘64. I don’t think the interior is original. It has the heat formed vinyl door panels and seats. As far as I can see these were introduced in October ‘64.
I don’t know how to tell if the car is a deluxe model. It has a chrome ashtray on the passenger side dash. If the car was a deluxe model I assume for its age it would have had a duo-tone interior? Or if it’s a standard model a plain coloured interior? I can’t see anywhere that sells plain seat covers and door panels for that era, only duo-tone.
Also both gloveboxes are open, which I believe to be correct, but the liners are set inside. I believe they should be the liners that protrude slightly with the chrome trim?
Thanks!

[simmitc]

Welcome. Deluxe is often debated, but you might find a "D" in the chassis number, and you might have overriders on the bumpers. A rear astray on the central tunnel is another feature. If you contact the Motor Museum at Gaydon and order a Heritage Certificate then that will state if the car was deluxe. That will then leave the question of what interior you need. The HC will quote the trim colour(s).

[Mog]

Thank you.

My chassis number starts MA2S5D, so this indicates a deluxe model then. I have ordered a heritage certificate, should be delivered tomorrow!
I have bumper overriders but no ashtray on the tunnel. Of course things are added and removed over time.
My car is smoke grey and must have been updated to the later blue interior at some point. The passenger seat also doesn’t fold.
I am a fan of originality so I need to have a think if I want to change the interior back to duo tone… I should imagine it would be a pricey endeavour.

[ManyMinors]

As far as I know the interior changed to the later heatformed single colour trim at the same time (October 1964) as the dashboard was changed (toggle switches, key starter and black faced speedo etc.) and the cant rail above the windscreen, to accommodate the soft sunvisors. As these are almost impossible to alter, it should be fairly easy to spot which model you have .

[Mog]

I have the pull starter and switches and the light faced speedo.

Looks like an interior change might be in order!

[geoberni]

I'd recommend getting a copy of 'Original Morris Minor' by Ray Newell as all the changes are documented in there.
Alternatively, a bit harder work but cheaper, download a free copy of AKD 3541 and work it all out yourself from the various change points. http://www.spridgetguru.com/AKD3541.html

[ManyMinors]

I have the pull starter and switches and the light faced speedo.

Looks like an interior change might be in order!

It sounds as if your car would indeed have had the duotone interior trim originally. It never seems very long-lived and the seat covers tend to split where the two materials join. You see very few cars with an original duotone interior in good condition. I don't think that the new replica duotone covers are a particularly close match to the original anyway so it is hard to know what to do. Personally I'd probably live with what you have if it is in good order. A whole new interior is very expensive and the seat frames are not all the same either. If your car is a 2door then the original passenger seat would have been a folding one. Also the rear seat backrest would have been a different shape etc etc.

[Chief]

I don't think that the new replica duotone covers are a particularly close match to the original anyway.

I describe them as Ambrosia Rice Pudding, and aren't a patch on the original style at all (as in it looks nothing like it in both style and colour).

the seat covers tend to split where the two materials join.

That's if you're lucky, they also tend to shred at each section of the beige material.

A good way of knowing if things have been changed is the parcel tray and crash bar. On a duotone car the tray should be a beige/cream and the crash bar pad covering should be the same as the roof lining. If the parcel tray is black, it's been changed.

Another way would be to check the carpets, if they're original they should be a fairly deep pile with hessian backing and you should have the BMC chocolate box drivers footwell mat and clutch rest.

You can check out this thread for photos of an early '63 948 and late '63 1098 (registered in '64) four door which came with a special cream version of the later (new smiths heater) parcel tray and was then thrown out by a restorer :
viewtopic.php?t=71554

As to getting the interior back, eBay - you don't have to look for the right colour, the modern coloured vinyl is good, it's just the duotone part that isn't - so even if you were meant to have a blue interior, if there's a red one get it and start fabricating blue vinyl and red dutotone beige for example
In fact even a quick result found several duotone pices for sale, such as here a rear seat and door cards:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/131090/i.htm ... catclothes
(of course, they need work )

I have the pull starter and switches and the light faced speedo.

The speedo glass should have a gold sheen to it on deluxe duotone models, or at least certainly on four doors and presumably so on two.

Photos would provide a better view for us

[myoldjalopy]

Unfortunately, many of the earlier models have suffered the indignity of having their interior trim replaced by the later pressed vinyl type at some point

[Mog]

Well to the Morris Minor expert it would appear not much of the interior is original. It definitely doesn’t have the original carpets. I have a new carpet set to install that came with the car anyway. The carpet in it now is a bit tired.

I received the heritage certificate yesterday. It confirms, as we’ve already established, the car is a deluxe model and it was actually built in November ‘63.

There is no parcel shelf/bar installed and looking at the scuttle pads it appears there hasn’t been one recently.

I have replaced the passenger side glove box liner with a correct style one today.

Should the gear knob be a round shape? It has a pear drop one on at the moment. I have looked in the Original Morris Minor book and in there it seems many of the earlier cars pictured have a pear drop shape. There is hardly anything for the duo tone cars in that book.

Thank you for everyone’s help so far!

[Chief]

I am a fan of originality so I need to have a think if I want to change the interior back to duo tone… I should imagine it would be a pricey endeavour.

I'm like you, but I've come to the conclusion that there are two ways to go about it, you can try and get original second hand/new old stock (NOS) parts for that 100% genuine experience, or you can make it look like it would have done with a mixture of modern and used parts.

In the case of carpets, if you wanted the original style you should have no problem (as I'm sure your carpets were blue) and a blue Karvel reproduction is available new, whereas it isn't available in Green which is what my own car required. This means I have green "Karvel style" carpets, they'll do, but the pile is only half the depth of the original '60s carpets and the originals really do feel more luxurious compared to the modern remake. It was also a nightmare to fit as it required alot of cutting down to make it fit my car.

As someone said previously, whether it's a two or four door would likely affect things even further, but yes, it should have a round gear knob

[ManyMinors]

I have looked in the Original Morris Minor book and in there it seems many of the earlier cars pictured have a pear drop shape. There is hardly anything for the duo tone cars in that book.

There are some good pictures on page 63 aren't there? Although the caption suggests that the car is a late 948 model, it is not. It is the same 1963 car pictured on page 79 where it is described as an early 1098cc car

I am honestly not sure which gearknob is correct for your car. The BMC parts book I have doesn't give a change. I can only go from memory and think that the early 1098 car we owned with duotone interior in the 1960s had the earlier type round gearknob so my guess is that the change came when the dashboard and interior trim all changed in October 1964?

[Chief]

I went with saying round since both our duotone '63s have round, and the ESM site says the pear version is from 1964 onwards.

[mowogg]

I think the pear version gear knob is correct for your vehicle. Mine is an early 1098 and this has a pair version and has had since the 70s for certain. It could have been changed before this, but it's not something I have fet is incorrect

[Mog]

It begins…

[myoldjalopy]

Well done, its always nice to see a car rescued from previous indignities

[mowogg]

If you are after the original look, i suspect your kick plates are the wrong colour. I might be wrong, but i thought all the deluxe versions had silver ones (painted)