Hi, my name is Adam and I live in the peterborough club area. I don't own a moggy but I have been thinking about buying one for my next car, in roughly 4 years time. I own a 1974 Land rover that I have rebuilt, and service myself.I would use the land rover as a daily driver but the old girl drinks fuel like a fish.
My parents had a green traveller when I was small back in the 80s, not sure what happened to it. I was only about 5 at the time but the things that stuck in my mind was the big speedo dial in the middle, the door handle on the back and when it was a hot day burning the back of you legs on the seat when wearing shorts.
Any way I was just wondering if there are any shows in my area or club members willing to show me around their moggy at some point and give me some tips on what to look for when looking to buy one. No rush as I am not look to buy for a little bit of time. Oh what would be better for a daily driver, a saloon or a traveller
All the best
Adam
Hello
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KeithL
- Minor Fan
- Posts: 451
- Joined: Mon May 24, 2010 9:06 pm
- Location: Worcestershire
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Hello
Adam,
Welcome to the Forum. It's funny how childhood memories have such an impact. We got our Traveller because Jayne always remembered when she was young lying in bed on summer evenings and listening to the neighbour come home in his Traveller as it parp'ed its way down the road.
Can I suggest you make contact with your local MMOC Branch: https://www.mmoc.org.uk/Regional-Branches. They will be able to give you a lot of help and advice. If you join the MMOC you will then get the Club magazine which has lots of interesting and useful information, including events.
I think the Traveller is a more practical option, but then I would say that wouldn't I.
Happy to show you ours if you are ever Worcestershire way.
Welcome to the Forum. It's funny how childhood memories have such an impact. We got our Traveller because Jayne always remembered when she was young lying in bed on summer evenings and listening to the neighbour come home in his Traveller as it parp'ed its way down the road.
Can I suggest you make contact with your local MMOC Branch: https://www.mmoc.org.uk/Regional-Branches. They will be able to give you a lot of help and advice. If you join the MMOC you will then get the Club magazine which has lots of interesting and useful information, including events.
I think the Traveller is a more practical option, but then I would say that wouldn't I.
Happy to show you ours if you are ever Worcestershire way.
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ManyMinors
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2782
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:41 am
- MMOC Member: No
Re: Hello
Lots of things could change within the next four years but it is good to have a plan. A Minor 1000 is a very practical and useable car and quite economical too. The Traveller is very versatile and makes a useful car BUT you have to pay quite a lot more for a Traveller in the first place and then you have to spend time maintaining the timber frame. For myself, I find that a saloon - particularly a 4door model - is a better runabout and I have an estate car as a modern car rather than running a Traveller daily which I did at one time. I found that although a Traveller was very useful, the extra cost was relatively high and trying to look after the wood properly took time. So a saloon gets my vote. Horses for courses though and it all depends what comes up for sale I suppose.
What to look for on a Morris Minor will be much the same as Land Rovers: Rust, rust and rust mostly. Mechanically they are straightforward cars and everything can be done at home. You can look on-line for MOT history but that only tells you part of the story. The condition of a car's upper bodywork doesn't give you much idea of the structural condition and the all important underside. Have a look at all the inner panels and out of sight areas. Rustproofing is very important with these cars and seldom given a high priority. Rust repairs underneath are often done very badly and patches simply tack welded over the top of rust. A good range of well made repair panels are available and are not expensive but don't buy a car with TOO much rot in it. A better one will come along
.
What to look for on a Morris Minor will be much the same as Land Rovers: Rust, rust and rust mostly. Mechanically they are straightforward cars and everything can be done at home. You can look on-line for MOT history but that only tells you part of the story. The condition of a car's upper bodywork doesn't give you much idea of the structural condition and the all important underside. Have a look at all the inner panels and out of sight areas. Rustproofing is very important with these cars and seldom given a high priority. Rust repairs underneath are often done very badly and patches simply tack welded over the top of rust. A good range of well made repair panels are available and are not expensive but don't buy a car with TOO much rot in it. A better one will come along
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svenedin
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 1962
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2014 9:27 am
- Location: Surrey
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Hello
Don’t forget the convertible. They are tremendous fun. If you are considering a Traveller presumably you have a garage?
Stephen
Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.
Stephen
Stephen
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Blaketon
- Minor Legend
- Posts: 2510
- Joined: Sun May 06, 2007 11:09 am
- Location: South Wales
- MMOC Member: Yes
Re: Hello
If you don't need the extra space of the Traveller (Since you have the Land Rover), there is no wood to rot on a saloon. All Minors are old but perhaps not old bangers, as some would have been forty or fifty years ago. The VW Beetle was a tough and well made car (I think in terms of rust proofing/paint, better than the Minor) but today, most are only as good as the last restoration and believe me, some so called professionals don't put much paint etc where you can't see it!! If you don't need four seats, an MGB GT is a good all rounder, with a very easy engine (Superb engine access, especially on later models, that use the same shell as the V8) and a great box (On later models overdrive was standard). I think the Minor shell (Like the Mini) is simpler, than that of the MGB, so has fewer rust traps and is easier to rust proof. Comparing the BGT with the Traveller, the BGT is possibly the nicer to drive (But I tend to like whichever one I am driving when asked), mainly due to the very easy engine in the B. The Traveller's boot is what sets it apart for me (From a practical point of view), so since I don't need four seats and since I think a BGT boot is a match for the Minor saloon (I know you can fold the Minor saloon back seat but the tailgate access, of the BGT, is better) I think I'd go for a BGT before a Minor saloon.
I have had three Minis (My one and only new car was one) and they were great. I pumped the new one full of Waxoyl (God alone knows how Austin Rover ever expected the 5 year corrosion warranty to work). If I could have got an estate new, I would have and I might have still owned it!! The Mini had better road holding and performed better for any given engine size (In terms of MPH and MPG) but wasn't such a sturdy car as the Minor.
I think it pays to look at many cars and if you can look at some rough ones, that will show you where they go rotten!! Do your homework and invest in some of the books like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Morris-Minor-P ... 0854294422 (I got one for the Land Rover, as I considered one before I bought the Traveller - the reason why I considered the Land Rover has passed, so perhaps as well I didn't go that way; as you say, they can drink a bit). Ray Newell has written his Original Morris Minor and his Traveller Companion, which devotes much time to wood. The cheapest way, to get a good car, is to buy a good one but you have to watch for cut corners (Like refitting rusty headlamp bowls, which attack the wings) and you will be lucky if something doesn't come out of the woodwork, after you buy.
Some are going to disagree with me here but I won't be budged; the best place to store a car is indoors. Used regularly, cars are less intolerant of being stored in the open but under cover is best, however they are used. The elements take their toll over time and most of us are in it for the long term, are we not?
I have had three Minis (My one and only new car was one) and they were great. I pumped the new one full of Waxoyl (God alone knows how Austin Rover ever expected the 5 year corrosion warranty to work). If I could have got an estate new, I would have and I might have still owned it!! The Mini had better road holding and performed better for any given engine size (In terms of MPH and MPG) but wasn't such a sturdy car as the Minor.
I think it pays to look at many cars and if you can look at some rough ones, that will show you where they go rotten!! Do your homework and invest in some of the books like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Morris-Minor-P ... 0854294422 (I got one for the Land Rover, as I considered one before I bought the Traveller - the reason why I considered the Land Rover has passed, so perhaps as well I didn't go that way; as you say, they can drink a bit). Ray Newell has written his Original Morris Minor and his Traveller Companion, which devotes much time to wood. The cheapest way, to get a good car, is to buy a good one but you have to watch for cut corners (Like refitting rusty headlamp bowls, which attack the wings) and you will be lucky if something doesn't come out of the woodwork, after you buy.
Some are going to disagree with me here but I won't be budged; the best place to store a car is indoors. Used regularly, cars are less intolerant of being stored in the open but under cover is best, however they are used. The elements take their toll over time and most of us are in it for the long term, are we not?