Morris Minor Owners Club

Wow!

They aren't having to go up in reverse.

And that's just the 803cc version!

Ah, the days of getting there... eventually.....

I have this as a warning to the impatient characters behind.

I love the snow-capped peaks like something out The Alps. My Minor was screaming in second gear on a hill on Sunday. Hardly relaxed driving and the engine was very "fully extended"!!!

Stephen

svenedin wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 6:50 pm I love the snow-capped peaks like something out The Alps. My Minor was screaming in second gear on a hill on Sunday. Hardly relaxed driving and the engine was very "fully extended"!!!

Stephen

Wow that must be steep or standing start? Never needed below 3rd when rolling.

Bill_qaz wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 7:31 pm

svenedin wrote: ↑Tue Sep 09, 2025 6:50 pm I love the snow-capped peaks like something out The Alps. My Minor was screaming in second gear on a hill on Sunday. Hardly relaxed driving and the engine was very "fully extended"!!!

Stephen

Wow that must be steep or standing start? Never needed below 3rd when rolling.

Titsey Hill, Surrey. Steepest section 15% but it has a sharp bend at the bottom so it is not possible to take a run at it. Two big adults, one 6"4" and a 7 Stone German Shepherd dog. Annoying that my car can accelerate in 2nd on that hill but it can't make it into 3rd. I have had to stop and go into 1st gear in the past if there's even slower traffic than me in front. Going down is just as challenging. As a teenager I managed to overheat my brakes and fade them to nothing. I am lucky we made it; over the years there have been many fatalities.

Stephen

Try Passo del Faiallo, up the valley from Genoa and along the mountain ridge. A 36 km climb from near sea level to not far off the height of Snowdon. The last 20km at gradients varying between 10% & 30%. Took us about an hour largely in 2nd at not much more than 20 mph.
No wonder my clutch was complaining going up Porlock hill the other week!

I can imagine. I have done many Alpine passes.

It does get quite wearing when the revs are too high to accelerate more in 2nd but you can't change into 3rd. All you can do is keep to about 20 mph in 2nd and plod on with a huge queue of traffic behind. Yours is a 1275cc isn't it? I'm not sure my 1098cc could do a 30% gradient! Of course there's always reverse which is a lower ratio than 1st. Mind you, I'm not sure I fancy reversing round hairpin bends.

Stephen

There are a few very steep hills with narrow twisty lanes in Cornwall that I have to use 2nd gear to ascend.....and just as Stephen describes, you can't get a run at them and, in any case, you can't go fast up them as the bends prevent any knowledge of a car coming the other way!

svenedin wrote: ↑Wed Sep 10, 2025 10:22 am I can imagine. I have done many Alpine passes.

It does get quite wearing when the revs are too high to accelerate more in 2nd but you can't change into 3rd. All you can do is keep to about 20 mph in 2nd and plod on with a huge queue of traffic behind. Yours is a 1275cc isn't it? I'm not sure my 1098cc could do a 30% gradient! Of course there's always reverse which is a lower ratio than 1st. Mind you, I'm not sure I fancy reversing round hairpin bends.

Stephen

It is a 1275, and it did the climb to La Nuvola sul Mare where we stayed without issue. It was just annoying being in 2nd gear and constantly ping-ponging between 2nd & 1st.