Vintage Car Novice Here!

[mrs.smith2012]

Hello,
After many many years of saying “one day I’ll own a vintage car” I’m now in the process of trying to make it a reality!
I’ll be honest I always had a thing for the VW Beetle (still do) and that was always going to be ‘the car’ but having been hearing quite a bit about Morris Minors in recent months I can feel myself swaying. Ultimately if I do take the plunge I’ll be a first time owner so I want to go for the most practical and ideally cheapest option.
My biggest hurdle right now is obtaining a manual driving license as I stupidly passed in an automatic and with the test wait times, that’s likely to be quite a way off.
So I plan to use the time to research and find out as much as I can about Morris Minors!
So with that said, I’d love to hear people’s experiences with their first Minor … the good and the bad! Particularly if you went into it as a novice like me!
I look forward to getting to know you all on here!
Sarah

[King Kenny]

Hi. my first car that I bought in 1979 was and still is my Traveller. I only had a bike license so like you I had to pass a test. I never intended getting a Traveller and to be honest I prefer the two door saloon. Things were a lot different then, not so much traffic and most cars were smaller and slower than today. It is interesting to note that many roads now have a lower speed limit than they did before. I used my Traveller every working day and it took my family on many holidays too. As long as you accept the shortcomings of an older car you will be surprised how much attention it will bring. In all those years she only let me down twice. Once the gearbox seized and the other time a half shaft broke. I maintain the car my self and it is pretty much standard. The only modification to note is the front disk brakes, a very sensible improvement. When i got the cat I had very limited mechanical knowledge. I have learned to do every thing from servicing to complete wood replacement. It has been a very enjoyable journey and the Morris is still giving me pleasure when I take her out. Beatle or Minor, the choice is yours but either way (I hope it will be a Minor) you will not regret it. There is a lot to learn but there are many helpful people out there that will be more than willing to show you the way. Good luck with your choice.

[mrs.smith2012]

Hey!
Thanks for such a positive response! My husband quite likes the Traveller although I’m more inclined to go for a saloon. A convertible would be the dream but realistically it’s going to be living on the drive not in a garage so I think a hard top would probably be a safer bet.
I have not the first clue about car maintenance but I’m keen to learn as I’d want to take good care of it myself.

I’m torn between the two cars (VW and Morris) as I probably like them both equally to look at, but ultimately it’s about what I will be able to maintain.

I have a driving assessment next Saturday so fingers crossed I can be on my way to getting a manual licence. Been 20 years since I drove a manual though so….

Will be the first step though!

[ndevans]

Have a foot in both camps, get one of each!

[mrs.smith2012]

Haha I wish! If I win the lotto maybe.
If I win the lotto I’ll also be getting a vintage Landy… and a Beetle… and a Minor

[KeithL]

Sarah,

Whereabouts in the country are you? It might be worth making contact with your local MMOC group and meeting up with them. You could then talk to them about their cars and experiences and I'm sure some of them would be happy to give you a ride in their cars so you can get a feel for the differences between the different types (Travellers, convertibles etc.) and ages of cars, as well as what is involved driving them.

You also need to think what sort of car you want. On one hand will be one in good condition, is reliable and drives nicely and needs nothing doing to it, but it will be expensive to buy. You and your husband can then start to learn how to service and maintain it as and when required. On the other hand will be one that perhaps needs some work doing to make it run properly or reliably or may, for example, need rust sorting now or in the foreseeable future but it will be much cheaper to buy. It depends how 'hands on' you want to be and how soon. When we got ours Jayne was adamant she wanted a reliable car that she could drive, and not a 'project'. It took us a while and it was expensive but we eventually found one that met the brief. That was 15 years ago and it is as good as the day we got it.

We have a Traveller and it is a very practical car, especially if you have a dog.

Good luck with your test when you finally get to take it.

[mrs.smith2012]

Hi Keith,
I’m in Basildon, Essex… that’s a great idea and I shall certainly do that.

I think it would be a bit ambitious of me to buy a project but at the same time I’m not after a show piece so something in between. I’d like it to run and be useable without any major issues that need attention but not too worried about the overall look… a few dings and scrapes wouldn’t bother me.

I’d love to meet owners who would be happy to show me the workings of the car, I’d love to learn and yes there are some very good videos online but it’s not the same as actually doing!

I will most definitely follow your advice and check to see if there are any local clubs in my area. Admittedly you don’t see many Morris cars on the roads around here… I’ve literally seen one parked up in Sainsbury’s (a traveller - that started this whole obsession off ) But I’m sure there will be some tucked away somewhere!

ETA - emailed the Essex branch!
Sarah

[KeithL]

Look here for all the MMOC branches. There is an Essex branch.

https://www.mmoc.org.uk/Regional-Branches/

If you haven't already joined the MMOC (your profile says not but you may not have updated it yet) then it is well worth it for the magazine alone - user stories, technical advice, supplier ads, a for sale section etc.

Unfortunately the show season is coming to an end but that is a great opportunity to see lots of cars and speak to their owners. It's also worth going to see a number of cars that are for sale to see what you get for you money. You may be surprised/disappointed depending how much you were expecting to spend. When you think you have found one then I am sure someone from the local branch would be prepared to come and look it over for you.

Happy to take you out in our Traveller if you ever come to Worcestershire.

[mrs.smith2012]

Thank you very much, I shall certainly take you up on that if we are ever in your neck of the woods!
I have emailed the Essex Branch so will see what comes of that. Hopefully I can make contact with some local owners. I probably will sign up as a member, I wasn’t sure if I had to actually own a car first but if I don’t then I’ll join up.
Realistically if I do go ahead with a purchase, unless a car falls into my lap, it probably won’t be until next year, mainly because I’m unlikely to get a driving test before then (long waiting lists ) plus I’d prefer to get a car when the weather starts to improve. I’d like to some time to get to know my car before I have to get it through a winter.
Appreciate your input!

[simmitc]

Essex Branch has members in Southend and during the season attends breakfast meets at Battlesbridge. A meeting in November will be at Margaretting, and I'm sure that you would be made welcome.

The Minor is very adaptable as anything from a daily runabout to a pristine cosseted show car. You can drive it completely standard or have modern extras including heated front windscreen and seats for the winter. Famed for being easy to drive, reliable and relatively cheap to maintain. I used my for commuting over 40 years and many holidays all over the UK. The Club holds various rallies, drives and other events.

You could also consider visiting the Classic motor Show at the NEC. A bit expensive, but you would see almost every type of car. The MMOC will be in hall 5, and you can get discounted tickets - see
viewtopic.php?t=79215

[mrs.smith2012]

I went to the last Battlesbridge show, unfortunately it wasn’t very busy but may have been because there was a big show at Billericay, there were two lovely Morris cars there and one owner’s advice was ‘you need to be pretty hands on with it’ hence me trying to educate myself!

I did receive a lovely email from the secretary of the Essex Branch and she and her husband seem very keen to share their knowledge and experiences so that’s really good to know!

Plenty to think about, I really do appreciate everyone’s input

Thanks all!

[King Kenny]

The best thing is, when you buy a Minor you join a family.

[Wes]

Try to buy the very best you can afford. I might be a Traveller owner but I'd say go for a saloon as you'll get a much better example for the same money. And if its outside invest in a quality 4 layer breathable cover.

(OK now over to Pedants Corner! Vintage cars are 1918-1930. What we drive are Classic cars )

[mrs.smith2012]

Yes I’ve heard a great deal about the Morris ‘family’ and how friendly it is. I’m certainly getting that impression!
I always get confused with vintage and classic… see how much I need to learn!

[geoberni]

One bit of advice before buying one is get a reasonable understanding of the differences over the years, from the original 1948 MM, through the Series II, then Series 3 and 5.
The older the car, the more it may have been 'upgraded' over the years.
My Basil is a Series II, a split screen from 1955, so a car that age has a lot of scope for latter bits to have been fitted, even body parts if it has been subject to a significant restoration at some point.
He has the 1098cc engine from a Series 5, and the original long stick gearbox (the SII was an 803cc engine) has been internally rebuilt to be the gearbox from a Series 3 (948cc) model.. .
All of this before I brought him.

Whereas a late 1960s car may very well be 'stock' as it left the factory.

You seem to have plenty of time, so get along to the Essex branch and ask people about their cars.

[myoldjalopy]

As Wes says - try to buy the very best you can afford. And inspect the car/have it inspected carefully. A Minor in good condition is a pleasure to drive but it is thoroughly dispiriting to excitedly buy a car that has been previously neglected and is prone to frequent breakdowns, or one in which the true extent of the rust only comes to light after purchase, meaning expensive welding work is required at great expense.
Find out what you can about these cars before buying in haste - there have been plenty of enthusiastic new owners on here over the years that have subsequently become disillusioned due to all manner of problems caused by PO's neglect or ham-fisted meddling and sold up again in disappointment.
The other point is that, even with a good version, these cars need regular attention in terms of servicing and repairs so you need to be prepared for that and to do a lot of the work yourself, unless you have endless wads of cash to pay someone else to do this.

[mrs.smith2012]

Thank you for all the great advice. It’s certainly not a decision I’ll be taking lightly.
As I mentioned before my biggest hurdle is to get myself a manual licence, and that’s likely to take a while due to long waiting lists for driving tests, so I’ll try to use that time wisely to research. I have my first manual lesson on Saturday
I’d like to educate myself to the point where I can maintain the car myself to some extent so I’m not running to the garage every 5 minutes for the smallest issue… because I know it’s going to have its little quirks and I want to be prepared for that!
I won’t be turning into a mechanic overnight but if I can learn to do the little jobs that should hopefully save me some money.
A lady at work’s husband is looking to buy a Morris and for purely selfish reasons I hope he does it soon so I can hopefully go along and learn from him! He has owned classics for years so does all his own servicing and maintenance.
It’ll be fun to educate myself and hopefully pick up some new skills… while at the same time figuring out if classic car ownership is for me. Wanting one and being able to care for one are two completely different things I know!

[svenedin]

Good luck with your learning curve and I hope you do decide to get a Morris Minor.

Like so many other people I learned to drive on a Minor at 17 and I still own that same Minor 36 years later. I also liked VW Beetles until I drove my friend's Beetle as a teenager and I hated it so much I never drove one again!

When you have passed your manual test I'd suggest you ask if you can have a drive in a Minor. The gearbox is not like a modern car and it takes some getting used to. For instance, in a modern car the gearstick sits in neutral between 3rd and 4th. In a Minor it doesn't and you need to be more purposeful in selecting the right gear. There is also no synchromesh on 1st gear which means you can't change down into first if the car is moving unless you come to a complete stop or double-declutch. As the engines are not very powerful in Minors and the brakes are not exactly spectacular either, there is a lot of up and down the gearbox. I have no doubt that you would soon be a pro with an old gearbox as you will certainly get a lot of practice!

Do you have a garage? Whilst back in the day people made do and did their servicing and repairs in the street at the weekend it is much more pleasant if you have a garage and you would have storage for tools and parts. A garage is also better protection for the car.

Stephen

[Myrtles Man]

I’d like to educate myself to the point where I can maintain the car myself to some extent so I’m not running to the garage every 5 minutes for the smallest issue… because I know it’s going to have its little quirks and I want to be prepared for that!
I won’t be turning into a mechanic overnight but if I can learn to do the little jobs that should hopefully save me some money.

You could do worse than start by watching https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O91aTqcvBJI together with the other Morris Minor content in his series of videos.

[mrs.smith2012]

I’ve not driven a minor or a beetle, but hopefully if I can get a manual licence under my belt I can experience both. I’ve heard that the beetle is not a comfortable drive but I imagine that depends from person to person. The oldest car I’ve driven was my first car, a 1995 fiesta. That was an automatic though so not the same thing. I do remember the fun of trying to get it to start on a cold winter’s morning, having to pull the choke out etc… and 9 times out of 10 having to give up on it and walk to work
Thankfully I work from home now so if I do get this car it will be for pottering around in, I won’t be relying on it too heavily to get me places (as long as it gets me back from places!)
I don’t have a garage unfortunately, just a driveway. There is a retired mechanic a few doors down who has taken possession of all the garages in the street and he’s quite a decent chap so possibly scope there to be able to use his garage from time to time… but I’m not going to bank on that.
Thank you for those video links. I shall definitely give those a watch and start my education