Morris vs. Hillman

[mrs.smith2012]

Well I’ve been set on getting a Morris although I am still very much in the research phase… no firm decision has been made.
I was having a chat with one of the chaps in the office today about classic cars and he mentioned he had a classic car he was thinking of selling, a 1959 Hillman Minx.
I made the mistake of going to have a look and wow.. it’s a beautiful car… he doesn’t want a lot of money for it either.
Now one thing that was really swaying me towards the Morris Minor (aside from the fact they are adorable) was the ease of maintaining and sourcing parts etc. My colleague was fairly confident that the Hillman’s are fine to maintain but he’s an experienced classic’s man… I know nothing!
Wondered if anyone here has experience of both and how they compare with regards to maintenance and costs.
I’m still leaning towards the Morris but I also want to keep my options open and not write off other cars.
Look forward to hearing your thoughts

[les]

Nothing wrong with a Hillman Minx but like any old car corrosion should be your main consideration. I don’t know what the spares availability is like, maybe another thing to look into.
There is a Minor saloon advertised in the cars for sale section, however no price, that could mean expensive.

[ManyMinors]

A Hillman Minx is a very different car to a Morris Minor. Bigger, heavier to drive, very stylish but very few survive and parts will be much harder to obtain. They are robust mechanically and reliable in good condition but not as easy to drive, maintain or use regularly. More expensive to run too and very unlikely to have much club back-up.
Honestly, I wouldn't even consider one if you're inexperienced in classic car ownership. A Minx will be less expensive to buy because they're not as popular. You'd have to be more dedicated to own and run one and you'd probably find it harder to find somebody willing to work on one because although most garages have worked on a Morris Minor in the last few years, almost none will have any experience of a Hillman Minx.
Of course, we are all biased a little on here so this isn't the place to ask about Hillman ownership really but many of us have owned other old cars during our lives and have some experience of them. My own experience of them doesn't make me nostalgic about owning another

[mrs.smith2012]

Thank you for the responses guys. To be honest ManyMinors you have pretty much confirmed what I was thinking… the Hillman is a beautiful car and I’d have the benefit of buying it cheaply off so someone local who I know and trust… BUT I do suspect it may be a bit too much car for me!
I think I also felt a bit of a pull towards it as my grandad used to drive a Hillman Minx… but yeah.. can’t let your heart rule your head

[Myrtles Man]

... I’d have the benefit of buying it cheaply off so someone local who I know and trust…

Why not sit down with him then and have a proper heart to heart about your reservations and his own experience of owning and running it?

[mrs.smith2012]

... I’d have the benefit of buying it cheaply off so someone local who I know and trust…

Why not sit down with him then and have a proper heart to heart about your reservations and his own experience of owning and running it?

Good idea, I did have quite a good chat with him today and his experience with it has been good, but I have to keep in mind that he is far more experienced and only drives it occasionally. I’m looking for something to use as a daily driver. He also said that both he and his son would be willing to help with maintenance and repairs.
He did say though that if I’m looking for something smaller and easier to drive a Morris Minor might be a better choice. He’s in absolutely no rush to sell so he’s encouraged me to do my research and have a good think about it.
Not completely writing it off BUT I think a Morris may be easier for me to handle… definitely need more thinking time!

[Bill_qaz]

Other considerations ,if its going to be your only car is fuel use and insurance cost, get a ins quote for the Hillman ask the owner what mpg he gets. When you can drive, as many as possible to see if they suit you not just the looks.
Its also worth enquiries how quick can you get Hillman parts if you are relying on it for every day use. Most minor parts can be obtained within 48hrs.
Good luck with whatever you buy.

[mrs.smith2012]

Thank you Bill,
It won’t be my only car, I’ll be keeping my modern car for longer trips but the classic will be my everyday ‘pottering around in car.’ I work mainly from home and only have to nip into the office once or twice a week so I won’t be relying on it heavily.
I’ve taken the reg etc and plan to get some insurance quotes to compare to the Morris, which I’ve found is relatively cheap to insure.
I know it will be juicer in fuel as it a a bigger engine and a bigger car, but where I’ll only be doing little local trips I’m not too concerned about that (I drove a 3L diesel LR for a while and I could make £20 stretch for a month )
The Hillman hasn’t been run for a while as the guy owns several classics and doesn’t drive them regularly, so perhaps I’ll get him to fire it up and take me out in it one day soon! Wish my blooming driving test would hurry up so I could test drive the thing myself!
Anyway much to consider..
Your comments and opinions are much appreciated all

[geoberni]

As ManyMinors said, there's not many of them.

It's hard to be very accurate because publicly available data is listed for Minx, Super Minx, Minx De-Lux, then there's the 'on the road' and the SORN, but it looks as though there is around 1200 in existence,. Whereas there's around 10 times that number of Minors.
The Minx, unlike the Minor, was one of those typical models that was revised every few years; then there were the Singer gazelle and the Sunbeam Rapier, re-badged derivatives with their own trim and features.

All of which would be a minefield for the inexperienced new owner.

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk

[mrs.smith2012]

Lots of valid points here… Having given it much thought I think the Hillman would be too much car for me. If I do decide to become a classic car owner with my limited experience and knowledge I think the Morris would be a better choice.
I think I just needed you guys to validate that, got over excited

Shame he didn’t have a little Morris tucked away in his garage

[myoldjalopy]

Yes, Bernie's point about the revisions of the Minx model is very valid - we don't even know which version of the MInx you have been looking at.
It is true that the Minor was occasionally revised and there are differences to be aware of, but at least it remained generally the same. Look online at pictures of the Minx and you will see the early models do not resemble the later ones at all...

[mrs.smith2012]

That’s true, my dad just sent me a pic of my grandad’s old one and it looked like a different car!