Morris Minor Owners Club

Greetings,

I have recently bought a 1970 2-door Minor 1000 saloon for my daughter and I find myself puzzled by the Engine Number, which, according to the "Technical Manual" CD is a van engine (it is a 10V engine type).

I initially thought the car must have had a transplant some time in the past, but on examining the paperwork which came with it, I find that it had this engine as delivered. In addition, the Driver's Handbook states that the engine type for the saloon can be 10MA, 10ME or 10V.

So are 10V engines just for vans? - I would be grateful for any further explanation, as well as any guidance on the differences between the engine types.

A further puzzle is that the V5C records the engine capacity as 998 c.c. Since the car would have been registered from new by the selling garage, I must assume that this data has been on the registration document from the outset. Were 998 c.c. engines ever fitted to Minors?

All and any advice appreciated,

John Liddle
Backwell, North Somerset, UK - "Where the cider apples grow"

So are 10V engines just for vans?

no.
Within the engine number there is usually a 'H' or a 'L' denoting high or low compression. The 'L' version was not supplied on saloons.

As for the 998cc, the original logbooks were transferred to computer in the 70's and that's where a lot of the errors started. Presumably nobody bothered to correct the V5, but it should be a simple process if you provide good documentation for them.

Your car will either be 10V-189-H'(high compression)or 'L'( low).
This applies if it was fitted with a Dynamo.
if it was originally supplied with an Alternator the prefix will be
10V-190-H. The 948cc engine would never have been fitted to
this year model, it was replaced by the 1098cc in 1962.

...and it's good to see somebody else from North Somerset on here That makes 2 of us Minor people in the county - well, three if you count my friend Tim the dentist, but he's not a club member...

Ray & Willie.

many thanks to both of you for your replies.

The full engine number is 10V/189E/H39847 so I guess it is a high compression dynamo version.

I will send the V5C back to DVLA and get the capacity shown on the document changed.

Best wishes to you both,

John Liddle
Backwell, N. Somerset, U.K. - "Where the cider apples grow"

bigginger wrote:...and it's good to see somebody else from North Somerset on here That makes 2 of us Minor people in the county - well, three if you count my friend Tim the dentist, but he's not a club member...

err....4

Is it still North Somerset over there? I didn't know...