Morris Minor Owners Club

I have this question from Neale in brisbane that i cannot answer. Can anybody help him sort out the year of his MM? He sure would appreciate it! Busguy


hi john,
everybody i spoke to says my low light numbers match a 50 model like you said.

my morris is built in england,by nuffield metal products and sold by lane motors stock number [527].
whats confused our local experts is no moulding around back of the roof where it meets the boot department, and the engine which has no oil filter on water pump plate, which also makes it look like a 48 model, the engine number [46961] matches up with the number on the firewall.
hope you can throw some light on all this and let me know.
thanks neale thompson brisbane aust.
email bigneale@dodo.com.au

So doesn't he have the usual chassisnumber?

Mine is SMM/57192 which dates to about july '50

nr 501 (first ever) was made in september 48

He quotes his chassis number as 48006 which makes it early/mid 1950 to me. Busguy

that should be about right. It is a lowlight I presume?

Yes, it is lowlight.

Any ideas on the points he raises regarding the engine and body moulding spec differences?

Busguy

Enginewise it should have a thermo-wyphon sidevalve, USHM2 if I am not misstaken. this is the one without waterpump. Also the crossmember right below the battery tray should be straight
Like this, you can just see it:


It should also have a so calles short bonnet,
Like this:

I hope you can see, this is the later type:


the bumpers should both be of the split type, with the little plate in the middle. Haven't got a picture of those.

Hope this helps a bit

He has also e mailed me re this question. the external oil filter
was fitted from October 1950 and the body moulding appeared
beneath the rear window on the then new 4 door from the same
date so his 1950 2 door is correct for any date in 1950 from
Jan 1st to end of September. The water pump was not fitted
until December 1950

Hallo busguy

I am still learning to write a message here - hope this works ?? It is like reding a Russian newspaper.
exampel: Quote text:

text {quote] (alt+q) - I have given up to learn how to insert a picture. IMG[ URL // [img]

But I will try:

the engine number [46961] matches up with the number on the firewall.

My 1950 model SMM 41899 vere build 21 - 22 March 1950 and has engine # 41947 ( has also the moulding round rear of car )

About the Moulding:
My production information says: Early Series MMs can be distinguished by the absence of any moulding around the rear of the car. The rear moulding were an additional styling feature on later models.

My 1949 model SMM 9222 has not this moulding.

This is the closest I can get about the moulding - sorry no chassisnumber were it changed

Hope this can help you.

More info....Neales engine should start USHM2 (no water pump).
With water pump,late 1950,became USHM3. The first 4door car
with the extra body moulding was made in October 1950 and was
chassis number 62551.

thats what mr Newell told me. Did they really build some lowlights alongside the first fourdoors?

Yes, it seems that the high headlight wings were not fitted to the
2 doors until January 1951( except for the North American models).
I suppose they had to use up all their stock of low light wings first.

Well, ididn't they strat building highlight cars in 49 or somethoing for the American market? I read the first was introduced soon in '49
car number 5708 LHD, so very early in production I'd say.

ONNE yes, that's why I said except for the North American models.

I know..... if it weren't for the americans, we'd all have lowlight Minors I guess.