Morris Minor 4-door Saloon

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

The new post-war range of Morris cars was announced in 1948 and included models from the Minor MM to the six-cylinder MO.

The star however was undoubtedly the Minor, a radical replacement for the pre-war Series E. Apart from the side-valve engine, everything else was new and the Issigonis-designed Minor MM became an instant success. In 1953 the Series II came along with an OHV 803cc engine borrowed from its cousin the Austin A30. Further improvements followed in 1962 with the introduction of the 1000 which included an increase in capacity to 1098cc and a better breathing Weslake head, boosting power and torque and raising the top speed to 77mph.

During its remarkable 23 year production run, 1.3 million Minors were produced and thanks to the fantastic supply of available parts, thousands have survived making them a common sight on the roads of Britain after all this time.

This tidy and original example dates from 1953, the 803cc engine having been upgraded with a 948cc unit at some time in the past (hold on to your hats!). Dark grey with a nice original red interior, it retains its original Oxford number plate and oozes period charm. The vendor purchased the car several years ago, driving it from Southampton to Shropshire without issue.

Since then he has generally improved the car, fitting a reconditioned gearbox, new starter ring gear and clutch thrust bearing. There are also some older bills on file and, although now exempt from such things, it is MOTd until January 2015. Its lovely patina and handy four-doors make this little Morris particularly appealing, the vendor confirming that it will be driven some 80 miles to the sale.