Must have seen around six different Morris Minors yesterday in my local area alone. Why do they suddenly all come out when its sunny?
Seen everything from truly original stunners to awful rust buckets with seats and possibly engine from a Meastro!
And why are there still 10000's of them left considering they always did have a habit to rust?
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Its because they only work in the sunshine or if they are working, who wants to break down when its raining :)
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maybe the owners of moggies only have one pair of applicable shorts to wear while driving them so only go out when its warm enough?
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Funny you should mention that Rattle, I saw my first for a while on Friday. It was making that sound they all make as though the exhaust is just starting to go.
My Dad had one when I was learning to drive, I don't have any sentimental attachment to 'em though. They were slow, noisy and uncomfortable in the 60s, not to mention death traps. They've not got any better with age.
JH
Last edited by: Webmaster on Mon 19 Apr 10 at 01:11
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I will have you know that Morris Minors are very nice cars.
Perhaps it's the owners who don't like going out in the rain! That is certainly true of me and mine.
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"I will have you know that Morris Minors are very nice cars."
Compared to? :-)
JH
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>> "I will have you know that Morris Minors are very nice cars."
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>> Compared to? :-)
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>> JH
>>
A Honda AWOD4605 or a Whirlpool Accord?
Darn it... I keep getting white goods mixed up!
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>> I will have you know that Morris Minors are very nice cars.
I would have you know, they are not. I class the moggy with the beetle. Both of little worth and far too many made for far too long.
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>> >> I will have you know that Morris Minors are very nice cars.
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>> I would have you know they are not. ..............................made for far too long.
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Right - well, that's you off the birthday and Christmas card list!
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>> Right - well that's you off the birthday and Christmas card list!
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I suppose no garden party invite either?
We will have to scrap it out in the toilet at the C4P annual dinner and dance at the savoy.
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>> >> the C4P annual dinner
>> and dance at the savoy.
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I heard that it was more likely to be at Weatherspoons - Woking or Walton - you can choose.
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I am not wearing my DJ at weatherspoons, They would get me confused with the bouncers.
Sorry - I mean "Door Security Staff".
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Why
>> do they suddenly all come out when its sunny?
because they leak.
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The Minor pick-up we used at the garage didn't leak.
We drilled holes in the roof to mount the orange beacon, and a foot high model of Mr Bibendum - the Michelin man.
He was in seated position and we had his feet just level with the top of the windscreen.
Took him off after a few months - wind resistance slowed the pick-up down too much.
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if, I thought drag only became significant over about 30mph. You could top 30 in a Moggy pickup? :-)
JH
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...You could top 30 in a Moggy pickup? :-...
Well, that just goes to show how little you know.:)
I once dragged a car and caravan off the motorway with our Minor.
Slow start, but got the rig up to 50/60mph without too much difficulty.
The owner of the broken down car was convinced it was a V8 or tuned.
It wasn't, but once you got something rolling on the flat, it was easy enough to pick up speed.
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First car was a Morris Minor 1000, bought secondhand at four years old and a much loved companion for several years.
Certainly never rusted, thoroughly stable on the road thanks to the wheels being very firmly at each corner's extremity, simple to maintain and the only problem keeping the SU carb points in good order.
Parts still plentiful and cheap at, for instance:
www.dsnclassics.co.uk/acatalog/DSN_Classics_Fuel_System_8.html
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I had one as a company car many years ago.
Great fun in the wet - tail hanging out and full opposite lock round a few roundabouts in the Harrow area!
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First real cAr I ever drove but I don't have any sentimental attachment to them. I think the iffy points were in the SU fuel pump, not the carb. A belt with a hammer usually sorted them out. Might have done the whole car A bit of good...
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"I would have you know, they are not. I class the moggy with the beetle. Both of little worth and far too many made for far too long."
In fairness, Zero, the Minor should have been superseded by the 1100 in the early 60s. But people went on buying them, especially the Traveller and the convertible, and so BMC/BLMC went on producing them until 1971.
The Minor had (from the early 60s) the same 1098 cc engine as the 1100, had a far better gearchange, didn't have CV joints to wear out, and for the middle-aged and elderly who bought them the far better ride and handling of the 1100 were not much of an issue.
They also had the radiator at the front rather than at the side, so that the engine didn't get flooded by rain comign in through the grille.
I'd imagine that as a 'classic' they are comparatively easy to restore.
Last edited by: Avant on Sun 18 Apr 10 at 21:14
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>>I'd imagine that as a 'classic' they are comparatively easy to restore.
Apart from the horrendous corrosion they suffered from, particularly the brake master cylinder under the floor of the things. I remember struggling just to check the brake fluid level. Getting that cap off was a nighmare.
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We had them as Panda cars in Manchester. F reg, 67/68. Blue with white doors. We also got the first personal radios at the same time.
A sudden and radical change from walking round a beat, working a different ' system ' every shift between 4 phone boxes. varied 'cos the regular baddies would know where you would be at a particular time !
The divisional Inspectors had black Mogs for many years prior to that.
They went off Moggies later and got 850 Minis....too small and undignified !
Ted
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reminds me of the dying days of z cars with the moggies with the white doors
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Didn't you have Noddy bikes?
LE Velocettes 150cc or 200cc, maximum speed of - next to nothing!
I remember I once overtook a copper on a Noddy bike on the the A316. he managed to catch me up and pull me over, when we stopped we realised we knew each other. I think he was annoyed by the fact that I had so much more speed than him!
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We did indeed have Velocettes. Manchester's were black and had radio packs. I was the only qualified rider on our shift and used to take a machine out at night instead of walking.
When the Pandas arrived we still used the Noddys during the days. I was later seconded to the bike dept due to a shortage of riders. We were used for all sorts of things including the daily run to the Forensic Science labs at Preston with the night's Drunk driver samples.
Always known as ' Taking the urine ' ! I went on to the Traffic division, the 'Bent H ' as it became known, and on to the grown-up bikes ! Still have very fond memories of the Noddy times, though.
I still have my black Noddy, complete with dummy radio pack for shows.
It still rides very sweetly.
tinyurl.com/y65mmmh
Ted
Last edited by: Webmaster on Fri 23 Apr 10 at 01:04
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I have great fondness for the Velocette motorcycle. The first bike I rode was a 250cc MOV model with air forks and solid rear end.
This model I think..
classic-motorbikes.net/images/gallery/12548.jpg
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I have a Velocette in my garage (well, I have several boxes of bits that used to be a Velocette!) - a 1929 Model U (250cc 2-stroke). Mind you, I've never ridden it - nor has anybody since 1953. I don't have a licence to ride it anyway! Perhaps one day I will get it back together and running - but it needs time and money spending on it, and I have a shortage of both....
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Why do all the Morris Minors come in the sun? - Stuu
