In 2008 I was part of a group that drove from South Africa to the UK in our Minors covering just over 11000 miles. My 1949 series MM lowlight completed the journey with minimal problems and without even having a puncture. Patience is the only thing required when driving a series MM. It just takes a little longer to get anywhere....great video
It's madness that some people think 20 miles in a post-war Morris Minor is too far. I regularly take my 1932 Morris Minor Two-Seater on trips well in excess of 100 miles. Even though it's 90 years old this year it just does it. I've even managed to do over 180 miles on the same day, and that's just pootling along with regular stops.
Ditto, we too had a 1956 split screen 2 dr as our only car, rescued from a scrap yard, it was soon back on the road and we put thousands of miles onto with very few problems and always felt confident in its abilities and our ability to maintain it. Great days and I wish I still had her and hadn't sold it on.
I remember being a small child in the late 70's and travelling from Darlington to Dumfries and back in a day in a 1962 Traveller to see relatives, I saw one recently and wondered how we did it lol. Sadly it's demise came due to trunion failure and not being worth fixing. This little car is defintely a gem and worth owning.
The dashboard design is lovely, especially in the dual colour. Hints of Art Deco I think. Good to see some new content and all the best with your continued recovery.
When I was in my teens, several of my friends had Series MM Minors and relied on them for all manor of journeys. I have had two Minors: a 1957 998cc four door in South Africa; and a 1962 1098cc two door (the coupe - ha, ha) in England. The 998 was my daily driver for about three years and also did a few holiday runs up the Garden Route from Cape Town. In the 1098 (which by then was ten years old) a friend and I did a four month camping trip around Britain and Western Europe. In that time we covered some 17000 miles with the only parts needing replacement being the tyres - the old crossply items being changed for a set of Michelin ZX, bought in Andorra and transforming the roadholding, ride and handling like I would not have believed. Also replaced was the ignition coil - pretty much a wear and tear item. Generally, we limited our top speed to 50mph and were consequently rewarded with an average fuel consumption often exceeding 50mpg. Pretty impressive! I get quite sickened by people of a certain nationality running down British cars, especially the electrical parts. We know that the old UK-made cars were tough and reliable (as well as being fun!) Thank you, Stef, for an excellent video.
Well said, the moggy thousand was very well screwed together, thats why there are so many survivors around now. They are one of best cars this country has made...
Well done Richard and you, classics should be driven and more than just to a local dry, sunny only, Sunday afternoon show a few times a year. That car though is a brave choice for more regular use but still highly possible as proved. Well done both.
I know this car quite well. It looked outdated 50 years ago...now with the shift to low carbon industry and EV's I would think it makes less and less sense to drive one as an everyday car.. As a show car/classic car hobby , yes.
I had a Morris Minor with the 803cc OHV A-series engine. It never got above 52mph. It was very reliable, one gallon of petrol at 3/6 (17.5p) was usually enough to get me through the week for work and shopping. I bought it from my hairdresser for £25. He asked me if I knew anyone who might want to buy it while cutting my hair, so I went round to see it and ended up driving it home.
I owned a 1963 Morris Minor around the late 90's. Drove it from Manchester to Gloucestershire and back the next day. Never missed a beat and at a steady 60 to 65MPH on the motorway was adequate for the journey. Only downside was I did the run in December and there was a corroded hole on the inner wheel arch around the accelerator pedal. The right side of my body was freezing and the left side had some warmth from the heater. Had to stop at a few Motorway services just to warm up. The hole was later seen to with a patch of welding. Sold the car soon after and regret doing so now after watching your great journey.
My dad's auntie used to travel all over Yorkshire for work in her Moggie. Based in Wakefield, it wasn't unusual for her to have to drive out to Settle in winter - that is a heck of a drive even today. Amazing what older cars will do, and I'm totally convinced they appreciate a longer run out now and then. Getting the oil up to temperature and the cylinders de-coked, exercising the suspension etc. Nice to see you back, and thanks to Richard too!
My first knowledge of the Morris Minor was in a review in a US magazine by (Uncle) Tom McCahill, a well known automotive journalist at the time. It was an old magazine, I think published in 1953, and this was 1967. I was more than happy to read anything about automobiles, and he seemed to have nothing but praise for the vehicle. I got the impression that normal speed for this vehicle was around 45-50mph. I seem to remember the horsepower being 40-50? And it used a three speed transmission? I don't remember if overdrive was available. It was an estate he reviewed. It just continued my fascination with things British. The first plastic model that I ever built was a Triumph TR-3, followed by a MGA. That normal operation speed may seem strange to some, but normal highway speed here in the US was 55mph seventy years ago. My family, being Dodge and Plymouth owners found that to be fine, as most of the flat head six motors used in these vehicle were uncomfortable at higher speeds anyway. What a wonderful, and useful, piece of history. A fine review, as usual, Steph. P.S. BTW, I have owned five VW Beetles in my lifetime, and found them great for meeting unusual, but delightful people.
I can remember Minors being ubiquitous back in the 60s, and some would be indeed used for longer trips - see the delightful 1970s BBC trade test transmission film 'Giuseppina' made by Shell of an English family touring Italy in one. My own memories from the sixties might be seeing families in Minors heading down the A30 and the A38 in Devon during the Summer Holidays, having a picnic on the road verge using their Halfords camping table and chairs, making tea on the paraffin stove. The car would have it's bonnet up to cool down, or perhaps to indicate a breakdown to an awaited RAC or AA van.
Excellent video.Takes me back to my childhood when I traveled roads like this with my parents before motorways. I’ve said it before but it’s nice to see young people take an interest in these old cars. If it wasn’t for people like you they would only exist in museums. Thanks for keeping them going.
Congratulations to the both of you. As kids we used to poke fun of the Morris Minor, not aware of the fact that it would later become a legend. Right now i would love to own one, but but i doubt could give it tlc or drive it carefully. Great video and thanks for coming close to my home town of Swindon. Thanks again.
Hello, beautiful Morris Minor. Not many four doors anymore. Seems that four doors were called Princess! I had several MM through the years. I still have a 1967 that belonged to my father. If one keeps the Morris Minor serviced and maintained, well they seem to go forever! Enjoyable video and your country side was most beautiful. Cheers from Texas!
I have recently bought a 51 MM in mist green. 2 door "highlight" model which was first registered in May 51. She has had a Morris 1000 engine fitted along with the 1000 gearbox. Though she is in need of restoration which me and my brother hope to get onto soon. Lovely car though.
Wow, Steph!!! This ranks as my favorite (Yank spelling) of your video presentations. The combination of a classic car and a road trip is absolutely the best. I recognized the Crescent in the screen still before the video, and knew I would enjoy this! Bath (after flying into Heathrow and train to Paddington) was my first stop ever in the UK. I greatly enjoyed wandering the city for several days but never made it to the Crescent! I've been back to the UK for more extensive journeys, and the sights along the A Roads in this is what I wanted to see! And I have to laugh when you say eight hours is a ridiculous amount of time driving.....it's all relative. I've driven 16 hours over 24 hours on a couple of occasions here, and 8 hours round trip is nothing by our standards. I think you probably had a better experience by this method, honestly. Please feature more adventures like this!! I really enjoyed it, as much as I enjoyed learning some of the finer points of history on Morris Minor production. And as usual, your spontaneous musings and observations are always spot on and welcome. Fantastic stuff! Congrats to Richard on the acquisition!!!
Our neighbour bought one new in 1971 which was the last and the marina took over. I went to school in them and then joined Post Office Telephones where they were still running them in the late 70's early 80's. They will go anywhere as long as you maintain them and not find a snapped trunnion and your front hub collapsing!
@@idriveaclassic Spot on! You have to grease those trunnions religiously, they don't snap as such, it's wear in the threads which causes which causes the bottom one to 'pop out' leading to a collapse. The Marina had a similar arrangement but with a ball joint at the top of the 'king pin'. Luckily, it would only happen at walking pace.
I was driven home from hospital when I was a baby in 1967 I think it was about 3 years old my dad did 60 thousand miles in it over 4 years when he traded it in for another one he loved them nice little car if serviced they were very reliable my dad is 89 and says they were very good and had 2 that were very reliable you need to drive them hard to get them up to speed but people were happy to sit at 50 back in the day
I love this. There's something quite fun about not being in a hurry and discovering bits of the country that people bombing along on motorways would never see. A-roads are great for that and I'd love to do more of the Fosse Way. I'd also be sniffing out any proper old school roadside caffs! I feel like I need to try a Minor too. They look like a lot of fun
Aah, the memories! My first car was a 1958 Traveller with the 948cc engine, bought 2nd or 3rd hand in 1965. I was a uni student then, and used to make the London-Glasgow and Glasgow-London trip regularly (about 400 miles each way) in a day with no problems. Top speed was an indicated 71mph on the motorway, flat-out downhill and with a following breeze. Fuel consumption was always 40mpg, no matter what the driving conditions were. The Smiths electric heater gave virtually instant warmth, which was very welcome in the Glasgow winters. The electric fuel pump needed the occasional tap to get it going, and I once had to replace the timing chain cover oil seal, but apart from that it was a very reliable, comfortable and practical mode of transport. Thanks for the review!
with my moggy lucy, I drove her from Plymouth to Northampton and return for the 2019 mmoc club rally as you know Steph, she did nearly 500 miles, didn't miss a beat, didn't break down, and didn't use any oil or water. good old moggies!
I have to say I absolutely enjoyed this video. I sat in my bed drinking coffee and just laughed my butt off when the car hit the hill. The only thing is I wish the video had been a little longer. And that beautiful town you two stopped in was absolutely gorgeous 💕
but.... in Bath she didn't visit the Pulteney Bridge,,, which I did on my only visit there in 2004,,, from NZ,,,while we were staying in Yeovil...( any excuse for a train journey)
I once had one of the first ones to have the 803cc ohv Austin engine, otherwise identical to the one featured here. It did have a good number plate 'NBM 6'. It was really very reliable but rather slow, the later Minor 1000 was a big improvement. Great video brings back some memories.
Love my Morris Minor; dad purchased it in Fort Worth, Texas many decades ago! The Morris was passed on to me 26 years ago! Great little cars, just keep them serviced and they will keep on running miles after miles!
Great to hear the sound of a Morris engine instead of the all too familiar Austin A series that would be mostly associated with these cars, they must have been a robust and reliable engine too.
What a survivor. I was expecting a column gear change tbh. But a British icon. They were built well and you still see loads of the later ones about, and still used as a daily...
Happy New Year to you Steph - great to see you back again! I hope that 2022 brings you everything you wish for. Looking forward to your next adventures with classic cars!
You do learn something new every day with this stuff. I always assumed paint instead of chrome was austerity in the early 50's and didn't know about the Korean War nickel shortage. Cheers.
What an absolute peach of a car this is! The dashboard and steering wheel look like a work of art. I also like the colour coded wheels, which I'm guessing hints at it's intentions of being an export car. 🤔 Registered in my home city of Norwich too (26 years before I was born)! I still prefer Marinas though! 😁 And BL Wedges.
These cars are such beauties, it’s such a shame that they don’t reintroduce the exact same everything about this car, but more environmentally friendly. I talked about this with my mum in the early 2010s, because she was born in the 1960s and she remembers these cars from when she was little. I also remember when I was an infant my great uncle had a Morris traveller and we went for a day out with my mum for a lovely picnic I remember that cake with raisins and almonds. I hope these cars keep running for at least another 50 years. My love to The Morris minor
Good journey. Seeing the country and enjoying yourself is what it's all about. My uncle and aunt had a later Traveller for many years and toured the UK from Cornwall to Scotland, and towed a caravan on many trips. Cars are meant to be driven. Just use them and enjoy the journey. Good to see you Steph, Best wishes for the new year.
These cars where just everywhere at one time, it's not one for me but you're right in what you say and well done Richard in being the latest custodian...love the road trip...
Ours was called Uncle Albert and we loved it. Found in a barn in Oxfordshire and laid up for 15 years.. I nearly put an A series into replace the MM lump, but found the Swiss Army had spares left over from the MM being used as on their centurion tanks. Morris also sold the engine as a marine engine... The heater was not fitted as standard being an after market Smiths unit.
Brilliant video, Steph. I also have a Series 2 Moggy, albeit a 1954 with an 803cc A series engine. I'm taking it to this year's Minors On Tour UK around Wales and this has given me more confidence in driving a bit further afield!
My mum and dad would have been grateful if I'd bought something sensible like a Moggy Minor home. I can still remember their faces when they came back from their holiday to find I'd bought a 1942 Harley Davidson chopper and popped it safe and sound in their hallway 😆😆😆 Richard's Moggy is gorgeous btw. Happy new year Steph.
It never ceases to amaze me how you'd have a beautiful sunny weekend day in summer and be out driving a good distance and not see a single classic car out on the road. I mean, what are the owners waiting for? I take any opportunity I can get. Great to see you back doing videos by the way, Steph.
Sidevalve engines were very reliable and I would have no worries about doing a long run in that car, although I would certainly avoid motorways given the low power. I've never owned a Minor but I did have a 1960 Riley 1.5. The mechanicals on the Riley were very similar to the Minor so reliability would have been about the same. I bought the car in the Coventry area and drove it home to northern Scotland, a run of about 500 miles.
This car is my earliest memory of our family car in 1970 , when I was 3 . Sitting on my dad's knee and steering the car's big spoked steering wheel. Same model, same colour . I'm so tempted to buy one when my redundancy money comes lol .
In 1964, when I was 18 a friend and I drove my Morris Minor 1000 to Riccione on Italy's Adriatic coast. It took 4 days, with overnight stops near Baden-Baden, Luzern and Milan. This entailed driving over the St. Gotthard Pass. The car only broke down once when water got into the distributor during torrential rain in Switzerland. I can't remember the cars year of manufacture but it's registration was PMR 246, Registered in Salisbury. It was non standard being Clarendon Grey with ivory upholstery and black carpets.
Brilliant, thank you, lovely look at the countryside, and a lovely car with lovely people. When I was a young boy in the 1960s my dad had a 1950s not sure the exact year Morris thousand split windscreen, He had a strange philosophy with his cars, if they made a noise he turned the radio up but he couldn’t do that with the Morris thousand I didn’t have a radio, but this was the only car he ever had that he got rid of after 10 years because he actually got sick of it, and wanted something more modern, I think it was probity my mums complaints, every other of his cars he would have them a long time then eventually fell off the road. We travelled all over the place in moggy I remember a camping holiday in Cornwall from Sunderland to Cornwall me and my brother would be put on the back seats and the camping stuff would be packed around us so you only saw our heads, plus the roof rack stacked up 2" on top the only problem was on Salisbury plane is the water pump packed up we ground to a halt outside the garage and got the pump replaced but they didn’t have a fan but we made it all the way back to Sunderland without the fan in fact my dad never bought a fan for it, it went alright didn’t see the need. He eventually sold it to someone in town who drove it for at least another five years. I’ve always loved Moggy 1000s. Our next door neighbour an elderly retired civil servant had the same model is what you’re using I would think, till he drove it up the ramp of a removal van which was parked up the street and wrote it off. Because he became trapped in the car the policeman was called to try and free him and the policeman was my dad. Lots of memories around Moggy1000s
Wow what a lovely car. On the day I passed my driving test in 1985 the GPO compound next to the test centre in Ipswich was full of Yellow Morris Minor vans, some with rubberised wings with signs in the window of one stating they are all going to auction and make £150 to £200 at auction and would make ideal first cars- just like the Madness song. I wish I had a time machine. I am trying to persuade my partner that a Minor would be a great second car. Thanks for posting I have enjoyed this, Fireworks included.
A great video on a great channel! This one was particularly interesting to me, because I have a 1954 series 2 Minor, which looks very similar to this one on the inside and outside. Mine originally had an 803cc A series engine, which at some time during the car's life was upgraded to a 948cc, which is being rebuilt as I write this. Yes, it is slow and the brakes are terrible, but if you're not in a hurry, and plan every stop about 100 meters in advance, it is a lot of fun to drive.
Well done, Steph. Richard, you are a star! I truly enjoyed every minute of that video. Richard is quite right. When these cars came to Canada, they were DRIVEN, and over distance. Keep in mind that Land's End to John O'Groats is about the same distance as Windsor to Cornwall Ontario. The entirety of England, Scotland, and Wales would fit in Southern Ontario with room to spare. I knew a couple of people with Minors, and they were well used. The one was sadly abandoned due to terminal rust, but it had 130,000 miles on it. The other was still going strong as a summer use daily driver at a cottage, and it was over the 100,000 mile mark last I saw it. Ma's first car was a 1954 Hillman Minx, and she used that for the 100 mile daily commute to and from work as a teacher, 5 days a week for 10 months of the year, in all kinds of weather. The wee thing did the drive for 4 years. It is so refreshing to see these old cars appreciated for what they are and what they were meant to be. A means of transportation, not static displays. If Richard has a channel, I would LOVE to subscribe to follow the old car adventures.
I absoloutely love this video. This is what driving old cars is all about for me. The adventure, the challenge and friendship. More road trip videos please 🙂
Great video and a great outing. Brings back memories of doing the MMOC John O Groats to Lands End run in a 2dr lowlight back in 97. Took about 21 hrs and other than a couple of 1st gear hills in Scotland the little car ran a treat. Much inspired getting my current MM back on the road now.!
Great video, Steph! I think when you drive any classic car you should always avoid motorways as much as possible. Most older cars are not made for long high speed cruising and it's just much more fun tackling the hills and bends on A and B roads 😀👍
What a lovely trip taking the by-ways and seeing the sights. I agree about taking the A & B roads, it's where you see the most interesting sights and the pace isn't so hectic. Excellent.
Cool an good to hear it was a good trip old cars can do long journeys without braking down. An sometimes it is good to enjoy the A&B roads although am sure the moris minor would been just as good on the motorway to. An although having better brakes an gearbox are preferable they worked good which is the main thing. Have an amazing year. 🙂
What a great video! Well done on taking the trip and giving so much information about series MM minors. Back in 1992, I bought a restored lowlight and drove it from Sale in Victoria to Mildura…a two day road trip of 760 km. My wife followed in our Mazda 626 and, apart from a wheel cylinder leak, the side valve Morris didn’t miss a beat. But…VERY slow! Will you review a HA Vauxhall Viva any time soon Steph?
@@idriveaclassic Please forgive me for being crude, but I always find women who are interested in cars to be phenomenally HOT. I love your videos. Don't worry, I'm not a creepy stalker, but I just wanted to put a smile on your face. Keep up the good work.
Hi Steph, happy new year. If you don't mind me saying you can already see a big difference 👍 Looking forward to more of your superb and informative content in 2020
Happy New Year Steph & Richard. You did do well going that distance in the Morris. Motoring is not just for getting from A to B. Sometimes you need to just get off the beaten track, explore and just enjoy it, as you both proved here. Looking forward to seeing more motoring adventures during 2022.
at 16.00, i wasgettin teary eyed, cos i knew you were goin to make it up the hill, but it was sooo friggin emotional. god knows why and stuff the others passing you. xxxxxx
Lovely video Steph! I did a 570 mile trip home in my Triumph Acclaim eBay purchase, sight unseen in 2016! Bringing back memories. Of course, hills and 70mph weren’t an issue in the Acclaim!
Great video Steph and congratulations to Richard for finding such a rare Minor! Glad you had a less eventful journey than the day I got a train from Brighton to Manchester to buy a 1960 Minor Convertible. A tyre blew out on the M40 and I had to call the AA as I had no wheel wrench in the car. The car only had traffiicators that didn't work but that wasn't too bad when you are mainly on the inside lane. I still managed to do Brighton to Manchester and back in one day!
Happy new year Steph, great to see you back again and thanks for another brilliant video. I remember my uncle had a 1953 Morris Minor, 2 door in Black with red vinyl upholstery and a chrome front grill. He bought it secondhand in1958. It was a great little car. I can relate to the hill climbing in the Dublin mountains, changing down to 2nd gear, sometimes stopping and engaging 1st. Happy days!!
WOW...!! Such a well finished Morris Minor!! All the chrome AND the wooden look panels in the dash, instead of the speedo in the centre with open storage on both sides, is a FAR BETTER finish than what I'm more familiar with on later models! Did the Morris Minor of this period have a better finish because (as was mentioned) this car was meant for the LHD market?
Thank you so much for this little story of a what could have come as something of a shock for this rather lovely example. This little Minor was certainly equal to the task - especially given some of the power sapping hills along the Fosse Way. Well done!
Thanks both - great trip. I had a 1936 Morris Eight with the earlier version of this engine. Some of the other parts were carried forward too - My Eight had the same pedal rubbers as the 60s Minor! I suspect the speedo is over reading because the tyres look like lower profile radials, rather than the original cross plies? Nice car tho.....
Talking about Morris Minors and people with the same name, My Morris 1000 (Nellie) previous owner's maiden name was Marion Haddow, which is my mother's married name. Also Marion's son-in-law is the mechanic who looks after my modern VW Fox. Anyways, I been long journeys in Nellie and apart from the odd mishap, have been fine.
Aww a Great Video,when i was a kid we did Hull the Knarsborough in an Austin 1100,4 of us,it wasnt great on Hills,but you just have to take it steady,that Minor is lovely,Richard did so well was so patient,thanks for sharing this great video,Rain or shine we just have to get Out & about....Happy New Year.... Beep...Beep!😘
What a gorgeous car and a great road trip video. Thank you Steph and Richard i loved every minute of it. It was great to see Bath too, it was the home of Charles Wares original Morris Minor centre! He believed you could own and use a Moggy almost indefinitely as long as you maintained and repaired it properly. Looks like he was right!! About being slow... Correct me if im wrong, I think the car was never intended to have the the pre war side valve engine, but a brand new flat four, hence the torsion bar front suspension and wide engine bay, but the plug was pulled on that at the last minute. Lord Nuffield hated the moggie saying it looked like a poached egg! How wrong he was.
New cars break down as do old cars. Maintenance and quality replacement parts are key to keep them running reliable, they where built to be driven. Great video!
Great video Steph and a wishing you a Happy New Year. This brought back a lot of memories. I always prefer driving on A roads even these days in my Rover P6 I had a 1956 Morris minor series one in the 1970s with the slatted front grill and split windscreen. One journey I drove from Barnet,Herts.down to West Somerset, a journey of some 160 miles and like you, it took around 5 hours including two short stops. The car made it there and back without any issues whatsoever.
I love your channel I’m very much into classics and especially affordable classics that you review. I think it’s fantastic that it’s a girl reviewing them and someone so young being into classics.
In 2008 I was part of a group that drove from South Africa to the UK in our Minors covering just over 11000 miles. My 1949 series MM lowlight completed the journey with minimal problems and without even having a puncture. Patience is the only thing required when driving a series MM. It just takes a little longer to get anywhere....great video
It's madness that some people think 20 miles in a post-war Morris Minor is too far. I regularly take my 1932 Morris Minor Two-Seater on trips well in excess of 100 miles. Even though it's 90 years old this year it just does it. I've even managed to do over 180 miles on the same day, and that's just pootling along with regular stops.
I had a Morris Minor Series II in the 1980's and over 10 years drove tens of thousands of miles across and every corner of the UK. It was my only car.
Ditto, we too had a 1956 split screen 2 dr as our only car, rescued from a scrap yard, it was soon back on the road and we put thousands of miles onto with very few problems and always felt confident in its abilities and our ability to maintain it. Great days and I wish I still had her and hadn't sold it on.
I remember being a small child in the late 70's and travelling from Darlington to Dumfries and back in a day in a 1962 Traveller to see relatives, I saw one recently and wondered how we did it lol. Sadly it's demise came due to trunion failure and not being worth fixing. This little car is defintely a gem and worth owning.
The dashboard design is lovely, especially in the dual colour. Hints of Art Deco I think. Good to see some new content and all the best with your continued recovery.
Yes, I've always thought the dash looks a lot nicer on the early versions.
Welcome back Steph!
Thank you!
one great british classic though steph
When I was in my teens, several of my friends had Series MM Minors and relied on them for all manor of journeys. I have had two Minors: a 1957 998cc four door in South Africa; and a 1962 1098cc two door (the coupe - ha, ha) in England. The 998 was my daily driver for about three years and also did a few holiday runs up the Garden Route from Cape Town. In the 1098 (which by then was ten years old) a friend and I did a four month camping trip around Britain and Western Europe. In that time we covered some 17000 miles with the only parts needing replacement being the tyres - the old crossply items being changed for a set of Michelin ZX, bought in Andorra and transforming the roadholding, ride and handling like I would not have believed. Also replaced was the ignition coil - pretty much a wear and tear item. Generally, we limited our top speed to 50mph and were consequently rewarded with an average fuel consumption often exceeding 50mpg. Pretty impressive!
I get quite sickened by people of a certain nationality running down British cars, especially the electrical parts. We know that the old UK-made cars were tough and reliable (as well as being fun!)
Thank you, Stef, for an excellent video.
Well said, the moggy thousand was very well screwed together, thats why there are so many survivors around now. They are one of best cars this country has made...
Well done Richard and you, classics should be driven and more than just to a local dry, sunny only, Sunday afternoon show a few times a year. That car though is a brave choice for more regular use but still highly possible as proved. Well done both.
I know this car quite well. It looked outdated 50 years ago...now with the shift to low carbon industry and EV's I would think it makes less and less sense to drive one as an everyday car.. As a show car/classic car hobby , yes.
This car is the same age as l am , sadly the car looks in better shape than me! 😏 A lovely example of a car that couldn't be more British.
Older than me and in better condition.
That car probably hasn't had as much punishment as you...
Hi Steph HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Let's look at the vid 🥰
I had a Morris Minor with the 803cc OHV A-series engine. It never got above 52mph. It was very reliable, one gallon of petrol at 3/6 (17.5p) was usually enough to get me through the week for work and shopping. I bought it from my hairdresser for £25. He asked me if I knew anyone who might want to buy it while cutting my hair, so I went round to see it and ended up driving it home.
I owned a 1963 Morris Minor around the late 90's. Drove it from Manchester to Gloucestershire and back the next day. Never missed a beat and at a steady 60 to 65MPH on the motorway was adequate for the journey. Only downside was I did the run in December and there was a corroded hole on the inner wheel arch around the accelerator pedal. The right side of my body was freezing and the left side had some warmth from the heater. Had to stop at a few Motorway services just to warm up. The hole was later seen to with a patch of welding. Sold the car soon after and regret doing so now after watching your great journey.
My dad's auntie used to travel all over Yorkshire for work in her Moggie. Based in Wakefield, it wasn't unusual for her to have to drive out to Settle in winter - that is a heck of a drive even today. Amazing what older cars will do, and I'm totally convinced they appreciate a longer run out now and then. Getting the oil up to temperature and the cylinders de-coked, exercising the suspension etc. Nice to see you back, and thanks to Richard too!
My first knowledge of the Morris Minor was in a review in a US magazine by (Uncle) Tom McCahill, a well known automotive journalist at the time. It was an old magazine, I think published in 1953, and this was 1967. I was more than happy to read anything about automobiles, and he seemed to have nothing but praise for the vehicle. I got the impression that normal speed for this vehicle was around 45-50mph. I seem to remember the horsepower being 40-50? And it used a three speed transmission? I don't remember if overdrive was available. It was an estate he reviewed. It just continued my fascination with things British. The first plastic model that I ever built was a Triumph TR-3, followed by a MGA. That normal operation speed may seem strange to some, but normal highway speed here in the US was 55mph seventy years ago. My family, being Dodge and Plymouth owners found that to be fine, as most of the flat head six motors used in these vehicle were uncomfortable at higher speeds anyway. What a wonderful, and useful, piece of history. A fine review, as usual, Steph. P.S. BTW, I have owned five VW Beetles in my lifetime, and found them great for meeting unusual, but delightful people.
Happy New Year Steph. Really enjoyed that video and hopefully you can.find a way to use that format again. Take care and hope you’re feeling 100% soon
I can remember Minors being ubiquitous back in the 60s, and some would be indeed used for longer trips - see the delightful 1970s BBC trade test transmission film 'Giuseppina' made by Shell of an English family touring Italy in one. My own memories from the sixties might be seeing families in Minors heading down the A30 and the A38 in Devon during the Summer Holidays, having a picnic on the road verge using their Halfords camping table and chairs, making tea on the paraffin stove. The car would have it's bonnet up to cool down, or perhaps to indicate a breakdown to an awaited RAC or AA van.
Excellent video.Takes me back to my childhood when I traveled roads like this with my parents before motorways. I’ve said it before but it’s nice to see young people take an interest in these old cars. If it wasn’t for people like you they would only exist in museums. Thanks for keeping them going.
Made my day, thanks Steph, you're looking well.
Congratulations to the both of you. As kids we used to poke fun of the Morris Minor, not aware of the fact that it would later become a legend. Right now i would love to own one, but but i doubt could give it tlc or drive it carefully. Great video and thanks for coming close to my home town of Swindon. Thanks again.
Great and ambitious road trip, well done for making it unscathed in a 70 year old car, brilliant!
Hello, beautiful Morris Minor. Not many four doors anymore. Seems that four doors were called Princess! I had several MM through the years. I still have a 1967 that belonged to my father. If one keeps the Morris Minor serviced and maintained, well they seem to go forever! Enjoyable video and your country side was most beautiful. Cheers from Texas!
Very interesting video thank you so much for sharing 😀.
I have recently bought a 51 MM in mist green. 2 door "highlight" model which was first registered in May 51. She has had a Morris 1000 engine fitted along with the 1000 gearbox. Though she is in need of restoration which me and my brother hope to get onto soon. Lovely car though.
Make sure you join the series MM Facebook group x
Happy New Year I absolutely love Bath such a beautiful City I was born there 😃
Wow, Steph!!! This ranks as my favorite (Yank spelling) of your video presentations. The combination of a classic car and a road trip is absolutely the best. I recognized the Crescent in the screen still before the video, and knew I would enjoy this! Bath (after flying into Heathrow and train to Paddington) was my first stop ever in the UK. I greatly enjoyed wandering the city for several days but never made it to the Crescent! I've been back to the UK for more extensive journeys, and the sights along the A Roads in this is what I wanted to see! And I have to laugh when you say eight hours is a ridiculous amount of time driving.....it's all relative. I've driven 16 hours over 24 hours on a couple of occasions here, and 8 hours round trip is nothing by our standards. I think you probably had a better experience by this method, honestly. Please feature more adventures like this!! I really enjoyed it, as much as I enjoyed learning some of the finer points of history on Morris Minor production. And as usual, your spontaneous musings and observations are always spot on and welcome. Fantastic stuff! Congrats to Richard on the acquisition!!!
Our neighbour bought one new in 1971 which was the last and the marina took over. I went to school in them and then joined Post Office Telephones where they were still running them in the late 70's early 80's. They will go anywhere as long as you maintain them and not find a snapped trunnion and your front hub collapsing!
It’s only poor maintenance which lets them down really!
@@idriveaclassic Spot on! You have to grease those trunnions religiously, they don't snap as such, it's wear in the threads which causes which causes the bottom one to 'pop out' leading to a collapse. The Marina had a similar arrangement but with a ball joint at the top of the 'king pin'. Luckily, it would only happen at walking pace.
I was driven home from hospital when I was a baby in 1967 I think it was about 3 years old my dad did 60 thousand miles in it over 4 years when he traded it in for another one he loved them nice little car if serviced they were very reliable my dad is 89 and says they were very good and had 2 that were very reliable you need to drive them hard to get them up to speed but people were happy to sit at 50 back in the day
What a neat little car. I remember seeing LH drive Morris's around Seattle where I grew up. Cheers from Texas!
I love this. There's something quite fun about not being in a hurry and discovering bits of the country that people bombing along on motorways would never see. A-roads are great for that and I'd love to do more of the Fosse Way. I'd also be sniffing out any proper old school roadside caffs!
I feel like I need to try a Minor too. They look like a lot of fun
Yep remember these in the 70s all around where I lived. Happy New Year Steph, looking good!
Aah, the memories! My first car was a 1958 Traveller with the 948cc engine, bought 2nd or 3rd hand in 1965. I was a uni student then, and used to make the London-Glasgow and Glasgow-London trip regularly (about 400 miles each way) in a day with no problems. Top speed was an indicated 71mph on the motorway, flat-out downhill and with a following breeze. Fuel consumption was always 40mpg, no matter what the driving conditions were. The Smiths electric heater gave virtually instant warmth, which was very welcome in the Glasgow winters. The electric fuel pump needed the occasional tap to get it going, and I once had to replace the timing chain cover oil seal, but apart from that it was a very reliable, comfortable and practical mode of transport. Thanks for the review!
Thanks for a great video. I love the Morris Minor. From the Bronx, USA, Thanks!
with my moggy lucy, I drove her from Plymouth to Northampton and return for the 2019 mmoc club rally as you know Steph, she did nearly 500 miles, didn't miss a beat, didn't break down, and didn't use any oil or water. good old moggies!
I have to say I absolutely enjoyed this video. I sat in my bed drinking coffee and just laughed my butt off when the car hit the hill. The only thing is I wish the video had been a little longer. And that beautiful town you two stopped in was absolutely gorgeous 💕
Ah thanks for watching x
but.... in Bath she didn't visit the Pulteney Bridge,,, which I did on my only visit there in 2004,,, from NZ,,,while we were staying in Yeovil...( any excuse for a train journey)
@@neville132bbk it all sounds amazing. I wish I could go someday ☺️
I once had one of the first ones to have the 803cc ohv Austin engine, otherwise identical to the one featured here. It did have a good number plate 'NBM 6'. It was really very reliable but rather slow, the later Minor 1000 was a big improvement. Great video brings back some memories.
Love my Morris Minor; dad purchased it in Fort Worth, Texas many decades ago! The Morris was passed on to me 26 years ago! Great little cars, just keep them serviced and they will keep on running miles after miles!
Nice of Coventry to give the car a fireworks welcome.
We did think that haha x
Great to hear the sound of a Morris engine instead of the all too familiar Austin A series that would be mostly associated with these cars, they must have been a robust and reliable engine too.
"fireworks... to celebrate our arrival". Well done Richard, i laughed well at that one.
What a survivor. I was expecting a column gear change tbh. But a British icon. They were built well and you still see loads of the later ones about, and still used as a daily...
Happy New Year to you Steph - great to see you back again! I hope that 2022 brings you everything you wish for. Looking forward to your next adventures with classic cars!
You do learn something new every day with this stuff. I always assumed paint instead of chrome was austerity in the early 50's and didn't know about the Korean War nickel shortage. Cheers.
What an absolute peach of a car this is! The dashboard and steering wheel look like a work of art. I also like the colour coded wheels, which I'm guessing hints at it's intentions of being an export car. 🤔 Registered in my home city of Norwich too (26 years before I was born)!
I still prefer Marinas though! 😁 And BL Wedges.
These cars are such beauties, it’s such a shame that they don’t reintroduce the exact same everything about this car, but more environmentally friendly. I talked about this with my mum in the early 2010s, because she was born in the 1960s and she remembers these cars from when she was little. I also remember when I was an infant my great uncle had a Morris traveller and we went for a day out with my mum for a lovely picnic I remember that cake with raisins and almonds. I hope these cars keep running for at least another 50 years. My love to The Morris minor
Good journey. Seeing the country and enjoying yourself is what it's all about. My uncle and aunt had a later Traveller for many years and toured the UK from Cornwall to Scotland, and towed a caravan on many trips. Cars are meant to be driven. Just use them and enjoy the journey. Good to see you Steph, Best wishes for the new year.
These cars where just everywhere at one time, it's not one for me but you're right in what you say and well done Richard in being the latest custodian...love the road trip...
Ours was called Uncle Albert and we loved it. Found in a barn in Oxfordshire and laid up for 15 years.. I nearly put an A series into replace the MM lump, but found the Swiss Army had spares left over from the MM being used as on their centurion tanks. Morris also sold the engine as a marine engine... The heater was not fitted as standard being an after market Smiths unit.
Brilliant video, Steph. I also have a Series 2 Moggy, albeit a 1954 with an 803cc A series engine. I'm taking it to this year's Minors On Tour UK around Wales and this has given me more confidence in driving a bit further afield!
aww I’m glad! You’ll be just fine.
What a pretty! I like how easy she starts and sounds healthy after 70 years.
Brilliant road trip Steph & Richard will we see this MM later in the year on a summer picnic adventure.
My mum and dad would have been grateful if I'd bought something sensible like a Moggy Minor home. I can still remember their faces when they came back from their holiday to find I'd bought a 1942 Harley Davidson chopper and popped it safe and sound in their hallway 😆😆😆
Richard's Moggy is gorgeous btw.
Happy new year Steph.
Excellent video as always 🙂
It never ceases to amaze me how you'd have a beautiful sunny weekend day in summer and be out driving a good distance and not see a single classic car out on the road. I mean, what are the owners waiting for? I take any opportunity I can get. Great to see you back doing videos by the way, Steph.
Great content 👌 welcome back Steph we've missed you
I’ve missed you guys too
Sidevalve engines were very reliable and I would have no worries about doing a long run in that car, although I would certainly avoid motorways given the low power. I've never owned a Minor but I did have a 1960 Riley 1.5. The mechanicals on the Riley were very similar to the Minor so reliability would have been about the same. I bought the car in the Coventry area and drove it home to northern Scotland, a run of about 500 miles.
This car is my earliest memory of our family car in 1970 , when I was 3 . Sitting on my dad's knee and steering the car's big spoked steering wheel. Same model, same colour . I'm so tempted to buy one when my redundancy money comes lol .
In 1964, when I was 18 a friend and I drove my Morris Minor 1000 to Riccione on Italy's Adriatic coast. It took 4 days, with overnight stops near Baden-Baden, Luzern and Milan. This entailed driving over the St. Gotthard Pass. The car only broke down once when water got into the distributor during torrential rain in Switzerland. I can't remember the cars year of manufacture but it's registration was PMR 246, Registered in Salisbury. It was non standard being Clarendon Grey with ivory upholstery and black carpets.
Awsome adventure Steph, thanks so much for sharing it with us.
Great video Steph and what a lovely little car Richard has, most definitely the best car to take on a A Road Trip.
Loved this video. Noticed your fab clothes you look great! See you soon
Brilliant, thank you, lovely look at the countryside, and a lovely car with lovely people. When I was a young boy in the 1960s my dad had a 1950s not sure the exact year Morris thousand split windscreen, He had a strange philosophy with his cars, if they made a noise he turned the radio up but he couldn’t do that with the Morris thousand I didn’t have a radio, but this was the only car he ever had that he got rid of after 10 years because he actually got sick of it, and wanted something more modern, I think it was probity my mums complaints, every other of his cars he would have them a long time then eventually fell off the road. We travelled all over the place in moggy I remember a camping holiday in Cornwall from Sunderland to Cornwall me and my brother would be put on the back seats and the camping stuff would be packed around us so you only saw our heads, plus the roof rack stacked up 2" on top the only problem was on Salisbury plane is the water pump packed up we ground to a halt outside the garage and got the pump replaced but they didn’t have a fan but we made it all the way back to Sunderland without the fan in fact my dad never bought a fan for it, it went alright didn’t see the need. He eventually sold it to someone in town who drove it for at least another five years. I’ve always loved Moggy 1000s. Our next door neighbour an elderly retired civil servant had the same model is what you’re using I would think, till he drove it up the ramp of a removal van which was parked up the street and wrote it off. Because he became trapped in the car the policeman was called to try and free him and the policeman was my dad. Lots of memories around Moggy1000s
Wow what a lovely car. On the day I passed my driving test in 1985 the GPO compound next to the test centre in Ipswich was full of Yellow Morris Minor vans, some with rubberised wings with signs in the window of one stating they are all going to auction and make £150 to £200 at auction and would make ideal first cars- just like the Madness song. I wish I had a time machine. I am trying to persuade my partner that a Minor would be a great second car. Thanks for posting I have enjoyed this, Fireworks included.
A great video on a great channel! This one was particularly interesting to me, because I have a 1954 series 2 Minor, which looks very similar to this one on the inside and outside. Mine originally had an 803cc A series engine, which at some time during the car's life was upgraded to a 948cc, which is being rebuilt as I write this. Yes, it is slow and the brakes are terrible, but if you're not in a hurry, and plan every stop about 100 meters in advance, it is a lot of fun to drive.
People like you make the world a better place so enjoyed the video !!! Also, I love your eyeglass so classic !!!
Well done, Steph. Richard, you are a star! I truly enjoyed every minute of that video. Richard is quite right. When these cars came to Canada, they were DRIVEN, and over distance. Keep in mind that Land's End to John O'Groats is about the same distance as Windsor to Cornwall Ontario. The entirety of England, Scotland, and Wales would fit in Southern Ontario with room to spare. I knew a couple of people with Minors, and they were well used. The one was sadly abandoned due to terminal rust, but it had 130,000 miles on it. The other was still going strong as a summer use daily driver at a cottage, and it was over the 100,000 mile mark last I saw it. Ma's first car was a 1954 Hillman Minx, and she used that for the 100 mile daily commute to and from work as a teacher, 5 days a week for 10 months of the year, in all kinds of weather. The wee thing did the drive for 4 years. It is so refreshing to see these old cars appreciated for what they are and what they were meant to be. A means of transportation, not static displays. If Richard has a channel, I would LOVE to subscribe to follow the old car adventures.
Brilliant road trip and some very interesting information and knowledge about the Morris Minor and The Nuffield Organisation
Loved it 😊
Our first car, when I was a kid, was OWE132 - a 1952, two door MM in exactly the same blue as this car.
I absoloutely love this video. This is what driving old cars is all about for me. The adventure, the challenge and friendship. More road trip videos please 🙂
Loved this!
Top trip guys,thanks for posting this up.Retro at its best ,please keep it all going
Great video and a great outing. Brings back memories of doing the MMOC John O Groats to Lands End run in a 2dr lowlight back in 97. Took about 21 hrs and other than a couple of 1st gear hills in Scotland the little car ran a treat. Much inspired getting my current MM back on the road now.!
Loved this road trip! I'm from Canada and visited Bath in 2018, brought back good memories.
Great video, Steph! I think when you drive any classic car you should always avoid motorways as much as possible. Most older cars are not made for long high speed cruising and it's just much more fun tackling the hills and bends on A and B roads 😀👍
You are right Frank, there are stories of cars of the era being taken on motorways and thrashed resulting in blown engines.
What a lovely trip taking the by-ways and seeing the sights. I agree about taking the A & B roads, it's where you see the most interesting sights and the pace isn't so hectic. Excellent.
Cool an good to hear it was a good trip old cars can do long journeys without braking down. An sometimes it is good to enjoy the A&B roads although am sure the moris minor would been just as good on the motorway to.
An although having better brakes an gearbox are preferable they worked good which is the main thing.
Have an amazing year. 🙂
What a great video! Well done on taking the trip and giving so much information about series MM minors. Back in 1992, I bought a restored lowlight and drove it from Sale in Victoria to Mildura…a two day road trip of 760 km. My wife followed in our Mazda 626 and, apart from a wheel cylinder leak, the side valve Morris didn’t miss a beat. But…VERY slow! Will you review a HA Vauxhall Viva any time soon Steph?
I hope so!
@@idriveaclassic Please forgive me for being crude, but I always find women who are interested in cars to be phenomenally HOT. I love your videos.
Don't worry, I'm not a creepy stalker, but I just wanted to put a smile on your face.
Keep up the good work.
Looks like a fun road trip. The detailed restoration paid off as the Morris looks and runs just as it did back in the day.
Hi Steph, happy new year. If you don't mind me saying you can already see a big difference 👍
Looking forward to more of your superb and informative content in 2020
Haha I did think as I edited the video I was shocked at how different I look now
Happy New Year Steph & Richard. You did do well going that distance in the Morris. Motoring is not just for getting from A to B. Sometimes you need to just get off the beaten track, explore and just enjoy it, as you both proved here. Looking forward to seeing more motoring adventures during 2022.
at 16.00, i wasgettin teary eyed, cos i knew you were goin to make it up the hill, but it was sooo friggin emotional. god knows why and stuff the others passing you. xxxxxx
Great tae see ye back Steph
WOW, 9 years older & in a better shape than me 😂🤣😅😂🤣😅
Lovely video Steph! I did a 570 mile trip home in my Triumph Acclaim eBay purchase, sight unseen in 2016! Bringing back memories. Of course, hills and 70mph weren’t an issue in the Acclaim!
Great video Steph and congratulations to Richard for finding such a rare Minor! Glad you had a less eventful journey than the day I got a train from Brighton to Manchester to buy a 1960 Minor Convertible. A tyre blew out on the M40 and I had to call the AA as I had no wheel wrench in the car. The car only had traffiicators that didn't work but that wasn't too bad when you are mainly on the inside lane. I still managed to do Brighton to Manchester and back in one day!
Great wee side valve engine . A delight to work on !!! Love your video Steph
Happy new year Steph, great to see you back again and thanks for another brilliant video. I remember my uncle had a 1953 Morris Minor, 2 door in Black with red vinyl upholstery and a chrome front grill. He bought it secondhand in1958. It was a great little car. I can relate to the hill climbing in the Dublin mountains, changing down to 2nd gear, sometimes stopping and engaging 1st. Happy days!!
WOW...!! Such a well finished Morris Minor!! All the chrome AND the wooden look panels in the dash, instead of the speedo in the centre with open storage on both sides, is a FAR BETTER finish than what I'm more familiar with on later models! Did the Morris Minor of this period have a better finish because (as was mentioned) this car was meant for the LHD market?
I love how optimistic the speedo is 😂😂 80mph
Great video though guys
Maybe downhill with a strong wind behind them...
Thank you so much for this little story of a what could have come as something of a shock for this rather lovely example. This little Minor was certainly equal to the task - especially given some of the power sapping hills along the Fosse Way. Well done!
Thanks both - great trip. I had a 1936 Morris Eight with the earlier version of this engine. Some of the other parts were carried forward too - My Eight had the same pedal rubbers as the 60s Minor! I suspect the speedo is over reading because the tyres look like lower profile radials, rather than the original cross plies? Nice car tho.....
Perhaps!
Very good point on the tyres. People don't always factor in such things. Radials likely being safer though.👍
Talking about Morris Minors and people with the same name, My Morris 1000 (Nellie) previous owner's maiden name was Marion Haddow, which is my mother's married name. Also Marion's son-in-law is the mechanic who looks after my modern VW Fox. Anyways, I been long journeys in Nellie and apart from the odd mishap, have been fine.
Absolutely bloomin brilliant video, really enjoyed seeing a classic actually driven. What a way to start the year off :D
Aww a Great Video,when i was a kid we did Hull the Knarsborough in an Austin 1100,4 of us,it wasnt great on Hills,but you just have to take it steady,that Minor is lovely,Richard did so well was so patient,thanks for sharing this great video,Rain or shine we just have to get Out & about....Happy New Year....
Beep...Beep!😘
What fun! I had no idea you liked architecture as well Steph, that's awesome!
What a gorgeous car and a great road trip video. Thank you Steph and Richard i loved every minute of it. It was great to see Bath too, it was the home of Charles Wares original Morris Minor centre! He believed you could own and use a Moggy almost indefinitely as long as you maintained and repaired it properly. Looks like he was right!! About being slow... Correct me if im wrong, I think the car was never intended to have the the pre war side valve engine, but a brand new flat four, hence the torsion bar front suspension and wide engine bay, but the plug was pulled on that at the last minute. Lord Nuffield hated the moggie saying it looked like a poached egg! How wrong he was.
I never owned a Morris Minor, and that is one of my Greatest regrets. Why can’t they do an experience day where you get to drive a Classic like this?
New cars break down as do old cars. Maintenance and quality replacement parts are key to keep them running reliable, they where built to be driven. Great video!
Great video Steph and a wishing you a Happy New Year.
This brought back a lot of memories. I always prefer driving on A roads even these days in my Rover P6
I had a 1956 Morris minor series one in the 1970s with the slatted front grill and split windscreen.
One journey I drove from Barnet,Herts.down to West Somerset, a journey of some 160 miles and like you, it took around 5 hours including two short stops. The car made it there and back without any issues whatsoever.
Lovely video Steph! Nice to see you back. Grtz from Rotterdam.
I love your channel I’m very much into classics and especially affordable classics that you review. I think it’s fantastic that it’s a girl reviewing them and someone so young being into classics.