The tiny details in this video are really interesting. I appreciate this, and other channels like Hub Nut & Furious Driving because being in the United States, I knew nothing of these cars and the car culture of the UK. It’s been so wonderful learning about all of these. Thanks to all of you!😁
Modern cars are quiet which I love because it’s pleasant and reduces fatigue, but I also miss all the unique noises old cars used to make. Cars had more personality.
The quietest car I've ever been in was a 1976 Daimler Sovereign. Merc S Class, Audi A8 and BMW 7 series do not come close to it - it truly was whisper quiet.
There was Less technology in classic cars . They did require more regular services than modern cars but that could be done at home by competent do it yourself owners. They also didn't need a computer to help service them unlike present Cara.
Mark Summerford ........... when i was a teenager in late 70,s we lived on a main road with school right next door.........i used to know what make of car was passing by guessing its engine sound without looking out window (id double check now and again to see if i was correct or not) .........ive loved cars since then but not in an anorak type of way - just love all the different designs.....have owned volvos more than 30 years.
@@idriveaclassic A friend of mine had a few years ago a Minor van that was upgraded a bit, he installed a new chassis, fitted a 1300 engine with extra sound proofing and lined the metalwork in the rear and made a big difference to the noise inside, my dad bought a brand new Traveller in 1968 in Peat Brown, kept it for 2 years before part exchanging it for a new VW Beetle!!!
I used to drive one of these for an engine reconditioning business in Croydon. To make my day more interesting I would set myself little challenges. Some days I would wind the window down and balance a 3d piece on the flat surface of the door, then drive all around London without loosing my money. I could also drive all day, only using the clutch for take off and rev matching the rest of the time. it was also possible to drive long distances in traffic without touching the brakes. It was a lovely little vehicle to drive and I learned skills that have stood me well all my life. It was such a forgiving little van.
Well that brought back memories of childhood. My Dad was a Butcher by trade and had one as a delivery van. His one didn't have a passenger seat fitted but had a wooden storage box . I used to sit on the box on journeys to school, no seatbelts of course. If Mum was going to be passenger he removed the box and replaced it with a cut down armchair . The rest of us sat in the back on a mattress!
My first boyfriend had one of these, bought second-hand from the GPO. It was great. We loaded up the back with a tent, sleeping bags, a frying pan, kettle and primus stove and spent a week camping in Cornwall. I have better memories of the van than of him, if truth be told!
My old ex-Police Moggie van became my first campervan with just a foam mattress and camping gaz stove in the back. So easy to work on the BMC 'A' series engine using the starting handle to turn it to TDC. Of course, like all British cars of that era it eventually rusted away.
Also, no passenger sun blind? I love the Morris 1000 Van. Front suspension and the way that the stub axle is set up is truly a Heath Robinson way of doing things.
Hi Steph, As an apprentice with Post Office Telephones (Became BT) in 1972, we were taught to drive in a matt green PO Minor van. I distinctly remember having to double de-clutch from 2nd into first as there was no syncromesh!! Looking good Steph!!
Hi steph herein New Zealand Morrie Minors were very popular with plumbers Nz Gas etc and of course Nzpost and telegraph they were imported as CKD by Dominion Motors. 1972 was an oil crisis petrol prices went.through the roof as is the case right now I stepped out of a 1972 Holden utility traded on an cancelled order to NZ post of a brand new 1100 Morris Minor vans which had been resprayed mustard yellow. it was so efficent and economical. Wonderful transport
My Grandfather drove a blue Minor van and pickup whilst he worked for Bristow Helicopters, going around gathering parts and tools, and always being on call to fix series Land Rovers, Massey Ferguson tractors and anything else vital to the flying schedule.💙🛻
Hi Steph in the early 70’s I worked for a company that made riding hats and crash helmets in South Wales and every Wednesday I drove a mm van to our headquarters in Bow London. I now own a 1955 splity and I love driving it.
Ah, makes me yearn for the days when Minors were so common on Britains roads. I had 3 of them, 2 saloons and a traveller JKD 3D, which I used for a couple of years as a daily driver and for camping holidays. One day the clutch went and I removed the gearbox and replaced the plate that evening and had it ready for work the following morning. Try doing that on a modern car. I remember using the starting handle to back me out of muddy camping fields, and putting the choke on, in gear, and pushing the car to get out of an ice covered car park with the wheels spinning on a fast tickover and then jumping in once it was moving! A brilliant car which I stupidly swapped for a clapped out Mk 1 Escort. Great video by the way, and what a fart that van made!
Hi Steph, The AUSTIN badge Version of this van is (Extremely Rare) I was told, by the owner of the one I helped Restore 5 years ago, ( A Video of the work is on my channel), it was a 1969 (G) reg in Dark Blue, and apparently one of only "7" that Survive, I loved working on it, as you say looked the same as the Morris except for a few small details, and I think you and any other enthusiasts will Love her, and appreciate the work both I and my Friend Gary did, if anyone is interested in taking a look, I enjoyed your video, brought back nice memories of long hours working on the Austin Version, such a lovely looking little van, which I remember seeing so many of as a child on the roads brand new, in the 1960-70's.
My first one was a '62 traveller then I got a '52 saloon then a '67 van and the last one a '60 saloon none of which I paid more than 25 quid for! Miss them all.
I've just bought a Morris Minor pickup to tinker with as I come up for retirement. My first car was a MM series 2, 49 years ago. 30 years ago I had a traveller now I've got what I've always wanted. So thanks for a great insite into the Van side of things.
Ear to ear grinmaker! I remember them fondly from my childhood in the early 1950s in Canada where Minors were frequently imported by Canadian Forces personnel returning 'from overseas'.
If they were right hand drive they would have been a "home market" model sold in Britain, if they were left hand drive they would have been "export" models sold in North America. Geeky fact, the original Morris Minor had the had the headlights down beside the grille ("low light") US regulations required headlights to be a certain distance up from the road so the raised headlights ("high light") style was initially introduced to cater for the US market. The Canadian regulations required improved tail lights for that market.
That certainly makes sense. I don't now (almost 70 years later) recall whether they were lhd or rhd. Might they have been purchased and used for a year or two in the UK, then converted to lhd there before being imported to Canada? I doubt they were bought new in Canada, especially given the few, almost non-existent, dealers at the time.
Beautiful green British landscape. Cute green Morris van. Stunning green jacket. You really have everything under control. So enjoyable. Greetings from a white, snowy Sweden.
I drive a modern van with a bulkhead, sound deadening and all mod cons. It's still noisy. Great video, Steph - I'm slowly being converted into buying a Morris Minor, but still love my eighties cars!
I just love your moggie reviews and adventures. I live in Australia and I have a 1960 2 door saloon that I have just finished restoring. A 5 year project and I’m looking forward to many years of fun driving amongst rural Australia. Please make more videos going on Morris adventures.. just love them.
The early Datsun Cherry also made that exhaust sound on the overrun. That was because it's engine was basically an A-series, carried over from when Nissan used to assemble Austin 1100s for the Japanese market.
Great van, lovely colour and fantastic condition. 👍I can’t remember when I last saw one of these. I love that you bring us vehicles we no longer often see on the roads, but that we’re once everywhere. Great memories.Fantastic review, so full of facts, but presented in a fun and interesting way.Your enthusiasm and passion for these classic vehicles is infectious. Yet again your retro clothing style fits so well with the vehicles you review. You always coloured coordinate. It’s like your Steph signature, to coordinate with the featured vehicle. Love it, very stylish as always. Have a great week, already looking forward to see what vehicle you bring us next week.
@@idriveaclassic Steph, your channel is fantastic. It’s always been good. But your presentation has got better and better. I seriously think we need people like you, Ian from Hubnut, Matt from furious driving and Ed from twincam. On tv and presenting car review programmes. Perhaps a programme on affordable classics, with some more exotic classics, just to mix things up a bit. TV is lacking a programme like that, presented by down to earth, common sense people like you. You would be a tv natural. You’re friendly, bubbly with a great knowledge, you’re always incredibly well researched. The hard work you put in behind your reviews is obvious from the detail and history of the vehicle being reviewed. Plus you have a genuine passion and enthusiasm that shines through. You have the likability factor that so many presenters on tv lack. They all look and sound exactly the same. They’re all interchangeable and boring. You have your own unique signature style and look that would make you stand out in a positive way. You’re retro outfits that are always incredibly stylish and match in with the vehicle being reviewed, sets you apart and is a fantastic signature look. It’s great that you’re UA-cam channel is growing. Your presenting skills have always been good. But the last year or so, you’ve seemed to have just gotten better and better. You seem to have grown in confidence and it comes across. I really hope that 2024 is going to be a fantastic year for you personally and for your channel. I hope everything goes from strength to strength, you definitely deserve it.
@@idriveaclassic Bless you Steph. The last 2 years I have been undergoing chemo and been quite I’ll with side effects. Yourchannel along with some of the others I mentioned, have been rays of sunshine. Really cheered me up, lifted my mood, provided great entertainment and brought back, through the cars featured, many happy memories of past times and also the people I have lost that had some of these cars. So to use your words. You have been a great help at times when I felt pants. Last week, I found out that my treatment has worked and I’m back in remission. My partner Matt, who I met at the end of 2021, he lives in your general area, he’s in Dewsbury Yorkshire. Proposed to me at New Year in Malta. So I’m now on course for a great year and I sincerely hope that your year is also going to be fantastic too.👍❤️
Thanks for another great video, Steph. I was a young child living in Germany when the Morris Minor came out. There were a number of these in Germany along with DKWs, Borgwards, VWs, Fiats ,GoGomobils, Messerschmidts, Issettas and more expensive brands. I always liked the look of the Minor. Also, many Europeans in the 50's drove motorcycles instead of cars because they were a cheaper way to get around. Those were great days.
I absolutely love Minor vans, my Dad had one when I was very little in the late 70s, I think that was ex GPO, always had a soft spot for them, I'll never forget that parp when changing gear!. You can tell you have the knowledge on these Steph, good stuff, really enjoyed it. Oh and I'm not going to be the first to say this... Love the outfit, you look fantastic!.
When I was an apprentice in the 70's, these were a common vehicle in Post Office Telephones. Had a lovely ripping noise from the exhaust. One creative colleague put an Austin Healey Sprite carb on his, went like the clappers! Happy days.
When I was 17 I worked in a workshop learning how to service a motley collection of vans, for a building contractor who had a policy of buying ex fleet vans at auction. One day I had to go to Southampton (on the 47 bus) to collect a Minor van. As I left the auction I just accelerated a little and it immediately did a 360 spin, it was a wide road and quiet so no accident, but I found that on any bend or under any acceleration the back end would let go. I started to rather enjoy this and learned a lot in the 15 mile drive about low speed oversteer and felt like Stirling Moss as I drifted round bends at 10 mph. It must have looked very odd to anyone following. Subsequently we found that it had been fitted with enormously hard springs and oversize offroad rear tyres, and it was a bit better after these were changed but it was still lethal in the wet. We had several and most were well behaved and certainly reliable - I loved them.
Hello Stef! Like you, I love Morris Minors; I have had two: a 1957 948cc 4-door and a 1962 1098cc two door. I might have mentioned this before (please excuse me if I have - I'm getting old!) - in 1972 I covered some 16000 miles in four months in the 2-door, touring Britain and Western Europe. What a car - totally reliable and extremely economical (up to 50 mpg)! As regards the van, I seem to remember that, in my vast collection of Dinky Toys and Corgi Toys, I had an MM van. It might have been the pickup, though - I seem to remember a removable metal canopy. One of my biggest regrets disposing of that collection, when we left UK for South Africa. Oh, well... Continue to take care and, please, to provide these wonderful videos. Best wishes, Colin.
Nice post. My dad and I each had ex GPO vans (both 1965 C reg), I had mine from March 1972 for a year, until the gearbox went, my dad had his for 2 1/2 years until lat 1974.. I've owned an F reg (1968) Traveller in Trafalgar Blue since 2010. Still a great little car.
Ahh, my first car was an ex GPO van, I didn't know that fact about the rear door hooks which it had. I hand painted it in council lamp post green and fit a vinyl roof over the front cab. I paid £20 for it, I wish I still had it. I seem to remember that the passenger seat folded over twice. Great review that brought back memories.
My Brother in law (at the time) had one for work in that very same green. I think his was a 'G' reg. I have never loved the sound of any other road going car exhaust more than the minor. Thanks for bringing back some good memories for me Steph.
The old moggie had a very distinctive rasping engine noise when changing gears. You hear a moggie on the approach 200yrds away. I drove them when working for the post office 1975. We emptied the phone boxes of their cash around the area. Driving a moggie or mini van. Enjoyable video, thank you.
It was " low line" not " low life", And thank you very much for reviewing the best little van ever, I've had two in my life over many years, and since had some very nice classics, but frankly I'd have a mint Moggy van anytime, they're just brilliant !!!
Hi Stephanie - I always see a Bright Yellow Morris Van that is run by our local community Drogerie in Steinhausen, Switzerland and I can't be certain if it is left or right hand drive, but it always reminds me of growing up in London and seeing the odd Traveller or Convertible running around in the 1970's.
Another cool video, Steph! That's a great little van, love the sound from that side exhaust. And fully agree with all your thoughts about changes being made to vintage vehicles. There is a line to be drawn as far as going too far and taking away from the character and personality in owning one. Go too far, and what's the point, really? Just buy something new! Always looking forward to your next vid! Best, Lou
Great video thank you Lovely - really enjoyed all those Moggie facts. I LOVE Morris Minors, I grew up with them so many great childhood memories. (My second ever classic van was an A35 though!). May I say too that you are looking especially fabulous in this vid, gorgeous outfit and those boots are the BEST!
Morris Minors are fantastic. My Father had a tan van in the mid 1950s. I can remember going around Wales and Shropshire in the back standing up looking at the road as a toddler wrapped up against Winter as the van was unlined. I dont know where my sister sat
I used to work in the same place as Ray Newell of the MMOC, also an author of several books about the Morris Minor. His office walls were plastered with pictures of Morris Minors. Strangely enough, the largest and most prominent one was a period photo of an Oxford MO.
Talking about fitting different seats, back in the day we used to swop mini seats with 1100 seats, bit of fiddling but they were so nicer to sit in compared to the old early mini seats🙂
This must be one of your best reviews so far, your knowledge and enthusiasm shines though. I also love the colour coordination you always seem to to have just the right dress for the ocation. PS you should use that grate fraze, " lets go on an adventure " as you cache fraze. just magic.
I learned to drive in a H reg Morris pick up , even by the late Seventies there was considerable rot in chassis rail tops , spring hangers and wings etc , which we had to weld up so that we could use it for delivery work , going by that rate of corrosionit it's remarkable that any survive .
I used to drive one for a firm in the 70's and do deliveries to customers of bulky items. It was very nippy in those days compared to many other vans !
Reminds me of one that the local farmer ran when I was a kid. It was used to deliver bottles of milk each day (except Sundays). Empty glass bottles were taken back to the farm for reuse as well.
My dad worked for GPO and bought one of their vans they were replacing. He made a wooden back seat for us kids. He later also had a saloon and a traveller. I have always had a soft spot for them but the nearest thing I've owned was a 1960 Riley 1.5.
That was a great video. I had a couple of Minor 1000 saloons but my dad bought a new Austin badged minor van in 1967. It had the Austin badge on the front of the bonnet and an "A" on the steering wheel horn, but the two little rubber overriders(?) with the reflectors on the rear of the van still had a letter "M" just like the Morris vans. Interesting to see on the door pillars the pressed mountings still for the now discontinued semaphore signals.
"Thank You, Steph !" . . . . . . "Keep on Motoring in your own ex-Government Morris Minor !" You do have such a really lovely style presenting your videos & yes your Fashion Sense matching the rare Morris Minor Van with the same colour dress is simply spot on ! "Keep On Doing . . . . . .What YOU do so well !" as I love to watch your Videos ! Take Care, Steph ! Roger.
Hi Steph another great video! A couple of odd facts about the Vans and Pickups, they were built on a separate chassis, hence the seats are higher up than the saloons which were monocoque. Also, the first of the GPO vans in the 50's had Rubber front wings, as had the Z type before them.
I love Minor Vans! I prefer them to the much loved Traveller! I think its because, when I was a kid, the roads were utterly full of red Post Office vans, so its a bit nostalgic! But I love the styling with the squarish van body just shoved against the front half of the Minor saloon!
My first 4 wheel transport was a moggy 1000 pickup in green, great little vehicle …. My dad had a brand new grey one (van) in the 60’s as a run around👌🏻😎
Funny to think that back in the late 70s my uncle bought one of these secondhand, it was an H reg, red in colour, and was used as a builders van, rocks and bags of cement chucked in the back, doors booted shut, around 1981 it broke down, scrap yard then didn't want it, so he left it up in a farmers field, dumped, as was not uncommon back then.. Worthless at the time, but it was by then a 12 year old ex post office and then ex builders van. Because people demand new vehicles and want to be seen in the latest car's, plus cost to repair outweigh it's value they get dumped. And are now only worth money because so many were scrapped, so they now look kind of different
As a kid i used to bounce around in the back of an ex GPO van. I remember collecting my German exchange partner from Piccadilly station and forcing him into the back with me. Imagine my horror one year later when I was collected from their local station by the Fraue's BMW, the families second car ! Still want one ( Moggy van that is ) x
1969 on the Wellington NZ wharfs, an 8 year old me was amazed at seeing what must have been over 50 white Morris Minor vans. They must have been for some big business or Govt, order !!
Does anyone else play the same game as I do with road-test videos such as Steph's? Trying to work out from the scenery and glimpses of road signs whereabouts it was filmed? I spotted a sign for Barnard Castle at one point in this one; until then I'd guessed at somewhere around the Settle or upper Wharfedale area, but it's actually a bit further north. OK, is that too geeky?
Great video and very informative, Steph. Lovely van that. I've only made it as far as seatbelts so far, but wanted to comment about the mounts. They were made standard in 1961 for a very simple reason: Seatbelt mounts were mandated in the US on cars built towards the end of 1960, so about when 1961 production began. Makes sense that the Minor had the mounts made standard no matter which market a car was made for, as there were hidden structural reinforcements added to provide sufficient strength for the mounts. The Morris Minor was one of the British cars that sold in somewhat respectable numbers on this side of the pond. Morris wasn't about to walk away from what was a fairly lucrative market. The noise inside is, as you say, quite loud. I don't know if that is stock or not, but the location of the exhaust outlet is not helping. The van would be much quieter with the exhaust going straight out the back as it does on the other body styles. Interesting that the van has 78 cubic feet of cargo space. That is only about 1.5 cubic feet more than a Volvo 145 from 67 onwards, but the Volvo does that with a full sized spare wheel inside as well as the rear seat in place but folded down. I realize the Volvo is a larger car and with its 1.8 litre 4 cylinder it is in a different engine class, so something of an apples to oranges comparison.
I remember my mum's 1960 2-door Moggie couldn't have seat belts fitted. My dad enquired when he bought the car second-hand for my mum when she passed her test in 1966, and was told that both the B pillars and the bodywork near the rear wheels were too weak to take seat belt mountings, so the car couldn't have conventional seat belts anchored at the top of the B pillar and couldn't even have those unwieldy "10-feet-long" belts that were anchored beside the rear seat. That aspect of the Moggie was lethal: the seats weren't locked to the floor as they are on modern 2-door cars, so even an emergency stop (without colliding with anything) would cause a rear-seat passenger to catapult a front seat passenger into the dashboard (been there, got the split lip and the bruise on my forehead from striking the metal dashboard). Sounds as if mum's Moggie may have been one of the last that *couldn't* have seat belts if they became standard in 1961.
I thought I recognised that road, this and the Bentley video were filmed round by me in County Durham. I do love a Moggy too, don't care the variant, they're all just fab east to look after classics.
@@idriveaclassic Yeah Bishop Auckland is 10 mins from me and Barnard Castle about 25 mins. Now do you see what I mean about gorgeous countryside on my doorstep?
my grandad drove one for the post office in rural Devon and said they were the best vans they ever had around the lanes. I remember him telling me about them trying mini vans which didn't go to well they were not grate for getting in and out of farm yards
The good old Moggy Van. The company I worked for in the late 60s had a small fleet of four of these and a couple of mk1 Transits. I learnt to drive in one of these little vans and drove one two or three days a week as a service engineer spending the rest of the week on workshop repairs on Radios and TVs that couldn't be fixed in the customers homes. Happy days. A simple straightforward vehicle to drive. We had ine the was really smelly inside and we never worked out why. It made sure you were never late for work though as it was last one in got the pongmobile. 🤣
Any one else remember around 1963 travelling to and from Coton House to attend dances at the Earl Shillton Co-Op Hall. Or leaving Rugby after closing often with ten or so chaps on board heading for the M1 Watford Gap service station ? Things you do when young.
Terrific video, Morris Minors and vans in the same show. My first car was 2 Morris Minors bought for £35 the pair (one bad body and good engine , one good body, bad engine) and a weekend of tinkering. I fell in love with vans when I worked for a BL dealership in the 70's and sometimes had to use their Marina vans or their Sherpa, and although I was used to driving the Marina saloon, I much preferred the van and have loved driving vans ever since. For some weird reason I always feel more relaxed in a van. Today as a gardener, I'm lucky enough to have the perfect excuse for owning a van, all be it a modern one, but if ever I get the chance then my first classic will probably be a van of some description from the BMC/BL range.
My father's very first 'real' car (he previously had a Bubble car) was a Morris Minor Van and he said it was one of the best cars he ever owned, way more reliable than his later Singer Gazelle.
Nice one Steph love the boots my dad brought a moggy in the early eighties for mum we took it apart but it was to rotten where my tinkering started I was only 5 or 6 lol I think it was sold on for parts
Hello Steph, 19:24 , well they might have done a good job on the gearbox..just that they forgot to screw on the speedo cable...😁 I love the outfits, and the slimline look... Cordialement,
The tiny details in this video are really interesting. I appreciate this, and other channels like Hub Nut & Furious Driving because being in the United States, I knew nothing of these cars and the car culture of the UK. It’s been so wonderful learning about all of these. Thanks to all of you!😁
Modern cars are quiet which I love because it’s pleasant and reduces fatigue, but I also miss all the unique noises old cars used to make. Cars had more personality.
Yeah I miss the noise when I’m in my quiet proton.
The quietest car I've ever been in was a 1976 Daimler Sovereign. Merc S Class, Audi A8 and BMW 7 series do not come close to it - it truly was whisper quiet.
There was Less technology in classic cars . They did require more regular services than modern cars but that could be done at home by competent do it yourself owners. They also didn't need a computer to help service them unlike present Cara.
Mark Summerford ........... when i was a teenager in late 70,s we lived on a main road with school right next door.........i used to know what make of car was passing by guessing its engine sound without looking out window (id double check now and again to see if i was correct or not) .........ive loved cars since then but not in an anorak type of way - just love all the different designs.....have owned volvos more than 30 years.
@@idriveaclassic A friend of mine had a few years ago a Minor van that was upgraded a bit, he installed a new chassis, fitted a 1300 engine with extra sound proofing and lined the metalwork in the rear and made a big difference to the noise inside, my dad bought a brand new Traveller in 1968 in Peat Brown, kept it for 2 years before part exchanging it for a new VW Beetle!!!
I used to drive one of these for an engine reconditioning business in Croydon. To make my day more interesting I would set myself little challenges. Some days I would wind the window down and balance a 3d piece on the flat surface of the door, then drive all around London without loosing my money. I could also drive all day, only using the clutch for take off and rev matching the rest of the time. it was also possible to drive long distances in traffic without touching the brakes. It was a lovely little vehicle to drive and I learned skills that have stood me well all my life. It was such a forgiving little van.
Well that brought back memories of childhood. My Dad was a Butcher by trade and had one as a delivery van. His one didn't have a passenger seat fitted but had a wooden storage box . I used to sit on the box on journeys to school, no seatbelts of course. If Mum was going to be passenger he removed the box and replaced it with a cut down armchair . The rest of us sat in the back on a mattress!
It's shocking how unconcerned we were about passenger safety back then
My first boyfriend had one of these, bought second-hand from the GPO. It was great. We loaded up the back with a tent, sleeping bags, a frying pan, kettle and primus stove and spent a week camping in Cornwall. I have better memories of the van than of him, if truth be told!
My old ex-Police Moggie van became my first campervan with just a foam mattress and camping gaz stove in the back. So easy to work on the BMC 'A' series engine using the starting handle to turn it to TDC. Of course, like all British cars of that era it eventually rusted away.
Also, no passenger sun blind?
I love the Morris 1000 Van. Front suspension and the way that the stub axle is set up is truly a Heath Robinson way of doing things.
Hi Steph, As an apprentice with Post Office Telephones (Became BT) in 1972, we were taught to drive in a matt green PO Minor van. I distinctly remember having to double de-clutch from 2nd into first as there was no syncromesh!! Looking good Steph!!
I’m a pro at the old double declutch in a moggy
Remember the rubber wings !!!!
@@fruitychink wheel nuts chamfered both at ends so they would not be put on the wrong way if a wheel was changed in the dark
1st gear was for setting off in a Minor 1000. I don't recall ever (or hardly ever) needing to change from 2nd to 1st.
The most beautiful bonnet ever designed
Hi steph herein New Zealand Morrie Minors were very popular with plumbers Nz Gas etc and of course Nzpost and telegraph they were imported as CKD by Dominion Motors.
1972 was an oil crisis petrol prices went.through the roof as is the case right now I stepped out of a 1972 Holden utility traded on an cancelled order to NZ post of a brand new 1100 Morris Minor vans which had been resprayed mustard yellow. it was so efficent and economical. Wonderful transport
Love the matching green 💚💚
Thank you. My fave coat and dress
My Grandfather drove a blue Minor van and pickup whilst he worked for Bristow Helicopters, going around gathering parts and tools, and always being on call to fix series Land Rovers, Massey Ferguson tractors and anything else vital to the flying schedule.💙🛻
People don’t always realise just how dependable these were 😭
Steph, you look great in the white go go boots. Thanks for sharing another awesome car review 😊👍
Thanks they’re new!
Hi Steph in the early 70’s I worked for a company that made riding hats and crash helmets in South Wales and every Wednesday I drove a mm van to our headquarters in Bow London.
I now own a 1955 splity and I love driving it.
Ah, makes me yearn for the days when Minors were so common on Britains roads. I had 3 of them, 2 saloons and a traveller JKD 3D, which I used for a couple of years as a daily driver and for camping holidays. One day the clutch went and I removed the gearbox and replaced the plate that evening and had it ready for work the following morning. Try doing that on a modern car. I remember using the starting handle to back me out of muddy camping fields, and putting the choke on, in gear, and pushing the car to get out of an ice covered car park with the wheels spinning on a fast tickover and then jumping in once it was moving! A brilliant car which I stupidly swapped for a clapped out Mk 1 Escort. Great video by the way, and what a fart that van made!
I feel like there’s still a lot left though which is encouraging.
Great video Steph! There is no other car that makes the sound of a trumpet like the Moggy does 😀
Hi Steph, The AUSTIN badge Version of this van is (Extremely Rare) I was told, by the owner of the one I helped Restore 5 years ago, ( A Video of the work is on my channel), it was a 1969 (G) reg in Dark Blue, and apparently one of only "7" that Survive, I loved working on it, as you say looked the same as the Morris except for a few small details, and I think you and any other enthusiasts will Love her, and appreciate the work both I and my Friend Gary did, if anyone is interested in taking a look, I enjoyed your video, brought back nice memories of long hours working on the Austin Version, such a lovely looking little van, which I remember seeing so many of as a child on the roads brand new, in the 1960-70's.
My first one was a '62 traveller then I got a '52 saloon then a '67 van and the last one a '60 saloon none of which I paid more than 25 quid for! Miss them all.
I've just bought a Morris Minor pickup to tinker with as I come up for retirement. My first car was a MM series 2, 49 years ago. 30 years ago I had a traveller now I've got what I've always wanted. So thanks for a great insite into the Van side of things.
Ear to ear grinmaker! I remember them fondly from my childhood in the early 1950s in Canada where Minors were frequently imported by Canadian Forces personnel returning 'from overseas'.
Ahh of course. Still a few over there
If they were right hand drive they would have been a "home market" model sold in Britain, if they were left hand drive they would have been "export" models sold in North America. Geeky fact, the original Morris Minor had the had the headlights down beside the grille ("low light") US regulations required headlights to be a certain distance up from the road so the raised headlights ("high light") style was initially introduced to cater for the US market. The Canadian regulations required improved tail lights for that market.
That certainly makes sense. I don't now (almost 70 years later) recall whether they were lhd or rhd. Might they have been purchased and used for a year or two in the UK, then converted to lhd there before being imported to Canada? I doubt they were bought new in Canada, especially given the few, almost non-existent, dealers at the time.
Beautiful green British landscape. Cute green Morris van. Stunning green jacket. You really have everything under control. So enjoyable. Greetings from a white, snowy Sweden.
Thank you! Keep warm x
Starts on the button, iconic sound what's not to like. Looking great steph
I drive a modern van with a bulkhead, sound deadening and all mod cons. It's still noisy. Great video, Steph - I'm slowly being converted into buying a Morris Minor, but still love my eighties cars!
I just love your moggie reviews and adventures. I live in Australia and I have a 1960 2 door saloon that I have just finished restoring. A 5 year project and I’m looking forward to many years of fun driving amongst rural Australia. Please make more videos going on Morris adventures.. just love them.
@simply excellent. Hope you do get very many years of fun and enjoyment out of your car mate 🙂
I've never seen a traveller in Victoria. I do know one came up for sale a fews ago.
The early Datsun Cherry also made that exhaust sound on the overrun. That was because it's engine was basically an A-series, carried over from when Nissan used to assemble Austin 1100s for the Japanese market.
They did the same with the Austin 7, decades earlier.
You know a moggie is Coming down the road a mile away, that exhaust note is wonderful.
Always loved the aesthetics of these. Usually, grafting a box on to half a car means the looks really suffer. This just works.
Great review!
Great van, lovely colour and fantastic condition. 👍I can’t remember when I last saw one of these. I love that you bring us vehicles we no longer often see on the roads, but that we’re once everywhere. Great memories.Fantastic review, so full of facts, but presented in a fun and interesting way.Your enthusiasm and passion for these classic vehicles is infectious. Yet again your retro clothing style fits so well with the vehicles you review. You always coloured coordinate. It’s like your Steph signature, to coordinate with the featured vehicle. Love it, very stylish as always. Have a great week, already looking forward to see what vehicle you bring us next week.
Aw Andrew what a lovely comment. Thank you!
@@idriveaclassic Steph, your channel is fantastic. It’s always been good. But your presentation has got better and better. I seriously think we need people like you, Ian from Hubnut, Matt from furious driving and Ed from twincam. On tv and presenting car review programmes. Perhaps a programme on affordable classics, with some more exotic classics, just to mix things up a bit.
TV is lacking a programme like that, presented by down to earth, common sense people like you. You would be a tv natural. You’re friendly, bubbly with a great knowledge, you’re always incredibly well researched. The hard work you put in behind your reviews is obvious from the detail and history of the vehicle being reviewed. Plus you have a genuine passion and enthusiasm that shines through. You have the likability factor that so many presenters on tv lack. They all look and sound exactly the same. They’re all interchangeable and boring. You have your own unique signature style and look that would make you stand out in a positive way. You’re retro outfits that are always incredibly stylish and match in with the vehicle being reviewed, sets you apart and is a fantastic signature look.
It’s great that you’re UA-cam channel is growing. Your presenting skills have always been good. But the last year or so, you’ve seemed to have just gotten better and better. You seem to have grown in confidence and it comes across. I really hope that 2024 is going to be a fantastic year for you personally and for your channel. I hope everything goes from strength to strength, you definitely deserve it.
@@andygreen1a I am print screening and saving this comment for the next time I feel a bit pants. Thank you xx
@@idriveaclassic Bless you Steph. The last 2 years I have been undergoing chemo and been quite I’ll with side effects. Yourchannel along with some of the others I mentioned, have been rays of sunshine. Really cheered me up, lifted my mood, provided great entertainment and brought back, through the cars featured, many happy memories of past times and also the people I have lost that had some of these cars. So to use your words. You have been a great help at times when I felt pants.
Last week, I found out that my treatment has worked and I’m back in remission. My partner Matt, who I met at the end of 2021, he lives in your general area, he’s in Dewsbury Yorkshire. Proposed to me at New Year in Malta. So I’m now on course for a great year and I sincerely hope that your year is also going to be fantastic too.👍❤️
Ahh Andrew I’m so sorry you’ve faced such tough times. Crossing my fingers this is your very best year yet. Take lots of photos ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for another great video, Steph. I was a young child living in Germany when the Morris Minor came out. There were a number of these in Germany along with DKWs, Borgwards, VWs, Fiats ,GoGomobils, Messerschmidts, Issettas and more expensive brands. I always liked the look of the Minor. Also, many Europeans in the 50's drove motorcycles instead of cars because they were a cheaper way to get around. Those were great days.
I absolutely love Minor vans, my Dad had one when I was very little in the late 70s, I think that was ex GPO, always had a soft spot for them, I'll never forget that parp when changing gear!.
You can tell you have the knowledge on these Steph, good stuff, really enjoyed it.
Oh and I'm not going to be the first to say this... Love the outfit, you look fantastic!.
It's that unmistakable grown from the exhaust, makes it unique. Thanks Steph.
Forget about anything else Steph! I love you're Morris Minors!
When I was an apprentice in the 70's, these were a common vehicle in Post Office Telephones. Had a lovely ripping noise from the exhaust. One creative colleague put an Austin Healey Sprite carb on his, went like the clappers! Happy days.
When I was 17 I worked in a workshop learning how to service a motley collection of vans, for a building contractor who had a policy of buying ex fleet vans at auction. One day I had to go to Southampton (on the 47 bus) to collect a Minor van. As I left the auction I just accelerated a little and it immediately did a 360 spin, it was a wide road and quiet so no accident, but I found that on any bend or under any acceleration the back end would let go. I started to rather enjoy this and learned a lot in the 15 mile drive about low speed oversteer and felt like Stirling Moss as I drifted round bends at 10 mph. It must have looked very odd to anyone following. Subsequently we found that it had been fitted with enormously hard springs and oversize offroad rear tyres, and it was a bit better after these were changed but it was still lethal in the wet. We had several and most were well behaved and certainly reliable - I loved them.
Poor vehicles like that had a hard life. Amazing that it has survived in driveable shape. Good info as usual. Rock those amazing white boots!
Brian loves that van, his O/H has a lovely saloon, and he has a cracking rover 600 as well
Nice to see that van on IDAC
Hello Stef! Like you, I love Morris Minors; I have had two: a 1957 948cc 4-door and a 1962 1098cc two door. I might have mentioned this before (please excuse me if I have - I'm getting old!) - in 1972 I covered some 16000 miles in four months in the 2-door, touring Britain and Western Europe. What a car - totally reliable and extremely economical (up to 50 mpg)!
As regards the van, I seem to remember that, in my vast collection of Dinky Toys and Corgi Toys, I had an MM van. It might have been the pickup, though - I seem to remember a removable metal canopy. One of my biggest regrets disposing of that collection, when we left UK for South Africa. Oh, well...
Continue to take care and, please, to provide these wonderful videos. Best wishes, Colin.
Your a snappy dresser with that matching green coat😎
Just love your outfit!👍[and the van] Seems a better bet than a Traveler - you can fit windows and rear seats and non of that rotten wood!
My traveller went rotten. Awfully sad.
Nice post. My dad and I each had ex GPO vans (both 1965 C reg), I had mine from March 1972 for a year, until the gearbox went, my dad had his for 2 1/2 years until lat 1974.. I've owned an F reg (1968) Traveller in Trafalgar Blue since 2010. Still a great little car.
Ahh, my first car was an ex GPO van, I didn't know that fact about the rear door hooks which it had. I hand painted it in council lamp post green and fit a vinyl roof over the front cab. I paid £20 for it, I wish I still had it. I seem to remember that the passenger seat folded over twice. Great review that brought back memories.
It’s such a geeky fact on my part but I love it
My Brother in law (at the time) had one for work in that very same green. I think his was a 'G' reg. I have never loved the sound of any other road going car exhaust more than the minor. Thanks for bringing back some good memories for me Steph.
The old moggie had a very distinctive rasping engine noise when changing gears.
You hear a moggie on the approach 200yrds away. I drove them when working for the post office 1975. We emptied the phone boxes of their cash around the area. Driving a moggie or mini van. Enjoyable video, thank you.
It was " low line" not " low life",
And thank you very much for reviewing the best little van ever, I've had two in my life over many years, and since had some very nice classics, but frankly I'd have a mint Moggy van anytime, they're just brilliant !!!
Sorry if I wasn’t clear, I said low light ☺️
Hi Stephanie - I always see a Bright Yellow Morris Van that is run by our local community Drogerie in Steinhausen, Switzerland and I can't be certain if it is left or right hand drive, but it always reminds me of growing up in London and seeing the odd Traveller or Convertible running around in the 1970's.
Excellent, I was an apprentice with Post Office Telecommunications, later to be BT. Remember travelling around in Morris vans, happy memories.
Another cool video, Steph! That's a great little van, love the sound from that side exhaust. And fully agree with all your thoughts about changes being made to vintage vehicles. There is a line to be drawn as far as going too far and taking away from the character and personality in owning one. Go too far, and what's the point, really? Just buy something new! Always looking forward to your next vid!
Best, Lou
Great video thank you Lovely - really enjoyed all those Moggie facts. I LOVE Morris Minors, I grew up with them so many great childhood memories. (My second ever classic van was an A35 though!). May I say too that you are looking especially fabulous in this vid, gorgeous outfit and those boots are the BEST!
Morris Minors are fantastic.
My Father had a tan van in the mid 1950s.
I can remember going around Wales and Shropshire in the back standing up looking at the road as a toddler wrapped up against Winter as the van was unlined. I dont know where my sister sat
I used to work in the same place as Ray Newell of the MMOC, also an author of several books about the Morris Minor. His office walls were plastered with pictures of Morris Minors. Strangely enough, the largest and most prominent one was a period photo of an Oxford MO.
I’ve known Ray for years ☺️
@@idriveaclassic After the new shape Oxford came out, the MO series Oxford was often known as the 'big Morris Minor' to distinguish it.
Talking about fitting different seats, back in the day we used to swop mini seats with 1100 seats, bit of fiddling but they were so nicer to sit in compared to the old early mini seats🙂
What a great van
Thanks for watching!
In 1966, I acquired a 1961 ex-GPO mail van with an 803cc engine. Safe way to learn to drive . . .
"Right, then! Let's go on an adventure!" I love your videos :)
The Morris Minor is a much loved car in New Zealand.
Got a thrill hearing you rowing thruogh the gears as you climbed that first hill. So glad it is so loud inside. Seems like a wonderful drive.
This must be one of your best reviews so far, your knowledge and enthusiasm shines though. I also love the colour coordination you always seem to to have just the right dress for the ocation.
PS you should use that grate fraze, " lets go on an adventure " as you cache fraze. just magic.
Thank you so much Russell!
I learned to drive in a H reg Morris pick up , even by the late Seventies there was considerable rot in chassis rail tops , spring hangers and wings etc , which we had to weld up so that we could use it for delivery work , going by that rate of corrosionit it's remarkable that any survive .
I used to drive one for a firm in the 70's and do deliveries to customers of bulky items. It was very nippy in those days compared to many other vans !
Reminds me of one that the local farmer ran when I was a kid. It was used to deliver bottles of milk each day (except Sundays). Empty glass bottles were taken back to the farm for reuse as well.
My dad worked for GPO and bought one of their vans they were replacing. He made a wooden back seat for us kids. He later also had a saloon and a traveller. I have always had a soft spot for them but the nearest thing I've owned was a 1960 Riley 1.5.
You are clearly so enthusiastic - it's clear you're a fan - and I can see why! What a lovely little van!
That was a great video. I had a couple of Minor 1000 saloons but my dad bought a new Austin badged minor van in 1967. It had the Austin badge on the front of the bonnet and an "A" on the steering wheel horn, but the two little rubber overriders(?) with the reflectors on the rear of the van still had a letter "M" just like the Morris vans.
Interesting to see on the door pillars the pressed mountings still for the now discontinued semaphore signals.
"Thank You, Steph !" . . . . . . "Keep on Motoring in your own ex-Government Morris Minor !" You do have such a really lovely style presenting your videos & yes your Fashion Sense matching the rare Morris Minor Van with the same colour dress is simply spot on !
"Keep On Doing . . . . . .What YOU do so well !" as I love to watch your Videos !
Take Care, Steph !
Roger.
You really suit the Moggy van in your lovely outfit, I do like green 💚
I remember the seatbelt law coming in, I was 8 years old lol 😆
Hi Steph another great video! A couple of odd facts about the Vans and Pickups, they were built on a separate chassis, hence the seats are higher up than the saloons which were monocoque. Also, the first of the GPO vans in the 50's had Rubber front wings, as had the Z type before them.
Thanks for the video, I learnt to drive in one of these, it never let me down. Your looking good
Oh really! That’s cool!
@@idriveaclassic I remember my dad sticking an L plate on the back door.
Lovely Lil truck , and you can nod off in the back , what fun!
I love Minor Vans! I prefer them to the much loved Traveller! I think its because, when I was a kid, the roads were utterly full of red Post Office vans, so its a bit nostalgic! But I love the styling with the squarish van body just shoved against the front half of the Minor saloon!
I love it too! Why didn’t I buy one when they were cheaper
My first 4 wheel transport was a moggy 1000 pickup in green, great little vehicle …. My dad had a brand new grey one (van) in the 60’s as a run around👌🏻😎
Funny to think that back in the late 70s my uncle bought one of these secondhand, it was an H reg, red in colour, and was used as a builders van, rocks and bags of cement chucked in the back, doors booted shut, around 1981 it broke down, scrap yard then didn't want it, so he left it up in a farmers field, dumped, as was not uncommon back then..
Worthless at the time, but it was by then a 12 year old ex post office and then ex builders van.
Because people demand new vehicles and want to be seen in the latest car's, plus cost to repair outweigh it's value they get dumped.
And are now only worth money because so many were scrapped, so they now look kind of different
Yep, they were all over the place at one time a great vid Steph.
Thanks Vince!
As a kid i used to bounce around in the back of an ex GPO van. I remember collecting my German exchange partner from Piccadilly station and forcing him into the back with me. Imagine my horror one year later when I was collected from their local station by the Fraue's BMW, the families second car ! Still want one ( Moggy van that is ) x
1969 on the Wellington NZ wharfs, an 8 year old me was amazed at seeing what must have been over 50 white Morris Minor vans. They must have been for some big business or Govt, order !!
Does anyone else play the same game as I do with road-test videos such as Steph's? Trying to work out from the scenery and glimpses of road signs whereabouts it was filmed? I spotted a sign for Barnard Castle at one point in this one; until then I'd guessed at somewhere around the Settle or upper Wharfedale area, but it's actually a bit further north. OK, is that too geeky?
Great video and very informative, Steph. Lovely van that. I've only made it as far as seatbelts so far, but wanted to comment about the mounts. They were made standard in 1961 for a very simple reason: Seatbelt mounts were mandated in the US on cars built towards the end of 1960, so about when 1961 production began. Makes sense that the Minor had the mounts made standard no matter which market a car was made for, as there were hidden structural reinforcements added to provide sufficient strength for the mounts. The Morris Minor was one of the British cars that sold in somewhat respectable numbers on this side of the pond. Morris wasn't about to walk away from what was a fairly lucrative market.
The noise inside is, as you say, quite loud. I don't know if that is stock or not, but the location of the exhaust outlet is not helping. The van would be much quieter with the exhaust going straight out the back as it does on the other body styles.
Interesting that the van has 78 cubic feet of cargo space. That is only about 1.5 cubic feet more than a Volvo 145 from 67 onwards, but the Volvo does that with a full sized spare wheel inside as well as the rear seat in place but folded down. I realize the Volvo is a larger car and with its 1.8 litre 4 cylinder it is in a different engine class, so something of an apples to oranges comparison.
I remember my mum's 1960 2-door Moggie couldn't have seat belts fitted. My dad enquired when he bought the car second-hand for my mum when she passed her test in 1966, and was told that both the B pillars and the bodywork near the rear wheels were too weak to take seat belt mountings, so the car couldn't have conventional seat belts anchored at the top of the B pillar and couldn't even have those unwieldy "10-feet-long" belts that were anchored beside the rear seat. That aspect of the Moggie was lethal: the seats weren't locked to the floor as they are on modern 2-door cars, so even an emergency stop (without colliding with anything) would cause a rear-seat passenger to catapult a front seat passenger into the dashboard (been there, got the split lip and the bruise on my forehead from striking the metal dashboard).
Sounds as if mum's Moggie may have been one of the last that *couldn't* have seat belts if they became standard in 1961.
Great video. I have always liked moris minors. I must say your outfit looks great.
Thanks David!
The video was, as always, interesting, with lots of small details.
By the way, the scenery was great, too!
I thought I recognised that road, this and the Bentley video were filmed round by me in County Durham. I do love a Moggy too, don't care the variant, they're all just fab east to look after classics.
Yeah I don’t think I was too far from you
@@idriveaclassic Yeah Bishop Auckland is 10 mins from me and Barnard Castle about 25 mins. Now do you see what I mean about gorgeous countryside on my doorstep?
"Sidepipe" like the Citroën 2CV AK and AZU. Love it. Actually I though it was so cool, that I fitted it to my regular 2CV 😃
my grandad drove one for the post office in rural Devon and said they were the best vans they ever had around the lanes. I remember him telling me about them trying mini vans which didn't go to well they were not grate for getting in and out of farm yards
Love the van! Temp gauge bracket looks like a knee slicer though.
I love the sheep grazing in the background 😊
The good old Moggy Van. The company I worked for in the late 60s had a small fleet of four of these and a couple of mk1 Transits. I learnt to drive in one of these little vans and drove one two or three days a week as a service engineer spending the rest of the week on workshop repairs on Radios and TVs that couldn't be fixed in the customers homes. Happy days. A simple straightforward vehicle to drive. We had ine the was really smelly inside and we never worked out why. It made sure you were never late for work though as it was last one in got the pongmobile. 🤣
absolutely ace. the van, the video, the presenter AND the clothes. Thankyou Steph
Lovely van lovely color and a sweet stubborn Speedo lovely.
One of the best classic cars on the road today. My choice would be the saloon version,since that what I learned to drive in and pass my test.
Darn cute lil van with those old-school front fenders (wings).
American styling was all the rage in the late '40s.
Any one else remember around 1963 travelling to and from Coton House to attend dances at the Earl Shillton Co-Op Hall. Or leaving Rugby after closing often with ten or so chaps on board heading for the M1 Watford Gap service station ? Things you do when young.
I remember leaving Rugby.
I'll go back one day...
I love a Moggy. A great informative video as always Steph.👍
Another great video from Steph! Always brightens my day and I know I’m going to learn a lot while being entertained!
Great little review Steph, do enjoy a review on a Morris Minor, it simply is a iconic little car.
Terrific video, Morris Minors and vans in the same show. My first car was 2 Morris Minors bought for £35 the pair (one bad body and good engine , one good body, bad engine) and a weekend of tinkering. I fell in love with vans when I worked for a BL dealership in the 70's and sometimes had to use their Marina vans or their Sherpa, and although I was used to driving the Marina saloon, I much preferred the van and have loved driving vans ever since. For some weird reason I always feel more relaxed in a van.
Today as a gardener, I'm lucky enough to have the perfect excuse for owning a van, all be it a modern one, but if ever I get the chance then my first classic will probably be a van of some description from the BMC/BL range.
My father's very first 'real' car (he previously had a Bubble car) was a Morris Minor Van and he said it was one of the best cars he ever owned, way more reliable than his later Singer Gazelle.
I remember going with my dad delivering these brand new to a bread making company ..Christ I feel old 😁
Another great video from a top presenter…thank you for putting this together.
I like it when you match the cars you review...
Nice one Steph love the boots my dad brought a moggy in the early eighties for mum we took it apart but it was to rotten where my tinkering started I was only 5 or 6 lol I think it was sold on for parts
Ahh so many lost to the spare parts bin
Hello Steph,
19:24 , well they might have done a good job on the gearbox..just that they forgot to screw on the speedo cable...😁
I love the outfits, and the slimline look...
Cordialement,
Indeed, I have noticed quite a few low mileage classic cars have this problem!
So I was so into the drive and feeling my way through the box that I didn’t even clock the speedo until I came home to edit. Whoops.
So there we have it, the most quintessential British car of the mid century. Would love to have the convertible version even now...