1954 Morris Minor 1.1 from UK and Ireland
Summary:
They don't make them like that any more - thank goodness!
Faults:
The gearbox failed soon after I bought the car, and the replacement didn't last long either; that was when I gave the car to a policeman outside Portsmouth dockyard, rather than pay to have it towed away.
Clutch pivot fell out due to worn engine mountings. Actually I got a good driving lesson from this, I was in Sevenoaks, Kent on my way back to my ship in Portsmouth. Because I couldn't release the clutch, I had to anticipate traffic and try to maintain a steady speed in top gear as best I could - it did wonders for the fuel economy!.
General Comments:
My first car, much recommended by my family and their friends. I wish I hadn't listened to them, it was a dreadful car, out of date when it was made in 1954, never mind 20 years later.
The previous owner had fitted a later 1100 engine in place of the original 803cc powerhouse. I doubt if it could have got out of its own way with the 803 engine; it was a slug even with the new engine.
Unfortunately the 1100 engine needed the matching gearbox, the first motion shaft is too short on both the 803 and 948cc 'boxes. I didn't know that at the time and it ate both gearboxes in about 2000 miles, (I'm guessing at the miles as the speedometer didn't work with the later gearbox either).
Any speed much over 50mph was horrendously noisy.
The tiny wipers on the divided windscreen made driving in rain a nightmare.
It was uncomfortable even for a 19 year old.
The boot was ridiculously tiny, although the rear seat back would fold down to make plenty of room at the cost of making it a 2 seater.
The brakes hardly matched its inadequate performance, nor did its roadholding.
The fuel consumption was poor for such a small slow car, around 30mpg.
I travelled in other Minors later than mine, and I didn't think much of them either. Why they are such a popular car at classic shows defeats me.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 20th November, 2011
27th Jan 2016, 14:51
The 803cc Series II Morris Minor is a highly durable car which I am using daily. The car was purchased by my father in 1960 - he was a veterinary surgeon and so am I. My dad used it daily for work in almost rough terrain. The engine is still standard It was first registered in 1956; believe me for 60 years old the car is excellent working order, despite my poor or shoddy maintenance. The only major problem I had was with the petrol pump.
The milometer stands at 83000 odd miles and it has not been working from the day I remember, and I am 46 years old (it must have done at least the double the distance).
The Series II in my opinion is the best car of the Morris Minor range. My dad never ran the car at more than 40 miles/hour.