Driven: Morris Minor 1000 Traveller - Definitely Wood! 

I was a Postman back in the 60s Ian and used to drive the Morris Minor vans,your video brings back a lot of memories,thanks a lot. Regards Bob Gregory

They always make me think of District Nurses! - Like Gladys Emanuel!

This is wonderful! Brings back a very important part of my childhood. Our second Traveller, 210 MEH, was the same colour. We used to drive from Staffordshire down my Grannie’s in Epsom overnight twice a year. We got carried downstairs late at night - I clearly remember the crunch of the gravel on the driveway just before I was laid into the back next to my brother and sister. The journey took absolutely ages in the early 60s. You can’t have anybody æying asleep in the back of a car any more. Lad, the dog, sat next to the front passenger, with his nose just below the quarterlight, enjoying the breeze. Ours had traficators, I remember that sound. The windscreen washer - well, there wasn’t one. The old man always filled a Quix bottle with soapy water and would lean out of the side door window and squirt it at the screen when visibility diminished. He sanded the woodwork every other year to revarnish it. We also drove an earlier one along the A5 to our caravan at Blackrock Sands, so we drove through your lovely neck of the woods, too. Well almost. The back seat of the Traveller had a particularly good bounce to it, I remember. We used to hop up and down on our way up to Derbyshire, without seatbelts. An uncle of mine - no names no pack drill - was an economist and a director at BL. He had the very last traveller, white it was, with the number JOY 42. I believe it went to the Heritage Collection.

Our family car in the early 70's was a 1966 Minor 1000. I remember driving it on my own on a long journey down the A30 to Cornwall. Most cars that I'd driven around that time had the leaf spring rear suspension with things like lever arm dampers. I was impressed at how quickly the car could be driven on a journey, and without working too hard. As you say, the rack and pinion steering was good, and direct. The rear suspension never gave me any problems, just a little bit of axle tramp when really pushing it through corners. A very long production life...., quite easy to understand why.

Awww man! You missed the opportunity to do a throttle off/over-run on the drive-by at the end of the vid. That's when the Moggie does its best party trick with the fantastic exhaust 'parp'. Regarding the main-beam switch, I always found the position to be just right for my size 9 shoe and tended to use the switch as the default resting place for my left foot. Really enjoyed this little film Ian.

You forgot to mention the ,Starting Handle",flat battery ,no problem,just get the starting handle and keep your thumbs out the way.......As i sat and watched the video,i could remember the smell of the interior,and the wonderful exhaust note prodused.You just made an old man ,very,very happy. Thanks Ian :)

Lancaster Insurance for all your WWII bomber needs.

An absolutely iconic and brilliant design, so many memories of family journeys in them,. Thank You 🙂.

Lovely little car. It's the complete package. Original and unrestored. What more could one want.

Thank you thank you thank you for making this video Ian! My only classic car is my 1960 4-door saloon and I love it to bits... literally. I need to get on with digging the rust out and get her back on the road! The Australian cars were CKD and assembled here with a bit of local content. The only major difference is the heaters didn't sell as well here. As for old Alec, I think he's best summed up by his quote "The public don't know what they want; it's my job to tell them. "

The proportions of the Morris Minor Traveller are just beautiful

I got a ‘65 four door saloon. Love the Lucas emergency kit, what a find! I remember piling the back of one of these travellers when I was a nipper, with about 5 other kids and a bulldog called Minnie. We were being taken to the local park to play football, a short drive - but by the time we got there we were covered in dog slobber! Great memories. My dad hired one for a trip when I was very young. I still have a photo of that. The moggy was the first car I ever drove. Always wanted one since, but finally bought our 4 door saloon “Maisie” about 18 months ago. We just love it😊

Hi ian just knocked on the door of 68 so I learned (self) in the fields of our farm it was a van same setup as a traveller and pickup...I then passed my test in said vehicle ...it was a amazing workhorse carrying sheep .hay bales.dogs..feed..and it once carried a a lister diesel lighting plant engine would suspect a tad heavy for moggie.😯😊..cheers from dave..

I may be weird but this is The British car I want most. Not an Aston,rolls, Jag. No I want a silly little timber framed traveler.

Oh! Thats just brought back so many memories.I had a Morris Thousand Traveller in the 70's bought from my uncle for £50.Happy,Happy,Happy day's. Thank you so much :)

Supposed to be doing some work, but instead watching some guy drive an old car around. Lovely sounds and I can imagine the smells, not really my cup of tea but I am myself of a vintage where these were still common sites and friends mums sometimes had one in the 70’s it also brings back memories. Loved the backdrop of solar panels. What amazes me how so many people cared for this car over the years so it’s still here, works and looks great. (Secretly I do like these) 🤪

I can remember the smell of these. My dad had a Minor van, painted in Hammerite gold!

Such a fun little car. The speed it starts is unreal - no modern car starts that instantly! The little A series should be in the top ten best engines ever

Charming little cars. I love the noises these things make. Condition of that one is perfect

Ian, I wished that they made these cars again.... it has character in stead of the modern ( boring ) cars of today!

Nothing like the sound of an 'A' series being cranked from cold by the starter motor, or the distinctive Minor rasp from the exhaust on overrun!

a friend of mine bought one of these with the wood rotten and he replaced the wood with a window frame which was cut/trimmed you wouldn't of known it was a window frame,happy times :)

My dad had one of these when I was a baby. Don't remember much about it, he replaced it with an Oxford Traveller in 1964, but he always spoke about how it went everywhere with the family in it.

Happy times, Ian. My Auntie Diane had one too. Many, many happy memories of of the mid 70's pestering my Dad to take me to Uncle Charlie's house so I could see the Traveller. HAPPY DAYS. BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES. Thank you for a fantastic nostalgic video that took me on a trip down a very, very pleasant memory lane.

Exactly the same as my uncles, his had the glove box lid that was made of armour plate and held by a weak magnet! His speedo needle would dither accompanied by a slight squeek, slowly it got worse until one day it went from zero to flat out several times with the eek! eek! eek! as it bounced from stop to stop , the needle then decided enough was enough and dropped off! Happy days.

The way the Minor went from old banger in the 1980s to legitimate classic in the 1990s is quite an extraordinary story (in 1990 the youngest Minors were only 19 years old and many were still being used as cheap clapped out used cars, like first generation Ford Ka's today), its a real shame that the same didn't happen for other 1960s cars and certainly 1970s cars until it was nearly too late.

Had a 1968 Morris 1000 van which was great fun and I still miss it.

Oh I miss my 71 woody so much this brought back so many great memories. Buy it Ian....

Ah, collapsing front suspension cars - I remember it well:-) . The grease gun was definitely your friend with these vehicles. This and a very simple tool box was all you needed for years of (slightly troubled) motoring at very minimal cost because you never really needed the help of a proper garage they were so easy to fix. Brilliant.

Great car - great cars - the Minor was genuinely mourned when production ceased.

I took my driving test in my Mother's 1959 Minor 1000 convertible, failed as the handbrake wouldn't hold for the hill start. Passed the test using my Dad's Jaguar MK2 3.4 later the same day. This at the age of 16 in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)..happy days.

Sod yer Ferraris, come the lottery win, I want a Morris Minor Traveller. Does any sane and sensible person really need more than this? Issigonis really designed the templates for all future cars. Love the patina of age and life of this Traveller.

My first car back in '77,same colour and battery charger too! Mine was a '69 so more power and orange flashers. My wife (then girlfriend) passed her test in it and the examiner was most impressed with her explanation of the straight cut first gear and not slamming it into gear at junctions.Funny thing I remember is the brakes coming on when changing gear,easy fix,brake ad clutch on same shaft so take 'em out,clean and grease,job done! Great vid.Grease those trunnions!

I thought these were very rubbish until a friend bought a traveler and took me for a ride in one. I said to my self "I will own one before i die" Its still on my bucket list

My auntie Ruth (sister of my mother Gladys) had a 1961 2 door 1000 sedan in the same colour. She loved it, especially the pretty little green light on the end of the trafficator stalk. She learned to drive late in life and it was her first car. I remember sitting in the back seat while my father took her for driving lessons in it. Like it was yesterday, well, not yesterday really but fresh in my memory anyway. Great car.

This is a flashback to 1971 when my I went to Wales with my mother and Aunt. My cousin in Swansea drove us all over in his Traveller. I was 16 and I thought it was wonderful. My cousin thought it was too old and was planning to get another car. I loved it

Aw man that was brilliant. Had a Brace of Minors in the '90s including a saloon from the same year as this one. Same wipers and oddball lights. Also had a Traveller of 1970 vintage which enjoyed the much better 1098cc motor. 70 mph cruising was possible! But you took sharp bends carefully in a Traveller as the car was aluminium from the front doors back, including the roof. Way too light for high speed cornering. A journalist testing a Minor (it could have been in Practical Classics!) once described the sound of the Morris Minor as "a fruity fart." Sums it up perfectly. Anyway, friend, thanks again for great entertainment.

The car of choice for jaded 80's secondary school teachers up and down the land.

I had a 1958 Morris Minor wagon in 1963. A light blue as your one. I now have a 1967 ,1098 cc ,white two door! Much love for the Morris Minor!

I have a 1963 Minor which has the pull start. Puts smiles on my face every time I drive it 🙂

Absolutely beautiful this is my favourite car that you have featured on this channel, So thank you for that

I tell you I’ve seen many a Morris minor in the outside lane of a motorway , overtaking other traffic.

The very first Morris Minor I ever saw was owned by a college professor in Ohio, who purchased it from one of his friends who'd been a medic in WW II. The car had no back seat, just an open area for a stretcher. It had been modified to be an ambulance and it had the original dark red leather upholstery to hide blood stains. It was a dark grey and still had the metal mountings over the headlights and taillights that were slits, allowing only limited light so they could not be easily detected by German war planes. I distinctly remember my high school friend starting it up: he turned the ignition switch and there was a distinct "tick-tick-tick-tick" of an early fuel pump, then the engine would start. There was an emerald green light at the end of the turn signal and the engine still ran perfectly. I loved this car and never forgot it, thanks for this vid.

I had one of those at age 16 and did a valve grind with hand lapping tool. I purchased it from my brother-in-law with leaky fuel tank for $50.00 Canadian in 1968.It was not a traveler but a hard-top car.Dont remember for sure but I think it was a 2dr.Easy for a kid to work on.The one you have there has the stearing on the wrong side for me!!! CHEERS

That's a proper car.

Hi Ian, my mate Mervyn, now living in USA, had one in 1967, we used to go to college in Cheshire as apprentices. We got to work one day a bit late, doing 60mph!! on a dual carriage way, stopped to clock on and the drivers side front wheel and suspension upright fell flat on the ground!!! Seems only the Gyroscopic effect had kept the wheel upright until we stopped ,Trunnion pin snapped.. Front suspension used on the Marina, I had a 1.8TC later on in 70's, terrible back axle tramp trying win traffic light granprix's. Tecalemit supply garage equipment. Thanks for videos etc.

Hi great car we had one, it managed the Welsh hills very well. So easy to work on good fun in the bends. It went out on many a break down call, stuffed with tools, trolley jack spears. Never a complaint from the little beast.

Marvellous indeed. Happy memories for me too, my dad's first proper car. Long live the HubNut!

Tecalemit sell/rent garage equipment and consumables. Still going, based in Plymouth. That 'Tel-U-Log' on top of the dash is a thing of wonder, you used it to keep a log of miles covered/fuel used and you could use it to work out your MPG I believe. My great-grandfather had one on the dash of the Ford Prefect he was driving right up to his death in 1973.

Went to the London to Brighton run once as a passenger in a side valve saloon one. Great bit of engineering.

Deep Joy! My Auntie Joan had a green Traveller with red interior. We had many happy trips from her home in Quinton to places like Twycross Zoo with my brother during the 70's. And yes, that smell and sound! Wonderful memories.

One of THE great 70s cars. This channel is taking me back.

Tecalemit is a filter company and that sticker on the dash seems to be an oil change sticker showing the mileage when the oil was changed and the part number of the filter used.

Great video. I'm not a huge Moggy fan but it deserves to be loved.It is after all, a British institution. The interior looks fantastic. I have a friend who owns no fewer than three buses (Two Bristols and a London Routemaster) and they are all in 'hub nut' condition,especially the Routemaster. And that always goes down well with enthusiasts,not so much with the purists,who want everything 'just so.'

LOL, I'm shedding tears watching this! My happiest ever motoring experiences were gained while driving Minors. This was a car that really did the business on the motorway as well - very stable - and made short work of long journeys. I prefer this car to any other modern car. XXXXXX to the Minor!

Love the sound of this car, brings me back to my youth, thank you for sharing with us

the minor is a great car there are a few here in Alaska say you need to find a Hillman Husky to test when I was very young in the 60s our family had two mark 1 estate's maybe that's where I got my love for British cars.

Tecalimit was the oil filter brand back in the day. That little sticker was probably a means to record the next oil change.

Thanks Mrs Cole use to pick up from school with her daughters in one of these back in the 70s, she's one of the nicest ladies you could ever meet.

I remember when Bluecol anti-freeze was a thing, along with castrol gtx in metal cans. Great seeing you in a car that hold so many memories for you. My equivalent would be an Austin 1300, J reg. That was the car my dad had when i was a kid, many memories of road trips in it. Hope to one day see you featuring one on this channel. But i also remember the traveller, my local corner shop had a red one that they used for various shop related duties.

The design of the loading area being so level and easy access to out of sight storage area underneath beats most modern cars, though Peugeot having the spare stored outside under the boot I thought very ingenious.

My dad had one the wood went rotten .He was told it is a specialist job but he managed to do it on his own on the the road outside the house

In the 70s I used to driven in a yellow post office van it was restricted by gpo engineers with a plate under carb which was taken off by my tech officer,which was replaced by said engineers when in for service!,Cheers Mr hubnut.

Oh how wonderful. It was that little green light on the indicator stalk that brought the memories flooding back. My father had a saloon version, 1965 model... with no first gear or reverse. Nevertheless it still managed to take both my parents, me, and my friend up from London to Windermere dragging a 12' sailing dinghy behind on a trailer. Never tried to go over Hard Knot Pass with it though LOL. A neighbour had the woody version and it was remarkably accomodating, she very kindly collected myfirst vehicle, a little Honda 50, and it fittedin the back with room to spare. As you say HubNut... MARVELOUS. :-)

Ah one of them sounds that is missing from the roads, the first gear whine of a Minor and a Mini are certainly a memorable sound... :)

My great grandfather worked on the press for the bonnets

I really love the look of these cars. My friend's dad restored a 1930s Morris Minor and they are vastly different!

ive just discovered your channel and its brilliant ,My late grandad had 2 moggies and i remember he used to pick me up from primary school in salford and take me to my auntie and uncle farm in north wales this was in the mid 70"s before the motorway was built,We went down the old coast road, happy days

My dream car

That Traveller's colour is "Smoke Grey", which is actually a blue ish colour.

Dad had one of the first 1098 Travellers from new in late 1962. It had the same trim and was in Almond Green. He kept it for eight years. Your video brings back a lot of memories.

0:22......that starter motor sound !!! Love it !! 👍👍👍👍

Tecalemit is a company up the road from me in plymouth that make garage equipment. There is also another company with the same name in sheffield that do fluids and oils. Either could relate to that sticker I guess.

Merely cements my desire to own a Traveller one day, sadly the prices make me cry...

Delightful car! Always loved the Moggy Woody and few cars have so much character!

Ah memories, my poppy had one of these when I was really young and all your descriptions bring back heady days of car boot sales and least not forget mould on the inside windows lol. Brilliant.

A shelf where you don't have to take everything out to get to the spare wheel? Chris Goffey and William Woollard would be impressed.

Think the little grey plastic thing on top of dash was some kind of MPG Calculator, remember my father having one but think it had limited success. Used to love the popping from the exhaust on over run.

Oh that was wonderful, such a familiar sight and sound when I was a child and in my small road at the time least two neighbours owned one (one in the same delicious blue). The floor dip switch reminds me of my late dad's first car a 1966 D reg Morris Mini-Minor which had the same facility.

A super review Ian, of a lovely car. I'm very fond of my 1961 saloon. She is used throughout the year and never ever lets me down. Thanks again for a great channel.

Gotta love a Minor. I think Tecalemit manufactured lifts for garages.

30 shillings including purchase tax - Bargain! Love the Traveller. My parents and my cousin both had one.

Great to see a video from a proper enthusiast. The way you describe your memories of cars and the way you can see something interesting in almost any old car I totally understand. Thank you Hub Nut 👍

Having a rough day, and then this video came up as a recommendation. I’m so glad it did! What a lovely car and clearly fond memories flooding back for Ian. Great stuff 👍

Lovely old thing. I bet you didn't want to give it back!

I had a salon many years ago, the reg was 983 gbh wish I'd kept it , 😁👍

I love these! I have memories of being in the back of my Dad's Morris Minor going over Clifton Suspension Bridge in the early 70's. I love how they sound, a nice soft base tone.

By far the best tribute to the Moggy Minor I've ever seen. Sir HubNut - the Arthur Negus of old motors!

I really remember the sound the exaust could produce, when comming to a eg cross street, and you engine braked.

A Madness song comes to mind I am driving in my car its not quite a Jaguar!

My first car was an 12 years old 1955 Moggy Traveller, I learnt so much about car mechanics! 35mpg, 150 miles to the pint of oil!. No heater. No radio, Crossply tyres. NO screen wash, no seatbelts. Braking by appointment. Once re-engined it was a decent car and lived on for another 10 years in other hands. When I was 10 my teacher had one, and we went on a school trip to Stonehenge, one in the front, three in the rear seats and two more in the luggage area. Risk assess that!

Absolutely love these. I used to look after a 1968 1098cc traveller for a Ford salesman friend way back. His dog would refuse to get into any demonstrator he had, usually a Sierra. But the Moggie, he couldn't scramble into it quick enough.

It's hard to say what replaced the Minor - the 1100 had been around for years. I think the Marina was probably closest and unfortunately shared the front suspension which simply wasn't up to the job in the Marina.

the horn on the minor goes beep beep beep!

I smiled from ear to ear when I heard that engine.My dad had one when I was a kid.We used to go camping so it was perfect.Ours had "ears" as indicators.When we went to Wales one time they were everywhere,thousands of em. They chugged up the hills like tanks.Great to see it,think ours was darker colour.I still know the reg,it was 84PO .

Stunning! As you say, patina like that is precious beyond mere money. When its gone it cannot be recreated. Definitely more of this content when the opportunities arise. Love the sliding bolts for location of the rear seat back. Just like the Triumph Herald.

SIr Alec (not Mr) was British Greek rather than turkish and he and his parents were British citizens

Tecalemit, or however it's spelled, made lubrication equipment and the like I think.

Beloved old cars, perfect in their imperfections.

Deliciously imperfect sums that car up beautifully! I would love to own it, exactly as it is now! That whine in first is wonderful! Probably my favourite ‘driven’ video yet. Thankyou😁