Im 62 now, but back in the late 70s early eighties in New Zealand ,my twin brother and i had the use of our mums morrie, we used to take it everwhere which included taking our Girlfriends out in it😉, to also hunting possums with a spotlight at night in it with our 22 cal rifles. Yes this cars brings back real good memories 😊
As a Morris Minor (1098cc) owner, i can say that they are the one of (if not) the single greatest British car i have ever had the pleasure of owning. My car is currently structurally compromised at the moment, but hopefully that will change within the next few months
Stirling Moss had one of these. Some of the early models had leather semi bucket seats so you were more securely located in the seat. Apparently because it was fun to drive he got stopped by the police a few times for over exuberant driving, probably drifting round bends in the road.
At one stage, I owned 5 assorted Jaguars, two Toyotas, and a Morris Minor Series II. The Morris was my favourite! Driving it in the remote Australian outback, at night, it "failed to proceed". By torchlight, I traced the problem to the distributor: the points bearing had worn away enough where it was shorting to the distributor body. It took me less than 10 minutes to cut an annular shim from the bottom of a plastic cup, and install it below the pivot of the points. It stayed like until I sold it 30 years later! Utterly reliable, if you follow the recommended servicing in the owner's manual. 850cc of brute power!
I guess you Brits are still very grateful to your wonderful "lady", the saleswoman, "the Prime Minister" from 1979 to 1990 for completely ruining your automotive industry, as well as the rest of the major sectors of the British economy.
What a lovely example of a Minor Nancy is! So much rubbish is talked about these cars. I have driven a traveller many times (alas, it is not mine), and it trundles along beautifully! To be fair, it has a 5 speed gearbox, which means it can bowl along at 60 really easily. I have driven many standard Minors as well, and for a car that was designed in the 1940s, they are so easy to drive. I've even driven a side valve model. 0 to 60? Maybe! What's not to love? Easy to fix, and reliable if properly maintained. I just love the farty sound when you change gear! Also, Tina the Marina is a grown-up Minor in some ways, and none the worse for that! Cherish them both!
Great video. You can tell Steph is a great driver because she used this phrase 'you have to adapt your driving'. That speaks volumes. Classics are from a totally different era of driving.
I'm so glad you mentioned drum brakes. I've seen channels with people trying older classics for the first time, and telling us the brakes are "terrible". Meanwhile, I'm yelling at my screen: "Just press the pedal harder!". Your advice was spot-on. Keep 'em cool :)
Sometimes I struggle to produce the required daintiness of touch to work the brakes in some modern cars with their ridiculous levels of servo assistance.
The advice to change down the gears to govern engine speed is a great one - my granddad taught me to do that, as a result of his bus and old lorry driving days. A driving instructor once told me off for changing down on the approach to a junction. Well, I still do it!
@@simonhodgetts6530 Some young instructors mock old-school methods, while being clueless about why such methods exist! I recall a sign in Goathland telling bus drivers to stop and engage 1st gear before descending the 1 in 4.
That wasn't just a video - that was an unabashed love letter to one of the best British cars ever from one of its best advocates. My dad passed his driving test in one (MLV 652), in the 1950s, and then started teaching my mum to drive in it. Trouble was, he fell in love with a 1955 Mk 1 Consul he saw on a garage forecourt, and traded in the Minor! My mum hated the column change on the Consul, so her driving lessons fell by the wayside.
My Dad had few of thease minors and I developed a fascination for it. Now I own my 1955 Morris in Sri Lanka and I will keep on using till my knees start shaking 😂. Your car is beauty. Happy motoring 😊
If I had a pound for every Moggy I worked on in my time as a mechanic, I would be a fairly wealthy man. They were great little cars, dead easy to maintain, unlike today’s cars which can be a nightmare to work on. Great video Steph. Wishing you and Nancy many years of safe motoring together.
A what a great video. My first car was a two door Minor which I restored at 16 and loved. Having spent all weekend trying to fix a 25 year old Mercedes with a leaky gearbox ,and struggling to locate parts, you have made me realise I really should consider going back to my first love !
Hi Steph, labrador therapy in car form! Every word you said was from long term ownership. Thank you for taking us out in a car with 100% smile factor and the gear change is right up there with the early mx5.
We’ve seen you driving all kinds of great classic cars, but looking at you in yr Morris, it’s completely clear that this is your REAL habitat. Thnx for sharing and keep on going 🙏
Well done Steph. I was a child of the 60s, my dad had a black Morris Traveller and I loved it, for me it was alive. From the burbling exhaust sound to the creaky back doors and the smell of old leather and wood.
My Sunday morning is now complete with another great video from Steph. I had one of these in the 1960's and which to this day I had kept, they are absolutely wonderful little cars. I love the exhaust sound when you change gear in one, totally unique. My late aunt would only ever drive a Morris Minor Traveller she wouldn't dream of driving anything else.
In the mid sixties I had "lessons" in an 850 from my best friend in high school, also 15yo and newly licensed. On the second outing I practiced hanging the tail out on winding gravel roads, at which the Minor excelled. On my first driving test I performed every required manoeuvre flawlessly, so I thought, and was failed for "over-confidence". On the second try, with a different officer, I muffed the parallel parking, stalled on the hill start, drove through a pedestrian crossing with people still stepping off it, and was passed. I was so grateful that my friend's father had allowed him to use one of their cars to give me "lessons", and for me to do the test in, my parents not then owning a car. I had already had unauthorised, clandestine, nocturnal drives in cars "borrowed" from other friends' parents, but I really needed the practice time on parking, reversing, hill starts etc. I loved every minute of driving that little car, and to this day, I think it has the perfect shape for a car.
Steph, this is probably THE best video that you done so far. Many thanks for sharing. One feature of Nancy that I quite like is the chromed or polished kickplates. I managed to find one of GB plates for my car here in NZ. Your enthusiasm will always inspire. 15 years ownership is quite an achievement. 😊👍
After viewing for the third time, I cannot resist making a second comment on this wonderful video. At 10mins. 26secs. into the video, after she has switched the engine on and listens to its tick-over, Steph utters the words - "God I love this car". I think this short sentence sums it up!!
I had a Green 69' Traveller for a while in the early 2000's. The ignition timing I could adjust using the horn instead of a light bulb. Its was superb to drive, but it hated speed humps. My 2cv had superior suspension.
Such a nice-looking car and well owned. I live in the US but grew up around British cars thanks to my slightly strange parents. Their first was a new 1959 Bug-Eye Sprite, which pretty much became my Mom's car. My Dad was a little too tall for it. Two years later it was traded for a slightly used Austin Healy 3000 with the jump seats in back for their growing boy (me). Sadly, the Healey was sold when I was 15 and Dad bought a mid 60s VW Notchback. A few years later my first car was a not so cared for 56 MGA. At 16 years old I loved it and enjoyed it for about a year until the engine gave out. We tried to fix it on the cheap, but that didn't work out and it was sold. Fast forward to 2022...an elderly neighbor had a 77 MGB sitting in a shed being ignored and I talked him into selling it to me. It runs pretty well but needs sorted out. I've got it covered and put away for the Winter but have a stash of new goodies for it come Spring. I remember a few Morris Minors in my High School parking lot back in 69/70/71. Keep the videos coming and Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Steph, I've got a Traveller, F reg also, in Trafalgar Blue, just like your 2 door saloon, about to undergo restoration. I've had it for 13 years. Your car is a Manchester registration, 1967/8, that's where I'm from, and where I still live. Minors are great to drive, they're a light car (under 1 tonne), with narrow tyres (145 X 14") and a big steering wheel, meaning PAS isn't needed. Mechanicals are fairly straightforward, the A series engine is pretty robust and they're fairly economical. I still love that farty sounding exhaust, unmistakable. Nice dials, but I'd suggest an electric washer pump, more practical than the manual pump. Keep up the good work here, your car is lovely.
For many years I drove 1961 Moris Minor pickup (Chazly) which I still miss to this day. I had to relocate so I sold him to a collector knowing he would be loved.
Yt recommended this vid to me, and it was spot on. As of last Saturday, I am the owner of a ‘58 Convertible, and the motoring experience in it is superb. I am encouraged by your video. Happy Morrissing from Texas.
That A-Series thrum! 😍 That's it decided I'm getting my '92 Mini Cooper back on the road this year. 2019 has a lot to answer for, that and switching to a modern EV. Had my little "Brian" since 2000 and I feel real guild every time I go into the garage and he's sitting there looking at me.
It's great to see a review of Nancy and l saw a Morris 1000 the other day and l live in the south western suburbs of Sydney Australia and my 1997 Toyota Hilux has grease nipples also l do like the personal touches you have added to the interior
@idriveaclassic l saw a Morris 1000 the other day when l was buying petrol it looked like a Morris 1000 didn't sound like a Morris Minor because it had been engine swapped with a Toyota Coralla engine in it improved it %100
I’m 55 years old, a bit of a spanner monkey, and as my channel name suggests more of a biker, but as I get older, and for some years I’ve thought of driving a classic car. The kids are almost all grown up, and I don’t have to worry about car seats and all the rest, but I have to travel some distance to work which is a bit of a bind, I wouldn’t want to have to put loads of miles on an old girl, but it’s so tempting. If I were to go for it, it would definitely be a Morris Minor. There are so many affordable, well priced, well restored examples out there and they are iconic. Thanks Steph for this, it answers so many questions. Love your videos.
Excellent and tasteful restoration of the Minor with some great modern touches for everyday use. I can truly see how much you love this car and i must say it warms my heart every time i see a Minor on the road.
Alec Issigonis certainly got it right. Morris Minors make a great classic for both first timers and experienced drivers alike. That 1098cc engine is a good reliable unit. I have always liked the Minor.
I very much agree that its best to keep everything original ie brakes seats etc , the one exception tho would be fitting radial ply tyres ! Anyone of a certain age that remenbers driving on crossplys will know exactly what I mean!
@@huseyinuguralacatli5064 Cross ply tyres were usually very narrow ( 5.2 inch on the minor) ,and due to their construction would distort when cornering in a way that effectively lifted part of the tread area off the road , this made them very slide prone even at low speeds and even worse when wet !
Fully agree, with all the traffic calming measures nowadays a well maintained Moggy can more than keep up with modern traffic without any issues. I personally would do the disc brake conversion upgrade and water/oil gauges but very little else to a minor if I wanted to try and keep as much originality but do very little else to it.
Love your car! I had a '67 for several years, until about 1976, I think. I'm in the northwestern U.S., so it was quite a rarity at the time. But it was made for the U.S. market, with left-hand drive. It was actually my first car --- I was a newlywed and my (now ex-)wife generously supplied the cash! It turned out to not be the best fit for me because my mechanical skills were in the basement (still are), but I remember the whole adventure quite fondly. My heart still skips a beat when I see a Minor out in the world, and I usually take the time to stop and get a selfie with the car. Really enjoyed your video, and I hope you can 'keep on truckin' in yours for many more years!
I didn't know about the 100% parts availability thing - that's really interesting! They have quite a fanbase, which makes sense, because there's never been anything else really like it out there. Really enjoyed the vid!
5 месяцев назад
Excellent little cars, my first car at 17 was one, a 1958 948cc version 61 years ago. I've had countless cars since including Mini Coopers (the real ones) Rover V8, Jags, Mercs, Holdens & others but I wish I still had my little Moggy.
I had the pleasure of owning a 4 door 1963 Minor for two years ('88-'90), I only sold due to my restoring a Humber Sceptre Mk2 (that was written off by an idiot who had never driven a car in the UK!). It was a truly entertaining car, the parts were easy to find and still are. I replaced all 4 doors, the boot lid, both rear wings and a stainless steel exhaust. Fast forward to 1998 when I owned a Humber Hawk and met a wonderful gentleman (sadly died early this year) who knocked on my front door and asked me if I had a wiring diagram for his Imperial. When I dropped him off at his home parked in the corner was my former Minor. Met some of his friends who own classic cars. Funny old world!
As a kid in the '60 in Southern California, my dad had an old Morris Minor that we drove. He was an auto mechanic, but never got around to fix the exhaust leak that you could smell in the interior. Loved that car even though it had problems. It was a fun car.
Such a lovely documentary, thanks Steph. l would like to have a Minor myself, but I have to drive long motorway distances. So all I can do is envy you. Greetings from Sweden, Gregor.
Nancy looks amazing Steph. Such charm. I do like the subtle mods on the dash. Nice snowy adventure from Mytholmroyd and up the long steady Crag Vale climb.
The best and most lovely RU-vid car presenter reviews my favourite model of car. I first drove a 1958 four door [grey with red seats] in 1969 or '70 aged seven or eight. Obviously I was only steering, sitting on my mother's lap. She told me to line the Morris icon in the middle of the front of the bonnet with the edge of the drive, and that worked very well. As a front passenger [different times, no seat belt and all], I used to work the gear stick in conjunction with my mother working the clutch and throttle! I also drove a pick-up between 1982 and 1984 on a farm in Shropshire. Not road legal it had no working gauges, and you could see the ground through the floor in places! I have never owned a Morris 1000, but if I ever got a classic, it would be this type! Thanks, and best wishes from George in Herefordshire.
Loved the drive up Cragg Vale , Mytholmroyd a wonderful drive up to the moors. Treacherous in winter. Did you pop into Craggies for a coffee? Super restoration, well done, keep up the good work!
Reminds me of how some years ago when he was still at Jalopnik (and his Beetle still ran) Jason Torchinsky did an article on how he converted its' ashtray to a phone dock.
@@nlpnt I've considered doing the same in my 1993 Fiat Panda, but as I use the ashtray to keep coins and other items I just put my phone on the dashboard shelf.
That's a lovely looking motor now, your time and money was well spent. I will always have a soft spot for the Minor, from family hols, when my dad had them as company cars (looking at them now it must have been more of a squeeze than I remember), to a pair of them bought for £50, which I mixed and matched from to make my first car. I would own another in a heartbeat if I had the money to spare.
This Morris Minor is an excellent car. I have a 1968 Austin Minimatic that I have restored and love it. I call her Marilyn. Thanks so much for this review of your Nancy.
Love your Morris. I'm from the US and have loved Morris Minors since I was little and got my first Matchbox version. My first grade teacher had one, a wagon. I forget what they're called. With the wood body. And my local raceway had races for foreign compact cars. Anglias and Morris Minors were common. I'd love to have one. Great video on this. Thank you.
I enjoy watching this video. It recall my past the first time i sit in this typical car was in 1968 in my country Sarawak Malaysia. It was driven by English Colonial teacher in my school.
Had a '65 buick riviera , among others i've owned (I'm 74 going on 25) and the braking could put you into the dash ! 11 inch finned drums all around . Cheers , Neil
What a great video Steph and taking us on a tour up Cragg Road. I have always been tempted to pop into the Morris Minor place at Breirley but some of the prices now are eye watering.
Love this video. Brought back so many memories. My dad’s first car was a light blue Minor (SVH37). We went all over in it , including weekend trips to County Durham. Thank you so much for sharing.
Love these ! My Cleaners drove one when I was a kid . These were extremely popular here in the States . Several have come up for sale in my area lately ( Louisiana, USA 🇺🇸 ).May buy one !
Great video, Steph. I've driven all manner of classics during my time in the classic press but the Minor has always evaded me, for some reason. I'd love to own a two-door saloon or Traveller, but I'd have to get one with a sprung 'banjo' steering wheel - they just look so cool. I love the Minor's shape, gearbox whine and exhaust parp and the wandering Smiths speedo needle and inexplicable dash light cut-off you mention remind me very much of my old MG Midget. Kudos for venturing out in the snow, too!
