Description
PLEASE NOTE
I am listing this van for my retired friend Stuart.
The van is located at his home in Nutley, East Sussex and can be viewed there, by arrangement.
Fully restored Morris Minor Van in its original colour of Red. This van was privately purchased when new and Stuart is only nthe 5th owner, all of whom have been private owners (no business owners) and it is NOT an ex Post Office vehicle.
A 12 year comprehensive restoration was completed in 2011. This entailed the following major work.
The bodywork and chassis were completely stripped bare and restored as follows :-
The rear body assembly was removed and fully rebuilt professionally on a purpose built alignment Jig. This include replacoing the floors, inner wings and guttering valleys.
The 'front' end bodywork was replaced/ restored, as required and all is now in great condition. There is no rust on the vehicle and all of the doors and panel gaps are excellent.
The van was totally resprayed professionally in its original Red colour and still presents very well, despite this work being completed in 2011.
Mechanically, the van is superb following major refurbishment, including the following.
The original engine was completely rebuilt, with a full rebore, all new pistons, reground crankshaft, and an upraded Duplex timing chain kit and new sprockets fitted.
The engine was fitted with a fully rebuilt Austin Healey Mk2 Unleaded cylinder head.
The carburettor was upgraded to an SU 1. 5" with a suitable inlet manifold fitted.
A new four branch exhaust manifold with a 'free-flow' side exit exhaust was fitted.
These engine enhancements have improved the driving performance sufficiently to deal well with modern driving conditions.
A new clutch kit was fitted when the engine and gearbox were out of the car and the various hydraulics were also re-newed. Much other work was carried out as required to complete the restoration properly.
In 2019, the original 'very low' geared van rear axle differential was replaced with a very good condition differential from a Morris 1000 traveller to increase the gearing, thus making touring speeds more relaxing at lower engine revs which has also improved the fuel economy.
At the same time, the original van speedometer, which was reading 99140 miles, was replaced with a Morris Traveller speedo ( which was showing 0 miles when fitted and now shows 8482 miles ) to match the new diff gearing. The new speedo accurately shows the correct driving speed. The original diff and speedo have been kept and will be provided with the van to the new owner , if required.
Other than the above 'improvement' modifications, the van is in completely original specification, just as it left the Morris factory in 1971.
New original parts were fitted wherever possible and everything on the brakes (NOS front BMC drums / Ferodo pads), suspension and chassis is in good order.
A multitude of other parts were fitted eg radiator, water pump, etc etc and all expenditute on the van is supported by a very comprehensive file of receipts and MOT's to support the condition and mileage from the 70's.
This van is a regular attendee at several Classic car shows in East Sussex every year and is greatly admired for it's lovely overall condition and originality, as can be seen in the photographs.
As advised at the outset, I am listing the van for my friend Stuart, who has owned it since 1999. It was bought as a runner, but in need of a full restoration. This took 12 years to complete and has been carried out to the most exacting of standards at a high cost, both in terms of money and time.
My friend dismantled the vehicle fully, down to the last nut and bolt and oversaw the complete professional body restoration.
He personally carried out all of the mechanical restoration himself, having qualified and worked as a Motor Engineer/ Foreman in the 60's and 70's at a local BMC Main Dealer and laterly as a Self Employed mechanic until his 'retirement' around 5 years ago. He is still very active and maintains the van and his other classic cars on an ongoing basis.
The van is being sold very reluctantly. Stuart in his mid 80's and reluctantly accepts that he must make life a little easier for himself !
This is a very rare opportunity to purchase a 55 year old Morris Minor van that looks as if it just left the Morris factory !
In 2017 it was entered in the Morris Minor Owners Club National Rally Concours Competition and came second, which is full testament to the quality of the restoration work carried out!
The van has proved to be 100 % reliable since 2011 and is ready to be driven and enjoyed by its new owner.
It does not require any work and is a very simple vehicle to own and maintain. It is very economical to run, being both Road Fund Licence and MOT exempt. Classic car Insurance is also not expensive.
For a a private owner, this van can be your dream classic vehicle for the next 30, 40 or 50 years, if properly looked after.
For a business owner this van could be the ultimate promotions vehicle with the correct sign writing !
My advice, if you are looking for a Morris Minor van, do not miss out on this rarely available opportunity!
