・Over £4,000 of recent works
・Great maintenance history

Red telephone boxes. Pimm’s and Lemonade. Bunting. There are some things which instigate a feeling of nostalgia and somehow just ‘belong’ to the United Kingdom. The Morris Minor is one of these. Conceived pre-war and ultimately making it into production in 1948, it was born under the leadership of Sir Alec Issigonis who…well, needs no further introduction.

In its early days, the Minor was actually difficult to get hold of on home soil, with Morris ‘doing their bit’ for the nation’s balance of payments by exporting as many as possible. And the Minor did do its bit, finding over 1.6 million owners during its impressive 23-year production run. And actually 26 years if you include the assembly plant in New Zealand.

They always say that the last cars off the production line are the ones to get because all of the bugs have been ironed out. This example is from May 1970; production ceased less than a year later

During its 51 years, this example has had eight previous owners but it has been evident that it’s been cherished by all of them. The present owner purchased it very recently through ourselves as a gift for a family member who has subsequently decided that classic motoring is simply not for them. The purchaser then kept the car and completed around 10 miles prior to coming back to us but has decided to sell it due to already owner another Traveller. The previous owner – of just over a year, and who only sold to fund the purchase of a piece of 1950s Americana – had done 260 miles in it and only on dry Sundays or to the odd car show. Perhaps with a wicker basket, a thermos flask and a tartan rug thrown in the back.

Upon returning home, it resides in a dehumidified garage. Being a 1970 vehicle, it is now tax- and MoT-exempt, though it has still been diligently MoT’d every year regardless.

For a car that has averaged 155 miles per year since 2006, the previous owners had been quite forthcoming with maintenance and there is a folder of receipts – mainly from a Manchester-based Minor specialist.

Although the clock is showing 4k miles, it is more than likely to have covered over 104k miles in it's life-time given its age!

The light an airy cabin, as can be seen in the photographs, is not far short of immaculate. The seats have been professionally re-trimmed as per original specification. The carpets are new and the timber is in good condition.

The key fob – dangling endearingly from the ignition slot in the centre of the dashboard – proudly shows the red ox standing in a ford – reminding you of the car’s origins. New seals keep the interior dry (for when it’s washed, obviously, and not for when it is taken out in the rain) and the load bay at the back is free from blemishes.

The spare wheel still lies in its little tray under the boot floor and it proudly displays a period tax-disc in the windscreen. Just like the mini which BMC launched were to later launch, it also (for cheaper LHD tooling reasons) sports the centrally-mounted speedometer, and it is this which possesses perhaps the car’s most appealing feature: just under 4,000 miles. Although as mentioned previously, it may have covered considerably more in its life-time.

The seller provided photographs show the bodywork to be straight, and the paint to be in overall good condition. 

Being the Traveller model, the timber frames it possesses look to in very good condition, and give the Traveller extra warmth and appeal. The chromework also looks to be in good condition.

Successive owners have kept the car in (almost) original condition – the only deviations from this are the cylinder head which has been modified to run on unleaded petrol and the conversion to a spin-off oil filter. Apparently, Issigonis always wanted the Minor to have a bespoke flat-four engine but the bean-counters overruled and the ubiquitous and much-loved 1089cc A-Series seen here still inhales through its standard 1¼” SU. It’s even still on positive earth.

Other recent work mentioned by the previous owner is the brake overhaul, with new shoes, drums and pipes.

Are there many other cars which can raise affection without triggering envy, which can raise a smile to both occupants and to by-standers, and which can make the owner feel like they’re in an episode of Heartbeat ? It’s charming, it’s chocolate-boxy and – in its own way – quite regal. After all, it’s basically been around as long as the Queen and is just as British.

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