Morris Minor

The Morris Minor was a small car, the Morris Motor Company and introduced in 1928, produced with interruptions, until 1971.

Year by year

Minor (1928-1934)

Morris Minor (1928 )

The Morris Minor was manufactured in two versions. From 1928 to 1932 he had an engine with overhead camshaft, then a more conventional equal-sized side-valve engine until production ceased in 1934. Both had a displacement of 847 cm ³.

The success of the Austin Seven, which appeared in 1922, encouraged the competitors from Austin to offer comparable constructions. The Minor was the contribution of Morris in the market for small vehicles. Although the main assembly plant of the company in Cowley was ( at Oxford), the new car has not been constructed there. Chassis and drivetrain were designed by a subsidiary, ' EC Wrigley '', a transmission manufacturer in Birmingham, the Morris bought after bankruptcy and in " Morris Commercial Cars" had renamed. The engine was extensively redesigned in Wolseley, a company that William Morris was one person. He was much smaller than any motor until then manufactured by Wolseley and had an overhead camshaft, which was driven by a vertical shaft, which also contributed to the armature of the alternator. The engine had a single SU carburettor and a coil ignition. He made 20 bhp (15 kW) at 4,000 min -1. The car was equipped with a 6 -volt electrical system.

The chassis with 1,981 mm Wheelbase was built from U- profiles, all wheels were suspended on semi-elliptic springs and rigid axles. The car had cable actuated four-wheel brakes. First, a two-door sedan and a four-seat hybrid design in all-steel tourer offered. The model was presented in 1928 at the London Motor Show. The sedan was £ 135, the Tourer £ 125 all-steel models and a station wagon were offered from 1930.

The engine was expensive to produce and often had to contend with oil in the alternator, so that in 1931 a simpler side -controlled motor was designed, the (14 kW), developed almost the same power, 19 bhp at 4,000 min-1. Some time both versions were produced in parallel. The OHC engine survived until 1932 in the four-door model, which also got hydraulic brakes. The lower production costs for the new engine allowed the company to sell the minor as a two -seater with a basic standard for the "magic" 100 pounds.

1932, the body was slightly reworked and received a rundlicheres appearance. The fuel tank migrated from the engine compartment immediately before the windshield into the rear of the car. An electric fuel pump was installed. 1933 replaced a four-speed transmission in the more expensive models, the previous three-speed gearbox. In 1934 it received a synchronization for the top two gears. All models now had hydraulic brakes.

The Minor was replaced in 1934 by the Morris Eight, which also sold well.

Minor MM (1948-1952)

Range of Morris Minor of different model years; the very back of a Minor MM

The post-war version of the Morris Minor - the original " Mosquito" was supposed to be called - was unveiled at the Earls Court Motor Show on 20 September 1948. It was the work of a team led by Sir Alec Issigonis, who designed the Mini later. Sir Alec has become famous for the Mini, but was rather proud of his participation in the design team of the Minors. He was of the opinion that Minor was a vehicle that connect many benefits and amenities of a good car with a great price for the workers, while the Mini a Spartan kind of comfort offering, in which everything is reduced to the absolute minimum. The Morris Minor was estimated in comparison with vehicles of the competitors in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s as a roomy car with good cornering stability and good handling.

The original Minor MM was available as two - and four-door sedan and four-seat convertible sedan. The front wheel suspension with torsion bar he shared with the Oxford MO, as well as the self-supporting body. Originally planned four-cylinder boxer engine with 800 and 1,100 cm ³ were discarded because their development lacked the money and the production would have been too expensive. Thus, the side-valve four-cylinder in-line engine of the predecessor Morris Eight was used. He pointed to a displacement of 918 cc, an output of 27.5 bhp ( 21 kW ) and a torque of 53 Nm. The little machine was the Minor a top speed of 103 km / h and required 5.9 l/100 km. Issigonis disapproved of the use of these pre-war construction.

Early models had a recess in the middle between the bumper halves, as the series model over the prototype had been widened - and because many "short" bumpers had been produced already, made ​​do with this little trick; shortly thereafter leaves the correct length were used. This widening of 4 " (10 cm ) can be found even today in all Morris Minor models as a central embossed on the hood. Exports to the United States began in 1949, with the spotlight in October 1950 by its previous deep space in the radiator grille to the fenders were added to meet U.S. safety regulations. Starting in 1951, was the minor for all Morris standard. at the end of production of the first series a little over 1 /4 million cars were sold, 30 % of which were convertible sedans.

Morris Minor Series II (1952-1956)

Morris Minor Series II in Australia

Morris and the Austin Motor Company went in 1952 in the British Motor Corporation on. In the same year the Minor received in the course of revising the OHC engine of the Austin A30 with 803 cc displacement. 1953, the combination was introduced, called Traveller, as well as vans and pick- up models. The Traveller had a "Woody" - (wooden) structure with two rear doors. The convertible sedan and limousine were still built.

The new engine felt stronger, though all measurements were worse than those of the previously built engines. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h in 54 seconds was still modest, as well as 101 km / h top speed. The petrol consumption rose to 6.5 l/100 km.

The grille was modified in October 1954, and the vehicle received a new dashboard with central speedometer. By the time production ended in 1956 approximately 318,000 Minor Series II was built.

Motors

Morris Minor 1000 (1956-1971)

Morris Minor 1000 (1956) directed to the left,

The car was again revised in 1956 and was the engine of the Austin A35 with 948 cc displacement. The new engine was much more robust by increasing the crankshaft; which also improved transmission ( with a short shifter ) had a happier gradation and was easier to turn. The divided windshield has been replaced by a bent, consisting of one piece. In addition, the rear window was enlarged. A luxury version on minor chassis, but with a larger BMC B-Series engine was sold as Riley and Wolseley 1.5 in 1500 from early 1957. Many enthusiasts consider the Minor Minor 1000 as ausgewogenstes model. The later 1,098 cc engine would never reach all the smoothness, durability and economy of the 948er.

1960, the Minor was the first British car, of which more than a million copies had been sold. On 22 December 1960, the millionth Minor was produced. To mark this occasion, a series of 350 two-door sedans with purple paint and white interior was built. On the sides of the bonnet and the boot lid you could read the type designation " Minor 1,000,000 " (instead of the usual " Minor 1000 ").

The Minor 1000 got 1962 an even larger engine with 1098 cc capacity (such as the late Austin A35 models). He now reached a top speed of 124 km / h and consumed 6.2 l/100 km. Other changes included the 1965 model year, a new layout for the dashboard ( glove compartment with lid for the passenger, one without cover for the driver ). , A new heating system and new Indicator Lights The car looked yet now frumpy little out and the production numbers were down - the success of competitors from foreign ( eg Ford Cortina ) and private house (Austin 1100/1300 ) did not affect the sales figures. Production of the convertible sedan was discontinued in 1969, the fact of the sedans a year. 1971 was the last year for the Traveller and the van. A total of 850,000 Minor 1000 were produced.

Official successor was the Morris Marina, which was made ​​on the tapes in Cowley. The management of BLMC looked at the Marina a cheaper manufactured competitor of the Ford Cortina success model (which was constructed conservative in many respects ). This came at the expense of the ( in his best days ) innovative Morris Minor.

Motors

In the U.S.

The success of the Minor in the U.S., the most important export market was modest. Cause is likely the policy of the British Motor Corporation have been, were produced under its Director since 1952 Morris models. After all, more than 1.6 million units of the model in the works in Cowley ( Oxfordshire ) produced and exported in various forms all over the world. Production ran until 1971 and even then he remained a popular vehicle and collector's item. The Minor was also a popular base for hot-rods, because the " transatlantic " style was in the U.S. to that of a Chevroletmodells from the late 1940s similar. The Minor was a light vehicle with rear-wheel drive, so there was the possibility of installing engines in the Rover K - series or Fiat DOHC engine.

Classic car scene

Morris Minor models are popular in the classic car scene. The prices are reasonable, the supply of spare parts is considered good. Originally built motor has sometimes been replaced by other units