Morris Major

The Morris Major and Austin Lancer were car models, the British Motor Corporation from 1958 manufactured in Australia until 1964.

Major and Lancer, there were three series, I, II and Elite. The Series I corresponded to the Wolseley 1500 and Riley 1.5 out of Britain, but was easily fitted. The Austin Lancer was taken out of production in April 1962. Both vehicle models have been completely in the BMC Zetland Factory (New South Wales) built in Sydney and not exported to Europe, Asia or America. 98 % of the parts came from Australian manufacturing. Many of these vehicles were exported to New Zealand.

Series I (1958-1959)

Morris Major Series I ( rear) and Series II (front)

Major Morris, Austin Lancer, Wolseley 1500 and Riley 1.5 were all based on the same design and were originally intended to replace the popular Morris Minor from the BMC Longbridge plant in England. This plan was given but because of the unbroken popularity of the Minor and 1957 appeared the Wolseley version, followed by the Riley version. There were slight sedans, who took over the torsion bar suspension on the front axle and the leaf-sprung rear axle, the bottom plates and the proven rack and pinion steering of the Minor. The automotive " quadruplets " were driven by the known BMC B engine, an inline four- cylinder 1,489 cc displacement. Starting in 1962, developed in Australia 1,622 cc version of this engine was installed in the Major Elite. All had heavy drum brakes all around, from the Lockheed Morris, Austin and Wolseley and Girling at Riley. This design philosophy resulted in a popular, lively family sedans of the lower middle class, which were built sturdy and their handling characteristics were the leaders at that time. Major and Lancer, which differed from the more sporty and luxurious equipped Wolseley and Riley sedans had the same design, features and engine as the contemporary British models of Morris and Austin. Although Major and Lancer were more modest vehicles, but they offered a high level of comfort and quality standard: It was modern cars with good value for money. The sporting potential of the two vehicles was immediately recognized and converted copies of specialists took part successfully in 1960 race of the Australian Touring Car Championship.

Series II (1959-1962)

Austin Lancer Series II in the Armstrong 500 races in 1960

Morris Major and Austin Lancer the first series sold well enough and also drove a sufficient profit, as the development costs not attributed to them and many like parts have been used. However, BMC invested very quickly in a revision to the Major and Lancer, Series II, which should be at the customer even more popular. The revision to the Australian twins differed significantly from its English sister models. They were outside by 9 " long, including a longer wheelbase helped, and got tail fins and a new vehicle front. The styling of the Series II was inspired by American ideas and many felt that it helped the cars for better appearance. Many changes were made to the original design and most should contribute to the car better suited to the harsh Australian road conditions and to improve their ability to compete with the largest competitors, Holden and Volkswagen. Suspension and chassis have been reinforced, front a bench seat instead of the previous single seats were installed, there were new air outlets for heating and ventilation, and a new dashboard. The rear axle of the series I ( a design from Morris Minor, who did not get along well with the engine more power) was decried as too weak. Axle and differential were thus strengthened, but unfortunately the problems with these components in the series I had already spoiled the reputation of the model and its manufacturer. The motors of series II were equipped with a single SU HS2 carburettors and a SU fuel pump and got a different oil pan, which provided for more ground clearance. The Series II was highly praised by the automotive press because of the many detailed improvements, the better handling characteristics and the good price - performance ratio.

Morris Major Elite (1962-1964)

Morris Major Elite (1962 )

Launched in April 1962 Morris Major Elite was the third and final version of this model and replaced the Austin Lancer, as this brand was no longer needed due to changes in the Australian BMC dealer network. There was now only BMC dealer and no separate dealer for each of the BMC trademarks. So it was decided that two brand versions of the same car would be useful any more, although an Austin Lancer Series III was still in the planning stage until shortly before the performance of the elite. The elite had the enlarged 1,622 cc engine with more power; this version had a Zenith UN carburetor and a mechanical fuel pump Goss. Telescopic shock absorbers rear attachment points for safety belts and improved rubber buffer for the front suspension were further technical improvements. So they reached a compelling facelift with just a few changes to the body; it was made of chrome-plated trim on the window frames, a new wide grille ( similar to the contemporary Morris Oxford ) and a rocket- shaped flash of color on the tail fins. Also new were the heating / ventilation, two-tone paint in the number of new simple and pastel tones, better interiors and washer. The sale price was well below that of its predecessor, making the already very praiseworthy Major made ​​even cheaper. The sales figures were very good and the warranty costs were as low as in any other previous BMC model in Australia.

The introduction of the Morris in 1100 led in 1964 to the end of production of the major. A number of copies of all versions of Major and Lancer have survived until today.

Current situation

Overall, the Morris Major and Austin Lancer fairly stable and durable vehicles were, including their nearly indestructible engines. Twenty or thirty years after the end of production was possible they are still in large numbers on the street to see what speaks for a solid construction. Today, these models are relatively rare, although the survival rate of Major and Lancer - set in the right context - is quite respectable. Due to the driving pleasure, the simple maintenance, his audacity and his character, it 's fun to have a major or Lancer. Compared to some other post-war cars Major and Lancer have great utility value and are safe with good care in daily use in modern traffic. His strengths include good braking, road holding, excellent reliability, low fuel consumption and compact dimensions with very good visibility. By today's standards, the self-supporting body of this car was built rather solid. Rust, however, was and still is the biggest problem. Components such as the steering, the suspension, the switch, the wipers, the heater and the electrical components were of rugged construction, making the most street-legal copies still have their original equipment that works well unchanged. The engines of the BMC B- series are known worldwide for their good Tunebarkeit and were known in sports cars, such as the MGA, MGB and other used. Therefore, some owners of these cars continue to use its potential. Several car clubs in Australia provide their cars with spare parts and offer them technical advice and social activities.