Picture Of

Classic Morris Minor Cars

The Minor 1000 gained an even larger engine, 1098 cc (67 in³, in 1962. It could now reach 77 mph (124 km/h), yet fuel economy was down to 38 mpg (6.2 L/100 km). Other modifications included a new dashboard layout (a lidded glove box on the passenger side, an open cubby hole in front of the driver), a different heater, plus new, larger tail/flasher and front side/flasher lamps.



Van versions were popular with the British Post Office, and some of these had front wings made of rubber, in order to cope with the sometimes unforgiving busy situations in which they were expected to work.



During the life of the Minor 1000 model, production declined. The last Convertible/Tourer was manufactured on 18 August 1969, and the saloon line was discontinued the next year. 1971 was the last year for the Traveller and commercial versions. Nearly 850,000 Minor 1000s were made in all. The Minor 1000 cars was officially replaced by the Morris Marina, which replaced it on the Cowley production lines. For the management of what had, by 1971, mutated into the British Leyland Motor Corporation, the Morris Marina was seen primarily as a "cheap to build" competitor to Ford's top selling (and in many respects conservatively engineered) Cortina, rather than as a replacement for the (in its day) strikingly innovative Morris Minor.

Engines:

* 1956-1962:948 cc A-Series Straight-4, 37 hp (28 kW) at 4750 rpm and 50 lbf·ft (68 N·m) at 2500 rpm
* 1962-1971:1098 cc A-Series Straight-4, 48 hp (36 kW) at 5100 rpm and 60 lbf·ft (81 N·m) at 2500 rpm

Picture Of

Classic Morris Minor Cars

The Morris Minor Cars was again updated in 1956, when the engine is in capacity to 948 cc (57.9 cu in) increases. The division into two parts windscreen has increased with a curve of a piece and the rear window was replaced. In 1961 trafficators by more modern style lights flashing direction indicators have replaced and then the norm for the UK market. A luxury car on the lower floor, but with higher BMC B series engine was sold as One-Point-Five/Wolseley Riley from 1500 to 1957: a version with additional rear fins, or variation of this Wolseley Riley was also in Australia as Morris Major manufactures.

In February 1961 the Morris Minor was the first British car to sell over 1,000,000 units. (In Italy, the Fiat 600 won his first million in the same month.) In order to achieve, limited edition of 350 two-door sedan was small with a distinctive purple color, and remember a white interior created. Even the badge on the hood has been changed to read "Minor 1,000,000" instead of the usual "Children 1000". The millionth the same child, the National Union of Journalists, where they planned to use as a prize in a competition for the benefit of the widow of the union and Orphan Fund. The company, which was at the same time, a minor celebrity in London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, but the car was built from cake.

Picture Of

Classic Morris Minor Cars

In 1952, the Morris Minor Cars line was updated with an Austin-designed 803 cc (49.0 cu in) overhead valve A-Series engine replacing the original sidevalve unit. The engine had been designed for the Morris Minor Cars's main competition, the Austin A30, but became available as Austin Cars and Morris Minor Cars were merged into the British Motor Corporation. The new engine felt stronger, though all measurements were smaller than the old. The 52 second drive to 60 mph (97 km/h) was still calm, with 63 mph (101 km/h) as the top speed. Fuel consumption also rose to 36 mpg (6.5 L/100 km).

An estate version was introduced, known as the Traveller (a Morris Minor Cars naming tradition for estates, also seen on the Mini Cars), along with Morris Minor van and Morris Minor pick-up versions. The Traveller featured an external structural ash (wood) frame for the rear bodywork, with two side-hinged rear doors. The frame was varnished rather than painted and a highly visible feature of the bodystyle. Rear bodies of the Morris Minor van versions were all steel. The 4-seat Morris Minor convertible and Morris Minor saloon variants continued as well.

The grille was modified in October, 1954, and a new dashboard with central speedometer was fitted. Almost half a million examples had been produced when the line ended in 1956.

The Motor magazine tested a 4-door saloon in 1952. It reported a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h) and acceleration from 0–50 mph (80 km/h) in 28.6 seconds. A fuel consumption of 39.3 miles per imperial gallon (7.19 L/100 km; 32.7 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost £631 including taxes.

Engines:

* 1952-1956:803 cc A-Series Straight-4, 30 hp (22 kW) at 4800 rpm and 40 lbf·ft (54 N·m) at 2400 rpm