Page 18 - MM_Sep Oct 2021

WOOD
Initially known as the Station Wagon and then the Traveller’s Car, the Series II Traveller was built
from November 1953 until October 1956. The early ‘cheesegrater’ grille version was only manufactured for one year so is now one of the most rare surviving versions of the Morris Minor. The Morris Minor Traveller was launched in October 1953 in time for the Earl’s Court Motor Show of 21-30 October. A black right-hand drive version was displayed on the Morris stand (it featured
in a Pathé News report which is available for viewing on the Pathé News website). Two Travellers were hand-built at the end of September in the CKD department. They were allocated chassis numbers 216901 that was painted Clarendon Grey and chassis number 216902 that was painted Black. It is possible that this is the one that was on display at Earls Court although factory records show it did not pass final inspection until October 23.
Production of the remaining first 100 chassis numbers, 216903 to 217000, did not commence until November
11 with the first recorded as going to Bristol Motors on November 21. Production was quite slow and just 300 had been built by the end of 1953. Most of these were distributed to Morris dealerships around the world, initially for showroom display or as demonstrators. My own Black Traveller, PPX 344, built on December 23 went
ABOVE:
September 9, 1953. The official caption reads ‘Morris Minor Traveller’s Car. Side view’. This must be a pre- production model but nothing more is known about it. Photo: John Carroll
IS GOOD
2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the end of production of the Morris 1000 Traveller. Bryan Gostling digs deep into the Morris factory archives to tell us more about Travellers at the other end of the production run
18 | MINOR MATTERS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2021