National Rally photos

[theminorsite]

Great Photos

+1 for that - I only wish I'd found the time to take some pics of my own! I think its entirely inappropriate for posters to denigrate *any* car at the show - just imagine spending large amounts of time and effort on your Minor, regardless of your level of skill, and then seeing someone else saying in print on the MMOC website that its of a poor standard. I'd suggest that every owner loves their Minor (why else would you have one) and I'm of the firm belief that we should celebrate them all, because each one of them is one that would have long been cut up and recycled if it were not for the perseverance of their owners (Cam Shaw is a perfect example - his car often wins 'wreck of the rally' but he quite obviously cares for it).

[kingzdjc]

If it looks like a Morris Minor - it is a Morris Minor

Pete

So would you argue if a replica Minor was made, it is a Morris Minor??? It wouldnt be, it would be that, a replica.

I of course appreciate the hard work that goes into modifying, and some of the 'minors' in the modified section were truly great in their own right

However, I think after all the heavy modifications, it stops becoming a Morris Minor.

In fact, one could argue any 'Minor' with a different engine that the ones fitted to the Minors, ie different to the numerous a-series engines fitted to them in the Minor lifetime, that they stop becoming a Minor.

[badobsession]

Well I have to disagree with you on that one mate..a Morris minor is a Morris minor regardless .
if it looks like a minor then it is....... END OF.

my nieces wee boy is 3 and he can tell the difference between a VW and a minor even heavily customised VWs or minors

So long live the Morris minor

[theminorsite]

If it looks like a Morris Minor - it is a Morris Minor

Pete

So would you argue if a replica Minor was made, it is a Morris Minor??? It wouldnt be, it would be that, a replica.

I of course appreciate the hard work that goes into modifying, and some of the 'minors' in the modified section were truly great in their own right

However, I think after all the heavy modifications, it stops becoming a Morris Minor.

In fact, one could argue any 'Minor' with a different engine that the ones fitted to the Minors, ie different to the numerous a-series engines fitted to them in the Minor lifetime, that they stop becoming a Minor.

One of the most popular mods is a 5-speed box, usually a Ford type-9, but occasionally Fiat or Toyota derived, because there is no 5-speed equivalent from our 'home' stable to choose. Are all these car's not Morris Minors any more?

[plastic_orange]

If it looks like a Morris Minor - it is a Morris Minor

Pete

So would you argue if a replica Minor was made, it is a Morris Minor??? It wouldnt be, it would be that, a replica.

I of course appreciate the hard work that goes into modifying, and some of the 'minors' in the modified section were truly great in their own right

However, I think after all the heavy modifications, it stops becoming a Morris Minor.

In fact, one could argue any 'Minor' with a different engine that the ones fitted to the Minors, ie different to the numerous a-series engines fitted to them in the Minor lifetime, that they stop becoming a Minor.

If the 'replica' body was exactly that - then it is a Morris Minor.
I'm quite sad that there are still those out there that can't accept that people can personalise their cars without falling foul of the 'purist'.
If the 'purist' put the same amount of effort into ensuring that replacement parts were up to scratch then possibly more cars would remain 'standard'.

Pete

[Ian46]

Well said Pete.

I would personally like to see a Customised Minor entered into the Concours to break down these barriers (albeit probably in a slightly different category). There is a lot of good engineering going on, judging by the cars I saw on the Sunday at the National.

Rergards Ian

[theminorsite]

Well said Pete.

I would personally like to see a Customised Minor entered into the Concours to break down these barriers (albeit probably in a slightly different category). There is a lot of good engineering going on, judging by the cars I saw on the Sunday at the National.

Rergards Ian

Your wish is their command... There already exists a framework for a modified concours, and I know of at least one entrant with a lovely convertible. I still haven't quite got my head round how it actually works, but I was talking to the chap who runs it a few weeks ago and its definitely happening!

[kingzdjc]

Well I have to disagree with you on that one mate..a Morris minor is a Morris minor regardless .
if it looks like a minor then it is....... END OF.

my nieces wee boy is 3 and he can tell the difference between a VW and a minor even heavily customised VWs or minors

So long live the Morris minor

Thats ridiculous. 'If it looks like a Minor it is???'
So would you argue a counterfiet Rolex watch is a Rolex??? Its not
Theres more to a Morris Minor than how the way it looks. Its about the handling etc and the 'feel' that the Morris Minor has.

[chrisryder]

If it says morris minor on the logbook. It's a morris minor!

[plastic_orange]

Try telling all the hotrodders with glass model A's, B's, T's etc that their car isn't what they think they are.
Oh, and look at that replica Bently that someone has rescued from a farmer's barn
As soon as you fit an aftermarket component your car ain't a Morris Minor by your reckoning

Pete

[Innovator]

The great thing is we all like these cars (notice how I did not say Morris Minors in case I upset somebody....) for different reasons.

John

Lets play the "Spot the original Morris Minor parts on my car" game! Lowest number wins in my rule book!!

[RTGSERVICES1]

If it looks like a Morris Minor - it is a Morris Minor

Pete

I would call it a Morris bodied peugot!

There is more to a Minor than it's looks, it is also about the original driving experience which in my opinion is the best bit and that is what is lost with this type of "mechanical modification" and having seen the car it is not even that well put together which does not help the argument! that said I have seen some fantastic mechanically modified minors , but again no different in essence just put together better but have all lost the heart and soul of the original car in my opinion!

Hey Mike what about my custom Morris?

You told me you liked it?[frame][/frame]

[chesney]

By this logic, would simply adding poly bushes in place of rubber renounce the 'minor' status as it could be argued it has lost its original handling characteristics

[kingzdjc]

Try telling all the hotrodders with glass model A's, B's, T's etc that their car isn't what they think they are.
Oh, and look at that replica Bently that someone has rescued from a farmer's barn
As soon as you fit an aftermarket component your car ain't a Morris Minor by your reckoning

Pete

No not true. Im not saying if you add an aftermarket component is aint a morris minor.

Im saying that some, note I said 'SOME' of the modified Minors have been modified to such an extent that they are not really longer a Minor.

Surely after the certain percentage of a car is changed, it is no longer the car it was built? Thats just logic.

[lambrettalad]

Why waste brain cells trying to convince people who see the world differently

my opinion which only has to please me is,some of the mod's are fantastic ,some not to my taste,but the people who own them have what they are pleased with (for now?),some have spent many hours and a pretty penny on their car.

One things for sure no mod's equals less moggies,less to talk about ,less site members ,less moggie DNA,
Less to fall out about

as they used to say in the old day's "Keep on Truckin" and "Sock it to 'em"

[moggiethouable]

I built a "cobra" once but it wasnt a cobra.I even badged it with cobra badges.It had a V8 but thats almost where the similarity ended.
Of course it was the same shape as a cobra, it sounded a bit like a cobra, it was no where near as fast as a car once called "a real mad bas"$"&*d" of a car, it was even the same physical dimensions, in fibre glass not aluminium,even the mighty Dax is not a cobra!Only Caroll Shelby built cobras,using AC bodies, Hence the title AC cobra, But once he modified them they were no longer an AC either!
I understand some people lift a Minor body and lower it on a different chassis, so only the body is Morris effectively.
It really doesnt matter, because the AC Cobra owners lost the battle trying to stop kit car owners badging and calling their cars cobras,just as Minor owners would lose the same battle if they bothered, but..........we each of us know if we own a morris Minor, or a hybrid, or a rebodied Marina, or an ac cobra or a kit car.

[charlie_morris_minor]

Well said Pete.

I would personally like to see a Customised Minor entered into the Concours to break down these barriers (albeit probably in a slightly different category). There is a lot of good engineering going on, judging by the cars I saw on the Sunday at the National.

Rergards Ian

Your wish is their command... There already exists a framework for a modified concours, and I know of at least one entrant with a lovely convertible. I still haven't quite got my head round how it actually works, but I was talking to the chap who runs it a few weeks ago and its definitely happening!

once you have figured it out, can you explain it to me please..

however the first letter i received when i took over the custom and modified register was to let me know that modified cars were welcome in the concours competition..

[cmea]

Some lovely photos of modified and customised morris minors. Shame their is not a single picture of an unmolested morris minor - but that is because such a thing does not exist! - Today's minors mostly have radial tyres (which they were not designed for so the handling experience is completely changed), modern batteries, polymers in the polish that give a different shine and unleaded petrol - which affects the performance of the engine. Lets face it the convertible, traveller and LCV are not the original design so dont really count either, likewise and series II or A series powered vehicle. Luckily since there has always been those modifying the cars when these changes have been forced upon the "purists" by the developing world, a solution has already been found and tested by the "custom boys". Some of these "custom boys" cherish and polish their steeds, some use and abuse their steeds, but they get on with each other and respect the other for the progress that they make towards a joint hobby. If only that could be said for all morris minor owners, whatever their preferred style / car / category.

[Ian46]

I thought I would upload some pictures of unmolested Morris Minors. Or are they?

[frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame][frame][/frame]




And finally a couple of unlikely bedfellows. My Crendon (Cobra Replica) (not an AC Cobra) and 'The Shed' my next project; my 52 MM.[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

[theminorsite]

once you have figured it out, can you explain it to me please..

however the first letter i received when i took over the custom and modified register was to let me know that modified cars were welcome in the concours competition..

You're going to have to give me a bit of poetic licence, because as I said above I really don't think I understand it properly, but I think it works along the lines of: you can gain points by virtue of the parts of your car that match, or still actually are, as per standard specification. For example, all the wood on my Traveller is standard, so I could potentially get points for frame alignment, varnish application, etc. I couldn't get any points at all for my interior, because absolutely none of it is visibly standard.

That seems to hold true in regard to points value, because from vague recollection the convertible I mentioned scored somewhere in the 400's when it was judged a few weeks ago, which sounds good until you compare it with the blue van in the pictures above this post, which hit 924 at Kelmarsh. In other words, if (and its a big if, so very happy to withdraw these comments if its wrong) that is right, we could never ever hope to compete on a level playing field with 'normal' cars simply because large parts of our cars attract no points whatsoever, no matter how good they are

Worse than that, to my mind anyway, is that I would still score some points in the engine bay, because I have an A-series engine (albeit different under the skin to standard offering) but the bloke with the Alfa-engined van I saw recently couldn't get a single point under the bonnet, even though his installation is probably prettier than mine. That distorts the playing field not just between standard and modified, but also between levels of modification - I would always outscore him, even if his vehicle was better than mine!

Despite my 1st place at the weekend, I don't think I'll be joining concours anytime soon - I admire the dedication of those in it, but I do around 9,000 miles a year in my car and its out usually seven days a week working for a living, and I doubt I could manage the necessary standard of cleaning.