ANOTHER NEW MEMBER
Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 2:14 pm
Having followed this forum for some weeks now and thought it only polite to introduce myself. I am 58 of british nationality and have been living in France since 1988 but am planning a comeback to the UK in the near future. My Minor is a Trafalger Blue 4 door model from 1970. By the way Trafalger is a naughty word to the French! The car seems to excite curiosity in France. They sometimes mistake it for a Renault 4cv which looks rather similar in some respects. When you tell them it is a Morris they will reply "Ah it is an Austin then" (!) Someone even confused Morris with a well known brand of cigarettes beginning with Philippe. Most people I speak to seem to like the car over here and I understand that there are few Minors in France but high purchase tax on imported cars meant that only a few of them were sold new here.
I don't really know what made me decide to get a Minor only that I woke up one morning and said to my wife I must have a Morris! My first choice was a Traveller but 'er indoors doesn't like the looks of them, a pity as they are quite a practical option. My parents owned two Travellers a Clarendon Grey example, bought second hand, in the late 50's and a new Almond Green model with Duotone interior from 1962 which I am pretty sure had the 1098 engine. So when I'm pootling along listening to that rasping exhaust noise I am transported back in time.
My dream would be to have the time and the space to restore a Traveller. My carpentry skills are above average but not much welding experience. I once worked in a machine shop and was a lorry fitter for a time so car mechanics are not a mystery to me. I do my own servicing by the way.
Anyway just to say how much I enjoy the forum. That way I don't feel so out on a limb in the wilds of France. I look forward to meeting some of you when I get back to the UK, I shall be moving to the Lincoln area by the way.
I don't really know what made me decide to get a Minor only that I woke up one morning and said to my wife I must have a Morris! My first choice was a Traveller but 'er indoors doesn't like the looks of them, a pity as they are quite a practical option. My parents owned two Travellers a Clarendon Grey example, bought second hand, in the late 50's and a new Almond Green model with Duotone interior from 1962 which I am pretty sure had the 1098 engine. So when I'm pootling along listening to that rasping exhaust noise I am transported back in time.
My dream would be to have the time and the space to restore a Traveller. My carpentry skills are above average but not much welding experience. I once worked in a machine shop and was a lorry fitter for a time so car mechanics are not a mystery to me. I do my own servicing by the way.
Anyway just to say how much I enjoy the forum. That way I don't feel so out on a limb in the wilds of France. I look forward to meeting some of you when I get back to the UK, I shall be moving to the Lincoln area by the way.
same for an English beer