Morris Minor Owners Club

can anyone tell me how many lowlights were made ? thanks , lots of interest from people who have never seen one

total of just over 176,000 series MM were built,
The started building Highlights from car number 65004, but this book also says the 4 dr started at car number 62551. And they were never available as lowlights(?)

So roughly about 60,000

[quoteThe started building Highlights from car number 65004[/quote]

Start MM from car number 501

From car number 5708 First export car fitted with highlamps.Marked USA

5.9.1950 from car number 62551(RHD) 65004(LHD) introduces headlamp on wing for home market

It is not possible to say how many lowlights were produced. The 1st production highlight was SMM 16***, DUD693 in 1949. It still exists. Highlights were produced 1st for the N. American market in 1949, then for the new 4 doors in 1951 and finally for the 2 doors and tourers. There are still plenty of lowlights around. There are no genuine 4 door lowlights.
Michael Perry
Series MM Registrar

mike.perry wrote:The 1st production highlight was SMM 16***, DUD693 in 1949.

BUT this car came off the production line as a lowlight. It was converted to highlight in the experimental department a little later on. I'm promised a picture of the car taken in 1949 when it was still a lowlight.

It still exists.

It certainly does! You can update your records now Mike as I'm the new owner.

nice one cam , so is it a hi- lite now?

Well the highlight wings were rotten so were binned. It's currently without wings, but I've got some decent steel lowlight wings & a good front panel so it's going back to a lowlight.

It wasn't actually a 'production' highlight, but an experimental car owned by Walter Balding (head of experimental) and was used to 'test' certain mods. The 2nd owner was the first female engineer at the Cowley works (so I'm told) and I have lots of letters from her talking about the car's history etc.

The cars were also periodically updated as needs be. It has a waterpump engine fitted but apart from that I think it's pretty original.

go for it bruv, cant wait to get started on mine, just need those 6 numbers

Is one of your lowlights next on the agenda? Did you say you were getting rid of the 'less sound' one?

gotta do some work on the much negected pickup, then maybe next winter the lowlight, all yours on hold now for the 49 mate?

Yep. Well, I've got too much work on at the moment to deal with the cars, but hopefully in the next 3 months I'll be cracking in. The Modified 4-door needs a re-paint of the front panel and a few little bits and Gracie needs a wheel cylinder and a set of shoes. Other than that it's the '49 all the way.

oh just read that, probably wont sell the worse one cam, the fella i got em off bought 2 cars to make one good one, ill have to rob bumper/valance,rad grill, front end chrome, then very long term ,when the good ones on the road, restore the spares car shell and sell it, or its might be destined for a soft top conversion seeing as the roof is pushed in 3 places..........

Congratulations Cam .
It's about time you concentrated on a proper Morris Minor, not the ugly highlight ones .

What's the bodywork like ? Much cancer ?


I reluctantly sold a really good '49 lowlight yesterday . It was a spare car in case mine was severely damaged again but it's not needed now as I bought another early body a couple of months ago.
It's the first lowlight I've ever parted with but it's gone to a good home & should be back on the road soon .

''It's about time you concentrated on a proper Morris Minor, not the ugly highlight ones. '' What? Although I own a 1000, the highlight mm's are not ugly! And are anything but lowlights proper minors?!!!
If thats the case im in the wrong club. OK lowlights are nice, but the highlights are as well.

Scott wrote:Congratulations Cam .
It's about time you concentrated on a proper Morris Minor, not the ugly highlight ones .

Stevey, I'm sure Scott wrote that VERY tongue in cheek. There are very few lowlights left compared to 'highlights' but as an owner of a highlight MM I'd say they both have their individual charm and neither is 'better' than the other, but if you like the early cars the of course lowlights pre-date the highlight models.

What's the bodywork like ? Much cancer ?

Reasonable amount. Not too bad for a UK car though. Not something you'd tackle over (under?) there though.

I've seen (and owned) much worse.

I reluctantly sold a really good '49 lowlight yesterday . It was a spare car in case mine was severely damaged again but it's not needed now as I bought another early body a couple of months ago.
It's the first lowlight I've ever parted with but it's gone to a good home & should be back on the road soon .

Well, as long as it's going back on the road & to a good home then that's good.

I have got some panels from NZ with the car but I'm missing some key parts such as: headlamps (& one surround) EARLY front screen rubber, gearknob, split-bumper rear mounting brackets, aluminium kick panels and probably a whole load of other bits I have not even thought about.

I don't think it's got bumper irons either. Are these split-type only or are they the same as the later ones?

Soem people tend to call the series MM the last proper Morris, because it used Morris parts only (think engine, box and axle) The later models (series II, III and V) used Austin designed engines boxes and axles.
This is because the two companies started working together in 1952 or '53.

So it is not necessarily meant in a negative way.

Onne

That's actually a very good point Onne. The MM WAS was last Morris really (the highlight version though ). All the subsequent cars (post 1952 merger) were BMC but badged Morris. Just for info, I think the very last vehicle to use the Morris Badge was the Marina Van? I think that was produced even after the Ital?

I don't know about those.... except the fact that they are getting rare

Cam wrote: I'm missing some key parts such as: headlamps (& one surround) EARLY front screen rubber, gearknob, split-bumper rear mounting brackets, aluminium kick panels and probably a whole load of other bits I have not even thought about.

Good luck with the early screen rubber. The Morris Minor retailers don't even acknowledge that the early cars were different .
The aluminium kick panels get damaged quite easily & can also corrode/oxidise badly so good ones are hard to find.

and wrote:I don't think it's got bumper irons either. Are these split-type only or are they the same as the later ones?

Are you referring to the front bumper irons? You mention the rears in the above quote.
The fronts are the same as other Minors.

stevey wrote:What? Although I own a 1000, the highlight mm's are not ugly! And are anything but lowlights proper minors?!!!
If thats the case im in the wrong club. OK lowlights are nice, but the highlights are as well.

Whoa there Stevey . I too like the highlights & indeed own quite a few.
I just have a soft spot for the often neglected & forgotton lowlights.

It's good to see more interest in lowlights & sidevalves in general.
Who knows, one day even you might make the change to the "original" Morris Minor .

Scott wrote:Good luck with the early screen rubber. The Morris Minor retailers don't even acknowledge that the early cars were different .

I thought it was a simple 'U' section but it isn't. Oh well. I don't even have a pattern as the old one was 'cut out'. I think they changed around Autumn 1949 so were only used for about 12 months. I bet the suppliers don't get asked for them very often!

I wonder how owners of 'rare' cars get on? There must be someone that can make a bespoke rubber...

The aluminium kick panels get damaged quite easily & can also corrode/oxidise badly so good ones are hard to find.

Might have to use later painted steel ones.

Are you referring to the front bumper irons? You mention the rears in the above quote.
The fronts are the same as other Minors.

When I say bumper irons I mean the thick steel bar behind the valence and I was talking about the rears, but I've not got a front either.

It's good to see more interest in lowlights & sidevalves in general.

Yes, it seems to have taken off in the past couple of years.