Hello people I've had a need for a very simple basic and reliable pickup truck type vehicle for a long time. I have no use for anything modern with power anything, or solid state electronics, or magic thinking brakes & etc etc. My idea of the perfect engine is a flathead four, though I have been swayed a little by the thought of OHV Intake, side valve exhaust type conversions for flatheads. I don't like independent suspension or coil springs, - leaf springs are best and are waaaaay easier to setup and repair, and a beam axle is almost Zen in its minimalist perfection. I don't need a big vehicle which means English made rather than American/Australian made is what I'm looking for. The only trouble is the sort of cars I used to buy when I was a teenager for almost free or pocket change are now selling for $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Then I discovered this at a very reasonable price........... It's a Series 1 Morris 8 that was tidily converted into a pickup truck at some stage of its life. It needs work, but this was the sort of thing I cut my teeth on back in the day. The only problem is should I even be thinking about buying a wee truck that's in need of restoration?
That thing is absolutely goofy and I love it. How much of the restoration is going to be mechanical how much cosmetics? Is it drivable now and can it be driven while you fix it up? If you worked on similar autos when younger then it should be like riding a bicycle. You never forget. Get that homely little roller and start wrenching.
I would check with land transport & or vechicle testing about getting registered & legal as it has no plates & I imagine the rego has lapsed. hopefully it can be registered without any drama but it would be better to find out now than find out later it needs to meet new car specs. Good luck
Great if you dont want to get anywhere fast. My daily driver in the 1980s was a 1948 Morris 8 Series E - same or similar motor. Got me from north shore to Onehunga - over the Auckland Harbour Bridge everyday for about a year. Only problem I see is that it is a cut down sedan and making it street legal could be difficult. Still Plenty of parts still around for these.
Yes the rego and legal business part of getting it back on the road is one of the things that does worry me Nick. With all the elderly cars I had over the years I made really sure I kept the registration current when they were off the road to stay clear of having problems. Fast doesn't worry me. My last car was a Series II Morris Minor and I loved its steady and gentle approach to getting about the countryside. On long trips all I would do is pull over and let all the modern junk go past snapping and snarling up each other's exhaust pipes and then I'd have the road completely to myself again for around 20 minutes or so until the next pack of mobile tinfoil arrived. This Morris seems to be a basically structually sound vehicle which will mainly need paint and mechanical work to get back on the road. I don't mind spanner work, I'm good at that, but I don't fancy having to undertake major metal moth repairs. Somehow I'm past that sort of thing these days even though I used to be good with a welding torch when I was younger. There's no engine fitted, but a later Series 'E' flathead engine does come with it (Yay!). I still have some spares for Morris flathead engines as a result of owning the 1954 Minor and ending up with flathead bits through buying 'job lots' of Morrie spares. These Morrie engines are a direct crib of the Ford E93A engine apart from the bore and stroke. So much so in fact that it's almost a straight swap to put a Ford engine into a Morrie 8. When I was in my twenties I built up a seriously hot Ford 100E flathead engine; - ported and relieved, converted to full flow internal oiling with an external oil filter from a slant motor Valiant....... (sigh), - but I don't think I'll be looking to do anything like that again. Cost will be a serious limiting factor though. If there's too much outwork I can't do myself I might just have to p*** on this wee truck.
It looks lioke from old school films Great car! If I will have some money I will buy it! _______________ buy zithromax without a prescription
Oh dear, - the cab and the guards have extensive rust I shall go back to looking for something else instead, but I seriously can't believe the prices some folk are asking for old car parts these days here in NZ.
Do people actually fit in that thing? Excuse me for asking sir but do you posess real legs or just nubs? We'll, If it works for you....
It's not 'sir' I'm the other kind Having driven a Morris 8 several times in my teenage years I can tell you that they have plenty of room and the driver's seating position is very comfortable. This is one occasion where small is just fine thank you very much. I'm just a tad under 5ft 8 by the way and yes I have proper legs and they work just fine. Anyway this particular Morrie isn't for me as I don't want to have to undertake major rust repairs. 'But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume.......'
There engine used to be a few tuning bits for the Morris Minor Series MM which shared the Morris 8 engine, there was a Supercharger kit too, now that would make it scoot! Nick.
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