Vintage Minor Register

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-MINOR- ... 53ef04134d

This Peterborough-registered 1929 tourer was being restored by a garage owner in Cornwall back in 1981 when I was posted to RAF St. Mawgan. He was making a poor job of it and so I pestered him to sell it to me. After about a year, he relented and so I advertized my Austin 7 fabric saloon project in Exchange and Mart, sold it and went back with the cash - only to find he'd sold it to someone up in Preston the previous week! I have been searching for it ever since! This just shows how a restored car in sound, running condition can deteriorate in thirty years.

Chassis is M3962, engine 4096, chassis laid down 15/3/29, first registered 28/3/29, so this is a quite early car. ex-Dave Collins, Blowing House Garage, Penryn, Cornwall, ex-Barry Hartley.

A great project that will make a super early vintage Minor tourer - for someone who has the wherewithal to thoroughly sort it. Somebody rescue it!

Some bidding activity but reserve not yet met. It will be interesting to see if it sells. My concern is that someone with more money than restoration experience will buy it, sell the number to get his money back, pull it to pieces in a fit of enthusiasm one weekend and a rare nickel rad tourer will disappear forever.

Am I getting cynical or realistic in my old age?

This car really deserves better.

This just in from a member:

"Hi Ian,

Just been to view FL7665. Rolling chassis looks good but no paper evidence of the engine/box rebuild. Prev. owner had gone to town with polished copper - bulkhead faced - which didn't look too bad - but fabricated cover over exh. manifold/small air filter/water jacket plates/plug wire support?/dyn.cover band .....etc. all in copper. Needs complete new body tub -present one has chipboard around inner wings/woodworm around main floor supports/chopped through at drivers side - whole of body moves with slightest touch. Front wings very rough(all patched roughly). wrong h/lights speedo in bits/amp.broken/no wheel hub centres. Petrol tank outlet tap changed - never seen anything like it!! Now fitted with large dyn. engine no. 29999. Hood iron there but rusted through - hood needs replacing. Did not see any interior panels/upholstery.

Looks far better in photos. This may be useful if anyone contacts you about the car.

Best wishes"

Up to GBP 1,900 - reserve still not reached. Three days to go.

Bidding is hotting up - now up to GBP 2,300 with reserve met. Bidding closes tomorrow.

Bidding just ended - went from GBP 2,750 to GBP 4,126 in the last hour or so, the winning bidder entering the strong bidding in the last minute.

I hope he is happy with his purchase. It seems a lot of money for a pile of bits and hundreds of hours of work.

Derek,

Agreed. Although rare and tempting, I don't think I would have gone much over GBP 3k for it. At least it looks like it went to someone who really wanted it, not a number plate dealer, and who will hopefully undertake a swift and thorough restoration. We hope very much to make contact with the new owner shortly.

Good luck with your M Type search.

Ian

Congratulations to Derek Tew who was the winning bidder for FL 7665! Derek, who works at Gaydon and who is well known in Wolseley circles, joined the Register recently, and now he has a great Minor project!