80th Birthdays

[Ian Grace]

We should have started this about 18 months ago, when the earliest surviving Minor passed its 80th Birthday, but let us mark the 80th Birthdays of surviving Minors that have reached this ripe old age as recorded in the Morris Progress Books which record when their chassis were laid down.

The next known surviving Minor to reach this age will be David Sparrow's tourer (RF 7025, M24005) which was laid down 28/4/30 - eighty years ago on Wednesday. It was registered in Staffordshire 2/5/30.

Here is an evocative shot of David's Minor among the early autumn leaves and long mid-day shadows at a past Peatling Magna autumn pub meet outside the Cock Inn.

Sadly, David can no longer drive the Minor as he has eyesight issues and is on kidney dialysis - the car hasn't been out of his shed for two years, but he will be celebrating the car's Birthday on Wednesday.

[Ronald]

MT's birthday passed without us even realising....................!

[Ian Grace]

Yup - 25th March last year. Here she is:

[Ian Grace]

29th July marks the 80th Birthday of Ewan Lambess' 2-seater M24068, the chassis of which was laid down 29/4/30.

Ewan made the body himself from Harry Edwards drawings. It started as a saloon and was despatched from Cowley 7/5/30.

Here we see M24068 on the 2005 VMR Hunter Valley Rally.

Congratulations, Ewan!

More images from the Rally may be found here:

http://www.vintageminor.co.uk/2005_Oz/2 ... alley.html

[Ian Grace]

And today it is the turn of Clive Hamilton-Gould's much campaigned DG 325. Congratulations, Clive, Toddy and Laura, and thanks for all you have done to fly the vintage Minor flag.

Here we see Clive with passenger Brian Maeers rounding Pardon at VMR Prescott 2005.