Vintage Minor Register
Wanted - Dead or Alive!
This page is dedicated
to all those lost Vintage Minors, some of which are out there somewhere,
but cannot be traced
by the Register. Many others, undoubtedly, have survived,
but if so, the Register
has no knowledge.
We therefore appeal
to anyone with information on any of the following Minors
or any others not
listed in the Register to contact the Register.
First and foremost, where is this 1928 fabric
saloon DO 7820 now? According to Register records, this vintage Minor,
with chassis number MM463 is the oldest
surviving Morris Minor known to exist.
It was photographed here at a Morris Register
Rally in 1996 (?), and looks in first class order.
It is believed that the owner at that time
was a Mr. N Leggett, and that it was owned by a Mr. J Lees back in 1984.
We also know that Mr. Leggett sold the
car 'up north'.
According to the DVLA, the last V5 was
issued in August 1999.
Where is this very significant Vintage
Minor now?
VA 9714 is a 1930 tourer and was photographed
about fifteen years ago when under restoration.
According to DVLA, the last V5 was issued
in 1988, and the license fee is not due.
Does this mean that it is currently taxed
and on the road?
Here is an interesting one.
This is 1930 Semi-sports HX 9773 (chassis
M31484), photographed about ten years ago when in the ownership of Jim
Faulkner.
At that time it was fitted with a sidevalve
Minor engine and the rear had ben modified to add a dickey seat.
It subsequently passed to a dealer and
the registration has recently surfaced - on a Minor saloon!
This is - or was - Graham Beck's 1930 saloon
VC 6555, chassis M28897, engine U29752.
As can be seen, Graham was well into the
restoration of this car when it was STOLEN from his garage
in West Hagley, West Midlands about five
years ago.
If anyone comes across this car, chassis
M28897 or cylinder block U29752, please contact the Register
immediately.
Here is one for our Antipodean members to
solve.
This sporty 1929 Minor roadster with oystershell
wings was (and may still be) owned by Bob and Jeanette Jones of Queensland.
Registered V 0740, it was spotted here
at the 5th National Rally of the Morris Register of Australia in Toowoomba
in 1986. And now?
This 1930 Minor coachbuilt saloon is the
ex-Dave and Wendy Cooksey car.
It was photographed by Ken Martin at the
Brooklands 60th Anniversary Meet at Brooklands.
After using the car as everyday transport,
Dave eventually sold the car to a new owner in Switzerland.
Is it still there today?
Denis Dineen owned this unusual 1931 Minor
special, IF 8514 (M34133) (and these children!) in Ireland ten years ago.
At that time, he was looking for a new
body for the car.
Now we are looking for the car! Does
Denis still own it?
Found!
This Minor
has now turned up in the hands of Michael Feen in County Cork, Eire
who has joined
the Register.
This very poor photograph is the only one
we have of Peterborough-registered 1929 Minor tourer FL 7665, chassis M3962.
It was part restored by garage owner Dave
Collins in Penryn, Cornwall about 20 years ago
before being sold to Barry Hartley in Preston
- since when it has gone to ground.
Has anybody seen it lately?
1930 coachbuilt saloon MY 3508 (M19674)
was owned by Paul Harris in the late seventies,
after which it passed via Halfway Garage,
Padworth to two ladies in Bosham.
As can be seen, it was in very sound condition.
Do the aforementioned ladies still own
it?
Found! (Well, nearly)
MY 3508 was auctioned
at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu on 9th September 2002
But we don't know
who bought it!
However, according
to DVLA, the last V5 was issued 12/5/83.
BR 7084 (M2857) is an early fabric saloon
which was first registered on 19th February 1929.
In 1998, it was sold by Jim Dalton to a
retiring laboratory technician at a Northern Ireland University as a retirement
project.
We know that the chap also owned an Edwardian,
but that is all.
Can anyone put us in touch with the new
owner?
1929 tourer JBK 920 (M11720) has had a chequered
career.
Owned by Lionel White of Gosport in the
sixties, it had previously been imported from Malta
and arrived back in Portsmouth aboard an
aircraft carrier!
Lionel restored the car and sold it on
to a new owner in Salisbury in 1971.
Is it still there?
Another 1929 tourer with a Salisbury connection,
FB 8045 (M12591) was first registered in Bath.
The car surfaced after years in storage
last year when it was auctioned by Bonhams to a lucky new owner.
Prior to this, the only record of the car
was that it had been sold by Clearway Garage, Salisbury in 1966.
Can anyone put us in touch with the new
owner?
Found!
This tourer turned
up at auction in 2002
and has been acquired
for restoration by Tony Gamble