The Pre-war Morris Minor

The Morris Minor was the first car to be sold for £100, and was first built in 1928! Its price and its looks were not the only things that were a bit different as Minor Matter's Advertising Manager Bryan Gostling found out!

There can be no doubt that the success of Herbert Austin's "Seven" was responsible for William Morris developing the diminutive Morris Minor to capture part of the new market. This was at a time when the tendency at Cowley was to produce larger six-cylinder models to complement the established Oxford and Cowley and, incidentally, compete, hopefully with success, against American cars in the "Dominion" markets.

Advance details of the new Morris Minor appeared in the "Morris Owner" which reached the bookstalls in June 1928. A jingoistic caption to a photograph, showing William Morris beside a saloon version of the car, made play of the popular song of the period "Yes Sir, That's my Baby!" There followed a brief account of the specification which boasted an overhead camshaft engine developing 20 bhp at 3,000 r.p.m., coil ignition, wire wheels, three-speed gearbox and full electrical equipment including two large headlights. Morris had just bought out Wolseley in 1927, and was highly impressed by the advanced technology of the Wolseley six cylinder overhead camshaft engine. He decided therefore that a four cylinder version would be ideal for the new Minor.

OLYMPIA

When the Morris Minor appeared at the Motor Show at Olympia in late 1928, the Fabric saloon was joined by a four-seater tourer model which was £10 cheaper than the saloon price of £135. Anticipating regulations already in the legal pipeline, both models were offered with the option of Triplex safety glass at extra cost. Four-wheel cable operated brakes were fitted and an interesting feature was the hand brake which operated external contracting shoes on a drum behind the gearbox. In fitting a dry clutch plate, Morris had deviated from their normal practice and found it necessary to warn owners that oil must not be poured into the clutch case.

No effort had been spared to make the best use of the available space in a body on a 78 inch wheelbase chassis. Entrance to the rear seats was made easy by arranging the back of the front bucket seats to fold down and then the whole to tip forward. Additional leg room for the passengers was achieved by use of foot wells either side of the transmission shaft. Even the space beneath the leathercloth covered seats was not wasted as the battery rested in a container under the driver. Meanwhile a box beneath the front passenger's seat provided room for the very comprehensive tool kit that was supplied, making the bent-piece-of-wire and wheel brace, which constitutes the present day 'tool-kit', look pathetic by comparison. On the inside of both doors large elastic topped pockets were fitted. Body apart, the tourer model differed only in that it had a horizontally split two-piece windscreen.

MG MIDGET

The potential of the lively little engine and the Minor chassis was immediately appreciated by Cecil Kimber, Managing Director of Morris Garages. The subsequently successful M.G. 'M' type Midget which made its debut at the 1928 Olympia Motor Show was the result of lowered suspension, increased steering rake and adjustments to a chassis which was mounted with a light, boat-tailed, plywood body covered in fabric. Later bodies were metal panelled and between the 1929 season and 1933, approximately 3,200 were made.

Despite what some historians may say, the pre-war Morris Minor was undoubtedly a success when one considers that a fifth of all cars produced by Morris Motors Ltd. in 1929 were Minors. The following year this proportion approached a quarter of Morris total production.

THIRTIES

For the 1930 season a coachbuilt saloon with 'kalapso' folding head was added to the existing Fabric saloon and tourer models. In addition, a 5 cwt. van, based on the same chassis, made its appearance. This is probably one of the few small commercials to be powered by an overhead camshaft engine.

The wider choice of body styles was not reflected in the cellulose colour finish, as both open and fabric models were now only available in Niagara Blue and the new folding-head saloon in Brown. Morris publicity sources announced that

The new season saw the general introduction of chromium plating to external bright parts (which previously had been nickel plated) and Triplex safety glass as standard. Other changes included stiffeners added to the upper panels of the bonnet to ensure rigidity, and a change over from Smiths to Armstrong friction shock absorbers.

1932 Morris Minor Side Valves. Left: two seater. Right: Saloon (photo: K.Martin)

OVERHEAD CAM TO SIDEVALVE

The overhead cam engine proved not to be favourable, and in 1931 a sidevalve version of the Morris Minor was introduced. This accounted for a drastic drop in the number of overhead cam Minors produced from 14,000 in 1930 to half this figure in 1931.

Overhead camshaft production continued until 1932. Indeed a new variation for 1931 included a new two-seater called the "Semi-Sports Two Seater". The new Two-seater, priced at £125, was an attractive little car finished in black and red fabric with red "Karhyde" upholstery to match. It was listed for one season only. As with all Minor models for 1931 the transmission handbrake arrangement had given way to cable braking, where front and rear shoes were applied by both foot and hand.

The coachbuilt saloon and four-seater tourer continued to be listed. The tourer was now available in blue, and the saloon in dark maroon and eventually blue. The colour for the Fabric saloon was not affected and the prospective purchaser had the choice of Blue or Black fabric.

FIRE TENDER

One other model, in addition to the 5 cwt. van, must be mentioned and this is the "8 h.p. Fire Tender". Contemporary catalogues tell us that this was in great demand by villages, schools, institutes and factories, but in truth very few were actually made. Unlike the "Gwynn" of the same era with its pump and hose equipment, the Morris Fire Tender was merely a carrier of some nine large chemical fire extinguishers and a folding ladder. At least three of the machines are known to have existed - and possibly four. One was used by Morris Motors Ltd., for their own works fire brigade.

A second Minor equipped as a Fire Tender was presented to the Oxford Fire Brigade volunteers by Sir William Morris in late 1930. This machine was registered "JO 743" and by 1935 had been fitted with an improvised roof and canvas side panels, being in regular use for chimney fire calls and the like up to about 1944 when it appears to have been scrapped.

The Minor's role as a fire fighting instrument was again evident in mid-1934 when a fleet of that season's sidevalve chassis were modified as fire-engines for use in Chinese up-country stations. These later machines were more practical as the equipment included a water pump mounted forward of the radiator in addition to a longer extending ladder, hose fitments, and a spotlight mounted high above the windscreen.

£100!

Because of the low profit margin on the overhead camshaft Minor, and the general knowledge within the motor trade that Fords were developing a small car, Morris was prompted to produce a car to sell at £100. This magic figure, it was felt, would have the maximum sales appeal.

Work on a new sidevalve model went ahead. Various other ideas put the manufacturing costs down to a figure that would allow the vehicle to be sold for £100. These included:

Once the £100 car had been achieved, the engineers went hell for leather to produce two publicity stunt versions. The first was able to push 100 mph thanks to streamlining and engine supercharging. The second was encouraged to do 100 mpg on a diet of benzole while crawling along at an average speed of 15 mph. Morris advertising therefore claimed that the Minor was the £100 car that did 100 mph and 100 mpg!

At the New Year Party held for Stewart & Ardern employees at Acton, they rang in the New Year by wheeling onto the ballroom floor the first grey finished £100 Morris Minor sidevalve two-seater (the fact that the early Bullnose cars were finished in grey may have influenced the choice of this colour). The new cheaper Minor had already had its full share of publicity and the forthcoming introduction was an open "secret" many months previously - witness the mention in the 1931 Season catalogue published in September 1930 informing the reader that the sidevalve models were listed in a separate catalogue. It was announced that delivery of the "£100" Minor would commence in February 1931.

Ironically, the £100 car did not have the success expected. The magic figure failed because Morris forgot that in the early 'twenties his cheap but high quality cars were more attractive to buyers than the cheaper Ford product. Those people for whom motoring was possible in the depression did not choose the cheapest available, when for another £20 they could buy a car that was both better looking and had better performance!

In addition to the basic £100 two-seater, saloon versions in both fabric and coachbuilt form were soon available. In February 1931 some two hundred Morris agents were assembled at Cowley to see the new models which were disclosed when Sir William Morris drew aside curtains on a stage. That they were not just prototypes was demonstrated when the dealers were also shown over 200 of the new cars ready for despatch. The Fabric saloon was listed at £114 and the coachbuilt saloon with a sliding-head fitment £5 more. In producing these new variations Morris used the same body and chassis pressings as used on the overhead camshaft Minor, so little additional tooling had been required. In March 1931 there followed a four-seater tourer priced at £112.10s. The 5 cwt. van was not forgotten either, this small commercial appeared around about February.

ELEVENSES

In 1931 the output from Cowley was lower than any year since 1924, and the pre-tax profits less than the 1923 figure. The prospective Morris Minor purchaser had a choice of eleven different variations, some with sidevalve engines and some with the original overhead-valve power unit. 7,696 overhead valve and 5,434 side valve chassis were produced for the 1931 model year.

In October 1931 between the 15th and 24th, on the Morris stand No.111 at Olympia, the public was able to see for the first time the new Morris Minors which had undergone some styling exercises and redesign. With the exception of two new long wheel-base cars called the "Family Eight" and "Eight Sports Coupé", all the Minors now had the sidevalve engine. The Eight Sports Coupé was not officially called a "Minor". Morris literature of the period referred to them as Morris Eights and it may come as a surprise to some Morris enthusiasts to realise that, literally, the "Morris Eight" was not first introduced in 1934! However, the chassis numbering was included within the overhead cam Minor series and the basic mechanics closely followed the lines of the Minor.

Perhaps the outstanding feature of these larger cars was the use of Lockheed hydraulic brakes which "The Autocar" (Road Test, March 1932) described as:

The tests quoted a braking distance of 37 feet from 30 mph, which compared with 56 feet for the cable braked Minor saloon. Specification for the Sports Coupe included a side hinged boot at the back, dummy hood irons, louvres over the windows, rear blind and roof lamp. Doors were:

- perhaps a reminder to early owners of the modern Mini that nothing is new in the world of the motor car.

PETROL TAX INCREASE

An increase in petrol tax from 6d to 8d just prior to the Motor Show no doubt increased the interest in all small cars. Morris Motors Ltd., were competing in a market against other small models, notably the Austin Seven but also including the Jowett, the Singer Junior, Standard Nine and the Triumph Super Seven. Later in February, 1932, Dagenham's Ford 8 hp car made its debut at the Ford Motor Exhibition in the Albert Hall, London. Despite this, the 1932 season proved to be the best for Minor sales with the total output (including 4,487 Family Eight saloons and Coupé's) reaching 19,251.

For the motor industry generally, 1933 was a bad year and for Morris Motors in particular both production figures and pre-tax profits were down. Despite dropping the overhead camshaft version, the Company sold fewer sidevalve Minors than in 1932 - predictably perhaps when attendance figures, later published, revealed that the 1932 Olympia Motor Show, where all the new 1933 season's models were shown, had reached an all time low.

For its final season in 1934, the Morris Minor received a complete facelift and many refinements such as:

The new body design had added curves which complemented the domed wings and this rounding off of sharp corners had been applied even to the hitherto right-angle edging of the running boards.

On the Two-seater the rear now curved down to the chassis line with chromium plated bars upon which rested the hood when in a folded condition. Internally, the gearbox area had received some draught-proofing treatment with a rubber cover, while the handbrake lever took on a more robust appearance having finger grips and a central release button.

Even the 5 cwt. van version had been updated with some rounding off the sharp corners and re-positioning of the petrol filler cap - albeit under the skin the van continued to be constructed with many of the older components and it retained to the end the original square radiator shell and the boxed front mudguards.

Brace of Hybrid Minor/Eight General Post Office (GPO) vans. Left: "External Telephone" type. Right: "Internal Telephone" type.

Towards the end of 1934 the new "Specialisation Build" Morris Eight made its debut and the name "Morris Minor" was shelved for fourteen years (well almost! the G.P.O. continued to use a hybrid Morris Eight/Minor van which was called the Morris Minor) to return as the type title for one of Morris Motors Ltd. most successful models of all time - the Issigonis designed Morris Minor in 1948. As for the pre-war Minor, by the time the last model left the assembly-line at Cowley, 39,083 overhead-valve and 47,227 sidevalve engined chassis had been produced between late 1928 and 1934.

THE PRE-WAR MORRIS MINOR