1959 Morris Minor

This 1959 car comes to us courtesy of a trade vendor who is well-known to us. He took the car in part exchange.

He reliably informs us that it is in really pretty good condition, inside and out, and that it starts on the button and drives very well.

The odometer currently reads 46,323 miles.

On the occasion of its 2006 MoT, the mileage was recorded as being 43,458.

So, as you can see, it has been sparingly used over the course of its long and carefully curated life.

It has retained its original colour scheme of ‘Frilford Grey’ exterior and red interior.

Frilford, by the way, is a small hamlet just outside Oxford where, of course, the Moggy Minor was built.

The car is reassuringly festooned with Morris Minor Owners’ Club badges and affiliations to various enthusiast groups.

That’s usually a good sign - enthusiasts tend to look after the things about which they’re enthusiastic.

This handsome car presents very well from every angle.

The bodywork is free of any dinks, dents, ripples, folds, creases or other aberrations of real consequence.

From a few meters away the Frilford Grey paintwork looks fine.

Get a little closer and a few fairly minor cosmetic issues come into focus.

There are some scuffs and a little bit of bubbling at the base of the ‘B’ pillar on the offside, and there’s some missing paint and a few scuffs on the o/s/f wing and around the rear wheel arch on the same side.

There are some paint chips and a few spots of surface rust on the offside ‘A’ pillar and on the leading edge of the bonnet.

The paint on the boot lid is a little pockmarked and rough in places.

The base of the n/s/r wheel arch has a few scuffs in evidence and there are some spots of rust to be seen on the bumper brackets.

The chrome has some foxing and pitting here and there.

The wheels are very good and the tyres look pretty much brand new.

The interior is, if anything, even more impressive than its exterior counterpart – not least because it has sensitively retained an aura of originality and authenticity and has a warmly comforting period feel to it.

The red leather upholstery has patina and character but is free of anything that threatens its integrity or comes under the heading of meaningful ‘damage’.

That said, the front seats have some stitching coming apart and a few creases that are becoming cracks, so you’ll want to keep an eye on them.

The rear seats are very good.

So, too are the door cards.

The headlining is free of any rips, holes or stains.

The red carpets and mats look decent throughout, as far as we can see.

The steering wheel, gear lever (with its Morris Minor Owners’ Club badge) and handbrake are all good, as is the grey-painted dashboard which boasts a ‘mini me’ toy Morris Minor perched atop the speedometer.

The vendor assures us that all the buttons, knobs, switches and dials do what they’re supposed to do.

The boot is in equally fine condition and contains a useful cubby hole and some storage nets alongside a spare wheel and some Union flag mats.

The engine bay looks clean and dry, and everything seems to be in its right and proper place.

The undersides of the car appear to have plenty of structural integrity.

This car comes with plenty of bills, receipts and invoices attesting to its care, maintenance and restoration.

These are part of a thick file of manuals, guides, cuttings, and other bits and pieces, including a British Motor Industry Heritage Certificate.

The car was last serviced in April 2022 and had plenty of remedial and general maintenance work done to it by Chris Bransby Motors of Middlesbrough in 2021.

The car’s MoT is valid until 21st July 2024.

Few cars come with as much innate charm and warmth as a Morris Minor.

This particular example is very usable, very solid and very easy on the eye.

Its condition is really very good indeed, particularly when you consider that it first left the factory in same year that Some Like It Hot was in the cinema, Living Doll was in the charts, and Sir Alec Issigonis was just introducing his other car, the Mini.

It’s had plenty of money spent on it and is a testament to the enthusiasm, care and expertise of all those who have contributed to its enduring aesthetic and mechanical integrity.

We’re confident to offer this splendid car for auction with an estimate of £8,000 - £12,000.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the vendor in Southampton, Hampshire. Viewings are strictly by appointment. To make a booking please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.