1933 Morris Minor 2-Seat Tourer

Showing just four previous keepers on the V5C Registration Certificate since being despatched from the factory on the 14th of February 1933, ‘JF 4546’ is a genuine UK-market Morris Minor that’s finished in green and black with gold wire wheels and a green interior.

Little more is known about its history other than it has clearly been restored to a very good standard in the not-too-distant past. It also runs and drives very well and would make a charming summer roundabout.

The green-and-black bodywork presents very well on the whole; some of the panels, such as the front wings, could be more neatly aligned but the overall impression is very positive thanks to a marked absence of dents and dinks, and a very good shine to the paint.

The black softtop is in an excellent condition with no rips, tears, or holes. Nothing really in the way of creasing either, not even to the still-clear plastic rear window, which furls into a graceful arc. 

The metal frame also rises and falls easily, and the hood fits well, pulling nice and taut when it is raised. A pair of door tops are also included, enabling you to button up against the weather quite nicely.

The 19-inch wire wheels have been hand-painted gold, are in a decent condition, and appear to run straight. They are also fitted with matching 3.50-19 Avon Sidecar Triple Duty MKII, including on the spare wheel. All have good tread.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. 

As with the rest of the areas we’ll get to in a moment, the fact the Morris Minor is small and simple doesn’t mean it is a poverty-spec car: Admire the Wilmot Breeden Calormeter on top of the magnificent chrome radiator shell, for example, and the Lucas King of the Road  headlamps that bridge the gap between the centre-hinged bonnet and the flowing cycle wings.

As for flaws and blemishes, both front wings rub against the bonnet, and both have scratches near the headlamp housing. Both sides have cracks around the door hinges too. 

The bonnet has a chip on the offside edge and on the rearmost louvre, and both doors have chips on their trailing edge. The offside rear panel is also marked where the softtop has rubbed against it, and is chipped on its offside edge.

The interior is simply finished in green with a full-width, unvarnished wooden dashboard that hosts the Minor’s four and four switches inside a hand-painted oval panel. 

This somewhat minimalist approach is also reflected in the straightforward three-spoke steering wheel and sturdy door latches. 

The door cards are absent any decoration, the bench seat is flat and constructed with the bare minimum of stitching, and the only flourishes in the carpet are a neatly-bound cutout that accommodates the small brake pedal plus another that provides space for the gear lever and handbrake, both of which could have been lifted straight out of a railway signal box.

It is utterly glorious, and a welcome antidote to the bloated, screen-laden, Bluetooth-connected cabins we have foisted on us today.

Plus, everything we tried worked as it should too, with the sole exception of the fuel gauge; clearly, simplicity can also mean reliability. 

As with the coachwork, there are a few flourishes including ‘M’-embossed accelerator and clutch pedals, a felt-lined compartment in front of the passenger, brass door hinges, a Lucas windscreen wiper, and adjustable fresh air vents in the footwells.

It’s also been subtly modified over the years including a leather tag in the boot to help you pull up the wooden lid, plus a light and a carefully protected battery cut-off switch.

This really is a delightful old thing and the only job we spotted is, perhaps, to tidy up the underdash wiring. 

Speaking of which, the instrumentation might be limited but it does cover the essentials and records a good charge to the battery and decent oil pressure that rises in line with the revs. 

The little four-cylinder engine starts easily too and idles very smoothly. It also revs like a medium-power sewing machine and doesn’t make any odd noises or produce excessive smoke.

There are some lovely touches under the bonnet too like the brass plate on the radiator that suggests it was made by the Coventry Radiator and Presswork Co. Ltd. 

And the Bakelite cover for the 6-volt SU pressure pump that’s fed by copper fuel lines. And the braided electrical wiring, and the brass chassis plate and oil filler cap.

We could go on, but you get the picture. 

It is also very accessible, very clean, appears to be free of oil and water leaks. Working on it would be a joy, which is just as well because the fanbelt looks like it would benefit from being a smidge tighter and the radiator might have sprung a leak.

As for the underside, it is as clean, straight, and simple as the rest of the car. 

We spotted new fasteners and clips too, plus clean grease nipples, which suggest the Morris has been maintained, even if the elasticated bungee could probably be replaced with something more suited to the task.

The Morris does not have an MoT certificate. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes a buff logbook that covers the years from 1956 through to 1964, a copy of the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust factory record, two copies of the Information Manual and one of the Operation Manual, The Book of the Morris Eight and Morris Minor, and the V5C Registration Certificate.

With a guide price of between £10,000 and £12,000, we can’t imagine a nicer car to enjoy the coming heatwave summer; fold down the roof and potter around at sane speeds, calling into riverside pubs for a glass of ice-cold lemonade, and lounging in the shade as you chat with new friends about how they don’t make ‘em like this anymore. 

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at THE MARKET HQ in South Oxfordshire. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays (apart from Bank Holidays) between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.