The Big End - Changing the Rules

The fundamental rule for designating a Classic Car is that it must be a desirable vehicle and or recognized as popular in its day. Besides being desirable, the following aspects of owning a Classic Car are also relevant:

Firstly it is preferable that the vehicle is one that you will be able to maintain and keep to a good state of preservation. Secondly, if possible, that spares are plentiful and easy to obtain. Thirdly that the vehicle will retain a good market value in the future. Last but not least it is also an advantage if the vehicle is capable of driving safely with today's road conditions.

Not bad for a start and obviously the above conditions will be altered to suit undividual requirements.

With my wife, we have just purchased another Morris two door, bog standard at the moment but soon to be altered for our day to day requirements.

It is on the road at the time of writing this article and from my own current experience I can say how I had forgotten what a standard Morris is like to use.

We had been given the information that Henry, for this is his name, was for sale in London. Having required to replace our daily used 4 door special, which recently was sold to a Dutch lady, so a replacement was a priority. We talked it over and because Henry sounded the business, fitted our requirements and was in the right price range, we decided to go to the Smoke and see what he was like. We traveled up to the big city early on a Sunday, arriving to deserted streets and as the sun rose. I rather like doing this especially when you have to find a new place which can be very stressful during the day especially with high volumes of traffic etc.

Spying out the street where Henry was staying, we were delighted to see Henry was in pretty good condition albeit dirty from city life and from the attentions of some resident pigeons who had left their mark on Henries Roof and wings.

Having decided that after breakfast, it was worth a return visit to thoroughly inspect Henry and possibly do the business with the owner.

All proved well and after driving round the block money and good will was exchanged and we were ready to go home. Celia was to drive and myself acting as shepherd, taking the scenic route back home. On our first stop for petrol, Celia spoke of a vibration around 60mph, suspected to be wheel balance; nothing untoward was wrong although Celia complained about the poor brakes and the tendency for the cars body to roll on corners nothing unusual except that you must expect this as this is how a standard Morris behaves.

After what was a stressful journey fighting the traffic we stopped at a canal wharf where the pace of life dramatically slowed to a crawl we refreshed ourselves with large mugs of coffee and cakes supplied from the resident café. The stop gave us renewed strength to tackle the remaining miles home. Needless to say we arrived home safely without any dramas or major problems with the car

Regarding how a standard Morris behaves here you may say, "So what?", but to us out in the commercial side of things, we strive to make the vehicle better as though what could have happened had the vehicle been kept in production.

This fact became very evident when I got round to driving Henry for the first time. Those quirks a Morris has, its cornering traits, suspension deficiencies, the tendency to roll like a small boat in a rough sea. The overlarge steering wheel, terrible seats, and of course the gearbox with its non-syncromesh 1st gear. All these are of course the limiting artifacts from a bygone era of the 1970's before most cars had radial tyres, halogen lights, power steering, telescopic damping, and above all, disc brakes.

I know now that I have been pursuing the right course of action over these last few years with developments to help the Morris cause. Henry will soon be in for major surgery and a lot of care and new parts will be given to him. I know he will be the better for this and emerge like a new butterfly renewed to ply the roads for many more years.

I hope to let you know the progress of Henry in the months to come.

© Chris Street, June 2000