The image below shows the underside of a Morris Minor areas prone to rust such as the sills and Crossmember can be seen coloured in pink. If the Crossmember bottom is distorted then it will need to be replaced as soon as possible. The sills should be as shown in the photo, if a replacement "coverpanel" is in place then I should stop further investigation and look for another car or proceed with caution. The spring hanger is a favourite rust spot, but parts are affordable and readily available. If you are still interested then the front and rear chassis rails are worth a look. The front offside one is usually last to go as the oil filter leaks and helps keep rust at bay.

Mechanically the engine will last forever if regularly serviced. as will the gearbox.
Gearbox When moving off the first gear is normally slightly whirry in sound. If it has a harsh grind to it then there is some wear in the gearbox. Accelerate in each gear and then lift off the accelerator. The car must not jump out of gear.
The Brakes (Drums all round) do get a bit sticky if the car is left to stand for a lengthy period, and cylinders can be expensive to replace. As the the braking system is barely adequate I would recommend regular maintenance for modern day driving and allow plenty of stopping distance!. Take off the front wheels for the greasing, and you can get at the brakes. Look through the hole in each drum with a torch. You will see two screw head adjusters in each of the front drums. Turn each clockwise until it locks and then come back one click. If you reach the end of the adjustment but you can still turn the drum the shoes need replacement.
The rear brakes are adjusted in the same way but there is only one adjuster per side. This is located at the front of each drum, adjust with the handbrake off and make sure the cables are free of obstructions and do relax when the handle is released.

Details of My MORRIS MINOR 1000 4 dr SALOON

CHASSIS: MA95D1200512M
or VIN: MAS51200512
Date of Registration : 15 12 1967
Mileage: 95,679
Engine No: 284469 Capacity 1098cc

TOP SPEED about 70 - 90 mph depending on wind direction. 7 known owners since new, and it looks in pretty good condition not A1, but clean and reliable. Original apart from normal service items, Trunions, Brake Cylinders, Sills and floor plates. Top is about 85 mph and 0-60 would be around 25 seconds.
For some reason I believe the colour is called Trafalgar Blue.

My MORRIS MINOR 1000 4 dr SALOON "Maurice"

Morris Minor Facts

1. SPEED 1980 and 81 Nic Mann's turbo charged Rover V8-engined Minor became the fastest road legal car ever tested by Autocar. The 0-100 time matched that of the Jaguar XJ220 tested more recently.

2. ENDURANCE 1952 2 Irishmen drove a Morris Minor 1000 saloon across the Sahara desert as part of a marathon from Southern Rhodesia - Belfast. Their Morris Minor became the smallest car to have crossed the Haggar Mountain route in the desert.

3.HUNGER Investigators in Africa discover that trim was falling of due to some insects developing a taste for the glue used on untreated plywood to attach trim parts.

4.MICKEY MOUSE Morris Minor vans were extensively used by the Post office with a few modifications, one of these was the use of black rubber wings, combined with the headlamp position this led workers to affectionately name them Mickey Mouse vans.

5.BITS There are 19,581 components in a 1950 2 door Morris Minor.

Old Morris Minor 1000 Advertisements from the 40's, 50's and 60's featuring the Morris Minor and other cars.

The following are some suppliers and services that I have used and have no hesitation in recommending.

http://www.mgm-spares.co.uk
MGM Spares
Old Station Road
Rowsley
Derbyshire
DE4 2DY
Tel +44 (0)1629 735522
e-mail: info@mgm-spares.demon.co.uk
On this site you will find a complete Morris Minor spares catalogue and ordering details. You can also download a text version of the catalogue and take a look at some useful links. They can provide you with everything you may need for your Morris Minor, including support via web pages, and bulletin boards. A Must for all Morris Minor owners.

Aces Autos New Work Unit 1 Lower Gower Road, Royston, SG8 5EA Tel 01763 245790