1958 Morris Minor Split Screen Panel Van

Is it a vehicle? Well, yes – it’s a 1958 Morris Minor panel van – at least, that’s how it started life. But in 1994 it also became Steph Newington’s Morris Minor Millennium Project.

Jersey traditional signwriter and artist Steph Newington wanted to do something unique, and in 1994 he decided the canvas on which he’d create his legacy would be this 1958 Morris Minor split-screen van.

There are of course many other vans that have been modified and customised, but none quite like Steph’s. This is no ordinary Morris Minor van and when you examine the quality of the workmanship you can see why the project took Steph nearly six years to complete.

On leaving school in 1986 Steph took up a five-year apprenticeship as a traditional signwriter (before computers came on the scene), and once qualified branched out into airbrush art, creating large murals on public buildings and in private homes. When he saw an advert advertising an ex-Royal Mail Post Office Van in 1994, it sparked his imagination to create a unique piece of work.

The same way as an artist uses a blank canvas to create a new artwork, Steph has used the van as his canvas – though not on the outside, but underneath and inside.

So the vehicle is an art installation, and cannot be driven. It could be put back to starting/driving condition if you wanted, but at significant time and cost of course.

Between 2002 – 2021 it has been on display at the Haynes International Motor Museum in Somerset, UK.

After stripping the vehicle down to its last nut and bolt, and sandblasting all of the components to create a blank canvas, Steph made a start on the chassis, which he painted in a marble effect, with the crossmembers finished in a wood-grain finish. He then turned his attention to the underside of the cab, which he sprayed in a green marble effect.

He chose an aubergine hue for the exterior paintwork, which included a red pearl effect to give it a unique finish. Most customised cars have a profusion of bright polished metal components under the bonnet, but Steph didn’t want to go that way and decided to airbrush the entire engine and all of the ancillaries with a marbled effect, adding a Morris Minor logo under the bonnet and topless women on the rocker cover.

As you can see from the images, much of the van’s airbrushed artwork incorporates humour, with numerous faces depicting devilish looking creatures.

Amazing as the outside of this Minor is, it’s not even half the story, as all the work Steph did is under the skin. More of that in a minute.

Paintwork this good takes time, skill and a lot of hours. Steph says the outer panels were prepared and painted by the specialists at Panel Craft in his native Jersey. They clearly did a stunning job, and looking at the paint in sunlight you can see it change colour with the natural light – it almost looks alive.

The level of detail is relentless – it almost wears you out trying to take it all in. Look at the marble paint effect on the slot mags’ centre caps, the custom made domes on the headlamps, the handmade steel rear wheel arches.

It’s all in the same incredible condition it was the day Steph finished it in December 1999, just in time for the new millennium, because since then it’s been a permanent exhibit at the Haynes Museum.

This would be an amazing vehicle if it stopped here. But when you delve a little deeper it goes from the sublime to the surreal.

Opening the door is a bit like opening one of CS Lewis’ wardrobes – it takes you to a different world. ‘Martin Caunce the upholsterer and coachbuilder did the interior, and he ordered all the leather from Connolly. He did all the buttoning work – he was brilliant,’ says Steph.

In the gearbox tunnel there are Perspex panels so you can see some of the work Steph did underneath, and in the rear, another large clear panel – hinged this time – showing what looks like a wooden chassis. It’s not of course, it’s all been air brushed by Steph to resemble wood.

‘The hinges on the panel are Minor bonnet hinges, but we had to machine them as they’re designed to sit on a curved surface.’ The lighting in the rear runs from the Minor’s battery and uses parts from Maglites.

The number 50 on the speedo’s dal is highlighted in red and has, of course, not escaped the air brush either. ‘It was the 50th anniversary of the Minor while I was working on the project,’ says Steph, which is why I picked it out in red paint.’

Deep, lush leather buttoned panels sit on the doors, and they’re fixed to – are they wooden panels? No, more of Steph’s illusory paintwork. There is no surface left uncoated, nothing remains of the original interior’s look. The effect is quite overwhelming. And we still haven’t got to the wildest part…

This is the bit where we usually talk about underseal and rust on most cars. We won’t be using either of those words again.

Stunning as the exterior paintwork is, sumptuous and luxurious as the custom interior is, the engine bay and underside are on a different level. If a surface can be painted, then Steph has obliged. ‘There are really only two things I didn’t paint,’ he says, ‘the tyres and the wiring loom.’

The loom may be in its original cotton covering but the HT leads under the bonnet are a different story. Just like every other surface, they’re painted

‘1958’ proclaims the diff cover on the rear axle, while a giant spider hangs from the bottom of the fuel tank ready to pounce.

The thin metal bar which supports the bonnent elbow joint has unfortunately snapped away at ne end, quite likely due to the bonnet being shut without the elbow joint havig been collapsed. This happened after the car arrived on site, and should prove to be a very simple fix.

So why a Morris Minor van, Steph?

‘I just liked the shape – and I love the opening driver’s windscreen – but really it was just a canvas. It was originally a Post Office van here in Jersey, back when it was new in 1958. The guy who had it before me fitted the rear wings, and made a really nice job of it to.

‘I trained as a traditional sign writer and went on to do air brushing after that. I believe everyone is a little ambitious in life and I wanted to create a unique art piece. So I bought the van and turned it into an Airfix kit, then had every single piece sandblasted and etch primed in epoxy.

‘Then that was sealed and base coats added, before I worked my way through the car over a six yar period – I was working two other jobs at the time, which is why it took me so long.’

‘When the exterior was originally painted it was green. Then I saw a green custom Minor van in a magazine so I had to change it – mine had to be one of a kind. That’s when I settled on the aubergine colour with the red pearl effect.’

‘I finished it just in time for the millennium in December 1999. It was good fun but I’d never do it again. It cost me about £30k to do it all those years ago – and that’s without accounting for my time. I was very green when I started – just 22 years old. A lot of the guys who worked on it with me are retired now, and they all warned me that I didn’t know what I’d let myself in for.

‘I’m 50 now and I think the nice thing is that when I did this it was still possible to keep things secret. You can’t do that these days – it’s impossible with modern technology and I think that’s so sad. If I started this now within a few weeks pictures would appear online and then someone would copy it.

‘If I had the space for it I’d keep it, put it in my lounge and play music through it as an art installation. It has built in lighting that you can plug into the mains to bring it all to life. Whoever buys it can have it personalised as there’s plenty of room on the outside for sign writing. And of course, I know a man who’d do a great job.’

‘Most of the friends I have today I made while doing this project. And on top – I now know how a car works.’

With this unique vehicle comes a book detailing its build, plus 100s of receipts, the original log book, old photographs taken during the build and old magazine articles.

Imagine walking into a swanky corporate head office and this being there. You wouldn’t forget that place in a hurry would you? The word unique is bandied around almost indiscriminately these days. Not in this case.

Our estimate for this car Is £15,000 - £25,000, though can you really put a price on this incredible workmanship?

Viewing is always encouraged, and with this vehicle absolutely imperative. This particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, to arrange an appointment 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’.