1962 Morris Minor Traveller

This Morris Minor 1000 Traveller De-Luxe was built in April 1958 for the right hand drive export markets but by June 1962 it had found its way into UK use and was registered with the DVLA.

This car has an 1100cc engine, and it's a lovely example of the Series III Minor, which were reworked and updated to enable cheaper mass production. The most visible difference was the single windscreen glass rather than the split-screen of the earlier cars. The De-Luxe designation offered leather seats, heater, ashtray, bumper over-riders and a front parcel shelf. These might not seem so luxurious now but post-war austerity measures like rationing were still fresh in the memory, and having soft seats and a bit of heat would have been the height of decadence.

The car has had 9 owners and its odometer now reads 21,400 miles. Given its age, the number of owners and a recorded mileage of 9,262 in 2005, it is reasonable to assume it has been around the clock already.

The Traveller was part of Jaguar Land Rover’s collection until early autumn last year and was sold, along with a few other Morris cars, to its current father and son owners. The story goes that JLR have thousands of classic cars, of many marques, tucked away and when they went to HM Govt last year for financial support, they had to make a gesture toward liquidating some of their own assets. A “JLR Property” asset tag on the driver’s door shut supports this provenance.

The new owners sold the car’s 9789KC registration plate to help cover the costs of the updates and improvements that they had done to the Morris to recommission it and make it safe for use on the road. Now that it starts, runs and stops well, they are moving it on for a new owner to decide what to do cosmetically.

The exterior bodywork of the Traveller is painted in Clarendon Grey with a red pinstripe. It is probable that the car has been restored and repainted at least once since new but not so recently that the paint doesn’t now carry a patina of scuffs, scratches, flakes and touch ups.

There is a little bubbling appearing at the base of the driver’s door and across the front panel around the grille - and the trim strips along the sides of the bonnet are also a little rough looking - but mostly the car looks decent and honest.

Of slight concern would be the previous rust “repairs” or treatment to the areas below the roots of the A-pillars where a number of different panels meet. Opening the doors and bonnet reveals signs of rust and a very rough finish.

Also, the fitting of chrome sill finishers looks very tidy but it also makes you wonder what lies beneath. Happily the Minor’s sills aren’t structural so it would be more of a cosmetic issue.

As this Traveller is a 1958 model rather than 1962 that the DVLA have it listed as, there are still semaphore trafficators let into the B-pillars. From 1961 onwards, flashing bulb indicators at each corner replaced these little arms and the panels were redesigned. Since then this car - like many earlier Minors still running - has had indicators added front and rear.

The ash woodwork on the rear half of the Traveller appears in reasonable condition with a light patina but no obvious rot - although it looks to have been treated for it above the nearside wheel arch and rear upright. The right hand waist rail was replaced last year. The wood will benefit from regular application of oil or wax, but heavy varnishing is considered more harmful as it is thought to trap in the moisture which comes in from behind.

The chrome fixtures and trims around the car look strong and bright, with just a little pitting here and there, and we’re pleased to see wing mirrors actually on the wings - however limited their usefulness when located there.

There’s a slight gap in the windscreen rubber seal and the rubber strip between the front and rear roof panels is a little perished to one side but neither seems to have affected its rainproofing integrity as yet.

The Minor sits on original 14-inch grey painted steel wheels, which are in reasonable condition with some light scuffing and patina like on the body. All four have chromed Morris hubcaps, which are largely good although one has light rust patches. The wheels are shod with matching Camac tyres dating from 2020.

The car’s interior is upholstered and trimmed in varying shades of dark red.

The seats are in a crimson leather with grey piping and appear lived in but - aside from scuffing in the centre of the rear bench seat - have no damage to the coverings. The driver’s seat base, however, needs attention underneath as the webbing straps have come detached and the next heavy driver may end up with their bottom on the floor.

The door cards are faced in dark red vinyl with leather door pulls and look in good order - and probably not original - although the passenger side trim has come away at the base and needs clipping back in.

Up front, the dash with its simple instrumentation looks ok, with no cracks or splits, although there is a small patch of wear under the ignition keyhole. Mounted to the dash are the other De-Luxe options of the ashtray and Smiths heater - the latter of which looks quite primitive with its heating elements surrounding the cylindrical unit. The “banjo” steering wheel looks original too and has a lovely patina of age to it.

The carpets and floor mats look in good condition, clean and intact, and surely are relatively recent replacements. The floor panels underneath look in good order with signs of previous weld repairs. Up above, the headlining is also clean and taut and is also likely to have been renewed at some point.

The only other nod to modernity is the CD radio which has been installed under the dash on the driver’s side. It works but does rather jar with the period look elsewhere so a new owner may wish to find a more discreet home for it inside one of the two glove boxes.

The engine bay with its green-painted BMC A-series engine is straight out of a textbook on basic mechanics - straightforward and simple with a single SU HS2 carburettor. The engine and ancillaries are clean and there doesn’t appear to be any rust around the compartment. There are signs of recent renewal to some of the perishable items like the radiator hoses and also a new battery.

Underneath the car, the underbody looks in decent shape with a liberal waxoyl coating across the floor pans. There is some surface rust appearing around the previous welds in the passenger footwell, as well as on the chassis members and exposed mechanicals like the drive shaft and, as you’d expect, the rear springs. However there are also signs of recent renewal to the handbrake cable, brake lines and callipers. The car is fitted with a Bosal exhaust (rearwards of the downpipes) which are all made in either aluminised or stainless steel for better rust protection.

Opening the rear barn doors, the load space appears very clean and tidy with the liner and luggage rails intact and undamaged. The interior wooden framing also looks ok and under the floor (accessed from the rear) is a full size spare wheel and jack.

The Traveller’s last MoT expired in March 2013, since when it has been off the road - and dry stored - in one of Jaguar Land Rover’s facilities in the Midlands.

Although now exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it tested at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner and any subsequent purchasers but is also invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies.

There are a handful of invoices in the car’s history file, mostly referring to work done in current ownership to recommission the car including work on the brakes, cooling and body fixtures such as bumper fixings and a new waist rail.

The car also has a BMIHT certificate confirming information about the car’s 1958 build date and specification.

Who doesn’t love a Morris Minor, and especially an iconic wood-framed Traveller model? You won’t be burning up motorways or chasing around the Evo triangle in this charming classic, but it is perfect for a bit of soft and sedate puttering out into the countryside, perhaps with a wicker picnic hamper in the back.

It is likely that the car has previously been repaired, repainted and partially retrimmed - perhaps back in the ‘90s - but it was done sympathetically and appears to have retained a good deal of originality and patina.

Whilst cosmetically we’ve described it as “honest” - mechanically it runs brilliantly and has simple engineering which shouldn’t let you down if you look after it. Morris Minor Travellers are highly desirable and collectable, but are fairly numerous and therefore won’t cost you a lot of money.

We think this tidy example, with intriguing recent ownership, will fetch between £3,500 and £6,500 and as it’s listed with NO RESERVE, it will sell at whatever is the highest bid come closing time.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; our offices are open Mon-Fri 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.  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’.