1958 Morris Minor Supercharged

Let’s take a look at the headlines first, shall we? The competition-spec 1293cc A-series engine is bolstered by a Shorrock supercharger, which feeds its power to the rear wheels via a Toyota Corolla five-speed gearbox. The car cost in the region of £44,000 to build in total, and for that money you’d have every right to expect the build quality and performance to be spot-on. 

Which it is. Previously owned by Derek Hood of JD Classics, who used it as his personal hot rod, the fit ’n’ finish is beyond reproach and it is chock-a-block with interesting features. Apparently, one of Derek’s favourite tricks was to drive along the Maldon by-pass, “blowing the competition into the weeds”.

The vendor bought the Morris Minor three years ago, and has enjoyed its performance immensely. He says it is a real street sleeper, passing almost unnoticed by all but the most knowledgeable of enthusiasts. And the proof is in the pudding: having parked it at Goodwood recently with the bonnet up, he returned to the car to find it mobbed. This is exactly how we like our retro-modded classics; subtle, but beautifully done.

A battleship-grey Morris Minor fades into the background rather nicely. Classic car aficionados might notice the tight panel fit, the nice, even paintwork and the absence of major dents, dings and other body damage, but the overall impression is merely one of a carefully curated, much-loved classic trundling to the shops and back.

And then you notice the huge windscreen-mounted sunshade and the five-spoke period Wolfrace alloy wheels clad in Yokohama A509 semi-race tyres, both of which hint at the car’s performance. A closer look reveals a lowered stance, and small flashes of roll-cage peek through the rear glass. 

And yet, it’s not all Mad max-style engineering because, wonderfully, the Moggie retains its trafficators – and they still work, which sums up perfectly its creator’s attitude towards his project.

There is the odd stone chip and minor blemish to the finish but this is a speed weapon rather than a pampered garage queen. The most important thing is that it is solid, almost completely rust-free, and in need of nothing other than an owner in possession of a competition driving licence and a modestly rebellious attitude…

A pair of blue Cobra racing seats, complete with a matching Luke harness for the driver, dominate the cabin. To get in you’ll need to thread your way past the full roll-cage and over the high bolsters but once in you’re snugly restrained, which is a Good Thing given the car’s incredible performance.

The wooden-topped gearlever falls perfectly to hand, and the steering wheel, a smaller Mota-Lita jobbie, is perfectly judged in this period competition machine. Speaking of which, a red electrical cut-out switch vies for attention with that for the on-board fire extinguisher system and a beautifully fabricated and machine-finished three-instrument binnacle sits below the dashboard, feeding information on both engine revs and system health.

The spare wheel, shod with a new Yokohama A505 tyre, sits upright behind the nearside seat in what used to be the rear passenger compartment. A braided electrical cable snakes its way through the boot to feed power to the rear lights; it is clear that an awful lot of thought, care and money has gone into creating this fast road/track/race car.

Simple metal door cards save weight and add elegance in equal measure, as does the alloy fuel tank that practically fills the boot; you could do your Waitrose shopping in it, but for nothing more than a newspaper and a pack of fags. 

Or a pint of milk, if you need to offer your better half an excuse for you to take it out. Again.

The engine bay is as beautifully detailed as the rest of the car and stuffed full of top-notch engineering, anodized fittings, and expensive components; the Shorrock supercharger, for example, is worth a couple of grand all by itself. 

But it’s the quality of the installation that marks this vehicle out as being something special. Stuff like the rear axle, which has been drilled to save weight. Or the welding on the fabricated air intake. Or the braided wiring harness. The list goes on and on.

The supercharger has been professionally rebuilt recently, and the owner took the opportunity to have a new oil filter and oil at the same time, along with fresh coolant. The tuned 1293cc A-series engine is running beautifully and is estimated to be producing something in the region of 130bhp, which is plenty, surely?

And, let us not forget, power is nothing without control. So the five-speed Toyota gearbox feeds its power to the rear axle, which is located via a custom-fabricated rear end. 

The car comes with some invoices and bills to confirm the work that has been done to it recently. Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing to see these.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever. 

The MOT certificate has expired, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. 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 might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies… 

It takes a lot to impress seasoned classic car professionals like us. It takes even more to stun us, but this supercharged Morris Minor has left us drooling. It looks utterly fantastic but what no photograph can convey is how well this thing is built. It is an absolute revelation and the guide price of £8,000 to £12,000 is a ridiculously small sum to pay for such a fantastic car; you certainly couldn’t build one for anything like it. 

So, this is your chance to buy what might well be the definitive example of a post-modern Morris Minor. One thing’s for sure; you’ll never run into another!

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen in Lewes; 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’; with the current heatwave, you won’t find a better excuse for a weekend run down to the coast.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.