Minor 1000

a friend of mine up in cape cod sent this to me. He says it's a minor 1000? He was showing me a pic of the la baronand I said what is that behind it?! Forget about the Chrysler. The wood trim doesn't look like it came with the car. This is all I know. A little wisdom from the more informed pleeeease. My guess is it's british

 

It is British, it's a Morris Minor built as a shooting brake, the Brits call it the Countryman, but I'm sure when they brought it to the Colonies, they had to use a designation more palatable to us.

 

I like the looks of that Morris wagon

 

It seems like it's awfully small. Or short I should say. Mr. Thorp, do the brits still call America the colonies?! I guess it makes sense as we in the south still refer to people in the northeast as "yankee oppressors" also, what is a shooting brake?

 

I'm a Yankee, and I've never oppressed anyone. A shooting brake is their term for a wagon. Why it's called that, only God knows. Funny thing is, unlike a Hillman, it has plenty of room for us longshanks.

 

From what I remember they were mostly used for driving to the hunt. Therefore the shooting part. Gimmie a break I don't know what the brake part meant. I speak English not Britlish.
Long ago I nearly bought a few Hillman's.
In the U S of A they were used mostly to go to and from the train station. Therefore station wagon. Now they are called soccer mom wagons.
As a yankee retired to rebel country then back to yankee territory I don't know what I am. I'm more depressed than oppressed.

 

The term is usually used for a 2-door long roof. As stated used to move hunters with there dogs and gear to the hunting area.

The 2 definitions I have heard about the use of "brake" are

(1) A Brake was originally a robust carriage chassis hooked to spirited horses to "Break" them

(2) It is also possible, that the word 'brake' has its origins in the Dutch word 'brik' which means 'Cart' or 'Carriage'

Your guess is as good as mine. But I would lean towards number 1.

 

It's a Morris Minor Traveller. The wood filler panels were added, The wood frame is actually structural unlike the Mini which was a bolt on.
Drove a 2010 Mini Clubman to commute to my furthest store, 187 mile round trip, not a car I would like to drive more than that. Noisy as all heck, wind and engine, not the most comfortable car for long periods, but the car was unbelievably fast, tight and stable at over 100, it was hoot to drive.
Throttle body disintegrated at 87,000 miles- know problem with 08 to 11 Mini's - metal pcs went into engine, engine had to be rebuilt - cost $4800 - extended warranty covered all but $250. thanks god. Would not buy another

 

Drove my 1964 Mini Estate from Boston to Tecumseh Michigan and back in 1992(about 1700 miles round trip).The Corbeau GT seats were very comfortable but had a problem with generator brushes in New Found Land PA.Got a set at a NAPA store and continued on my way. Almost lost it when a tractor trailer went by leaking diesel fuel.Running Yokohama A008R tires and it was like driving on ice at 65 mph. On the way home it rained for about 200 miles and that was even scarier. Totaled it when a woman rear ended me while I was stopped to let a police car pull out of a donut shop!Here is a pic when it was whole.

 

thats an interesting choice for a hunting ride. I'm no hunter, there's never been an animal that owed me enough $$ to track it down and kill it, I've also never been that hungry but, I'd like to see the look on the local yokels pulling up to the hunt in one of these.. "G'day mates, stepped off the lift from me flat and thought what a lovely day for a go in the ol shooting brake!" I've worked on a couple minis, they are fun to drive and fairly easy to work on. I think I finished a clutch job before lunch. I remember the control arms and axles barley needed a tap from a rubber mallet to be released, and the transmission could be removed and reinstalled with out a jack. Just lift it right up myself and I am more long than I am strong. The parts on the other hand I remember being a bit pricey, and I had to drive across and out of town to get them

 

Somewhere there's a moral to this story.......... and an after photo.

 

The Morris Minor was also available in a little panel truck version. Guy I worked with way back in 1968 had one.

 

Here's a 1968 Minor Woody currently up for auction:

https://auktion.catawiki.de/kavels/12517663-morris-minor-traveller-1968

 

There are also other ways to pay debts, besides only with $

 

Aluminum Buick Tinyblocks are stuffable in these wagons:

http://www.britishv8.org/Other/StephenBridgland.htm



Here's one with a Cosworth four-banger. I'll ask him which one it is. It could either be a Ford or a Rover. Looks like total fun: