Description
Very rare and utterly charming. The subject of a fully documented 3-year recommissioning exercise, our latest pre-war arrival is a little cracker and oozes character and patina as only cars from this era can. In extended wheelbase form and offering 4 opening doors, this SOHC-powered Family Eight is genuinely an exceptional sight today having been produced in very small numbers. Barn stored in Scotland for most of it`s 92 years, the Eight not only starts easily and runs like a Swiss watch but drives remarkably well and has been used for local Club runs up until very recently. A wonderful opportunity to acquire a slice of motoring history with low ownership and interesting provenance.
Introduced in September 1928 in direct competition to the Austin Seven, the Morris Minor was offered initially in 2 body styles, a Fabric Saloon and Four-Seater Tourer, both featuring a technically advanced 847cc engine with SOHC as seen on racing cars of the period and much more prestigious cars of the day. A steel-skinned Saloon joined the line-up in 1930 and just 12 months later came a 2-seater Semi-Sports. But the biggest revelation announced by William Morris during the entire 6-year production period was that of the One Hundred Pound Minor - essentially the first car to be sold for just £100. Launched in early 1931, it was a stripped-out 2-seater devoid of chrome, bumpers and other “luxuries” and notably was fitted with a sidevalve engine, itself significantly cheaper to produce. This recipe was then adopted for the ever-expanding range offered by Morris with up to seven variants, including commercials, on offer by July of that year. Recognising that the range had effectively too large, all SOHC models were dropped for the 1932 season with the introduction of 2 new models which ironically were to retain the overhead camshaft engine. The Family Eight Saloon and Eight Sports Coupe were both built on an extended long wheelbase chassis and featured Lockheed hydraulic braking systems and a relocated scuttle fuel tank. Chrome was now back with a full chrome radiator surround on all models - indeed, the 1932 Family Eight Saloon is generally regarded as the prettiest of all Minors produced. It is believed that only around 400 examples were built before things changed again in 1933. And not for the better. For some reason, the SOHC engine was dropped completely in favour of the sidevalve unit as were the hydraulic brakes, with the Family Eight reverting to the cable set-up! Within just 12 months, production of the Minor was to cease with the introduction of an all-new model, the Morris Eight.
Our car dates from April 1932 and was supplied new through R. G. Pebbles of Invergowrie in Perthshire. The original dealer plaque is still evident on the dashboard. With just 2 registered keepers up until April 2013, we understand that the Eight was barn-stored for decades before being sold to a gentleman in Inverness who subsequently sold it again after only 6 months of ownership to a gentleman in Montrose. There it remained for 5 years before heading South to Epsom, Surrey in October 2018. By the Spring of 2021, it had moved again finding good company within the large collection of vintage and pre-war cars for sale at The Motor Shed in Bicester, Oxfordshire. From the file of paperwork with the car, it is then understood that an octogenarian and serial vintage car and motorcycle collector in Bodmin, Cornwall took a shine to the Eight as advertised, part exchanging two classic bikes with cash to conclude the deal. In essence, a price of £6500 was paid for the car. Sold as a non-runner requiring recommissioning, our partially sighted new owner, evidently in need of a new project, took delivery in May 2021 and immediately set about ordering up a new battery, a full set of ignition parts and wheel cylinder kit. But it would appear that the most notable work took place between April and October 2022 when the Morris was worked on almost daily. Employing a mobile mechanic to assist with the more difficult jobs ((around £1300 spent on parts and labour) our enthusiastic new owner has kept a handwritten log of every visit into his home garage with over 100 entries recorded over an extended 18-month period. Initial work included the fitting of the brake master cylinder, all new rubbers in all cylinders, new engine and gearbox oils, rebuild carburettor, new points and plugs and the stripping of the interior with a plan to recover all door cards and internal panels as well as recarpet and generally refresh. Every day is detailed in the log with our owner explaining the trials and effort of what becomes a complete interior refurbishment from not just door cards but leather trim replacement, leather treatment, new door locks, shimming of the doors themselves, sliding head refurbishment with all new trims, fitting of new carpets throughout and considerable detailing. A complete labour of love. Outside of the interior, all the wheels were removed and repainted with tyres replaced with new Avon rubber, bonnet removed and sympathetically touched-in and refitted and the remainder of the body polished (many times!). The list is endless. But by Autumn 2023, it is clear that our now 84-year-old keeper has gone as far as he feels that he can with log entries becoming fewer and talk of selling the car (and others) due to failing health. We were fortunate enough to hear of his deliberations and were delighted to be able to acquire such a well-sorted vintage car with fabulous patina.
The photographs tell the story. From what we understand and can see, it is predominantly if not wholly the original Dark Blue over Black paintwork on the original coachwork. As such, there is evidently 92-years’ worth of wear and tear but we would rather call it the patina of age! Most panels have been lightly touched-in but it is remarkably rust-free and looks stunning with the chrome polished, sitting on freshly painted wheels with correct Avon tyres. Inside, the cabin is where much time and money has been invested recently and it shows. From the excellent West of England cloth headlining to the newly recovered door cards, replaced leather trimming to door and window surrounds, new carpets and correctly treated leather seats, it is a real joy. Great attention to detail throughout. But it doesn’t stop there. Clearly, the mobile mechanic was worth his money - I cannot recall another vintage car in recent years that starts, runs and drives as well as this does. Ignition switched on, push the starter and the 4-pot fires immediately into life and revs freely without hesitation. The gearbox is smooth and precise, the little car moving off swiftly with 3rd (top) reached in no time. On the road, it is surprisingly taught and cruises happily at 30MPH without drama. On a sunny Saturday morning, I took the Eight for a potter across the West Dorset Downs covering around 8 miles with ease - yes, it will hold up modern day man in his electric Kia desperate to get from A to B in 3 minutes precisely, but one has to remember that this car was built in a different era. And some would argue a better one. It is utterly charming on every level.
The Eight comes with a full file of receipts covering recent work, a comprehensive hand-written log of time and money invested over the period April 2022-September 2023, a copy of a Workshop Manual, a copy of the Morris Minor Manual 1930 with handwritten notes and a current V5C.
A very rare, desirable and rather wonderful vintage saloon ready for it`s next adventure. I love it!
Shore Classics is based on the West Dorset coast within easy proximity of both Weymouth and the County town of Dorchester. As classic and vintage dealers, we offer full brokerage facilities. So if you require some help and guidance with selling your classic car or motorcycle, just give us a call today.
