In a message dated 4/29/2001 3:48:51 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
falken@ihug.co.nz writes:
> Dont want to spoil the party but...
> Ive had my share of Morris Minors etc, they were ok down under
> where we had a preponderance of under powered English & European
> cars. God knows what they were like in the land of V8s but down here
> they were always in the road of any Chrysler, GM 6cyl or Ford V8 etc
> that was 20 years older....we have a preponderance of hills here..
> many would use the term Mountains...with narrow roads...say no more!.
> Nowadays I wouldnt want to drive an original one anywhere let alone
> give my Son/Daughter, worst enemy..well maybe my worst enemy...one to
> go fetch the groceries!.
> Its nice to see a pristine example at a show but to encounter one on
> our highways is an exercise in frustration and danger.
> My American friend down the road had two recently, a low light & an
> "E" series both side valves. I could never understand him, I mean you
> have to be nuts to like driving them in traffic here where our
> drivers are unequivocaly mad...eventually he had one close encounter
> too many that scared seven kinds of whatsaname out of him & sold them.
>
> We had endearing terms for European cars of that era like..
> "couldnt pull the skin off a rice pudding"
> "couldnt pull a sick sailor off your sister"
>
> My advice?, tootle around town and keep off the freeways!.
>
> Brian The Antipodean party pooper.
> Excuse me, Is my bias showing?
> Still shorts & shortsleeve shirts weather here.
>
> Brian,
> Your evaluation of the "low-light" 833cc models and those equipped with
> the 948cc OHV and even the 1050cc OHV is pretty much shared universally.
> The 4.56 and 4.22 rear end ratios tell the story all by themselves.
> The 1275cc OHV MG Midget and Bugeye Sprite engine in the Morris does
> make an appreciable difference however, especially when coupled to the
> "ribcage" tranny and a set of 3.9 or 3.7 differential gears. The 1275 is
> rated at 60-65 HP I believe, as compared to the 30-35 HP rating of the
> earlier side valve and smaller OHV powerplants.
> The CA Morris Club Pres. told me that I'd be forever fighting the twin
> SU carb conversion, but with the exception of occasionally "fiddling" with
> the adjustments it's pretty trouble free.
> Performance-wise, my Van runs along comfortably at 55-60MPH and on
> other than the steep hills where I have to shift down to 3rd or 2nd gear it
> seems to keep up with normal traffic.
> I have to admit that of my "daily-driven" cars, the Morris is about as
> much fun as any of them with the possible exception of the Nailhead powered
> 34 Ford 3-window. It is pretty quick and the R&P steering makes it very
> maneuverable.
>
> Ardun Doug King
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