Model Page
Morris Minor Traveller
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Production Run: |
- |
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Production Date: |
1953 - 1971 |
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Engine: |
803cc 946cc 1,098cc |
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Built: |
Cowley (UK) Abingdon (UK) |
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0-60: |
803cc - 52.5 Secs 946cc - 31.3 Secs 1,098cc - 24.8 Secs |
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Max Speed: |
803cc - 63 Mph 946cc - 75 Mph 1,098cc - 77 Mph |
Released in 1953 the Morris Minor Traveller is an estate bodied version of the Morris Minor based upon the Series 2 Morris Minor. With a production span of twenty years the vehicle was a popular addition to the Morris Line- up and is much sought after today by enthusiasts. Simplicity and parts availability makes the Traveller an ideal restoration candidate for the amateur enthusiast.
Morris Traveller Deluxe Front Shot
The original Morris Minor was designed by Alec Issigonis although he is better known for his design of the revolutionary Mini. The Traveller featured a rear bench seat that could be folded down to increase load capacity, the spare tyre and tool kit was stored in a compartment beneath the boot floor.
The Morris Minor Traveller retained mechanicals from the Saloon variant of the Minor, steering was taken care of through a rack and pinion arrangement that took 2.6 turns lock to lock. The Traveller utilised independent front suspension through the use of torsion bar, the rear suspension was not independent due to cost cutting and so reverted back to the live rear axle from the Morris Eight with semi elliptic leaf springs. The Traveller did not include upgraded brakes and continued to use 7” Lockeed supplied drums front and rear these being acted upon hydraulically. Like the Minor, power was transferred to the rear wheels and a four speed manual gearbox was the only transmission available.
Morris Traveller Rear Shot
The Morris Minor used an all steel unitary construction, the Traveller differed to this somewhat the passenger cabin and floor section was manufactured from steel whilst the rear part of the vehicle was a wooden frame construction with the wood forming part of the cars structural section. Manufacture of the Travellers was not a straight forward process, the passenger cabin and floor section was manufactured alongside the saloon car at the Morris Factory in Cowley, the part constructed vehicles were then shipped to the MG Factory at Abingdon where the wooden framework and aluminium panels for the rear end were added to the vehicle. The vehicles were completed at Abingdon because MG was ending production of their TF model that was built upon a wooden frame body, Abingdon therefore had a fully equipped woodwork shop and skilled staff.
At launch the car was fitted with an Austin 803cc A Series engine, the engine was a four cylinder unit with an overhead valve design. This engine had a bore of 58mm and stroke of 76mm, the engine had a compression ratio of 7.2:1 and had 8 overhead valves installed. Fuel was provided to the engine through a single SU H1 carburettor. The engine produced 30 bhp @ 4,800 rpm and 40 lb/ft @ 2,400 rpm, the unit powering the car from standstill to 60 mph in 52.5 seconds and on to a top speed of only 63 Mph.
One year after release a new horizontal grille was fitted to the car and the sidelights were moved to the front wings. At this point the interior received a minor modification with a body coloured dashboard with large instrument dial in the middle. In 1956 the Traveller benefited from some improvements (in line with the Minor 1000), the two piece split windscreen was replaced with a single curved item. More importantly the car received a welcome boost in power through the installation of the larger Austin 948cc A Series four cylinder engine. The engine had a bore of 62.94mm and stroke of 76.2mm, this unit developed 37 bhp @ 4,750 rpm and 50 lb/ft @ 2,500rpm a power boost of over 20% over the smaller engine, the car now sprinted from 0 – 60 Mph in 31.3 seconds and had an improved top speed of 75 Mph. At this time the car received an improved modified gearbox. In 1961 the car was fitted with flashing indicators that had become commonplace on cars in the UK market, these replacing the old pop up semaphore style units.
Deluxe Cabin Interior
The model received it third and final engine installation in 1962 and this remained the engine of choice for the remainder of the production run up until 1971. The 1,098cc Austin A Series engine was again, unsurprisingly a four cylinder overhead valve power-plant, the engine had a bore of 64.60mm and stroke of 83.72mm and a compression ratio of 8.5:1 in this configuration the engine developed 48 bhp @ 5,100 rpm and 60 lb/ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. This helped bring down the cars 0-60 mph dash to a more respectable 24.8 secs and gave the car a top speed of 77 Mph. At this time the car received further modifications included a revised cabin heater, redesigned indicators and a new dashboard configuration that included a closing glove box. Mechanically the car received a revised gearbox with a larger clutch and larger brakes were installed to improve stopping ability.
The Morris Minor Traveller received its final update in 1964 when the interior was updated, changes included a upgraded two spoke steering wheel and combined ignition and starter switch. The model remained in production through until 1971, a year after the Saloon had been discontinued, declining sales eventually catching up with the model.
The Facts
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Engine: |
Ford V6 ‘Essex’, vee formation @ 60 degrees. |
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Capacity: |
803 cc 946 cc 1,098 cc |
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Valves: |
8 |
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Compression Ratio: |
803 cc - 7.2:1 946 cc - u/k 1,098 cc - 8.5:1 |
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Fuel System: |
Single Carburettor |
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Maximum Power: |
803 cc - 30 bhp @ 4,800 rpm. 946 cc -37 bhp @ 4,750 rpm 1,098 cc - 48 bhp @ 5,100 rpm |
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Maximum Torque: |
803 cc - 40 lb/ft @ 2,400 rpm 946 cc - 50 lb/ft @ 2,500 rpm 1,098 cc - 60 lb/ft @ 2,500 rpm |
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Transmission: |
Manual 4 speed. |
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Top Gear: |
- |
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Brakes: |
Front Drums / Rear Drums |
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Kerb Weight: |
803 cc - u/k 946 cc - u/k 1,098 cc - 797 Kg |
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Max Speed: |
803 cc - 63 Mph 946 cc - 75 Mph 1,098 cc - 77 Mph |
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0-60: |
803 cc - 52.5 Secs 946 cc - 31.3 Secs 1,098 cc - 24.8 Secs |
