Mercurial Minor Major Hit
The annual Morris Clubs of Australia Concours is hardly a likely venue to find an American classic ... but as we all know anything can happen at car shows.
Yet there it was, tucked away next to a Morris 8 and surrounded by a bevy of Minor 1000s and Minor utes. A car inspired by Nick Matranga's 1940 Mercury Coupe.
Matranga built the custom in 1949 and it became a benchmark car. The only hint of this vehicle's heritage is on the number plate `MM 054'. MM can mean only one thing: Morris Minor.
The Canberra-based car was in Brisbane for the 2009 Morris Concours on the Easter weekend in April. Where is differs from the Mercury custom design is that it's about half the size and the grille is totally changed from the American car. The back of the car has the sweeping sloper effect seen on most custom Mercury cars. This car is owned by Sue Claydon.
It started life as a 1954 four door series 2 Morris Minor ... well sort of. The 1954 split screen roof was welded to a 1958 body. The front of the roof was chopped four inches and the back seven inches. The rear doors were welded shut and the top portion of the B pillars removed. What strikes you first is the stunning front of the car. It's a wild, gaping mouth of a grille moulded using one inch exhaust tubing.
The vertical grille bars are made up of seven EH Holden bumper over-riders, with the outside two shortened. Under the grille is an MGB roll pan. Down back the bootlid has been smoothed and the number plate pressing and light assembly removed. The rear guards are moulded to the body. Tail lights from a 1952 Mk 1 Ford Zephyr have been frenched into the rear guards matching the power aerial in the front passenger side guard. Fender skirts, also known as spats, have been fitted to the rear wheel wells.
An FC Holden number plate guard was modified to fit the 1965 Hillman rear bumper. And the indicators are courtesy of Harley Davidson. The interior is as slick as the outside with the centre speedo removed and placed in front of the driver, similar to a 1951 Ford. A restyled dash has a custom glove box lid. The upholstery is white leather and vinyl with purple piping while the carpet is white with purple piping.
The front seats have been lowered by four inches. Under the bonnet things get interesting. Power comes from a Datsun 1400cc engine mated to a five speed Datsun gearbox. The front suspension is Morris Minor torsion bar with additional telescopic shockers. The rear suspension is original Morris springs, again with telescopic shocks. Stopping the car are front discs from a Holden Torana and rear discs from Fiat 125. The battery is mounted in the boot. Wheels are 14 inch by 5 inch steel rims with Moon disc covers holding out Goodyear Eagle radials, naturally with whitewalls.
Finishing off the package is an eye-catching paint job in candy violet with harlequin flames of gold, bronze and purple. In the relatively staid world of Morris this car bucks all things British. It is brash, unashamedly American, and anything but Blue blood.
One wonders what Morris founder, William Morris (Lord Nuffield) would think of it.
Who cares? We love it. |
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