| The Morris Traveller reminds us a little bit of Superman ... it wears it's underwear on the outside.
A derivative of the Alec Issigonis designed Morris Minor, the Traveller is a van that uses a timber framework on the outside to support the canopy.
It is one of many Minor derivatives including ute, two door coupe and convertible. While at first the use of external timber seems unusual, it adds character to an already interesting, some would say, `cute' design. That Morris would develop a commercial vehicle off the Minor should come as no surprise. Morris was pioneer of commercial vehicles. In 1924 William Morris, who later became Lord Nuffield, commenced production of commercial vehicles using his privately owned company Morris Commercial Cars Ltd., and based at Coventry.
Morris had always had a van based on the Morris Oxford car. Morris had learned early about wringing the most out of a single platform and compact vans were always in demand as delivery vehicles. Morris Commercials developed a one tonne truck also based on the Oxford, a taxi cab that had weather protection for the driver and all-terrain six wheel drive trucks for use as ambulances. Trucks up to seven tonners were built along with tank carriers, double decker buses and Morris became a major supplier to both the Indian and British armies.
So when the post-war Morris Minor was developed and went on sale in 1948 it was a logical extension that variants would flow on. Built from 1948-71 the Morris Minor went on to become a British icon, selling more than a million units, the first model to chalk up this record. Compared to pre-war cars the Minor was smooth and streamlined. It was small, light to drive and economical.
It was clever under the skin with rack and pinion steering and independent torsion bar suspension on the rear end. When launched the Morris Minor, which Issigonis called the Morris Mosquito, had three variants, two and four door four seaters and a convertible four seater. The production run went from 1948 to 1953. When the Series 2 was launched it included the Traveller, Morris' name for an estate or wagon. It's defining feature was the ash timber framework and two side-hinged rear doors. Instead of painting the timber, Morris used varnish. This prompted some people to call the Traveller a `woody'.
The upgrading of the Series 2 included a new engine to replace the sluggish and aging side valve straight .9 litre four fitted to Minor MM. This engine produced just 21 Kw or power and 53 Nm of torque. Top speed was 103 kmh.
The new powerplant was an Austin .8 litre overhead valve engine Austin developed for the Austin A30.(Austin A30 is most famous in Australia as the car used by the legendary late Peter Brock to start his racing career, albeit with a Holden Six crammed under the bonnet). When Morris and Austin merged into British Motor Corporation, the engine became available for use in Morris product. The Minor was again upgraded in 1956 when the engine was increased to 948cc and the split windscreen was replaced by a single screen. One of our featured cars, the maroon Traveller, was built at Adderley Park, Birmingham in 1971 and bought by a Devon veterinarian and no doubt carried hundreds of sick and injured animals in the van.
He scrapped the car due to rust and wood rot in 1988 when it was rescued and underwent restoration before being sold to the current owner in 1993. Another restoration followed and in the 2003 the owned emigrated to Australia, but could not bear to leave the Morris woody behind. He had it shipped over and it continues to be in regular use as the family's preferred method of transport. We spotted a contingent of Travellers at the Morris National Concours in Brisbane during Easter, 2009. |
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