WeeklySA_AdminENDLESS LOVE: More than 1,6 million units produced of vehicle that typifies Englishness and once likened to poached egg…
By Ali Mphaki
Everybody who knows grootman Jendhis Montoedi will never miss an opportunity to remind him of his erstwhile Morris Minor. The popular Moroka Swallows fan owned one resplendent in its green hue and white-walled tyres.
How he acquired it is anyone’s guess and a tale reserved for the inner circle. In a four-door configuration (like the one in picture), it was the apple of his eye and enjoyed a bath and polish daily, despite the weather. With few blacks owning cars at the time, it earned him some “celebrity” status attracting huge attention to himself, members of the fairer sex to boot. With few blacks owning cars at the time, it earned him some “celebrity” status attracting huge attention to himself, members of the fairer sex to boot. Whilst he painted the town red in his green “Mamba”, his term of endearment for his jalopy, his juvenile indiscretions, however, will see him having unceasing escapades with the law.
It so happened in one of his many high speed chases with the cops Montoedi would evade the police in a scene reminiscent of a Hollywood movie script. With the cops hot on his heels and with no options left he drove his Minor into a tiny walkthrough – what is called a passage in township lingo. It was a comic spectacle to witness the desperate cops abandoning their van to pursue Montoedi’s Morris on foot – their huge and unwieldy van unable to drive into the slender strip of the walkabout in between the matchbox houses.
No doubt guessing who went on to win a medal in this pursuit, which proudly stands as “a great escape” for Montoedi, an act abetted and aided by his Minor. “It was a hugely practical car,” he recalls with a chuckle, “fuel efficient and easy to operate,” he adds. “I seriously wouldn’t mind having one again,” says Montoedi having parted with his Minor 1000 in the late 70s, when he became a guest of the State in one of their correctional facilities.
Well, in October it will be 75 years since the first “Minor” was produced making its debut at the Earls Court Motor Show, London, on September 20, 1948. Two versions were shown – a two-door Saloon and an open Tourer. The cars were extensively tested by the motoring press and praised for their superior road-holding, space utilization and comfort
Designed under the leadership of Alec Issigonis, more than 1.6 million were manufactured between 1948 and 1972 in three series: the MM (1948 to 1953), the Series II (1952 to 1956), and the 1000 series (1956 to 1971).
Likened to “a poached egg” by William Morris the car was hailed as a major breakthrough in small car design when it was launched in London in October 1948. It was the first British car to sell over a million units, and is considered a classic example of automotive design, as well as typifying “Englishness”.
Autocar magazine counted it as the 28th most long-lived single generation car in history and called it: “… a primary way Britain got back on the road after the Second World War.
Though pretty scarce on South African roads lately, an internet search will show there are Minor clubs in all four major SA provinces of Gauteng, Western Cape, KZN and the Free State.
The clubs have seen to it that spare parts are kept available so that these ageing cars keep going and the camaraderie amongst members of the clubs is something to be marvelled at!
Morris Minor performance and specs:
• Model: Minor 1 000 (1962 – 1971)
• Engine: 1098cc, four-cylinder
• Top speed: 73 mph
• 0 – 50mph: 16.3 seconds
• Fuel consumption; 32mpg
• Gearbox: Four speed manual
