1969 Morris Minor Van

Description

• First registration Oct 1969
• Body restored
• Mechanically overhauled and recommissioned
• Many original features retained
• Some parts history
• MOT’d until April 2024

These were pretty much part of the furniture on every street corner in Britain. Whether it was a one-man business, an expanding small business or huge sprawling taxpayer-owned companies such as the GPO, people could not get enough of these marvellous Morris Minor Vans.

The features that made them so popular then remain today. The enduring charm and fun factor of these delightful Morris Minor vans means that everyone loves them. This is an opportunity to own one that someone else has done all the hard work on; you can just jump in and enjoy.

Background

Our vendor has owned this Morris Minor van since 2020. It came to him as a stalled project. The previous owner had spent considerable time and money restoring the body but then lost the drive to finish the mechanical side of things, which the vendor took up.

Outside

It was professionally fully refurbed outside, inside and underside

You can see from the images in the Gallery the standard of the fit and finish. The paintwork works looks very good, although under very close inspection there are a few minor blemishes, reflective of the vehicle’s age. The minimal external brightwork, mirrors, door handles, and bonnet chrome all look good. The steel wheels are newly repainted, the Morris hub caps complete the period look. The whole package hangs together rather well, in our view. The cute little Morris Minor van is literally a blank canvas to do whatever the new owner fancies.

Inside

What we can see now is a very presentable classic that hasn’t seen much use recently.

Some lovely original touches remain.

• The rare two-spoke steering wheel
• Very nice tan-coloured front seats
• Windows in the rear doors
• Good condition door cards
• New mat in the load space
• Seats have been refurbished

The Chestnut Brown seats, door cards and carpets are all new, supplied by East Sussex Minors. There is a small puncture mark on the lower side section of the driver’s seat, that can be seen in the Gallery.

The simple, straightforward chrome architecture on the doors all look too shiny to be original, but the new parts add to the appeal, along with the period door pull straps. There are couple of additional gauges as well.

The rear load space is in very good condition. We do often see these battered and bruised. This one appears almost pristine and looks to have been very lightly used.

Mechanicals

The Morris Minor has had some money spent in this area. There are a large number of parts receipts in the history file. This is just what we know of, we suspect there is quite a bit more that has been done.

• New alternator
• New battery
• New radiator
• The clutch has been replaced
• Four new tyres on the new wheels
• All new brake cylinders
• New brake shoes and drums
• Fuel pump
• Brake servo kit
• New brake pipes

A major upgrade has been the fitting of a brake servo. The Minors were famous for a lot of things, stopping distances were not one of them. Now the braking is greatly improved. The Minor has been recently serviced and comes with a fresh MOT.

Anyone popping the bonnet and taking a cursory glance at the engine will notice the engine bay looks clean, oil free, and very tidy. A review of the folder will probably reveal a host of other new bits and bobs too.

We asked our vendor what the Minor is like.

“It drives very well” he said. “I would jump in drive in anywhere.  It has been to events such as Goodwood and Beaulieu. Happily keeping up with modern traffic.”

The bottom line

Whether you’re looking for an enjoyable 1960s classic, a lovely period retro, or a terrific piece of marketing to promote your business, this little Minor van covers all angles. It is a real head turner.

When they were new these Morris Minor Vans were popular solid workhorses. That simplicity and robustness has made them an enduring, very collectable classic 50 years on.

The market today presents these in two ways. The first option is ‘projects’ which you can easily sink a small fortune into. The other option is a smart, well sorted Morris Minor Van that someone else has sunk a small fortune into.

This one is reserved very sensibly. We know which option we’d plump for.

Good luck bidding! Please remember, our site uses anti-sniping software which ensures fairness to all bidders. So, if a bid for a lot is received in the last minute, the auction will go into a 2-minute overtime period for each subsequent bid.

Vehicle Location: Horley, Surrey RH6 – it’s the responsibility of the winning bidder to make collection / transportation arrangements directly with the vendor.

Would like to arrange a viewing or have a question about this Morris Minor Van? Please contact the Evoke team at auction@evoke-classics.com and we will speak to the vendor on your behalf.

Guide Prices?

We’re different. But you know that. And we’re always honest. In a sector where no two classics are same, how does anyone put a ‘guide’.

Well, everyone knows the broad value of classic, let’s all be honest. So we don’t need to tell you what you already know, do we.

The ‘market’ decides and the old cliché that ‘it’s worth what someone wants to pay’ is no less true. So why kid everyone!

But, because we are different, if it really does matter to you, that’s fine, we want you to be happy. Just drop us a line at auction@evoke-classics.com and one of us will be delighted to ring you back and discuss, it’s what we do.

Tedious but it’s vital you read this, please.

We will always strive to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available. However, we can’t claim to be perfect. Your own analysis is very important and we are here to help and also answer any and all queries you may have prior to purchase.

We offer and positively encourage buyers to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding.

If we do take a physical, as opposed to a remote, look at any of the vehicles on our platform, they are not those of a qualified vehicle inspector or other professional. Nor do they include a test drive unless expressly stated.

As with all vehicles of a certain age, localised paint repairs are common. This specifically applies with classics.

So, please, unless we state explicitly to the contrary, please assume that classic vehicles on our platform could have had remedial bodywork of any kind at some point in its life.

Two final comments on images and photos.

The vast majority are supplied by vendors. Camera technology has and continues to improve significantly, but please note and understand that image and sound quality does vary. If you would like vendors to provide more images please ask us and we will contact the vendor for you.

If you are at all unsure, just ask us. It is what we are here for.

Finally, finally, finally. Please note that vehicles are sold as seen and a returns policy is not applicable. This is the norm for used items acquired at auction.

Our Terms and Conditions are here and our FAQS can be found here or contact us: auction@evoke-classics.com

Got one you’d like to sell? Please feel free to get in touch to have a no obligation chat with us:

Contact The Evoke Team