Filed Under: News
TAKEN FROM WWW.MINORMILLION.CO.UK
A MOTORING MILESTONE-
PRODUCTION OF THE MILLIONTH MORRIS MINOR
The Morris Minor has been often been described, as Britain’s best loved small car. It certainly holds a place in many people’s hearts, and most families in Britain have owned one at sometime. During its 23-year production run, over 1.5 million cars were produced in saloon, convertible, traveller, van and pick-up forms. Now 36 years since production ceased, there are estimated to be over 100,000 minors still on the road worldwide today, proof, if needed of the Minor’s durability. Gone is the Vicar and the District Nurse image of the late 60’s and the Minor is now a popular classless car, loved by millions and still a very practical everyday transport.
Design of the Minor started in the early 1940’s led by the brilliant Alec Issigonis, later to mastermind the BMC Mini. Production started in 1948 and the car was launched at the motor show in October that year. Lord Nuffield was not thrilled with the Minor, describing it as a ‘poached egg’ , but the public were very impressed with the car which was way ahead of its time in design standards.
By the end of the next decade it was clear that BMC was going to achieve a new world record-the first ever British car to sell a million units. The feat was actually achieved on 22 December 1960 when the millionth car rolled of the Cowley production line.
Such an achievement could not pass unnoticed and BMC aimed to get the maximum publicity benefit. So the idea of a limited number of special edition cars was formed and the Minor 1000000 was created.
The first Minor Million was made between 22 and 25 Nov 1960 when a 2 door saloon car with chassis number 881386 was taken out of normal production to be turned into a prototype special car.
The interior sported creamy white leather facing, with black piping and black carpets. Outside the distinctive lilac paint work( see paint article web page), 1000000 badges and chrome wheel embellishers set the Million apart, but otherwise all 350 Millions were standard 948 cc two door saloons.
The Millions were given special chassis numbers out of sequence with other cars to take into account the separate numbering system for commercial vehicles. Car numbers 1000001 to 100349 were made between 13 & 22 December with the prototype being re-numbered 1000330 in this sequence.
30 Minor Millions were made LHD spec. 20 went to North America and the other 10 to dealers in Europe. The remaining 320 RHD cars were sent to dealers all over the UK with BMC’s aim being to get one in every showroom for the launch date.
The official launch was on 4th Jan 1961 and a publicity brochure “ A Million Morris Minors” told the world how wonderful the car was and in real terms, cheaper to buy in 1961 than when the car was launched in 1948.
At the same time, BMC held a competition to trace the earliest Minor. The first production car was found and the owner Mr Cyril Swift of Carr Road in Walkley, Sheffield was presented with a new Minor Million in exchange (reg 5599 WA, sadly no longer around). His original car is now on display at BMIHT at Gaydon.
Millions hit the country far & wide. Stewart & Arden, the largest BMC dealer took 32 so they were certainly all over Greater London, and others went everywhere from Cornwall and the Channel Island to the Outer Hebrides and Shetland. It appears they did not sell very fast- perhaps the British public wasn’t ready for lilac in 1961! The last million to be sold was in mid July, 6 months after the launch, in the Isle of Skye.
Arguably, the 2 most interesting millions are still in existence. The Millionth car & the Prototype Million. The prototype Million was sold in Stranraer in Scotland and has been restored by the Morris Minors Owners Dorset Branch.
It is thought that in total 50 to 70 ‘Millions’ have survived to this day. A 1 in 5 survival rate which few models could boast !
Andrew Dyer
A very rough guide where they live with one in Aussie,NZ,Japan,Denmark,Holland and several in the USA
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