Morris · 1928–1934

Morris Minor

The Morris Minor is a small 4-seater car with an 850 cc engine (2 variations) manufactured by Morris Motors Limited from 1928 until 1934. The name was resurrected for another newer car for the same market in 1948.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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History - motivation

Beginning in 1922 the tiny seven horsepower Austin had brought motoring to a new public and broadened the market. Against that Morris's Oxfords and Cowleys had taken 41 per cent of the entire 1925 British private car market. Morris sales had begun to slow in 1926. They were revived by a new face for the Morris Oxford and Cowley and an expansion of Morris's range both up and down the scale. The same year William Morris realised millions from the sale and stock market listing of preference shares in his business and he privately bought Wolseley, founded by Herbert Austin, which until a few years earlier had been Britain's largest car manufacturer. William Morris now had ample wherewithal to go after Herbert Austin's little car with his own small Morris. With a surplus of production facilities, and Wolseley's design engineers added to his own at Morris Commercial Cars, little time was taken for development of the Morris Minor. A more complex design than Austin's Seven, the all-new car was on the market before the middle of 1928.

Mechanicals

=== Engine === The new Morris engine was designed by Wolseley, by this time also personally owned by William Morris. It was largely a new design but following a conventional Wolseley SOHC front camshaft drive concept if much smaller than any existing Wolseley unit. The overhead camshaft was driven by a vertical spiral bevel geared shaft that passed through the dynamo carrying the armature. A single SU carburettor was fitted and coil ignition used. The engine produced 20 bhp (15 kW) at 4000 rpm allowing a top speed of 55 mph (88 km/h). The electrical system was 6 volt. The Morris Minor's engine was produced in two versions. From 1928 to 1930 all the cars had an 847 cc overhead-camshaft engine designed and made by Wolseley. It remained in production for the more expensive Minors until 1932. Morris's in-house engineers at Morris Commercial Cars led by Percy Rose, who had designed the chassis, devised a simpler valve train for the same block. This more conventional side-valve unit of slightly lower power output entered production in late 1930 at Morris Commercial Cars' new premises in the former Wolseley works at Adderley Park, under the supervision of the young Leonard Lord. Initially for the lower-priced cars — first for the £100 car, later for others — it remained in production until 1934. 39,087 of the overhead-camshaft type and 47,231 of the side-valve version were made. Chassis. Although the company's main assembly plant was at Cowley, outside Oxford, the chassis and running gear were designed at another of W R Morris's private investments, Birmingham-based Morris Commercial Cars. Previously E G Wrigley & Co it was a former component supplier to Morris. He had bought and renamed it after it had fallen into receivership. Wrigley's had invested heavily and re-equipped i

Morris Eight, Austin Seven

Said W R Morris, "Some people think that my idea is to try to crush the Austin Seven off the market, which is absurd. But I can say this, my price will not be higher than that of the Austin Seven." Sir Herbert rejoined, "Personally, and as firms, we are on the best of terms with the Morris Company. The public will decide whose car they like best. Mr Morris's decision (to enter this sector) is no surprise to me ... I knew what was going on weeks ago." There were no pictures, but the public's first detailed description of the new 8 hp Morris was released on Saturday 26 May 1928. The press release did say the engine's dimensions were 56 x 76 = 748 cc – presumably for Sir Herbert Austin The press had been told (they claimed by someone at Morris) these names were being considered: Morris-Oxley, -Bully, -Carfax, -Magdalen, -Calfley, -ette, -Iffley, -Dancer, -Moxley and -Cox.The Motoring weeklies published better descriptions and photographs in the last week of August. Next, on Saturday 1 September 1928, prices were advertised: Tourer with leather, £125, (actual cars had Rexine) with Triplex Safety Glass screen £127. Two-door fabric saloon in blue or brown with sliding windows £135, with Triplex all round £141.10.0. Chassis only £100. The launch was on 11 October 1928 at the opening of London's 22nd Olympia Motor Show. A 4-seated tourer was displayed and a 4-seated saloon with sliding windows. Both had two doors. The Times motoring correspondent tested the fabric saloon and reported at length in December finishing with "I liked the general control and one does not get the impression that one is driving a very small car". The fabric covered bodies used so much wadding to smooth their corners birds learned to peck through the fabric for the felt to build their nests. Coachbuilt

A £100 motor-car

Just before Christmas 1930 Sir William Morris Bt. released a statement saying that he would put on the market very soon a new car to sell at £100 and it would be known as the Morris Minor S.V. two-seater. The body, he said, is to be coach built—steel panels on a wood frame—has as few bright parts as possible "to reduce polishing" and is finished in naval grey with red upholstery. Decarbonisation and valve adjustment were very simple and contributed to the new car's low running costs. Within a few months 2-door saloon models with the S.V. type engine were also in production. A 4-seater S.V. tourer was announced in April. The overhead valve engine was proving to be expensive to make and Wolseley's design—the six-cylinder version powered their successful Hornet saloon, and racing MGs—suffered from oil getting into the dynamo. So in 1931 a version with valve gear re-designed by staff of Morris Engines using side-valves and giving nearly the same power output, 19 bhp (14 kW) at 4000 rpm, was introduced. On the road, the tester advised, the new Morris Minor S.V. exceeded 50 mph. A certain amount of wheel-bounce consumed a lot of power when testing standing-start times. The tappets could have been adjusted more finely, the accelerator needs a steadier spring and there should be a rest pedal beside it. Speed and brake levers were rather distant, top speed was apt to jump out when the load came off, some wheel bounce and movement with such a short wheelbase is acceptable, the foot brakes pulled to the near-side. The lower cost of the new engine allowed the Minor to be sold for the magic £100 as a stripped-down two-seater. The S.V. 2-seater cars were priced exactly 25 per cent cheaper than the SOHC cars had been. For a while both overhead and side valve versions were produced. T

A four-door saloon

In August 1931 a new radiator shape was revealed. The overhead valve version was renamed Morris Family Eight and was given a 7 ft 7 inches wheelbase, an extra 13 inches. The Family Eight was placed within the range between the Minor and Cowley. This saloon has four doors and has enough room for four grown persons. 17 x 4.50-inch tyres were fitted to the new Magna type wire wheels. Magna wheels were now fitted throughout the entire Morris range. The saloon bodies were slightly restyled with a more rounded look being given an "eddyfree" front, the standard size was roomier, their front seats could be adjusted and their doors were widened and fitted with safety glass winding instead of sliding windows. New colour schemes were made available. The fuel tank moved from the scuttle area below the windscreen to the rear of the car. An electric fuel pump or "automatic petrol-lift" was fitted. Morris Family Eight SOHC prices: 4-door 4-seat Saloon with sliding head £152.10.0 Sports coupé with sliding head £175 later named Special Coupé chassis £115 These Morris Family Eight cars were fitted with hydraulic brakes. Their new smooth sloping screen and rounded front allowed smooth passage of air and less resistance. The use of hydraulics distinguished the Morris from the competing Austin 7 with its less reliable cable brakes. The S.V. cars continued now known as Morris Minors in contrast to the Morris Family Eight cars. Morris Minor S.V. prices: 2-seater £100 tourer £115 saloon £112.10.0 (with sliding head £125) Chassis only £90 All Morris cars were given anti-splash side-shields to their front wings. The Minor was given a new better-looking radiator and longer bonnet, better steering by Bishop Cam, and a four-speed gearbox. The £100 2-seater kept the old radiator, three-speed gearb

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Morris Minor
Manufacturer: Morris Motors Limited
Production: 1928–1934, 86,318 built
Assembly: United Kingdom: Cowley, Oxford (Cowley plant)
Class: Small car
Body style: 4-seat 2-door fabric saloon, 4-seat 2-door tourer, 4-seat 2-door coachbuilt saloon, 4-seat 4-door coachbuilt saloon, 2-seat semi-sports, 2-seat 2-door S.V., Special Coupé, 5-cwt van
Successor: Morris Eight
Layout: front engine rear wheel drive
Related: Wolseley Hornet, MG Midget
Engine: Wolseley 847 cc single OHC, Morris 847 cc side-valve Straight-4 Engine clutch and gearbox mounted as a unit at four points on rubber washers.
Transmission: three speed gearbox, central gear change lever, Clutch: single plate dry, propeller shaft: inside torque tube, Hardy disc joints, final drive: spiral bevel, four speed gearbox Sept. 1932(not on base model)
Wheelbase: standard, 78 in, track 42 in, 4-door saloon 91 in
Length: 120 in, 13 in
Width: 49.5 in
Height: depending on coachwork
Kerb weight: 700 kg 13¾ cwt (2-door saloon)
sp: uk

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q16998122CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Minor_(1928)CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1363211833 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1928MorrisMinor.jpgPublic domain · Photo: User Malcolma on en.wikipedia · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.