Volume 56 O R R I S Number 8 August M O N T H L Y 2016 MAGAZINE OF THE MORRIS REGISTER The Club for Morris vehicles designed before 1940 www.morrisregister.co.uk EDITION BUMPER BEAMISH Volume 56 ORRIS Number 8 August ONTHLY 2016 MAGAZINEM OF THE MORRIS REGISTER CONTENTS CHAIRMAN John Ford writes: attended the MMOC 40th Anniversary Rally at Catton Hall 2 Chairman I in July, and what a splendid event it was. I have never seen so many Morris Minors at a show, from the very first 3 Editor Minor to the last on the production line. The Register was 5 Secretary's Spot well represented in support of this event along side the 2nd MVA rally. No fewer than a dozen cars and vans were on display Bulletin Board including the club van. The whole event was well supported from other What’s it Worth? Morris related clubs, all putting on a fine show. I still have ringing in my ears from being next to the Tannoy system - several people were looking 5 Warm Welcome for aspirins, probably suffering the same thing! Our own National Rally is 6 Federation Feedback nearly upon us and I shall be there for the whole weekend so come and say hello (but don’t speak too loudly!) I know Ben Gadsby has been busy 7 Fitton's Files organising another fabulous weekend for us all. If you can help at all with the setting up, I am sure Ben would be grateful. 8/9 Forum Files Whilst I am at Thoresby I will be looking for several cars for this year's 10-12 Morris Tools NEC Classic Car Show in November, If you would like to have your car on display at this year's show please come and see me at our event. 14-19 Exactly Eighty On the subject of Thoresby, we have been going there for twenty-two years and although it is a truly splendid venue, we have been considering 20/21 Minor Musings perhaps making it a bi-annual event with an alternative, somewhere 22-47 Regional Round Up south of the M4 corridor. We are currently looking at several options, but, if you know of somewhere that you think could be suitable then please (inc Beamish Special) let our secretary or me know. Preferably a venue with hotel facilities. 48 Overheating We are looking at 2018 initially and, of course, we will be looking for an organiser for the event. Again, if you can help please let us know. 49 Member's Morris I was saddened to hear of the passing away of several prominent members of the club, namely Bev Marks, Tony Cressey and Tony Hale. 50 Morris Mail I presented Tony with the Chairman's trophy just a few years ago for his 51 Morris Mart work and service to the West Region. Both Bev and Tony Cressey made similar contributions. My condolences go out to all the families of these 52 Foto Finish fine men. I know they will be missed by all. Cover picture: David Stonehouse's Series II Morris Eight parked in the street at the Beamish Museum [Photo: Peter Brock] The Morris Register Spares Service he Register’s Spares Service aims to provide a basic service that will help members keep their Morris Tin good fettle and suitable for safe and enjoyable motoring. We stock a range of spares needed for the maintenance and overhaul of the most popular models.These stock items mainly comprise engine, transmission, electrical and brake parts for the Morris 8, 10 and Minor models with a limited stock of similar parts for other Morris models. ON-LINE SHOP (www.morrisregisterspares.co.uk) The new on-line mail order shop enables members to shop for Morris Spares in a secure on-line environment. The Shop includes a full description, a photo, and details of which Morris models each part will fit. Each product in the shop has a unique “part number” with 2 letters and 3 numbers, and is a unique reference system for our Spares Service. The shop is linked to a secure PayPal payment system; you don’t have to have a PayPal account to use this, you can use your credit or debit card. Please go to the Club’s web site and click on Services/Benefits – Spares Service. The information given in the descriptions in the on-line shop should be sufficient to identify the parts you need. We cannot answer questions from members as to which is the correct part for their car, or about parts suitability or application. 2 The views and opinions expressed by the Editor and contributors to this magazine are CHAIRMAN: SECRETARY: theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the John Ford 01386 832 447 Jim Riglar 01225 754 981 views of The Pre 1940 Morris Register Limited. [email protected] [email protected] Any advice provided is not intended to be advice on which you should rely. You must MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY: obtain professional or specialist advice before Office hours: 9 am - 5 pm, Monday to Friday taking or refraining from any action based Jane Nathan, 1 Fallowfield, Shoeburyness, Essex SS3 8DF on the content of this magazine. No liability 01702 589 643 [email protected] is accepted for the consequences of following any advice provided in the magazine. EDITOR: Whilst I am writing this I am aware of the truly awful event that has Rob Symonds, 49 Gorsy Road, happened in Nice. I am sure that all of us wish our French friends our Quinton, Birmingham B32 2SJ deepest sympathy and all those that are caught up in this terrible atrocity. [email protected] When will it all end? 0121 682 0640 EDITOR Rob Symonds writes: DEADLINE efore I get going on other matters, I must report, via Frank 14th of the month prior to publication BAshley, some sad news: the passing of Jack Ellsmoor at the ripe old age of 102. Jack was a very early member of MAGAZINE NON-ARRIVAL: Please contact the Membership Secretary the then Morris Eight Tourer Club, and although he was no Contact details above longer a member, Jack was very active in the club's early years, so there will be many who remember him. A full obituary will appear in BACK ISSUES: may be purchased next month's magazine. from the Club Shop On a more cheerful note, I welcome you to what has tumed out to be the biggest edition of Morris Monthly in my six years plus editorship. At the WEBSITE: www.morrisregister.co.uk height of the season there is always a lot to report, but with the evident Contact: Mike Rose, Webmaster excitement generated by the North East region's Beamish Museum [email protected] weekend, we were forced into overflow mode. I am not sure I can survive SMALL ADS: Post/email to: too long at this level of production, but far be it from me to suggest that The Editor (see above) contributions need to slow down! As a result of this month's excesses, a Free for members (max 1 car per month) report on the MMOC National Rally/2nd MVA Rally has been left until next Non-members: please contact for charges. month. By then, of course, our own National Rally at Thoresby Park will have taken place, and you will all be rushing your photos and stories to COMPLAINTS: Any complaints me. I will only be there on the Sunday, so am particularly keen to receive against any officer of the club, or about reports on Saturday's activities, especially the driving games. Crikey, I just the way the club is being administered should be referred to the Secretary remembered, the Thoresby programme still needs to be put together. There really is no rest for the wicked! THE PRE 1940 MORRIS REGISTER LTD DVLA Authentication Service: Members needing access to Registered Office: the Club’s scheme for registration number retention should get 70 Alderton Way, Trowbridge, in touch on 07507 264 980 or [email protected] Wiltshire BA14 0UH ©Morris Register and various authors and photographers 2015. PRINTED BY Material published in Morris Monthly may not be published LAVENHAM PRESS elsewhere without the permission of the Editor. 01787 247 436 The Morris Register Spares Service POSTAL SALES If you know the part number of the parts you need, but don’t want to use the on-line shop, please get in touch with David and Lindsay Smith, email: [email protected] or by post at Morris Spares, Units 5 & 6 Priory Farm Industrial Estate, Station Road, Portbury, BRISTOL, BS20 7TN. We cannot take orders by phone. • Please state clearly the part number (the unique 2-letter, 3-number code as shown in the on- line shop), the description of the item you need, and the quantity • Please quote the model and chassis number of your car – take the chassis number from the brass plate under the bonnet, and include the letters as well as the numbers • Please quote your name, address and membership number in all communications • We can accept payments by cheque, but prefer payments by card using PayPal. Instructions for payment will be given when you order • Please remember the Service is run by members for the benefit of other members in their own time amidst many other family and personal priorities • If you are not sure what the correct part is, please put a request for help onto the Forum. There will always be members “on line” who will be able to share their knowledge with you.