1963 Morris Minor 1000 Convertible
Desirable factory 'MAT' convertible

Registration No: 31 UYC
Chassis No: MAT51027043
MOT: Exempt

• Genuine factory-produced Minor Convertible, with correct ‘MAT’ chassis number
• Subject to self-evident previous restoration
• Finished in Clarendon Grey paintwork with St. James Red leather interior and matching Red hood
• Supplied with a large history file

The Morris Minor was unveiled at the 1948 Earls Court Motor Show and thirteen years later became the first British car to achieve one million sales. Designed by Alec Issigonis (who later penned the ubiquitous Mini), the original Minor—or "poached egg" as Lord Nuffield delightfully called it—and its side-valve engine was a sedate performer, but that changed with the introduction of the OHV 803cc A-series engine in 1953, and when the Minor 1000 arrived in 1956 with the 948cc, it had real pep. The engine grew again to 1,098cc in 1962. Equipped with independent front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and four-wheel drum brakes, the Morris Minor was practical and economical as well as fun. Convertible (Tourer) models were dropped in June, 1969, and saloon production ended in November, 1970, but Travellers soldiered on until April, 1971.

This beautiful 1963 Minor Convertible—among the earliest to be fitted with the 1,098cc engine—appears to have had only nine registered keepers, but since 2006 it has had just four keepers, being in single ownership from 2006 to 2019. Original factory Convertibles are highly sought-after, and many conversions have been made from Saloons, but this car is a genuine factory Convertible, as confirmed by the ‘MAT’ chassis prefix. Believed to be carrying its original Somerset-issued registration, the Minor still presents in charming condition thanks to a restoration in Clarendon Grey with a St. James Red leather interior, which is believed to be its original colour combination.

For most of this century, the Minor was out of use, and it appears the restoration was performed following its sale in 2019, with the car venturing back onto the road in 2021, with the current registered keeper acquiring it in 2022. It has been very well-preserved since then, and appears to have seen minimal use, with the underside still extremely clean. It is supplied with a large history file, and altogether we consider this to be an eminently show-worthy and useable example of what is surely the most versatile and practical classic car money can buy.

For more information, please contact:
Paul Cheetham
paul.cheetham@handh.co.uk
07538 667452