Morris Minor - 52

The Morris Minor is a British economy car that debuted at

the Earls Court Motor Show, London, on 20 September

1948.

Designed under the leadership of Alec Issigonis, more than 1.3 million were manufactured  between 1948 and 1972. Initially available as a two-door saloon and tourer (convertible), the  range was subsequently expanded to include a four-door saloon in 1950, a wood-framed  estate (the Traveller) from 1952 and panel van and pick-up truck variants from 1953.  The Minor was manufactured in three series: the MM (1948), the Series II (1952) and finally  the 1000 series (1956). 

History

Alec Issigonis' concept was to combine the luxury and convenience of a good motor car at a  price affordable by the working classes. The Minor was a roomy vehicle with superior  cornering and handling characteristics. Internal politics inside BMC, the owner of Morris, may  have led to the limited North American sales. The Minor prototype had been known as the  Morris Mosquito. More than 1.3 million of the lightweight, rear-wheel drive cars were  eventually produced, mainly in Cowley, Oxfordshire, becoming Britain's first million seller,  and exported around the world, with many variants of the original model. Production  continued in Birmingham, England until 1972 (for the commercial variants and estate only).   The last Morris Minor (commercial) was assembled at Stoke, Nelson, New Zealand in 1974.  The Minor has been described as typifying "Englishness", a "British icon" and a "design classic".

Minor Series II

In 1952, the Minor line was updated with an Austin-designed 803 cc (49.0 cu in) overhead  valve A-series engine, replacing the original side-valve unit. The engine had been designed  for the Minor's main competition, the Austin A30, but became available as Austin and Morris  were merged into the British Motor Corporation. The new engine felt stronger, though all  measurements were smaller than the old. The 52 second drive to 60 mph (97 km/h) was still  calm, with 63 mph (101 km/h) as the top speed. Fuel consumption also rose to 36 miles per  imperial gallon (7.8 L/100 km; 30 mpg-US).  An estate version was introduced in 1952, known as the Traveller (a Morris naming tradition  for estates, also seen on the Mini). The Traveller featured an external structural ash (wood)  frame for the rear bodywork, with two side-hinged rear doors. The frame was varnished  rather than painted and a highly visible feature of the body style. Commercial models,  marketed as the Morris Quarter Ton Van and Pick-up were added in May 1953. Rear bodies of  the van versions were all steel. The 4-seat convertible and saloon variants continued as well.  The Motor magazine tested a four-door saloon in 1952. It reported a top speed of 62 mph  (100 km/h) and acceleration from 0–50 mph (80 km/h) in 28.6 seconds. A fuel consumption of  39.3 miles per imperial gallon (7.19 L/100 km; 32.7 mpg-US) was recorded. The test car cost  £631 including taxes.  Engine: 1952–56: 803 cc A-Series inline-four, 30 hp (22 kW) at 4,800 rpm and 40 lbf·ft (54  N·m) at 2,400 rpm 

1952

Engine 803 cc 4 cylinders Power 30 hp