Interesting video but there was no Austin Morris group. It was BMC at that time. Also all Coopers were built at Austin’s Longbridge plant in Birmingham.
You seem to be pushing a lot of misinformation. The Mini Coopers were made on the same production line and the cosmetic badge engineering details were added there too. The mention of Oxford on the Morris badge was simply an historical reference to the marques’s roots.
I was an apprentice machine tool fitter at the Longbridge engine plant. I was probably one of the last people to work on the ADO 15 engine machining line where the 850, 1000 and 1275 engines, both block and cylinder heads were machines. When the lines finished production there was interest in buying the transfer lines from an outside company so the A series could carry on, but this was blocked and all lines were cut up and scrapped. In the old air raid tunnels at the rear or the Trentham building were several cars and mock ups! One was a mini that had been cut down the middle and widened by 6 inches. I often wonder if this was the idea behind the new mini which was designed at Longbridge and not by BMW as people think and was taken by BMW to Hams Hall.
The Australian built cars were very different. Wind-up windows, gear lever that didn't go through the floor, front doors lined, engines water-proofed. Hydro-elastic suspension and cost less than 5% more.
How did a Belgian Classic Car license plate end up in OR? 😊 (The “O” stands for Oldtimer - similar to ‘historic vehicle plates” in the US) - love the cars and your channel
There was another couple of badge engineered options. The Riley Elf and the Wolseley Hornet. They were nicer styled and finished inside. Google them for a prettier alternative. A bit classier, and like you say, it was meant to appeal to badge loyalty!
I’ve owned several Minis over the years, both Morris and Austin. I noticed that the Morris cars always had a little “blade” , for lack of a better term, on the drip railing that runs around the roof’s edge.
I noticed on the Morris, where the steering wheel is set up for right lane driving, the wipers park on that side. On the Austin, the steering wheel is set up for left-lane driving, the wipers park on that side of the windshield, er, windscreen. Interesting, although the mounting points appear to be the same. I lived in Japan for eight years, they go bonkers over these cars.
@@Simone-BucnDid you actually read my comment and look to see which side of the car the steering wheel was on and which side the wioers parked on? Please go back and look. Thanks for the reply though.
That's standard for vehicles that are 'factory built' for particular driving orientation. It's something that makes a 'conversion' stand out like the proverbial dog's nuts.
@@Colorado_Native Regardless of 'driving orientation', it's more important for the DRIVER to have the greater part of the winscreen cleared. Simple logic, really. Some (much) older vehicles have wipers that sweep from the centre out to both sides - eg 1950s Fords.
I'm surprised the Mini with it's sporty driving characteristics wasn't ever badged as a MG! Which were known specifically for sports cars. The Mini was however also badged as a Riley and had a larger Boot/Trunk more like a saloon car.
At the time they did not own MG. They were sold as Wolseys and Riley’s with a quite different body shell on the mini floor plan. The MG badge was introduced at a later time when the Mini had been replaced by the Metro. I’m sure you know that MG stands for Morris Garages do in a way history had turned full circle. With Minis the badge engineering was exactly that, they only had cosmetic differences, the differences between other British makes that had bought up rivals was quite different; Rolls Royce and Bentley were sold side by side but to quite different markets just as Jaguar and Daimler were. The Mini was not the first car to try to expand its customer base by rebadging as it had been going on throughout the 50s.
You really are a terrible host/whatever... The entire first 70 seconds was a complete waste of everyone's time. And after that, you just babble on, without getting to the point.
........and the wheel was on a different side. I know quite a lot about the mini but would never dare say anything on a forum like this too many people know toooooo much
What's the difference? Not much really, they are both unsafe, slow, uncomfortable and unreliable rust buckets. I had two of the things because I couldn't afford anything better. Yes, they handled like go-carts but that's about it.
I had 2 too! One was horrific. The other was an estate. Like my Saab 99 and an Escort mk 1, I should have kept them all instead of letting them go for peanuts.
One thing they have in common both highly desirable!
Interesting video but there was no Austin Morris group. It was BMC at that time. Also all Coopers were built at Austin’s Longbridge plant in Birmingham.
You seem to be pushing a lot of misinformation. The Mini Coopers were made on the same production line and the cosmetic badge engineering details were added there too. The mention of Oxford on the Morris badge was simply an historical reference to the marques’s roots.
I was an apprentice machine tool fitter at the Longbridge engine plant. I was probably one of the last people to work on the ADO 15 engine machining line where the 850, 1000 and 1275 engines, both block and cylinder heads were machines. When the lines finished production there was interest in buying the transfer lines from an outside company so the A series could carry on, but this was blocked and all lines were cut up and scrapped. In the old air raid tunnels at the rear or the Trentham building were several cars and mock ups! One was a mini that had been cut down the middle and widened by 6 inches. I often wonder if this was the idea behind the new mini which was designed at Longbridge and not by BMW as people think and was taken by BMW to Hams Hall.
The Australian built cars were very different. Wind-up windows, gear lever that didn't go through the floor, front doors lined, engines water-proofed. Hydro-elastic suspension and cost less than 5% more.
so were the Spanish built Minis from mk2 on.
The “S” badge was above the Morris Cooper badge in Oz. My first car and never bettered until my MX-5.
Very cool, thank you for sharing, always exciting to find out about unknown VWs!!!
Also the horn push bottom was different 😄
All coopers were made at Longbridge 👍
Also in Italy and Spain with a much better steel.
The large diameter hub caps (small ones on S models) on Austin' Mini's had rounded holes and the Morris ones had rectangular holes.
proud owner of a 65 Austun Mini Cooper S
How did a Belgian Classic Car license plate end up in OR? 😊 (The “O” stands for Oldtimer - similar to ‘historic vehicle plates” in the US) - love the cars and your channel
And blue one is from Portugal - ACPC Badge ( automovel clube de portugal classicos)
There was another couple of badge engineered options. The Riley Elf and the Wolseley Hornet. They were nicer styled and finished inside. Google them for a prettier alternative.
A bit classier, and like you say, it was meant to appeal to badge loyalty!
I’ve owned several Minis over the years, both Morris and Austin. I noticed that the Morris cars always had a little “blade” , for lack of a better term, on the drip railing that runs around the roof’s edge.
They were distributed through the then different Morris & Austin dealerships - and they were given the slightly different details and colours
I noticed on the Morris, where the steering wheel is set up for right lane driving, the wipers park on that side. On the Austin, the steering wheel is set up for left-lane driving, the wipers park on that side of the windshield, er, windscreen. Interesting, although the mounting points appear to be the same. I lived in Japan for eight years, they go bonkers over these cars.
Yeah 🙄 So the entire first 50+% of your comment was "Their wipers are exactly the same."
@@Simone-BucnDid you actually read my comment and look to see which side of the car the steering wheel was on and which side the wioers parked on? Please go back and look. Thanks for the reply though.
That's standard for vehicles that are 'factory built' for particular driving orientation.
It's something that makes a 'conversion' stand out like the proverbial dog's nuts.
@@trueaussie9230 Thanks for the reply and info. I have lived in 12 countries and never noticed that.
@@Colorado_Native
Regardless of 'driving orientation', it's more important for the DRIVER to have the greater part of the winscreen cleared.
Simple logic, really.
Some (much) older vehicles have wipers that sweep from the centre out to both sides - eg 1950s Fords.
I'm surprised the Mini with it's sporty driving characteristics wasn't ever badged as a MG! Which were known specifically for sports cars. The Mini was however also badged as a Riley and had a larger Boot/Trunk more like a saloon car.
At the time they did not own MG. They were sold as Wolseys and Riley’s with a quite different body shell on the mini floor plan. The MG badge was introduced at a later time when the Mini had been replaced by the Metro. I’m sure you know that MG stands for Morris Garages do in a way history had turned full circle. With Minis the badge engineering was exactly that, they only had cosmetic differences, the differences between other British makes that had bought up rivals was quite different; Rolls Royce and Bentley were sold side by side but to quite different markets just as Jaguar and Daimler were. The Mini was not the first car to try to expand its customer base by rebadging as it had been going on throughout the 50s.
at the rear the S badge is in the middle of the Morris Cooper badge and not as you say: Too bad not to know that
Does anyone know the colour of the Austin Mini?
I prefer the Morris grille
Thank you for the video
Round wing mirrors vs square 🤣
Like the 'booted minis'; the Riley Elf or if you were posh 😅, the Wolsley Hornet - ! 😊
If these are export models they are very different Spec to UK Models
You really are a terrible host/whatever... The entire first 70 seconds was a complete waste of everyone's time. And after that, you just babble on, without getting to the point.
........and the wheel was on a different side. I know quite a lot about the mini but would never dare say anything on a forum like this too many people know toooooo much
Never liked pommie cars ! But in Australia their worth alot of money! Like my EK1 anniversary model Civic ??? Lol more than a Toyota !!!
Don't suppose you've come across 731 HOP, have you? 😆
Fact is there was and is no difference except the badging!
What's the difference? Not much really, they are both unsafe, slow, uncomfortable and unreliable rust buckets. I had two of the things because I couldn't afford anything better. Yes, they handled like go-carts but that's about it.
I had 2 too! One was horrific. The other was an estate. Like my Saab 99 and an Escort mk 1, I should have kept them all instead of letting them go for peanuts.
As was pretty much every car in its class back then, I’ve had loads of minis some good sone bad !