SCOTTISH COLLECTOR VISITS NZ; OCH AYE THE NOO

In this column, we usually write about an interesting car from our Cars for Sale section that we think warrants a closer look. This month, though, the column is about a person of interest who wants to take a closer look at your interesting car, if you’re wanting to sell.

Morris Leslie started his construction equipment-hire company in Perthshire in Scotland in 1974. He has grown the operation to the point at which he does business in New Zealand at times.

Here in Aotearoa New Zealand, we do tend to — we certainly used to — keep our cars on the road for a lot longer than is the case in many other countries, and that is good for collectors like Morris. After some of his visits here, Morris has been known to take the odd small car or small commercial vehicle back with him — almost always vehicles that came here from the UK in the first place. These became part of his 600-strong-and-still-growing collection of interesting vehicles and machines.

Morris’ first two vehicles, acquired only 15 years ago, were a Mini and a Massey Ferguson 35, both ubiquitous here. He has a strong interest in Land Rovers, and his collection includes many examples from every Land Rover series produced. He also has the last car ever privately owned by Sir Winston Churchill — a 1964 Morris Oxford, which was registered a year before Churchill died. Now, wouldn’t you have thought that Sir Winston would have driven something more befitting his image, but imagine the stories it could tell — and it probably still smells of cigar smoke.

Vehicles with interesting stories hold a special appeal for Morris, so he is looking forward to meeting and swapping stories with like-minded collectors here.

Morris Leslie will be in New Zealand during January. If you think you have a vehicle or maybe some unusual piece of machinery that may hold special interest for him, contact him at morris.leslie@morrisleslie.co.uk.