The Morris Minor Owners Club
Where the club’s archive is more than just paper-based
Before restrictions were tightened once again in November last year, PC’S Matt Tomkins took a trip to the Derby headquarters of the Morris Minor Owners Club, just as work was drawing to a close on the restoration of the last Morris Minor saloon ever manufactured, which is now owned by the club.
The club’s headquarters takes the idea of a multi-use space and runs with it. The current premises was purchased by the club in 2015 and was soon transformed into a central base for club activities, both for the day-to-day running of the club bus also for seminars, training and meetings. Four office staff keep the club running day-to-day, while a large conference room allows meetings to take place on site.
The club archive features magazines and membership records dating back over 40 years as well as reference books, publicity photographs and technical publications books spanning all years of Morris Minor production. Club secretary and author Ray Newell tells PC: ‘The archive is a valuable resource for members or anyone wishing to undertake research about the Morris Minor. It is available to members by appointment and available to access when we have our annual Open Days. A recent addition is the Peter Palmer Model Collection. Featuring over four hundred Morris Minor diecast models it is a fantastic and colourful addition to our memorabilia collection.’
The record keeping isn’t limited to paper files, though. The club owns a New Old Stock body shell, which is dressed with a full set of new old stock panels. This car will never be built up, but instead serves as a valuable reference for restorers and parts manufacturers alike. Says Ray: ‘Acquired over twenty years ago, the bodyshell is a valuable asset and never fails to attract a crowd when it is displayed. In the past it has been a focal point on the club stand at the NEC Classic Car Show as well as the club’s National Rally’.
Below the archive sits a parts store and workshop and, when we visited, the club’s own Minor 6cwt van that’s used to transport regalia to shows was sat alongside the last saloon to leave Cowley as it received its finishing touches.