Getting the Ball Rolling

This blog has been around nearly as long as I've had the Traveller, so its time to get it started I think. I've owned my Traveller since January 2007, but am only now starting the restoration - I don't like to rush these things.

An introduction:

This is my 1961 Morris Mini Traveller, he's a woody so is affectionately known as Eddie, after Edward Woodward. Eddie rolled off the Longbridge production line on the 31st of January 1961 (my Dad's 19th birthday).

The heritage certificate shows that he is still in his original colours and he still has the optional extra heater fitted, when he was delivered to Derbyshire Motors Ltd, in Derwent Street, Derby.

Fuel tank on the left and spare wheel well and battery in the same location as the sedan.

Travellers are very rare in Australia, they were never built here and only a handful came in as private imports. Mine is even more unusual in being an early 'internal tank' model. For the first year of production Morris  Travellers and the similar Austin Countryman had the fuel tank in the rear, in a similar position to that of the sedans, with a filler cap protruding from the left hand side rear panel. A year later the under floor tank of the Mini van was adopted, with its filler recessed into the right hand side rear panel.