(EP1) Restoring a Morris Minor Traveller with Cambrian Classics Ltd - First steps

[@samuraifool912]

My Uncle Derek had one. And he tried to keep it on the Road for over 20yrs. But replacing the Wood for a Second time after Massive MOT fail. Was the end of his Love..! Spent several summer holidays Floating around the Back Seat with the Cousins in St Ives Cornwall. He was Devastated on its Demise..! Great little cars on the Whole mind..!! Cheers kim in Oz. 😎

[@mikes747]

I love travellers! Me being born was the reason that my dad had to part with his as it wasn't big enough for 3 children and apparently I used to grab hold of my sisters hair and pull it when I was a baby! A fact she still brings up to this day nearly 44 years later!

[@frimleyfrodo]

Me being born was the reason my parents switched from a Minor convertible to a Traveller. A 1962 model in green bought in Hereford - CCJ 329.

[@56squadron]

Tell your sister she's lucky... my wife used to get chased by her older sister who would dump buckets of cold water on her. She would scream so loud when being chased that their aunt and uncle who lived on a farm a quarter mile away could hear it.

[@sonofatwitch82]

I love that gorgeous green

[@niklaswejedal463]

The colour of the Frogeye reminds me of the colour of some of my Matchbox toycars I got as a kid in the late 70s / early 80s! A Ford Capri and a Datsun 280 Z comes to mind :D

[@williamwade641]

My Dad had a 1957 Traveller and in late 1962 a brand new Traveller with the 1098cc engine and duo-tone interior. We were a family of five and he kept it for eight years. It was always garaged in the dry which is important to preserve the wood.

[@mikeclifton7778]

Interesting to see the Roadsters Redruth plaque, the car is Cornish registered. I didn't know that it was part steel, part aluminium, still, every day's a schoolday! Great video again Mister HubNut.

[@stevem268]

i can remember my parents had one of these woodies. late 1950's till 1966 when we emigrated to canada. i remember my father varnishing the wood. i wonder what ever happened to our little traveller!

[@tony-yp6qk]

My dad passed his test in a morris minor when he was 18 he his now 79 Another great video has always Ian and miss hubnut and hublets and hubmutts 👍

[@Ragnar8504]

This reminded me of Furiousdriving's legendary video about the Jag XK-150 that someone had grafted the rear section of a Morris Minor Traveller onto, the Foxbat. I'd almost forgotten about that gem!

[@rodhili3946]

the badge on this guys fleece looks like a FD logo 😂

[@waynegazard5038]

Late 50 to 60 travellers timbers fitted by cabinet makers considered that complicated my first car a 58 now have a7 trav you got the guttering sust, side panel seals and back door lines most people muck up. Big respect to your obvious skills and capabilities

[@Bicyclehub]

This is great stuff! What a brave man to take that job on on someone else’s car.

[@markpitt5248]

Roadsters are still here in Redruth!

[@philtaylor9038]

When he was taking the rain channel out with mole grips I thought why not use a slide hammer with an adaptor on. Can't wait to see more of these love moggies.

[@samuraifool912]

Real old fashioned Coach building..!! Glad to see one being rescued. To Live on yet Again..!! Massive "Brownie Points" to the Guy is paying for all that work..! 😎

[@jorgefernandez-mv8hu]

That is a very nice car. Thankfully the owner has spent the time preparing the wood with treatment so it will last a long time. Good Luck with it.

[@bobss3704]

In the early 80's I helped my dad restore one of these, he made all the Ash framing himself being a carpenter and if I remember we actually straightened the gutter and ground the heads off the nails which meant we could lift the roof straight off and chuck out the old framing.

[@RWBHere]

I always had a bit of a soft spot for Travellers. There were plenty around when I was at school, but examples in good condition are becoming quite rare now. Small wonder, when you start to see how much work has to go into keeping them in good shape.

[@jaggass]

I remember an episode of WD when a green Woodie was restored. It cost something like £1200 for a new Ash frame but it was well worth it.

[@smoothmicra]

I was thinking the same, I remember the episode well. Something very satisfying about cutting out rot!

[@stevem268]

yes mike what'is name did one, he visited the workshop where a gentleman was making new wooden parts on some beautiful old machinery

[@michaeltutty1540]

Really interesting video, Ian. Definitely a job I have never seen done, nor even really thought of. Then again, it is a very long time indeed since I clapped optics on a Traveller in real life. I am definitely looking forward to the rest of this job

[@davefrench3608]

A Morris Traveller, both Mum and Dad had Minor saloons. The car of childhood, I’d so love a Minor.

[@moschops2002]

My Dad's had a Traveller since 1985 (It replaced a GS!), and it's had new wood twice in that time. Huge job, and has to be done properly. I thankfully went down the saloon route with Minors, so don't have this timebomb ticking away.

[@robingiles9444]

I had one in that colour in 1986, it was such fun holding it in 2nd gear as you went round a corner otherwise it would jump out of gear, lol

[@beowulf5982]

The Morris 1000 is my favourite car. Many years of living with and many memories. Long live the A-series engine (and woodwork) Thank you for your time to edit/upload and share.

[@cornishrider]

Nice to see a Cornish Car and as far as I know Roadsters Redruth are still going!

[@cheesywheels]

My mum has always wanted a Traveller, so this video is a good insight into the upkeep of such a car.

[@richardtomkinson9951]

So nice to see a traveller being worked on, can see it's not an easy task removing the old timbers. Enjoyed the video Team, well done and looking forward to the next installment.

[@richardtomkinson9951]

Meant to add, Rooster Garage in Redruth is still going strong.

[@brownstar69]

My dad had one in the early 80s. Complete with mushrooms growing in the wooden frame

[@arfer]

My dad's Traveller in the 70's had mushrooms growing on the inner window sills...this video kind of explains why...

[@Bucharestguidedtours]

Great video, these Minors were classics even when I was young, only as I get older do I appreciate them more and more. Best wishes.

[@01jvb]

Fun fact: the Minor Traveller bodies were (when new) constructed at Morris Bodies Branch, Quinton Road, Coventry. I remember seeing some of them sitting outside the works before production ended in 1971.

[@jonholding3880]

Great video. I've just bought a 4 door minor saloon, I would have loved a traveller but didn't fancy replacing the wood.

[@dangerotterisrea]

When I was in school a good many years ago there was a kid who's dad had a Morris pickup with an engine swap, hell of a thing!

[@kellybrickey4300]

Thanks for this, mr. Hubnut! Maybe I DO need to do a traveler.

[@JakobKsGarage]

It's saying a lot aboult english car conservatism, that an already at that time traditional 1940ies design was built up into the 1970ies (not that it beats the strange logevity of the1948-1990 2CV...) But I would love a woodie Traveller anyway. Just such a nice and romantic car 👍

[@micheltebraake7915]

I've never seen this before, so I'll definitely be following this project.

[@tremere613]

Looking forward to part 2! Thank you!

[@HubNut]

Thanks. Now live! kzbin.info/www/bejne/qqLKf4xtfpyZq5I

[@flightis3dollars]

That was very interesting. Thanks to all involved. Very much looking forward to the next episode.

[@davidfoster1762]

My old man , who was a sales rep , had a Traveller in the early 60s I think . He had it for 2 years and did 60000 miles on it. Once a packet of eggs broke , probably on the back seat but I can’t be sure , and he needed a Philips screwdriver to remove part of the car and clean it up. He had to buy a little set of screwdrivers , in a green plastic pouch, which included a Philips head. Cost 5 shillings which to him was a lot at the time. That little set lasted 30 years .....

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Great Video Ian, looking forward to the progress of following this Traveller.

[@lawrence5117]

Great stuff Ian. I look forward to the progress of the project.

[@bigtrev8xl]

Looking forward to the follow up. 🍻👍👌

[@daveowen9481]

This is excellent, thanks Ian!

[@daniellee9015]

Brilliant video Ian 👍 my parents had one of those

[@levelcrossing150]

Interesting job, I've never seen this done before.

[@jonjoyce3188]

Nice seeing older cars on the channel 👍

[@stusoldcars4248]

Not anything I'm ever likely to do but Interesting. 👍👍

[@Endfloat]

I really enjoyed this video. More of these types of videos please! You're not nearly as bad at interviewing as you make out, by the way.

[@jaggass]

A visit to the Morgan factory would be nice as they're the last car maker that uses wooden frames.

[@raye402]

Went to Morgan factory visit last year - in the body shop they have 2 wooden formers for the aluminium rear wings - these formers have been used on every Morgan that has left the factory since 1920s !!! Hand built absolutely 🇬🇧👍👍

[@stephenshippam9374]

Hi Ian really interesting video

[@HainjeDAF]

Woodie, yes!

[@HainjeDAF]

#Whiteland Restorations This is right up Laura's alley :)

[@meirionevans5137]

My 1st car, a '59 Traveller, called Maldwyn y Malwan (Malcolm the Snail)

[@martinneumann7783]

Interesting! I'll stay tuned...

[@russellb1212]

Really enjoyed this video, very interesting, enjoyable and entertaining, thank you

[@johnwaga3702]

Absolutely fascinating, thank you!

[@chrisrumble2665]

As a Minor lover I would love to have a Traveller go with my 29 Cammy and 49 lowlight, but after watching that I am having second thoughts.

[@Levenstone132]

I still feel bad about scrapping my '69 Traveller ,my first car,back in 1981. Wood was pretty bad ,grew mushrooms in it! Needed a fair bit of welding but no money and no parking. Replaced with a '69 Volvo 144 auto. Same year as the Mog but a world away in comfort and just to cheese us all off these days I could fill it up with four-star for a tenner! Keep those half- timbered cars going though!

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

Traveller RKM 495G … My first family car. Gone (I presume) but not forgotten. (Edit) Untaxed since 1985 😞

[@MrButtonpresser]

In Australia, a "traveller" is often referred to as a beer you consume on the way home from a drinking session. 🍺

[@tristanpage6805]

Great video.

[@robinjones6999]

Excellent - I seem to remember Ed China doing this on WD's. Im sure you can find that episode somewhere.

[@Pfirtzer]

Never seen one in real life wow, just love it, wonder what kind of wood is used here?What a lovely color too.

[@HubNut]

Ash tends to be the favoured wood.

[@GenialHarryGrout]

A tidy garage, did you notice that Ian? ... hahaha

[@chriswathen9612]

Roadsters of Redruth are still going!

[@joshonthetube]

Super labor intensive but looking forward to seeing the results!

[@grayfool]

Interesting. I don't think I would have the patience for that job.

[@ccjelley2390]

My dad always referred to his two 1950s Travellers as "Shooting brakes"

[@roygardiner2229]

Now that is a daunting job! Having seen this video I would not buy one of these vehicles. A saloon or van seems a much more sensible option.

[@660einzylinder]

I can remember MOT'ing Minor Travellers in the 1980's and having great arguments with people, after failing them with rotten wood, as they didn't believe the wood was structural. I have heard it said, BMC made little or no profit at all on the Traveller. The handbook for my 1970 Minor reminded Traveller owners to sand and re-varnish the wooden framework on an annual basis!

[@davefrench3608]

I heard the accountants begged BL to stop selling the traveller as they lost money on each one sold.

[@carlreading9916]

I've heard it said that BMC (and later BL) never made a profit on any of their cars ;-)

[@davefrench3608]

@@carlreading9916 Ford took a mini apart and worked out that there was no way any profit was being made at the sales price.

[@robinvanags912]

When a Morris MINI Minor Traveller has wood trim (as our 1964 example did) - it's decorative not structural. The 'woodie' estate is quite a phenomenon, but I've never understood the appeal of such CARpentry!

[@CauliflowerMcPugg]

Very Interesting and its great to see and hear about how they are put together. I wonder how many man hours it took to build one back in the day.

[@ellesmerewildwood4858]

And then someone decided to make a wooden framed car for England where it's always warm and sunny and never rains.

[@MattBrownbill]

A policeman was quite 'interested' in the mushrooms growing on my dad's traveller's woodwork. 😂

[@cheesywheels]

A living and breathing car! 😄

[@WilliamsBenBear]

There's a guy in Llandeilo that supply's the timber as a kit it's the guy Mike brewer visited on wheeler dealers

[@paultaylor7082]

I've got a Moggy Traveller myself, in Trafalgar Blue. But as Edd China said in Wheelers Dealers, that amount of wood belongs in a house, not a car.

[@michaelwright2986]

I learned to drive in a Traveller in 1962. It was the instructor's own car, so it had twin carburettors. VROOM. In some ways, that is still my idea of a real car. Some people have a lot of patience.

[@mervynmorris613]

A mate gave me a traveler when I was a teenager in the eighties. But I used it for parts for my van and literally chopped up the remains with an axe and sold it as scrap. What an idiot, I kept the wrong one financially but it was a lot of fun chopping it up.

[@williamgreer4087]

I've always wondered if there would be a market for an "imitation" wood kit for travellers. Some form of plastic with a faux wood finish that would never rot. Or perhaps aluminium? Also, could the standard yacht varnish be replaced by epoxy for longer lasting protection?

[@paulbennell3313]

That Traveller looks really good apart from the woodwork. It'll be a little beauty when It's done.

[@jamesmilne8445]

My uncle had a green traveller

[@2tone209]

MY FIRST JOB AS A PLUMBERS MATE THE OLD BLOKE BRIAN HAD ONE OF THEM TRAVELERS THEN MY BROTHER HAD ONE IVE GOT A SOFT SPOT FOR THEM CRACKING LITTLE MOTOR'S.

[@2tone209]

AY UP MR HUBNUT

[@pavil58yt]

Just came across one of these but it's in awful condition. I've never seen one before. Certainly wish I had the $$ to restore it. Looking forward to watching your progress.

[@HubNut]

Cheers. It's a lot cheaper to watch. 😉

[@CasperthefriendlyG10T]

Please do an in depth review of the Suzuki Swift GTi of the 80's or 90's

[@colinjones2505]

Fascinating. Not for the faint hearted diy'er though.

[@ianvallender7892]

Michael David Mentioned the Wheeler Dealers episode for the Moris Traveller So I'd thought I'd mention another one The Frog eyed Sprite! Since we saw one in the Video!

[@ukuleletyke]

Just about to start restoring the one I’ve owned for 20 years. What shade of green is this one? It’s a nicer shade than the standard Almond Green..

[@HubNut]

I think it is Almond, though it turned out to be a few different shades (has since been repainted)

[@ukuleletyke]

Thanks! I thought it looked a bit lighter, although that may just be the lighting and camera. A useful set of videos- I’m going to have to do the same with mine, so I shall watch attentively..

[@lesklower7281]

The Morris Traveler WD restored one also Car SOS restored one also there is a business in the UK that builds the pieces for the frame for the Morris Traveler

[@Phiyedough]

I had forgotten they were partly aluminium. I suppose the wood isolated the aluminium from the steel, thus avoiding galvanic corrosion.

[@ShedTV]

I'd heard people say that replacing the wood wasn't for the faint-hearted. They weren't joking!

[@twocvbloke]

It does make me wonder how much the wood plays a part in the car's structural rigidity, which of course over time softens a bit, which can't be good... :S

[@HubNut]

It's a huge part of the structure, so it's bad news indeed.

[@davefrench3608]

The Mini traveller is a very different beast with no structural timber.

[@nekite1]

Replacing the wood on a Morris Minor traveller seems to be a bit of a dark art!

[@AUmarcus]

Why isn't rot proof timber used? Huon pine or something like that?

[@cme2cau]

Easier to get parts for a Traveller than a Camry? Crazy world, innit?

[@benmcdonnell4167]

I owned a clapped out Traveller for 5 years. 446 WPL. Registered about 1961-2. Seemed to me the wood rot and hence leakage to the floor and rusting through to front spring hanger was down to the wholly inadequate channels for the sliding windows. The channels were secured by screws that went through them and straight into the seating channels in the woodwork, so water was guaranteed to seep in to the wood via the securing crew thread right from the start. Did anyone ever design a fully waterproof channel to prevent this? I really loved the car but I could only afford superficial maintenance.

[@bs7157]

very interesting. i like the Travelers. but replacing the wood puts me off them. i would want to get the 4 door saloon. i wonder why they didn't use metal for the frame work? weight maybe?..

[@Ricketik65]

The Tim Traveller, but different..

[@dazzlerbob1870]

A Mock Tudor Morris Minor.

[@Frank_Nemo]

...*endless talk, talk, talk...* 13:15 'Right, less talk, more action!' ...*endless talk continues...*

[@HubNut]

Don't worry. We rip it to pieces in the next episode.

[@porscha901]

Morris minor owners club. join it a super club to be a member of

[@stephinepaul7483]

'Wood' ya look at that(!).

[@HowardLeVert]

Much as the Minor is loved, it really was a car that should have died when the ADO16 came out. Why the British public put up with such a relic through the 60s and into the 70s beats me.