1962 UK - NEW MORRIS 1100 CAR. FIRST SHOWING IN BRITAIN - no audio

Decade: 1960

HOW THE FAMILY CAR WAS PROGRESSED FROM BONE-SHAKING RATTLE TO TODAY'S LUXURY SUSPENSION AND PASSENGER COMFORT WAS ILLUSTRATED AUG 13 OUTSIDE THE BRITISH MOTOR CORPORATION'S WORKS AT COWLEY, OXFORDSHIRE. THE SMALL PROCESSION WAS HEADED BY A 1912 'BULLNOSE' MORRIS, A FAMOUS VINTAGE MODEL, FOLLOWED BY THE POPULAR MORRIS '1000' OF POST-WAR YEARS. THIRD WAS THE CORPORATION'S NEWEST PRODUCTION, THE MORRIS '1100' - A2 FOUR-FIVE SEAT FOUR-DOOR SALOON, CLAIMED TO BE THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED FAMILY SALOON.

THE ALL-STEEL MORRIS 1100 IS POWERED BY A WATER-COOLED 1098 C.C. FOUR CYLINDER, O.H.V. B.M.C. ENGINE MOUNTED TRANSVERSELY AND DRIVING THE FRONT... Read more HOW THE FAMILY CAR WAS PROGRESSED FROM BONE-SHAKING RATTLE TO TODAY'S LUXURY SUSPENSION AND PASSENGER COMFORT WAS ILLUSTRATED AUG 13 OUTSIDE THE BRITISH MOTOR CORPORATION'S WORKS AT COWLEY, OXFORDSHIRE. THE SMALL PROCESSION WAS HEADED BY A 1912 'BULLNOSE' MORRIS, A FAMOUS VINTAGE MODEL, FOLLOWED BY THE POPULAR MORRIS '1000' OF POST-WAR YEARS. THIRD WAS THE CORPORATION'S NEWEST PRODUCTION, THE MORRIS '1100' - A2 FOUR-FIVE SEAT FOUR-DOOR SALOON, CLAIMED TO BE THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED FAMILY SALOON.

THE ALL-STEEL MORRIS 1100 IS POWERED BY A WATER-COOLED 1098 C.C. FOUR CYLINDER, O.H.V. B.M.C. ENGINE MOUNTED TRANSVERSELY AND DRIVING THE FRONT WHEELS AND IT HAS INDEPENDENT SUSPENSION INCORPORATING THE PATENT 'HYDROLASTIC' UNIT, ON ALL FOUR WHEELS. THE UNIT IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE 'PITCH' AND 'SOURCE' WITHOUT IMPAIRING "OUTSTANDING ROAD HOLDING AND CORNERING QUALITIES".

MR ISSIGONIS, TECHNICAL DIRECTOR OF THE BMC, RECENTLY STATED THAT HE WAS NOT DESIGNING FASHION ACCESSORIES OR 'STATUS SYMBOLS' BUT EFFICIENT MOTOR CARS... "A CAR SHOULD GET ITS SHAPE ENTIRELY FROM THE ENGINEERING THAT GOES INTO IT". AND ALONG THESE LINES THE 1100 IS SAID TO BE A LOGICAL PROJECTION OF THE MORRIS MINI-MINOR.

THERE IS SAID TO BE MORE HABITABLE ROOM IN THIS FULLY RUST-PROOF NEW MORRIS THAN IN MANY LARGE 1 1/2 LITRE FAMILY SALOONS. THIS HAS BEEN ACHIEVED BY THE TRANSVERSELY MOUNTED POWER PACK INCORPORATING ENGINE, FOUR-SPEED GEARBOX AND FINAL DRIVE AND DRIVING THE FRONT WHEELS. PROPELLER-SHAFT TUNNEL ENCROACHMENT IS THEREBY ELIMINATED FROM THE FLOOR SPACE. THE PLACING OF ALL OCCUPANTS WITHIN THE WHEELBASE OBVIATES REAR WHEEL-ARCH INTRUSION. THE CURVATURE OF ALL DOOR PANELS AND WINDOWS ENSURES MAXIMUM WIDTH AT ELBOW AND SHOULDER HEIGHT.

DRAMATIC SIMPLICITY IS THE ESSENCE OF THE 'HYDROLASTIC' SUSPENSION. THE MAIN CONSTITUENTS ARE RUBBER AND WATER AND THE SYSTEM IS HERMETICALLY SEALED AT THE TIME OF ASSEMBLY. IT THEREFORE REQUIRES NO MAINTENANCE THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THE MORRIS 1100 IS EQUIPPED WITH THE LOCKHEAD SYSTEM OF BRAKES INCORPORATING 8-INCH DISCS AT THE FRONT AND 8 BY 1/2-INCH DRUMS AT THE REAR. THE STEERING IS BY RACK AND PINION. THERE ARE ONLY FOUR GREASING POINTS AND THEY ARE LOCATED ON THE STEERING ASSEMBLY.

FEATURES OF THE CAR INCLUDE A 9 1/2 CU.FT. LUGGAGE BOOT, 8 1/2-GALLON PETROL TANK, SUBSTANTIAL PARCEL SPACE WITHIN THE VEHICLE, ANCHORAGE POINTS FOR BELTS BUILT INTO THE CAR DURING ASSEMBLY, AN ANTIGLARE DRIVING MIRROR.

MAXIMUM SPEED OF THE MORRIS 1100 IS 77 MILES PER HOUR. THE FOUR-DOOR DE-LUXE SALOON COSTS GBP695.7.9 (INCLUDING GBP190.7.9. PURCHASE TAX) AND THE 2-DOOR BASIS SALOON COSTS GBP661.0.3 (PURCHASE TAX: GBP181.0.3.