In January 2023 Glasgow Moggies received an unexpected request from a Morris Minor owner in Denmark. “Can overseas owners join?” We thought about it. Of course we said yes, and it resulted in this interesting story.

Our first overseas member is Michael. He owns two classics, a 1967 Ford Mustang and a 1962 Morris Minor called Mulle. This is his story.

“I chose to join the Glasgow Moggies club, as I am already a member of several other car clubs. I like to exchange tech tips, see and read about other peoples vehicles, and their experiences with them.

The Mustang is a 1967 Convertible, 289 cubic inch V8 c-code, and my father bought it 20 years ago this May. He passed away from cancer nine years ago, and it was then passed on to me.

It was factory-ordered, pretty much as it sits today, concerning type of engine, transmission, interior and paint, even including the red painted stripes. I have had a couple of mods done to the engine a few years ago, including complete new electronic ignition, different manifold, and new carb, just to make everything go smooth. It is going to be passed on to our son, once I am gone.”

Michael continues, “Quite a few years ago, we met the parents of some friends of ours, and it turned out that the father was also interested in pretty much everything motorised.

He had the Minor, an old Harley Davidson, a 1978 BMW 316, a ´54 Volvo 444. He had restored both the Minor and the Volvo himself, the Minor being done in 1995-96, and the Volvo a bit later.

However, he passed away some three-four years ago, and the cars and the motorcycle just sat in the barn at their farm, doing nothing. His widow, Inger Lise, couldn’t drive them.

Fate would have it, that I talked to his widow, who is now 76 years old, at a family event, where we were both invited, and she mentioned that the old BMW would no longer start. I promised to come look at it, and see if I could get it going. Eventually, I did get it started, and we agreed to fire up the Morris as well. So we did. I then asked her if we should take it for a spin, to which she agreed, but I would have to drive it, as she couldn´t do it because of her leg.

I had never driven a Morris before, but was very willing to have a go. So we went for a tank of petrol and upon arriving back home, she told me that she wanted to sell the car, to someone who would use, rather than it just sitting in the barn. She told me the price she had in mind, which seemed fair to me, so I pretty much bought it right there.

The funny story is, that Inger Lises’ mum Gudrun, bought the car brand new back in 1962. When she passed away in 1986, it was handed down to Inger Lise, whos husband then fixed it up a few years later, replcing the entire floor and much more. He changed the colour from grey to red and due to them having several cars, it was only driven occasionally. Also, Gudrun, the original owner, didn´t like driving at all, so she only drove when she absolutely had to, so the current mileage-reading on the odometer could very well be accurate, which is just over 28.000 kms (17,500 miles).

The dealership where the car was sold from new, is less than 20 kms (12 1/2 miles) away from where I, Inger Lise and Gudrun lived. So the car has spent nearly sixty-one-years within the same 40km (25 mile) radius. The munber plates are also the original ones, that were put on the car back in 1962. This can be quite rare, as plates are only “rented” from the State here in Denmark, and when a car is scrapped, your plates have to be given back, and destroyed, so lots and lots of vintage plates have been lost over the years.”