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The Morris Eight Tourer Club
of New Zealand (Inc)

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Greetings from Sunny South Australia

Barry & Elaine Booth                            June 24, 2000

Greetings from sometimes sunny South Australia (well it is winter) I am writing from home which is in the Adelaide suburb of Lower Mitcham it is also the home of three Morris vehicles. One a series 2. 1955 Minor, a 1942 say 10cwt. Light Truck, and an assembly of assorted parts that one-day will be a 1939 Series E Ruskin Bodied Tourer.

I have been driving the Minor to work and Morris Register club runs for about ten years. It required very little work to get it on the road, should have spent more time, but needed a vehicle to get to work.

After many boring nights in front of the TV, my wife said "I'm sick of this snoring through the good shows, go out and buy yourself something to restore."

I did. Just so happened that the club had in their possession, a very tired old Ute. I had often gazed at with tummy convulsing. The type of thing that one would feel happy to throw stones at. But it was all there, and cheap.

So I took up the challenge, handed over the money, and set to work. $5,000 later the vehicle was on the road and entered in "The Bay to Birdwood" Adelaide's prestigious car rally most years attracting in the vicinity of 1,700 cars and bikes.

Check out the web site @ www.baytobirdwood.com.au

Once that task was behind me, dear wife says, "Think you need another project."

So just to keep her happy mind you, the search was on. Wasn't long, and found someone in Port Augusta, a railway town some 200k. North of Adelaide, advertising a Series. E Ruskin Tourer for sale.

So, in the company of a couple of good friends, one an owner of a Series 1 Roadster, the other a Series E Tourer owner, we set off, small trailer in tow. (Just in case)

Arriving at "The Gutta" we found that some of the vehicle was stored at the owner's home, and due to demands of his controller, the rest was located out of town in an old dis-used shearing shed.

After 20k drive out of town we came upon the resting-place of so many car parts. Inside the shed FJ Holden, Singer, Ford, stacked high. Underneath it all we were told lay my Series E. We could see a chink of colour deep down 'neath the heap.

Down we dug. Anything Morris went on the trailer. Three front axles, three rear, doors, two chassis, one for the E, one for a Z. Such an assortment. Even an old dunny seat. " A gift for Elaine." Friend proudly announced as he added it to the ever-increasing load on the little 6x4 trailer, and we hadn't even got to the body yet.

At this stage, the vendor offered to bring the rest down to town when he paid a visit to family.

Beauty! Off came the two chassis, the load had been looking as if it would draw the attention of "The Boys in Blue" now we felt happier about our return journey to Adelaide.

After many months of collecting bits and pieces from all over, still wasn't too happy with the chassis set up. So was lucky enough to come across someone wishing to sell a series E sedan (bad case of "Tin Worm") he accepted my offer of $50.00 provided he gave me only the rolling chassis with motor, gear box, firewall/batterybox, and radiator. Even got wheel nuts (Like hen's teeth)

A week later I was at his home to pick up the prized chassis.

Another friend bought the four doors for $5.00 to obtain the plastic window trims. All in good nick. All window glass was there, but so was the rust. (On a quiet night one could hear it rusting).

Soon that chassis was sand blasted and painted, the wheels sand blasted and powder coated, and rolling.

Now the hard part has started, repairing tin worm holes, in the body, finding engine parts, numerous other chores restorers have to over come, gardening, house, chores, yep that happens over here too.

Winter is upon us here now, and as most of the work is being done in the open, the full working schedule has been hampered, but come Spring, Summer, will be all systems go again.

Barry Booth.

----- Original Message -----
From: Barry & Elaine Booth
To: Peter McAuley
Sent: Friday, September 01, 2000 11:40 AM
Subject: Revised Letter ok for forum

Hi Peter,

Another weekend behind us, and what a beauty.

Saturday the weather was pretty ordinary, a little rain, but cleared up
enough in the arvie to do a bit on the E.

Sunday the forecast was gloomy with showers forecast. We had a combined
run with the Morris Minor Club planned so wasn't the best weather news we
were waiting on. Thankfully, the weather man was a few hours out in his
predictions, our run was a success with sun shine, and blue skies.The rain
moving in around four ish after all was over.

The Morris Minor Club was, I'm led to believe, founded on a breakaway
group from The 'Register. The split happening in the early years of the
club. Wasn't the nicest of times so the older members tell.

So every now and then we come together on a combined run. They in their
predominantly Jap powered, mag wheeled Minors, and us in our un-modified.
The runs have always been good fun (the agro members seemly are no longer
members, or have passed on) . This run really went off well with somewhere
in the vacinity of fifty vehicles lining up for the start (after a good
serve of hot scones, coffee and cake). The run named "The tea totaller's
pub crawl, led us around some of Adelaide's older watering holes and gave
us an insight into the history of the pubs visited (from the outside I
hasten to add.)

A peasant picnic lunch on the lawns of the club house, and the
announcement that members of The Morris Minor Club had the most correct
answers to questions posted along the way, rounded off an enjoyable outing
together.

I did have the camera ready, snapped one of our member's Ser. Z ute. Very
nice recent restoration, and in the same grey and black as the ETSA van.
When the owner (Roger Prewett) started to restore the ute he found an ETSA
fleet number so decided on ETSA colours, and decked it out with
serviceman's ladder. He even went the extra mile, and to store esky,
chairs, tools etc out of sight, made a large wooden packing case complete
with stencil "Nuffield Products" on the outside. Looks good.

I also snapped another ser. 1 Cammy Minor to go with "How The Other Half
Live" a lovely little "vehicle " as the owner Peter Wood is quick to
correct the erring person who, innocently calls it or any other vehicle a
car.

This "vehicle" is one of two treasures he has snatched from under the
Victorian's noses. The other treasure wears a skirt.

I thought too you'd be interested in Australian variations to the early
Morris's, the ser. 1&2's with boomerang bumpers, and a Ser. E '39 Tourer,
which is perhaps unique with headlight and spare tyre fittings oddities.
Harry Edwards was really interested in this one when he saw it at our
National Rally at Mount Gambier. He'd never seen anything like it before.
It is a factory job.

So now just have to wait to finish off the film soon

Oh yes I did send Graham Barr some info, haven't heard from him, you may
like to check him out, see if what I sent him is of interest to you.

Well that's about it for now

Regards Barry.