1971 Morris Minor 1000 6cwt Van

Manufactured in 1971, this eye-catching, brightly coloured van is one of the last Morris Minors to be built, as production ceased the following year. The British government’s telephone company, Post Office Telephones, which had operated Morris commercial vehicles since the 1930s, used this so-called ‘engineer’s utility van’ during
the 1970s and ‘80s for maintenance works. These vehicles were as- signed to a geographical work area – this specific one operated in the Shrewsbury region, northwest of Birmingham. It is equipped with an aluminium ladder and safety ladder rack; older vehicles were fitted with a wooden ladder. The advertising boards on the side read: ‘It’s so cheap to phone your friends after six and at weekends’.

Until 1968, the Post Office Telephones’ vehicles were painted dark green with white lettering. That year, however, the main colour was changed to ‘Golden Yellow 356’, both for higher visibility in busier traffic (‘safety reasons’) and to comply with the new corporate iden- tity. A year later the company split from the General Post Office and was renamed Post Office Telecommunications. The older branding was nevertheless retained until the mid-seventies.

Engine
1,098cc four-cylinder
Power output
48hp
Special details
Telephone company maintenance vehicle

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