Minors - whatever happened to them?

[rob marshall]

I shot these a few days ago at an old garage near Strumble Head, West Wales. I see that the last one assembled was in New Zealand. Maybe it's Colin's weapon of choice on the road?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Minor

The first one is tone-mapped in Dynamic photo HDR. The other two are converted in Silver Efex Pro V2. Comments welcome.

[arith]

Yours is very good; the classic rustbucket look. Mine was one of the very first photo's I took and I don't know whose car it is.

[rob marshall]

Yours is very good; the classic rustbucket look. Mine was one of the very first photo's I took and I don't know whose car it is.

That looks very clean. I bet it's still running. My mother used to have a Minor. I used to think it was quintessentially British. I'm sure Steve (Wirefox) will have something to say on that one...

[MiniChris]

What! No ursa Minor....sheeese. I had several Minors, several Minis, several bug-Eye Sprites and though totally Lucased from head to taillight, I still liked them. These look to be mid to late 50's-60's??? I like it when you bring back a nice moment of nostaglia. There is a nice vintage to each one, though it is Minor #1 which attracts my eye the most.

(An aside to Rob) I downloaded the link you sent and it saved to where it said it would, but I can't seem to find a way to get it into PS?

[rob marshall]

(An aside to Rob) I downloaded the link you sent and it saved to where it said it would, but I can't seem to find a way to get it into PS?

Load an image in PS. Bring up the actions wiondow (probably ALT/F9) In the top-right of the Actions window is a little button for the actions menu. Click that and select 'Load actions'. Go to the directory of your saved file and select it. It should load the actions in your action panel under a new section called 'Robs actions' Select the action you want and run it on the shot. You only need to load the actions from the file once. It should stay there.

[MiniChris]

I'll do it when I get home...though, may try to load it here as well since the nice people at the district office just loaded the entire CS5 suite for me.

[Wirefox]

Port Talbot branch of CarCraft?

My mother used to have a Minor. I used to think it was quintessentially British. I'm sure Steve (Wirefox) will have something to say on that one...

I could n't agree more. I always have visions of geography teachers with corduroy sports jackets and leather elbow patches when I see these. We didn't have a car when I was a kid but a neighbour invited us on holiday to the Lakes. 2 dads, 2 mothers, 2 babies and 2 6 year olds....all jammed into a Moggy. The clutch gave out on the Honister Pass and it cost nearly £7 to get rescued and the clutch replaced (Peugeot are quoting £600 fitted on a 206 these days)

My Uncle was famous for his 'runs' in one of these. Chester Zoo, Southport, Rhyl were favourites. I seem to remember waiting around most of the time in lay-bys waiting for the over-heated engine to cool.

I like the first shot too. Tone mapping is very tastefully applied.

[Geoff F]

I drove a Morris Minor Pick Up until 10 years ago. You could easily do repairs etc on them. With my current vehicle, I struggle to find where to put the oil. Although it does use a lot less oil than a Minor!

And my one claim to fame is once appearing in a Monty Python sketch. The Python stars were being photographed 'driving' a car (actually on a trailer) and following behind the action, waiting to overtake but clearly visible, is a Morris Minor van painted in British Racing Green.

I was the driver of that van.

[Wirefox]

Geoff you do not look anything like I imagined

[rob marshall]

Geoff you do not look anything like I imagined

That was a good find, Steve. Shall we slot his shot in the self-portrait thread?

[tameigh]

Minor #3 is just impressive. If you could get the owner to place them separately away from the distraction of lesser cars, you could get some really great shots. I sense a best selling calendar

[Geoff F]

It was one of the later episodes which was filmed in Torquay, Steve.

I will see if I can find an photos of my last Minor.

[Camellia]

Rob's made me all sentimental for the cars I used to love!

My first car was a Morris 1100. I don't know if anyone remembers the slogan? "It floats on water". Now that has been dug out of the very dim dark recesses of my mind. It's amazing the things that stick from childhood. My dad gave me the car (he'd restored it) when he got an old Riley. My second car was an MGB GT - made for the US market and converted to right hand drive by my dad for the previous owner. I bought it just before I turned 21. I'll have to hunt through old photos and scan them. Talk about reminiscing! I was brought up on English cars.

R

[rob marshall]

Rob's made me all sentimental for the cars I used to love!

I tend to have that effect upon the ladies...

[Donald]

My Uncle was famous for his 'runs' in one of these.

The very thing that was going to be the saviour and springboard for a vibrant Scottish economy. Except it wasn't. The wrong product being built in the wrong location.

[Geoff F]

I've found a quick snap of my Morris Pick Up taken with a Canon G2 in 2002. It was just after a 'blizzard' (well it was the heaviest snowfall of the year).



Parts of Australia (and a few other countries) are ideal for those older UK vehicles. It was the wet English summers which sent them to an early rusty graveyard. Particularly when they were produced from poor steel which already had a coating of rust.

[Camellia]

I tend to have that effect upon the ladies...

Of course you do