Old Morris Minor, still running, Kaduwela, Sri Lanka.

The Morris Minor along with the Volkswagen Beetle were the taxis and family cars from the 1950s onwards. A brand new Morris cost Rs.6000/- The first 1000 miles was called 'running in' and had to be done at low speeds. Frequent servicing of 'grease nipples' had to be done. The 'king pin' of the front wheels tended to wear off, if the greasing was not done. Quite a few drivers have seen one front wheel detaching and rolling by the side of the car before the car stopped. The car was very reliable. The Lucas electrical system was super. The earlier side-valve engines were replaced with overhead valve engines for better performance. Reconditioned Toyota Corolla engines serve as a substitute now.