A Girl with a Passion for Minors – Young Owners
Hello, my name is Rebecca McIlroy, a 13 year old girl who is one of the many proud Morris Minor owners. It first started when I was a baby. My dad used to own a 1965 pale blue Saloon which we went to MMOC outings all the time. A few years went by and he decided to sell it to a friend of his. He then bought a Mark III Ford Cortina. Every year we would take the Cortina down south a couple of times for some well known static shows. After that he decided to take on a new project!
It was originally a Saloon but now it is a 1963 post-production Morris Minor Convertible. The many years of work finished just in time for the Easter Monday run in and around 2010. In June 2010 and 2013 we went to the National Rally and it was so much fun that I am hoping to go again next year!
I have showed a lot of interest in Minors from a very young age but last year my dad decided to take everything a step forward. On the 26th May 2012 we were at a show in Bangor with a few good mates and one of them (Stephen Gordon) was selling his brother’s 1963 Trafalgar Blue Minor and I said to my dad, ‘Wanna buy me this?’ and he said, ‘I already have!’
I was so excited, it turns out he had been thinking about it for a while. Not long after I got it home and at 12 years of age I was delighted to have my own set of keys! We have already attended a great number of shows. I am wanting to get a respray and new chrome in the next year and then attend the National in it next year.
We have attended many shows over the years in places like… Moynalty, Loanends, Antrim, Garvagh, Shanes Castle, Armagh, Waringstown, Braid valley, Carnlough, Glenarm, Trim, The Glens, Stranraer, Bangor, Lisburn, Mosney and many many more!
As for Dad’s Mark III Ford Cortina… it has been currently sitting in the shed for the past year or two and has been off the road needing a new gear box, filler in the wings and a re spray. We are hoping to free the clutch in the next couple of weeks and attempt to get it going again as it is a lovely big car.
In my free time I like to attend lots of shows and spend lots of time polishing and taking care of Lionel.
Since I can’t learn to drive for another four or five years I have a lot of time to get Lionel to high standards! and am looking forward to doing so.
Becca McIlroy, Morris Minor Owners Club Northern Ireland
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