Ian Cairns – My Minor And Me
In August 2007 I made up my mind to go after a Mk5 Cortina. After talking about it for over 15 years (giving away my age), I had a look on Autotrader. I went and seen one on a Friday, loved it and bought it on Tuesday. I loved cleaning and polishing it.
In about April I started to notice Morris Minors more and more. In August 2008 my uncle and I went to the Millisle show and could not believe how many lovely Minors there were. It was then I knew I must have one. It was so easy to talk to owners about their Minors. I then started to talk about buying one. I went home told the wife (well asked the wife) about buying one, she said that if I wanted one I would have to sell my loved Cortina!
So, the next best thing to have one was join the Morris Minor Owners Club Northern Ireland in September. I found a lot of easy going and helpful people all willing to advice when needed, so I went to look at a few Minors but they were not really what I was after. I had my heart set on a 1968 red 4-door. However in February 2009 I was told about a 1970 2-door in Maroon so I went to Ballymoney to see Jimmy Tweed who had restored it.
It was in his shed. I just looked at it and knew that was for me. I loved it but was uncertain about selling my Cortina that meant a lot to me. Over three months I went see the car about five times then on my birthday, 23 April, I came from work, came to the driveway to my Minor parked with red bow on it! I was gob smacked.
In June, I put the Minor through the MOT and it passed (of course). I have now sold the Cortina and love my Minor and do as many of the runs as possible. I polish and wax it much as I can now. All three cars at home, my Minor, wife’s VW Beetle and my uncle’s Mk2 Cortina are out to graze now as I try to get the Minor the way it looked like 1970.
Ian Cairns, Morris Minor Owners Club Northern Ireland
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