1957 Morris Minor – Iain McKenzie

This 1957 Minor was modified for a world tour in the late 1980s at the Leeds Minor Centre. Upgrades included a 1275cc engine, Toyota gearbox, raised ground clearance, underbody protection, a front-mounted winch, jerry can holders, and a small safe for documents.

In 1990, Jay Albus and Linda Burke set off on their adventure, traveling through Europe, Africa, and India before reaching Australia, where Linda returned home. Joss Browning from the Leeds Minor Centre then flew out with funds to continue the journey. 

After repairs, the car was shipped to South America. Jay’s new partner, Tanya, had to leave when she became pregnant, so Joss pressed on alone through rugged terrain. The journey took him through North America to Newfoundland before returning to Liverpool in 1997.

Since then, apart from occasional shows, the car remained largely unused, spending the last decade in a garden in Leeds. Following Joss’s passing in 2024, his partner Christine sought a new home for it to preserve its history. Despite outreach to museums, its poor condition deterred interest.

Andy Reeder from the MMOC Leeds branch then contacted collector and restorer Iain McKenzie, who accepted the challenge. 

“It will be a delicate balance of restoration and conservation to halt the deterioration and return it to roadworthy condition,” explains Iain. “For example, it would be an easy job to replace the wings and doors, etc, with better ones, but the history, livery, sponsorship and other decals would be lost, so a carefully planned rebuild and recommission awaits.”