Matt Tomkins, Workshop Editor - 1970 Supercharged Morris Minor Saloon

Owned by Matt since he was just sixteen years old, this Morris Minor has starred in the Staff Car Sagas section of the magazine for a number of years and now boasts an impressive mechanical specification. 

The engine is a tasty 1275 with a thick flange MG Midget block, balanced A+ crankshaft and rods, forged Omega pistons, Piper camshaft, vernier timing and a big-valve head with an Eaton M45 supercharger sucking through an HIF44 carburettor. 

The supercharger was sourced from a MINI Cooper S, which Matt describes as ‘in keeping with his philosophy of aiming to achieve what BMC Special Tuning would have striven for if they were around today’, with the BMW MINI rolling out of the same Cowley factory as the Minor did many years before.

 
This highly-strung engine powers a five-speed Type-9 Sierra-derived gearbox and the rear axle features competition half shafts and a set of anti-tramp bars designed and built by Matt. A significant amount of bodywork was undertaken on the car between 2018 and 2020, with the car having been repainted by Matt under the guidance of bodywork gurus Andy Waters and Jon Bentley from CBR Classic Restorations. 

Earlier this year, the car starred in the magazine’s annual winter adventure, with a thrash down to Cornwall proving to be the perfect impetus for Matt to complete the fine-tuning processes, resulting in an adventure to remember and one where Matt fell back in love with the car.