Ford 289 V8 Morris Minor

1958 Morris Minor with a Ford 289 V8

(as recorded by Dan Masters)

Jim Reise wrote:

I found your site while I was supposed to be working one day. Good and entertaining info. I'm sending you info and pictures of my car, hope they meet your requirements to be posted.

I was given this 1958 Morris Minor by a friend, sight unseen. The picture of the car in the dirt is how I first saw it after driving 300 miles one way to pick it up. "Another fine mess I've gotten myself into " I muttered to myself as I saw it. A junkyard was it's home since 1975 until I got it in August 1996.

I got the car running in early 1999. All of the work was done by myself in my garage except for the $400 One Day Paint job. It has been a fun, relatively low buck project using late 1960's technology. Still finishing it up, interior etc.

Here are the specs:

1958 Morris Minor 2dr Saloon
Modified Stock Front Suspension with original 7 inch drum brakes
Stock Rack and Pinion under engine, not above as original
2 inch square rear subframe with stock leaf springs
Narrowed 9inch Ford rear end
289 c.i. 16 valve Ford V8, 9.5:1 Comp.
C4 transmission
6 point roll bar
Best 1/4 Mile Time: 12.34@108.9MPH (still dialing it in)

Ford 289 V8 in a Morris Minor

Ford V8 installation

Morris Minor racecar

Morris Minor race car


Morris Minor racer


British V8 Home:        Read the Magazine        Photo Gallery        Web Forum        Annual Meets        Contact Us        Site Map