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Participants in the 2006 Hot Rod Power Tour were amazed to find a little British Morris Minor Traveller hidden among the lead sleds and ratrods. As the weeklong tour progressed through brutal summer heat, those observers turned downright envious: The little woody swallowed the interstate at 75 mph, cruise control on, driver and passenger relaxing in air-conditioned comfort as they enjoyed their favorite tunes on a custom sound system. Maybe the 51-year-old economy jitney didn’t vie for top honors at the drag strip or on the dyno, but it drew admiring crowds at every stop. Some rodders—despite the lure of more exotic, big-bucks creations—adopted the Morris as an unofficial mascot. After the tour, when the Traveller finally wandered back to its South Carolina home, it had averaged more than 33 miles per gallon over the 3122-mile trip. Take that, big blocks. To prove this adventure was no fluke, the next year the Traveller made a successful round trip to the British Invasion in Stowe, Vermont. And last fall—repaired and improved after an unfortunate encounter with a flatbed truck—the well-traveled Traveller again made the long trek to Stowe. This time, accessorized with a roof rack loaded with vintage sporting equipment, it pulled a wood-bodied, one-wheeled Allstate utility trailer. Once in Vermont, the intrepid Traveller conquered twisty roads, mountain inclines and sheets of rain. The car wowed crowds and gained celebrity status as participants dubbed it “the talk of the show.” On this trip, the Morris covered 2500 miles with zero problems, including one 750-mile day. It delivered between 33 and 35 mpg. Is there anything this wonder woody can’t do? Is there more to this varnished wagon than meets the eye? As it turns out, some of the car’s best traits are hidden from view. Under its modest Morris skin lies an engineering marvel—elegantly fabricated, tidily packaged and road tested. The body might not be an old-school staple, but this Morris’s engine certainly is: Toyota’s twin-cam 4A-GE.
