INTRODUCTION – So-called Dual Personality Minors broadly cover the period of manufacture (not registration) from September 1962 through to October 1964. As many changes, through various owners, may have taken place, the vehicle chassis number is the key determining factor in establishing identification as a Dual Personality or ‘Transitional’ Minor.

Even this relatively narrow timescale of overall production time covers 2 distinct periods as follows:-

Phase 1: Built between September 1962 and October 1963. The introduction of the 1098cc engine and larger front brakes were the principal changes from the previous model range fitted with 948cc units.

Phase 2: Built between October 1963 and October 1964. These are the same as phase 1 but have tandem windscreen wipers, integrated orange indicators front and rear, plus an updated heater.

Phase 1 Identifying features:-

In September 1962 the first of the 1098cc Minors came off the production line replacing the 948cc engines. As well as the larger capacity engine their further identifying features are:-

• Chassis number between 990290 and around 1051385.
• Revised Cooper air filter which can be adjusted for either a winter or summer

            setting, depending upon where the air intake is directed.

• Front brake drums increased from 7 inch to 8 inch diameter.
• Both glove boxes are open with detachable liners.
• All switches are still of the earlier ‘pull/push’ type.
• 3 spoke wire “banjo” steering wheel retained.
• The previous trafficator with flashing indicators system retained. I.e.The front

            indicators share the front sidelight but with a dual filament bulb that uses a 21W

            element for the indicator, so the front indicator flashes the white sidelight.

            The rear indicator works by flashing the red rear brake light.

• Windscreen wipers are the old ‘clap hands’ type as seen on the ‘split-screens’.
• Interior ventilation improved by adding a small flap at the bottom of the heater

            that pushes fresh air into the car. This is operated by a cable mounted under the

            parcel shelf.

• Deluxe models only used ‘Duo tone’ interior trim, on both seats and door cards,

            which is mostly cream with a contrasting coloured band at the top.

• Hot water intake into the heater controlled by a manual valve at the back of the

            cylinder head. The copper hot water take-off runs alongside the passenger side of

            the rocker cover and over the top of the inlet manifold.

• Speedo face is silver or gold and is calibrated up to 90mph.
• Boot stay remains by a fixed rod and not the automatic support.

All other features remained as the previous 948cc Minors.

Phase 2 Identifying features:-

In Oct 63 a further changes were introduced to the Dual Personality Minors:

• Chassis number between around 1051385 and around 1092769.
• Front sidelight changed to later ‘split’ type where the upper orange section held

            the flashing indicator and the lower smaller clear section, the sidelight.

• Rear light modules on saloons changed to incorporate a separate orange upper

            section (flashing indicators) and  a separate lower section for brake and side lights.

• Extra round rear amber trafficator light fitted to the traveller.
• Windscreen wiper blades lengthened and changed from ‘clap hands’ type to the

            ‘tandem’ type.

• Zone toughend windscreen introduced.
• Later Smiths heater with vertical slider control  (as seen in the Mini) introduced

            with a fresh air intake from the driver’s side of the radiator grille. A flexible pipe

            (commonly referred to as an ‘Elephant’s trunk’) takes this fresh air from the front

            of the car through the bulkhead and into the bottom of the heater.

• An external key-operated lock fitted to the left-hand door.
• Speedo face is silver or gold.

All other features remained as for the previous ‘Phase 1’ 1098cc Minors.

Alan Smith