Morris enthusiasts' minor obsession

Pat Carrick's dad had an ambition to own one of every Morris Minor ever manufactured.

Jim Carrick didn't quite get there before he died, but he did have about 15 cars, not all of them fully restored. He gave one to each member of the family and Wanganui man Pat Carrick ended up with the 1950 Morris Tourer.

He's now one of about 90 nationwide members of the Morris Enthusiasts' Car Club of New Zealand.

And he was the person organising the Wanganui leg of the club's three-week tour of the central North Island.

Yesterday the group of around 12 cars had already been to gardens in Marton and Bruce Ardell's private car museum. It had eight shiny vehicles lined up for the public to see in the green space between Moutoa and Taupo Quays.

The earliest was made in 1938, there were several Tourers - the Morris version of a convertible - and there were two Morris Travellers, commonly known as woodies.

The array had caught the eye of 30 to 50 members of the public, who stopped to admire them and recount their own Morris Minor memories.

Mr Carrick said he would only be joining this year's tour at weekends - this weekend around Wanganui, next weekend at Raglan and the following one at Rotorua.

The club was very easygoing and social, he said.

It had a big get-together every year at Christmas at its Otaki clubrooms, and didn't hold competitions.

"The cars bring you to the club. The people keep you there," another member said.

The annual runs alternate between the North and South islands, and were another high point, with each leg guided by a local member.

"You see parts of the country you would never get to normally."

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Show and Shine: Pat Carrick leans on the bonnet of the 1950 Morris Tourer left to him by his father. Photo / Bevan Conley