International Alliance of Morris Owners

More about the Alliance
Welcome to the International Alliance of Morris Owners website What we are The Alliance of Morris Owners (IAMO) was formed to provide a focal point for anyone interested in Morris Motors. The interest can be in one of their products, the history of the factory or the people who worked there. Although most of the members are likely to be owners of their cars IAMO is limited only by the interests of its members as there are no cut off points in terms of age or product. The IAMO should therefore be of interest to owners of cars of any age from 1913 to 1983, commercial vehicles, industrial and marine engines, and even aeroplanes that were manufactured at Cowley during World War II. The communications will be mainly web based so that IAMO will be truly international and freely available to anyone. Membership is free in every sense although members are expected to contribute by participating in the Alliance's activities. What we are not IAMO is not a club but as its name suggests an alliance of individuals, groups, clubs, suppliers and museums brought together with a common aim - their interest in all things Morris. The structure of IAMO is unlike a club in that it does not have a management structure or even a committee. The alliance is run entirely by the members for the members. There is no restriction on membership and all of the facilities will be available to anyone whether they are members or not. Although dedicated to Morris we will not exclude other manufacturers and we will welcome other fellow enthusiasts whatever their marque. What are our aims? The primary aim of the International Alliance of Morris Owners is to preserve the history of Morris Motors by encouraging the appreciation of both its products and its history. We believe that the best way of doing this is to encourage the public display of its products together with an appreciation of their history. How do we do this? Creating a repository for knowledge that's available to everyone Providing practical help and support to owners on maintenance Encourage participation in events and shows Organisation of gatherings, events and shows Ultimately by become the focal point of a recognised centre of excellence What are we going to do? Provide a comprehensive web based encyclopaedia produced by members Provide dedicated websites to members at low cost Run events under IAMO sponsorship Welcome to the International Alliance of Morris Owners website Traditional enthusiasts clubs were formed in the 1960s when pre-war cars were a cheap but stylish means of transport. Nearly fifty years on reliable cars. often much less than 10 years old, have replaced this form of transport and pre-war cars are regarded as unusual even abnormal in modern traffic conditions fit only for showing at events and museums alongside similar exhibits. The 21st century has heralded a changes that woul dhave been unthinkable in the late 1990s. There is a fascination with nostalgia and a resurgance of interest on seeing not just static exhibits but working ones as well. Brooklands Museum has led the way by introducing rides around parts of the race track in cars of the period so that visitors can experience some of the atmosphere of the race track. especially the bumps! The increased congestion and lowering of speed limits means that even Edwardian cars can keep up with modern traffic although stopping is a different matter. The aims of the Alliance are to combine nostalgia and practical transport to promote the old vehicle movement whatever the make or age but particularly those with the name Morris attached to them. Cars from the first Morris Oxford made in 1913 to the last Morris Marinas made in 1983 but it doesn't stop there as Morris Motors were involved in other forms of transport. The marine and industrial engines were produced form theearly days until the 1970s and even Tiger Moth aeroplanes were made at Cowley during the last war. Of course the Alliance will promote the following traditional aims: To promote friendship amongst all our members To help to preserve Morris products in any form To provide information on repairs, restoration and rebuilding To facilitate the circulation of spares To encourage participation in Club events, rallies, treasure hunts, driving tests, and Concours d'elegance. To acheive these aims we need enthusiasts to do it. Unlike the traditional clubs there will not be a committee to run the club, there will therefore not be the small number of core members who do all the work. Instead the members will do it all so if the members don't oragnise an even it won't happen. This isn't as extreme as it might sound as it is quite common for groups of friends with a common interest to organise their group activities, the only difference is that this is on a much bigger scale. Given the Internet, a small number of facilitators and a lot of enthusiasm from members it is a relatively simple task to coordinate activities over a wide area. Most of the face to face meetings with members will take place at monthly gatherings known as Noggins & Natters There will be s a monthly newsletter The Morris Owner available as an e-zine for distribution in paper form to members of the noggins who can access the online version, Information Manuals for the Minor, Eight, and Ten will be provided in the online encyclopedia Morris Motor wiki, as well as Road Test Reports reproduced from the Practical Motorist and other publications. Annual events such as the Brooklnads meeting in March will mark the start of the year although it is expected that groups will attend earlier events such as the VSCC's WInter Autotests. Runs to the home of Morris Motors for many years are also planned with visits to the current BMW factory at Colwey arranged. Perhaps the most important service to members is the ability to source Spares, we expect to have a dedicated group of members always on the look out for spares, and even arranging the manufacture of popular items.