A wood panel-framed estate known as the Traveller.

Ever since he can remember, Charles Borg was surrounded by either Morris or Austin cars. His father, Joseph, was obsessed with these brands.

He had two old vehicles for daily use, a 1952 Morris 8 and a Baby Austin, the latter being a rare two- door 1958 model.

The father was always ferrying his large family of four boys and two girls around in these cars and when the eldest, also named Joseph, got his driving licence, the father bought him an Austin Farina, which Borg quickly points out is still in his brother’s possession.

Like a good chip off the old block, his first car was a 1956 Morris Traveller. “I saw it at a car hire garage in Fleur-de-Lys and I was immediately attracted to it,” he recalls.

“As can be expected, when I went to see it, my father came along for his valuable advice and guidance, and it was on his recommendation that I finally bought it.” The Traveller was in a good condition and Borg kept it for 10 years, harnessing it daily.

A 1958 olive green Morris 1000 convertible.

His next car was a 1956 smoke grey Morris 1000 four-door saloon, which he used for two years before he sold it. It was immediately replaced by a 1954 Wolseley 444.

“This metallic gold vehicle had a mahogany dashboard, complete with a clock and a valve radio. Another highlight was its elongated chrome grill,” Borg says.

“It was a rare model, having been garaged for a long time by the heirs of a police officer. I have never seen a similar model in Malta.”

Despite its rarity, the restless Borg eventually exchanged it for a 1958 Baby Austin van – something he still regrets to this very day. It soon made way for a 1956 two-door Morris Minor 1000.

“Unlike the previous vehicles, this Morris stayed with me for a very long period, from 1978 to 1996.

“It was an old war horse, strong and stable, despite the constant use. I even taught my two children how to drive it. In fact, my daughter Maria kept it.”

The next model was a 1984 Morris Marina estate van. The yellow vehicle was used daily until 2010, when Borg passed it on to his brother Michael.

In the meantime, he bought a 1960 Austin Farina, which unfortunately was stolen from outside his home and never found.

Some years ago, he also bought a dilapidated 1958 Austin A35, which he saved from a scrapyard in Qormi. Having a garage space problem, he left it covered from the elements in a relative’s field in Għargħur, and then started bringing it back to life. However, lack of time meant that he had to give up in the end and sold the partly restored vehicle.

Borg is very knowledgeable about the history of the Morris marque, which began in 1912 when William Morris, a bicycle manufacturer, moved from the sale, hire and repair of cars to the their manufacture.

That Borg is deeply enamoured of Morris motors is also reflected in the fact that he now owns three brand models. In his Ħamrun garage, one finds a 1958 olive green Morris 1000 convertible. Designed by Alex Issigonis, more than one-and-a-half million were manufactured between 1928 and 1972, coming out as two-door, four-door and convertible models. In the 1950s, a wood panel-framed estate known as the Traveller was developed – Borg has a 1963 version of this model.

The third model in the garage is a 1953 four-door Morris 8, which he is still working on. “It was in a very bad condition when I bought it,” he explains.

“A lot of rust had to be removed, the floor panels had to be replaced, new parts for the engine had to be found and it was not easy to trace the replacements. In particular, I had to be quite resourceful to get the wheel cylinders of the braking system and the chrome lining of the grille.”

The Morris 8 engine is now purring perfectly and Borg is proud that he carried out all the mechanical work himself.

He says that when the technical tasks become complicated, he leaves the garage, forgets all about it, then resumes his efforts much later.

“This kind of work really relaxes me. In a way, it takes me back to my childhood, when I used to be involved with my father indulging in similar activities.”

His son Marco has inherited his love of the four-wheeler and technical know-how and earns his living running his own car-service garage.

Borg in his 1978 metallic blue Fiat 132. Photos: Tony Vassallo

Despite being totally besotted with the Morris marque, there is an exception to be found in Charles’s garage, for he also owns a 1978 metallic blue Fiat 132. His son alerted him when it came on the market and Charles said it was too good an opportunity for him to turn it down.

Being a long-time member of the Old Motors Club, he takes part in most of the events and enjoys the camaraderie as well as the networking and exchange of technical information between members.

www.oldmotorsclub.com