New project wanted, new project found.

Well a new project, not true, had a bit of a tidy up in the garage, moved some plastic sheeting and behold the "Polly B Pickup". You will soon work out what the B stands for.
Rather sparse cab area, missing windscreen, lots of dangling wires.

Shades of many colours, this is a real "bitsa".

Oh it does have an engine, a mighty gold seal 948cc, an engine with hidden power, Well hidden, I have never found it in any of my many Morris Minors.

Any colour you like, take your pick (up). Might need a bit more work before it's due for its MOT.

Rather novel tail gate assembly, unpin it and the offside moves away from the chassis.
Rather loose side panel, problem located, due to the house brick holding up the side incorrectly fitted.

All joking aside, I had started making a list as requested by RODs new owner of spare parts, not being a tidy person, you can never find the floor in the garage for example due to all the "stuff" littering around. So I needed to empty it to go spares hunting.

After a while of hunting I thought, hang about, it would be easier for them to tell me what they want rather than me spending time making a list of new and second hand stuff. Then later on I thought, they don't need any spares, I've replaced most things on ROD. It transpires they want spares for the ESSO van, engine and brakes as well as some body panels.

Well I need all the bits I've got, you never know what you might need one day.

My Jb van is nearly finished at MTR restorations, the pictures I've seen make it look stunning, I wish I had enough money to get them to do an all over body refurbishment, I know it would end up as a real show winner.

Having taken it to a restorer that has worked on J types before and as they do have a J type themselves it has paid dividends. They know what their doing, they know how it should look and "what goes where". An ordinary body shop might well have done a similar job, but I bet they would have been "scratching their heads" and wasting time trying to piece together how the step/door runner/sill etc should fit.

Now that I'm going to be working on a MORRIS MINOR, for the next few months, (unless a J type turns up) I'm deciding whether to stop blogging, (let some of the other J bloggers take over), do a separate Minor pick-up blog or just delete the whole of this site and give myself a couple of hours extra a week to play out in the garage.

It could all change, you never know, my spy has been sent out to locate the site of the the J van pictured on the top right hand side of this blog. It was photographed only 4 years ago, so might be still there!

Another project might well be on it way in a few months who can tell, I have had a couple of calls about an early van in FINLAND, LHD and missing many parts.

I then got to hear about a GUY Vixen lorry (1948) with a nice Meadows petrol engine, then a rather nice 1950's Albion recovery truck, with the wonderful EN286 oil engine. I love this engine, I rebuilt one (top end) in one of my vintage coaches that I had in the 1970's, that's when I had money and space to keep big boys toys. The latest "find" is a Morris Commercial LC3/5 Crane!! What interests me on this is that the crane controls, (lift/slew and rotate) are all electrically controlled. A bit like a mad professors lair, levers and switch gear/rheostats all over the place. This has frightened off most people but not me!! Time will tell.

Don't trust what you read.

Through the post came this 4 page wine club booklet.

Now I don't drink but the image on the bottom right hand corner interested me.Inside yet another drawing of something that looked familiar.

And another view/drawing of the same little van. How interesting. So hot on the trail, lets find out about this van. Maybe they would have a nice period shot of it.

Having trawled the web site and e-mailed them it would appear that they have never had a j type, the advert agency in their wisdom using a "generic" old van drawing to brighten up the pages, looks better than the actual first van they had, a MK1 Ford Transit. Therefore the quote has nothing to do with a J type and I would have thought a Ford Transit  could have easily managed 40 mph.
In the blurb they quote "wines of authenticity" unlike their sales leaflet, which is a bit unauthentic in truth.

The next unanswered question, why have most of the other J blogs dried up? Come on boys ONCE a week maybe Ok for your sex lives, but most have slipped into the marriage thing, once a year on your Birthday, we want more entries!!! (on the blogs).

Hi Charlie, watch out for the mailman, small package on the way to you......

ROD (Stewart) has moved on to better things.

The last view of ROD, just off on his 400 mile trip up the road for his new owner.

ROD (Stewart) and the Dolly Mixtures!

Sounds of the Sixties swept over the village fete when singing sensation ROD Stewart and his backing group the Dolly Mixtures appeared at this local show.

The crowds went wild at this 1960's themed event.

ROD's next appearance is a booking in Edinburgh this week, date to be announced.

ROD's last event down south before he moves on to his new home in Scotland, the local girls gave him a good send off! He will be missed.

Just trawling the net!

G.D. sent me this wonderful period shot of Birmingham. It shows the construction of Pearks Supermarket on Watford Road, Cotteridge.
Rather a shame about the holes in the 35 mm film, I had forgotten all about them in this digital age. Then just a day later G.D. comes up with the following.

G.D. has found another period Morris Commercial J picture, its 1958 in Chesterfield and a lovely J.Lyon & Co van goes about it's business. I will buy a copy of this picture so we can see it in its full glory . (without the copyright mark). The registration number is LUR 626.

OBL 432 update.

One of the many stage pictures of OBL, kindly taken by the staff at MTR who are giving my van a make over, it should look at least 10 years younger shortly.

They have added yet more stage restoration pictures to their site, do check it out.

ROD has sold!

ROD has sold, the price sounds better when its in AU$ 12,219.24.It all happened in the last few seconds of the auction, watchers got up to 188. The second place bidder has e-mailed me to say he still wants it, and he was bidding but the bids were not being taken by the site, he was bidding higher than the winning bid.

How true this is, site problem or internet connection at fault we shall never know.
New owner is planning to rebuild the cab and back end of ROD, throw away all of Mr Snow's hard work 55 years ago, seems a shame but that is PROGRESS?

On a lighter note G.D. has again come up with a little gem of a period picture!

Members of The Southbeats band pose in front of their van

Producer: Grant, Henry

Date: c. 1964

Members of The Southbeats band pose in front of their Morris J-Type van. Young followers of the band aped their style, often sourcing their fashionably neat gear from boutiques in Carnaby Street or the King's Road.