Further happenings in J type world.

If you were watching the television last night instead of working on your van you would have been rewarded with the sighting of a j type in the guise of a SHREDDIES delivery van in one of the advertising slots.

True it's only a fleeting glance but this could always lead to more work and maybe a starring role.
Below is the slightly customised van mentioned in the previous posting. Its is said to be a 1949 van so could be in the running for the oldest J type, until we can find out its chassis number, where it fits in the league table of J's will remain a mystery.
Below is a further picture of the recently found 1954/55 J type, showing the popular fitment of side windows so many end having fitted once they fall into civilian hands.

Two J types for sale and another found in New Zealand.

A new find in New Zealand, J/R 30530 a 1954/55 J type. In storage for about 11 years, currently in the back of a workshop. Lets hope restoration starts soon.
This Brazilian van is for sale, chassis number J/L 1543, asking price is very high but this is a very rare early van. A J van J/R 749 is in daily use in Australia and is regarded as the earliest J, while J/R 1061 is under restoration also in Australia. There is also a slightly customised van running around in Australia (none standard engine/gearbox/lights and paint job) but its on the road and being enjoyed, is said to be a 1949 van but I'm not sure of the chassis number. So currently the Brazilian van is 3rd or 4th oldest. If your interested in the van, e-mail me, I can give you a contact e-mail address.
Below is a van called "Duncan", this is for sale in Canada.


The very early rear axle and shock absorber mounts can be seen. (Locating brackets on axle shaft are a different length to later ones).
Chassis J/L 2937.
Centre mounted accelerator pedal.

Again if your interested please e-mail me, I do have a contact e-mail address.

Please e-mail me about anything on this site, do not use the comment link at the bottom, I'm currently running 21 Blog sites and I do not often look at each site for comments, sorry.

I also had a comment from a guy about the items I had for sale at the top of the blog, he was most upset, he was in desperate need of an item and felt it was unfair to advertise items for sale in this way. I should have advertised them in a classic car magazine so more people (e.g. him) would have know about the spares. Its a strange old world out there. I'm very happy how quick two of the items sold, cheques arriving the next day, (subject to them clearing), it makes a nice change when fellow J owners pay prompt and up front. I need the money, never been so broke, not since I bought my first house 32 years ago.

Hot news in J type world.

From hot Brazil comes even hotter news. The J type recently for sale has chassis number J/L 1543 making this an early 1950's production vehicle. Perhaps the 4TH oldest van in existence.

The front bumper bar has been removed and the front valance had suffered some damage, likewise the headlamps are not as good as the "advert pictures" below.


A full set of vehicle pictures can be seen via a link on the the right .

Also, on behalf of the owner I have started a blog on the restoration of another J type, registration number ONY 52. This is a work in progress both vehicle and blog site so do check it out often as it slowly takes shape. (Link on the right).

I have also started a "where are they now" site, many vehicles in the last thirty years that were in preservation and being rallied have dropped off the radar. Also recent restorations projects have changed hands, with your help send me pictures of vehicles that you haven't seen for a while and also details of vehicles at rallies/museums etc. Just very basic details, reg number/ state (rallied/repaired/scrapped) and location, just the county or maybe town/city. Link is on the right.

A nice period advert and what price a J type in 1953?

Well in August 1953 a chassis list price was £285 with purchase tax etc the total amount ends up as £340-9-1, yes the days of good old pounds shillings and pence.

A fully assembled van was £411 list, on the road £466-9-1, rather cheaper than they go for now. Thanks again to the great G.D. for these scans and lots of other J photographs I will upload to the J van picture album shortly.

Another J type project for sale.

Standard radiator fitted with an electric fan, rather a good idea.
Body work looks to be in good order and well polished.
View of the 1500 cc Nissan engine. A very interesting conversion, I would be interested to know how easy the job was to fit this type of engine, what about the clutch operation, propeller shaft modification engine and gearbox mounts. Just what is involved?
Rather a thick skim of filler on this side panel.
Nice repaired panels ready to bolt back on.

Here for sale my 1957 Morris commercial j type van in use up until November since then I have stripped the van ready for restoration Ive prepared or replaced/restored most parts including rear doors, all wings have been prepared and primed/powder coated, new floor has been made and lacquered ready for installation, the roof has been prepared and primed, the front grill has been restored including cutting out the bottom section and replacing rusted metal, prepared and primed. Van runs a 1.5 Nissan engine and gear box sale includes spare engine and manuals and booklets please contact Paul 07956421760

Starting price for the kit of parts is £4000.

The ex New Zealand van has arrived.

Looking splendid in the sunshine, the NZ van has been allowed into Australia and is soaking up the sun. I'm not envious, I bet they would love to be playing snowballs at minus 2 degrees and tonight it should drop to about minus 11. Still what ever the weather get out there and enjoy your J type. It can cope, trust me I know.

The journey to work.

The bike started OK, after I had thawed the ignition switch out, but both the choke lever and twist grip throttle were frozen solid.
So the J was pressed into service again.



The view from the driver seat as we moved along at 20MPH, very few other vehicles about during the rush hour, this road is normally "nose to tail".

Had to stop twice to clear the screen by hand, the poor old wiper just gave up.


The empty car park at work, all the bosses stayed away today but they had given us a nice memo yesterday, the long and the short of it was the weather is not their fault, if you don't turn up for work you will be docked a days pay. We have all been wondering if they filmed a version of "A Christmas Carol" here . Still without the bosses, far too much tea drinking occurred and there was not a snowball fight in the car park, we would never do a thing like that.
I hope the snow is not too bad where you are and I might have to put a couple of bags of sand in the back of the van for tomorrows trip.

The early postal van (SLO153) that was featured on this site recently has indeed gone to a new home in the south of France.
Also the green New Zealand van has arrived in Australia, it has yet to be fully fumigated and steamed cleaned to be allowed to enter the country.