A "new" 1949 van located and progress on Magpie.

Owner Rob tells us a bit about this van which is his daily drive.

He is a new member of the MCJTV group, if you have a J type or an interest in J's I can recommend this very active and interesting group.

"The headlights are aftermarket ones for hot-rods and take a standard 7" light. I have the stock lights in the shed, they are in excellent shape but hopeless for seeing where your going in the dark and I drive regularly at night time so the halogens are a blessing. The Mini van style tail lights were already fitted and although they are a drastic change from standard, again they are nice and bright and at a good height for today's "drivers" so I don't plan on changing them while I'm using the van daily. The chrome grill surround and center bar are original and probably look a bit better in the photos than they really are. I actually don't mind the front bar and it is a step up from the bit of railway sleeper that was on it when I got it and it's handy to hang the number plate off. I don't think I'd be using it like I do if was still a side valve, three speed, poorly braked and badly lit original. " Cheers Rob.

So here is the 3rd oldest, currently running van, still moving and being enjoyed 60 years later.
Moving on to my "Magpie" van. It was collected at 10.40 am yesterday morning and was transported 200 miles down the road to the body-shop of MTR restorations.
Well it arrived all safe and sound at 4.30 pm and was driven into the workshop straight away. They have already started work on the van and are chasing me for the rest of the repair panels that are on order with "Fairmile".
I need these urgently now.
One of the reasons for the hurry for the repair of the "Magpie" van was that it was to be a star at a "Dr Who" convention in June, this has now been cancelled, another victim of this recession I suppose. So that does take the pressure off me some what but I doubt MTR will want a J type in their workshop for longer than necessary.

OBL 432 has been collected to go to the bodyshop.

Wednesday 29Th April at 10.40 am loading started.


As you can see I used Torquary motors to transport my van to MTR restorations in Devon. Torquary motors were the transport company that moved the "ESSO" van from Wiltshire up to Edinburgh so he is getting use to these J types.
Richard is self employed and is semi-retired so is very flexible and very reasonable priced. Distance trips are not a problem. He has been doing this kind of work for 30 years so I knew my van was in safe hands.


The van disappearing in the distance, when will I see "him" again?

A few more little jobs done on ROD525.

The spare wheel retaining clamp found last week in the garage tidy up has now been fitted. It will need a coat or two of paint but that is a small detail.
I also found a Morris Commercial badge from a PV van, I had bought this many years ago and as it was a bit battered, mounting lugs missing I thought it would look rather nice on the rear of ROD.

The other little job carried out was to finish making the battery retaining clamp from some "U" section and some threaded rod.

Each little job is another finishing touch.

Latest news.

Here are a few pictures of latest web finds, J type wise.The Monocle 1960 (a french film) filmed in Hong Kong?
The Singing Street (1952)
Hell is a City (1960)
ROD will be out and about this Saturday, it's time he had a second "shake down" road run.

Two new links have been added on the right hand side, one to MTR restorations who are going to be doing bodywork on the Magpie van shortly. They have promised to do a step by step photographic restoration which I will share with you.

The second link is for MYH238, a long term restoration of a 1952 van. At long last the van is to move out of the very cramped garage, its so small the van will not fit on its own wheels, has to be on casters to be able to squeeze in, I kid you not.

ROD is now insured.

Charlie of "Victoria" van fame sent me a link to a very interesting vehicle site in Canada. Here are a couple of Morris commercial pictures taken from the site. I have put a link to this site on the right hand side. www.bcluv.austingipsy.net/ enjoy.

1950 Morris Commercial van.

Model: J

Owner: Steve Harris

Location: Parksville, BC

ROD is insured or is it me that is insured to drive ROD?

I have not been playing with ROD but for a change working on OBL to get him ready to go off to the body shop.

I have put what repair panels I have (still waiting for some more) and he is due to be collected on Wednesday 29Th April.

Apart from checking over the lights, wipers and tyres he has had a full grease up and all oil levels checked and topped up, yes even the rear axle with "EP 80" oil, that stuff has a strange odour and it's still with me 3 days later.

Once the body work is finished they will MOT the van for me, I think they just want to drive round in the van for a few days, who can blame them? I will then take a train down there and have a nice drive back.

Remember he is booked in for the Dr Who convention at the end of June, so time is getting short. He will need a bit of a repaint when I take the R P Jones stickers off and then stick the "Magpie Electricals" logo's back on. Those "Whoies" are a strange bunch and they wont be happy unless he's correct.

I have collected a fair few spares now for the Victoria van, having got a courier price of £107 and a post price of about £56 I will have to start saving up my loose change to fund the shipment.

Anybody reading this going to Canada? want to take a small package with you, only about 7kgs ??

Remember as the great MYTH said "the only way is a J".

Another step to selling ROD.

Well a rather easy step to get full comprehensive insurance cover for ROD525 so I can take him for his first MOT in 30 years and then use him on a few journeys.

It made a change but I got full insurance cover with agreed vehicle valuation of 8K, just in case it is a total write off for the princely sum of £45.

One of the first things I have bought recently that was not a "rip off".

I feel like taking him for a spin right now..

Time to tidy the garage.

I have been in a bit of a muddle of late , my garage is a tip, nothing is in the correct place and no room to work.

So a tidy up was on the cards.I had to make some room so I could work on a steering column and binnacle.

Fairly rusty one purchased (I paid well over the odds for this !) and it needs cleaning up a bit and some better instruments fitted. This is one of the many parts I have been on the look out to help Charlie in Canada with his early customised van.
Plenty of cobwebs but all the main items are there except for an oil pressure gauge, so I had a look on good old e-bay and there are a few for sale.
It will need a new regulator box, reproduction items can be had for £20, but I have had two of these being faulty "out of the box".
Guess the mystery item. While having a tidy up I came across the above item, it had me guessing for a short time, it is of course a spare wheel clamp. A few J types are missing this item as the spare wheel carrier rots out very easily and then this bit gets lost. So a nice find and another bit to be fitted to ROD.

E-bay time for ROD is fast approaching, I must sell as "TIMES IS HARD" to quote my boss. I must sell it and cover my costs at the very least. Including  purchase, storage, transportation and spare parts so far fitted, ROD has set me back 4.5K.

He must be worth more, recent other projects that needed a lot of work went for 4.2k and 5K+ so a running road legal J that can be used and improved should be worth more. What do you think?

Maybe J types are getting common, the one below in Australia went for £127, thats all, even ROD is better than that.