1. Pre-Series Morris 10/4.
John dropped me a line after having found a page of Series 2 Morris 10/4 photographs in this section of the site. His first car was a Morris 10, but the earlier pre-series "Ten-Four" saloon of 1935. He owned the car for eleven years in all, and has some fond memories of it:
|
|
"Having read through your Classic Cars page about the Morris Ten Four (showing the Series Two model), I thought that you might like a photo of a Morris Ten Four of 1935 (Pre-Series). You will note that the vehicle has a much more square radiator, and that the spare wheel is fastened to the rear of the bodywork by a large leather strap, whilst luggage was carried on a 'fold down' metal luggage rack."
|
|
"I owned this car from 1955 to 1966 and it gave me very good service. It was not a car for speed, but once you had reached 40MPH it virtually ran along unaided on the flat due to its weight (the chassis was made from a girder cross section like the ones used in building high-rise flats! During my ownership, I resprayed the bodywork, replaced the CW&P, and also 2nd Gear (which made an awful noise when I first bought the car) and re-bored the engine. The car NEVER let me down, and I was very sorry indeed to finally part with it. She was my first car, reg. No. CML 837, and I lavished attention upon her, and she was always known in my family as 'Caroline' .... I know it sounds daft, but at my ripe old age of 75 years I look back upon her with pride and joy."
|
|
|
Thanks for the photo John! much appreciated.
|
2. A pre-series Morris 10/4 being loaded onto a ship.
This next pair of Morris photos show a pre-series 10/4 being loaded on, or unloaded from, an un-named ship. All I know from the notes on the photos' reverse is that they were taken in Sweden, during 1938. The Morris' registration was BMU 153, a London series used from March 1935 onwards by Morris agents Stewart & Arden, making this a late example of the pre-series 10/4.
|
|
Photograph no.1 shows the Morris dangling high in the air - no roll on/roll off ferries in those days - whereas photograph no.2 shows the Morris safely back on terra firma, the lifting cables in the process of being removed.
|
| (Please click the thumbnail to view full-size image.) |
|
|
|
|
3. A Morris 10/4 with its owner.
Jane in Ottawa emailed over the next photograph, hoping that the car in it could be identified. There are two possibilities - either the Morris 10/4 or the 12/4, either way it is a pre-Series Morris saloon, dating to early 1935 or before as the revised Series II came out in that year. The registration number is partially visible - CPC ??? - this was a Surrey series, introduced in December 1934. Therefore the Morris shown below is definitely a late pre-Series Morris, probably a 10/4, and dating to early 1935. The bumper looks a little wavy in this one, probably a result of parking too close to a tree or a fence post!
|
|
My thanks to Jane for giving me permission to show the photo on this page.
|
|
|
4. Another Ten-Four with its owner.
This next photo was sent over by Sarah, it shows her grandfather stood alongside his prized Morris Ten-Four (pre-Series) outside his home in Liverpool. It was registered in March 1935 as UN 8366, a Denbighshire series. He kept the car until 35 or so years ago when it was sold to a new home. Sarah's parents are keen to know what became of the little Morris - does anyone know where Eric Bower's Morris is now? It still shows on the DVLA site, with its licence due for renewal in 1982. Does it sit in a garage somewhere? Any information on the car's whereabouts will be forwarded.
|
|
|
5. A parked Morris 10/4.
The following two images came in a set I bought some time ago, both feature a pre-series Morris, registration JD 4574. The first shows a lady stood peering out of the sunshine roof, feet on the passenger's seat. Just visible on the car's roof is a wire frame - possibly an early home-made wireless aerial? Unusually, the Morris has a cover over the starting handle aperture set into the lower edge of the radiator grille, sporting the letter "M" - were these a standard fitment to 1930s' Morris cars?
|
|
|
|
The swans in this shot are showing a keen interest in the diminutive Morris saloon, or perhaps in the loaf of bread that they're hoping is contained within..
|
|
|
|
Return to Old Car Photos section, Page No. 10. An example of the larger-engined, but otherwise very similar, Morris 10/6 can be found on this page.
|
