Morris 12/4 saloon.
Shown below is a photograph of a circa 1938 Morris 12/4 Series 3 saloon, identifiable from the earlier Series 2 12/4 by its painted radiator surround. The Morris was registered as JHX 887, a London issue. The Morris looks to be in good order, although marks on the bumper and number plate suggest that it had seen a reasonable amount of use by the time of this photo.
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Not for the first time, a short while after publishing a photo of an old car on this site then what should turn up, separately, but another shot of the same car, in this case Morris Twelve-Four registration JHX 887. In fact I had to look twice as the setting could well be the same in both images, but there are some differences with the car. In the photograph above, it sports an AA badge to the centre of its radiator grille. In the image below though, that badge, along with two extra badges, is shown fitted to a bracket bolted to the front bumper iron. Which photograph is the earlier I'm not sure, although I suspect photograph number two is a little later than the one shown initially.
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The Morris 12/4, and the similar 10/4, were Morris' medium-sized saloon car offerings in the years leading upto WW2. Earlier 12/4s were sidevalve powered, whereas the Series III 12/4 was fitted with an overhead valve unit, remaining at 1,550cc. Transmission to the rear wheels was via a three-speed gearbox. Unlike rival Austins of the time, the Cowley-built cars came fitted with the in-built hydraulic "Jackall" system as standard, a system that enabled the car's owner to raise all four wheels, or just the fronts or rears, without having to resort to a separate jack and the risk of soiling one's attire.
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The 12/4 was available as a four-door saloon, or a two-door coupe, sharing its bodyshell with contemporary Wolseley saloons, now that this once-independent manufacturer had joined Morris as part of the Nuffield Organisation.
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2. Another London-registered Morris.
Thanks to Pete for the following shot of a pre-war Morris 12 that belonged to his father. Registered EYE 989, it too is a London-registered car from 1938. As with the first car shown above, it sports an AA badge on its grille, although a key difference is that EYE 989 is also equipped with an in-car wireless, judging by the aerial mounted on its scuttle. An earlier product of Morris Motors' production line at Cowley can be seen in the distance, namely an early 1930s Minor saloon.
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Return to Page 14 in the classic & vintage vehicle photo gallery.
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