Mega Super Service

Mega Super Service

For all Morris J type Vans, Morris JB vans and (BMC 50's vehicles)Torque! e-mail fiftiesvehicles@mail.com. The copyright of any photograph on this blog-site will remain with its owner. No infringement intended.

Saturday 15 December 2012

The data base and period Post Office vans.


Well the J van data base spread sheet has been started. All known chassis numbers of vehicles that  have been noted in the last ten years are listed. Vehicles that are on the road, projects and even the many that have been for sale in newspapers, magazines and the good old internet.
I doubt the list is complete, vans are still being found, vans are still being scrapped and I bet many are in hiding. I even have a picture of a van at a rally taken less than 5 years ago and know nothing about it so cannot add it to the list yet!
I must point out that many Australian and New Zealand owners have been very quick off the mark and have produced many numbers of the major components. I suppose they were quick off the mark as they have better weather than we do at the moment. I still have to get my own gearbox number and I also want to check the date coding of my glass, to give a better idea when the body was manufactured.

On another note, I love looking at old films, street shots are great, you never know what your going to spot driving around in the back ground.
I have been sent a link to a 1961 video, its only 9 minutes long and for me the shots at the 5 minute marks are just great, the local Post Office yard with all the vans coming out.
Sorry cannot post the link to the video as its under copyright.
 Six minor vans with adverts pasted directly onto the body work, they couldn't be bothered to use the standard issue sign boards. You can just see the n/s/f corner of a J van .
 J van fleet number 42583, are you still about? I have contacted the POVC to see if they can give me the registration number for this van.
 Nine minor vans and two J types. The Minor van with the black wings is a rare "rubber wing" van, these wings were made by Dunlop out of old melted down Wellington boots.

As we have had a bit of bad weather the 52 year old Morris Minor saloon has been my daily transport this week, just too cold for biking. With a couple of nights dropping down to minus seven and a night of thick freezing fog the car was the best option.
I took the picture below at 12:12 on the 12/12/12 and shows we had a slight dusting of snow on top of a hard frost.

I hope the weather where you are is better and also there are No mad armed Americans wandering around your local school. 

A list of chassis number and registration dates.

J/R 010 10/1949--J/R 649 1949--J/R 755 1/1950--J/R 1061 12/1949--J/R 1102 12/1949--J/L 1518 1950--J/R 1612 03/1950--J/L 2935 1951--J/R 4491 11/1950--J/R 6050 12/1950--J/R 6187 1/1951--J/R 10916 12/1951--J/R 10972 1/1952--J/R 14776 12/1952--J/R 145931/1953--J/R 15455 1/1953--J/R 16261 03/1953--J/R 18124 1952--J/R 19902 12/1953--J/R 20658 02/1954--J/R 21720 12/1953--J/R 23555 1954--J/R 24274 1954--J/R 25618 12/1954--J/R 25079 1/1955--J/R 25741 05/1955--J/R 29869 11/1955--J/R 30963 11/1955--J/R 3183110/1955--J/R 32465 11/1955--J/R 33340 1/1956--J/R 35466 1/1957--J/R 35671 12/1956--JB/MR 37200 06/1957--JB/MR 39547 12/1957--JB/MR 39012 1/1958--JB/MR 39648 1/1958--JB/MR 42533 1/1959--JB/MR 42677 12/1958--JB/MR 43367 1959--JB/MR 45648 1/1960--JB/MR 45693 12/1959--JB/MR 46009 02/1960--JB/MR 47648 12/1960--JB/MR 47907 12/1960--JB/MR 48069 01/1961--JB/MR 48219 01/1961
Approximate Production data for each year.
1949 750 vehicles -1950 5347 -1951 5051 -19524098 -1953 5027 -1954 6000 -1955 6894 -19563169 -1957 3284 -1958 3131 -1959 2965 -19602516 -1961 362
Total produced 48620


Ardingly Vehicle Show 12/7/09. Picture taken by Clive Barker.