The things you find on the internet.

Nice drawings, a few errors in the write up but nice to see.

The Norway van.

The owner of the Left Hand Drive J type has sent me some pictures of the restoration.
New in 1952, used on an island with only 10 kms of road and without mainland connection till 1966.
Purchased and stored till 2010 when a two month restoration was undertaken, some welding and spraying were the main jobs.
Anyway here are the pictures.

Wet Paint.

How do you make wet paint even wetter?
Why rely on the British weather.

It could almost be an e-bay picture, there are so many pictures taken it seems to me of wet vehicles, is it done to wash off the muck? or is it, while its still wet it will make the vehicle look glossy.
Due to the rain I've been sorting out lots of my old J van pictures, this computer has over six thousand vehicle pictures on it and the work's computer is even worse, nearly nine thousand. I have already found some gems which I will be sharing with you over the next few weeks.
As a taster, how about this one, sent to me recently by Mike.P.

Dating from 10th August 1956, there is a small batch of pictures of these cyclists using a J van as their support vehicle. Further offerings shortly.

Last minute flurry of activity in the J type world before winter sets in.

The Austin 101 in the Scottish auction went for over £10k, the new owner has been pictured with his new purchase in various classic magazines, we hope to see the van at a few rallies in the midlands next year.
Mr Kelly Ashton in Australia has found and purchased another J van.
J/R 23000, dating from early 1954 was found on a farm. Its in poor shape and will yield some parts for other project vehicles around the world.
This is a "new" van to me so this makes it van 303/304 to survive, so about 0.623% of the production is still with us, I thought they were rare, but they seem to be getting more common.
I hope he passes on as many numbers as he can so I can to fill up my J van Data-base.

It's not in very good condition, both axles were removed a long time ago but it's got some good stuff still on it. Maybe one door cover for Canadian Charlie, plus two inner rear guards.
This is an old Tip Top Bakery van possibly 1953? (I make it early 1954)

One of the vans Kelly use to own has been having a full restoration, the van looks stunning.
History of the vans is, JB/MR 43576, Ex Lindfield Laundry,1960-1971 Old guy in Duffy's Forest, 1971- 1974 Gerry Swan 1974-76, Tim Sparks 1976-78, Geoff Mellor, 77-79 Kelly Ashton, 79-94 Geoff Newham, 1995-
Both these items, pictures and words came from the MCJTV forum group, open to J van owners only, so they all know what their talking about. Owner drivers and restorers, if you have a J van, I urge you to join the group.

I've been busy of late, plenty of work at work and now the nights are drawing in hardly anytime to do any vehicle work at home. Apart from today when I gave the van a second coat of paint to the off side. I became a mass murderer, as I have to do all my van jobs out side I managed to kill about 20,000 flying bugs, they must love the smell of thinners and paint.

The van is looking better but I wonder what the overnight rain will do for the finish?

Right onto the next subject, a GPO van for sale on e-bay.
Link to the advert. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-JB-J-Austin-101-GPO-Van-/290994734588?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item43c0a345fc
No need to repeat the advert, its a nice GPO van, in good usable condition, use it or improve it.

TGC 770, JB/MR 42788, registered 27th November 1958.

The only J type van in Norway.

Via the Facebook page "save the morris J type van" contact was made with the owner of the only Morris J van in Norway. Its a 1952 model.
The owner sent use some pictures and some history of his van.

View of the van in 1966.

it came 8 or 11 to Norway in 1952-53 and this one is the only one remaining of them. for some years ago a man called Baard Nilsen imported one right hand drive from England. so it is 2 now but only one that is sold new and have left hand drive okey:) my J van has done 30 000 km, it came to a very small town called Jondal on a steamboat in January 1953 and was used as an ambulance at the hospital here, it was taken out of service before we got road connection to the mainland. So it has never been outside Jondal after it arrived here, it was only 10 km roads to drive on. it is still in Jondal and I hope to keep it here for the rest of my time it is a bit fun to know that the car never has left the town.