Latest e-bay for sales.

The sellers advert is.

MORRIS JB WINGS

THEY NEED A LITLLE (little) WORK BUT NOTHING MANGER (major).

WILL FIT MOST VANS/ICE CREAM VANS

VERY RARE

 PICK UP ONLY NO POSTAGE.

Starting price is £400, rather high I feel, as Fairmile will make you a new pair for much less than that, headlamp bases might be useful, I know one owner has recently made a pair in fiberglass and another owner is having a batch made in a brass/bronze mix. As we all know a slight knock on the headlamp shell or somebody leaning on it at a rally and the weak Marzack (muckmetal) base cracks.

New pattern Lucas 700 headlamp bowls can be had for about £40 each, check out a kit car parts suppler. Still as the owner quiet rightly states, a rare item.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MORRIS-JB-WINGS-/140747050518?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item20c52d8e16#ht_724wt_1196

Further updates.

Well I have delivered my differential to the transmission specialist who does not seem to be fazed by the job in hand. To remove one differential and replace it with my "NEW" 4.55 to 1 ratio unit.. He has never worked on this type of axle and will have to make the necessary shims to ensure correct meshing/backlash between the gears.
Until the old differential is removed and can be measured we wont know exactly what is required to fit my "NEW" one.
As there is a slight chance of some work for the van coming up in the next couple of months, I will not be removing the JB's rear axle till early July.
I'm pleased to say the Australian JB's JB Blog has been updated with some rally pictures taken in Melbourne, do check it out.
A van recently changed hands via e-bay in Australia. The new owner Sandy has been doing a fair bit of work on the van over the last few months and made a very nice discovery.

As the new owner states " It has taken plenty of hard work to get it to this stage, even though it looks far from finished it's nearly there.

The above pictures shows a painted stamped date. Sandy explained "Just the other day I was removing the passenger side front guard when I noticed painted on the chassis the date ' 9 AUG  1960 .' WOW what a discovery , I was really chuffed !! to think that this date was painted on all those years ago and it`s survived the test of time. According to the records my serial number dates my van to late 1960 so this confirms that. I wonder if any one else has found this on their J / JB Van .....


My list of chassis numbers at the bottom of this blog will be updated with this information.
45056 is late 1959 and is JB's JB van.
45648       Jan 1960
46009       Feb 1960
46713       Aug 1960 Sandy's van.
47648      Dec 1960
47907      Dec 1960
I wonder if any more number are still to be found, all will help to build up the production list.

A new ratio differential for my JB van.

A 9/41 or 4.55 to 1 crown wheel and pinion.

A much better ratio than the original 5.625 to 1.
Why do I want to fit this? No not to go faster but to reduce engine noise in the cab and maybe on a run improve my MPG.

For sale (again) in Uruguay.

Here are the sales details.
ES UN FURGON DE 2 TONOS DE COLOR, PUERTAS CORREDISAS DELATERAS, CON BISAGRAS PARA CARGA ATRAS.
FACIL DE PONER EN MARCHA. VA CON 2 MOTORES ANDANDO Y 2 CAJAS.( AL MOTOR LO SACAMOS PARA
VER SI ESTABA EN BUENAS CONDICIONES. Y RESULTO QUE LOS 2 ESTAN BIEN)
LA DOCUMENTACION, ESTA CON LAS CHAPAS VIEJAS. HAY QUE ACUALIZAR LA DEUDA Y LUEGO SOLO PAGAR
LA MITAD DEL AFORO DEL FURGONCITO QUE SON UNAS POCAS MONEDAS)
SOLO OFERTAS EN EFECTIVO
POR DUDAS PUNTUALES DEJAR MENSAJE DE VOS EN EL 096390767.

SINO IR A VERLO DIRECTAMENTE A TABOBA 3967 ESQUINA MATAOJO 

Or Translated by Goole,

VAN IS A 2-TONE COLOR, DELATERAS sliding doors, HINGED BACK TO LOAD.
EASY START. WALKING WITH 2 MOTORS VA AND 2 BOXES. (AS WE GET TOTHE ENGINE
SEE IF IT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. AND RESULTED THAT ARE WELL 2)
THE DOCUMENTATION IS WITH OLD SHEETS. ACUALIZAR BE DEBT AND THEN JUST PAY
HALF THE CAPACITY OF FURGONCITO ARE A FEW COINS)
CASH OFFERS ONLY
SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO LEAVE MESSAGE IN 096390767.
BUT GO DIRECTLY TO SEE CORNER Mataojo TABOBA 3967

• Año: 1951
• Cant. de puertas: 3
• Color:
• Combustible: Nafta
• Dirección: Mecánica
• Kilómetros: 100000
• Modelo: comercial
• Transmisión: Semiautomática
• Versión:
• Único dueño: Sí

http://auto.mercadolibre.com.uy/MLU-31176668-morris-commercial-_JM
So if your interested in this 1951 J, please give them a call.

Drive It Day, did you?

 For "Drive it Day", the Wolseley popped out for a picnic at the local country park.
Here are a few pictures of some of the other cars there.

All the recent spare time I have had has been put to use on the Wolseley's paintwork.

 As it was.

As it is now.
I have managed to find an old bush and a half used tin of black paint. A couple of coats of paint later, It has improved the look of the back end of the car, it even has a bit of a shine, another couple of coats should see that part of the car done.

The next part will be the roof and then move onto the rear wings. Both these have many dents and scrapes so will need some panel beating and a skim of filler. After those I will move onto the door's and due to the limited space under the carport one side will be tackled at a time.

Animal rescue and a vehicle rally.

While walking our dogs the other night we entered a field having just crossed a main road, while walking around the field it started to rain and then a hail storm broke out. After about 20 minutes and being soaked through we turned back for home. Leaving the field by the same gateway as we had entered we spotted a cardboard box with brown packing tape all over it.

When we got near it meowed.

Yes somebody had dumped this 8 week old kitten in a sealed box in the rain by the side of a main road.

It has been named "Roly" I cannot think why.

 Took the J van out to a vehicle get together, its first trip in many months in fact well before Christmas was the last big trip out. Here are a few off the very interesting vehicles there.

Update on recent sales.

An Austin 101 was recently advertised in a couple of classic magazines.
The advert was,
1960 Austin 101 pick-up.

Restored.

1622cc engine fitted.

New tyres.

MOT.

Tax exempt.

£3500.

Gloucester.

The vehicle sold very quickly and is with the new owner in the Bristol area.

The new owner (W.G.) of the Martin Walter mini-bus that sold recently on e-bay has made contact, we have exchanged a few e-mails and the new owner assures me "that the van is NOT going to be cut, no high top extensions / ice cream conversions. The main objective is to have a van that remains authentic, without damage to the original body. But it will be out and about, hopefully raising the profile of the our family business and that of the J van, if we can save some of the abandoned vans we see pictures of on your blog that would be a bonus".

What good news this is, the owner is also going to be doing a blog on the restoration of the van.  As soon as I know the detail of this I will post a link to it on this site. One of the first items he is looking for is a 3 speed gearbox, as the van is missing it,so if you can help, please let me know.
I have had a couple of people comment on the J van currently on e-bay, looking at the spare doors that come with the van, they both seem to think that there is the remains of a GPO partition in all the bits. Could the whole van be a GPO Postal vehicle? If anybody out there is viewing this van, please obtain the chassis number.

A 1953 part restored J type van. E-bay again.

Morris J Van part restored but complete mechanics, engine was running ok before work began some time ago, original new BMC panels including, sliding door panels, front grill, back door panels, wheel arches, near side and off side. Also includes spare back axle with higher ratio Diff for improved road use.  Deposit £200.00 through paypal please for winning bid, balance on collection. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Morris-J-Van-1953-Part-Restored-/230775769007?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item35bb4ec7af#ht_500wt_1146 Just appeared on e-bay is this part restored van, the seller states 1953 so is that date correct, it has a "B" series engine in it, if this is original then its a later van. Looks a great project. I wonder if the seller could locate the chassis plate, by the radiator filler cap. It does have a clutch master cylinder, which again points to a later van. My JB van is currently the earliest JB on the road and that dates from April 1957. I wish I had some spare pennies..