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.

GPO meets Hi - Top

Overdue stripping.

I know I should have done it sooner, I should have stripped off the vinyl lettering as soon as the Buckingham Palace event was over. I just knew that they would leave a mark at the very least.
Well due to the excessive temperatures we had in early July, the Palace gardens reaching 31.2 degrees, the perimeter wall helping to keep any breeze out, I just knew I was going to have a problem.
Yes, also leaving them on till now has had a big effect.

The paint has changed and the ghost lettering can clearly be seen. Nothing for it but I must now rub down and repaint some of the panels on the van.
This is one of the many problems you encounter when "your van is for hire" a cost that must be factored in.
Magnetic signs are better but can also effect your vans paint work. If they get wet or if the signs are left on for long periods of time they seem to make the paintwork sweat.
Still I'm sure I would be bored without these extra little jobs. Now I just have to find the time as the nights draw in, to work on the van.
Just to tell you all, that ALL the side lamp castings have been sold, I have no more and I won't be getting another batch made. The only J parts I have for sale at the moment are the NEW rear shock absorbers mentioned in the last posting and a NEW Lucas headlamp bowl with chrome bezel, headlamp wiring loom and hollow mounting bolt. Picture to follow.

For Sale a pair of shockers..

For sale a pair of NEW old stock Armstrong shock absorbers for the REAR of our J vans.
They will fit J vans from Chassis number 17745, they are six inch stroke and fitted with the correct Morris / BMC rubber bushes in each end. (being held in with blue tape).
Price £42 the pair plus postage, Royal Mail 1st class £13.35 (they weigh 2.35kgs) or I can do next day courier for £6.00 but the package would have to be signed for.
Contact Fiftiesvehicles@mail.com
Well done to the people that noticed the location of the JB van in the last couple of header pictures on this blog.
At the filming location of the golfing section of GOLDFINGER.

Goodwood 2013,

Photo by Chris Stanley CCMV group.

Then and now pictures.

Having had a god response to the period picture at the top of the blog, the most common question was where and when was it taken. I was sent the web image by a friend as it features a nice J van in an unusual colour scheme of "all one colour" and bucked the trend for black wings as so many other firms had at the time.

So I purchased a print of the photograph, the details are, picture taken August 1952 and is Princes Street Edinburgh but I'm not sure where along the street it was taken.
Looking at street view in Google I cannot locate the correct junction, mind you so many old building have gone.
It might be at the junction with South Bridge but I'm not sure, anyone know?
Now Charlie, one for you.
A nice 1930 shot of Stratford Ontario,

 From Google street view, the garage has changed use but the house on the left is still there.

Pipe Perfections J van history.

Check out http://pipeperfection.com.au/pippy-vintage-sydney-plumbers-van/ to learn a bit of their vans history.