1958 Morris Messenger Minibus [J2]
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![1958 Morris Messenger Minibus [J2]](/i001685387.jpg)
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Comments about this vehicle
| Author | Message |
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◊ 2022-08-02 11:04 |
![[Image: 15daybreakisland-morris.jpg]](http://pics.imcdb.org/20175/15daybreakisland-morris.jpg) |
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◊ 2022-08-02 12:38 |
Grille standardised to this shape on both Austin and Morris in 1965. So I have read, but that seems a bit late to me. -- Last edit: 2022-08-02 12:54:54 |
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◊ 2022-08-02 15:39 |
Aus J2 was built as Morris from about 1957, maybe until 68. Started with 1489cc, may have had 1622cc (standard or option??) from 1959 or later. |
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◊ 2022-08-02 22:19 |
Probably the Morris grille change (for the UK) can be pushed back to somewhere during 1964, based on photos of GPO vans, but exactly where I cannot determine as there is nothing found between January and November 1964. Photos of both BLO 807B (Nov 1964) and BYM 548B (Nov 1964) were the Morris/Austin - Commonised grille https://www.britishtelephones.com/vehicles/lightvans/019.htm November 1963 photo of 928 GPO was the Morris early grille https://www.britishtelephones.com/vehicles/lightvans/126.htm -- Last edit: 2022-08-02 22:20:15 |
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◊ 2022-08-02 22:40 |
^ Thanks for this. |
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◊ 2022-08-02 22:50 |
This looks like our first and only J2 tagged as made in/made for Aus. Which is slightly surprising - have we missed some?? Or is there another name on the loose?? My BMC in Aus book is slightly puzzling - Morris J2 has 2 index references for pages 133 and 134, but those pages don't mention it, but a passing reference on another page provides the 1957 date cited above, when a new engine press was installed for the 1489cc unit and its destination models are listed. |
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◊ 2022-08-02 23:23 |
Ho-hum. We've been here before in failing to unravel what happened in Aus for J2s, but seems they did Austin versions as well - more comments - here. Maybe just put this one as 58+ Austin A152 to join the others, at least until solid info emerges?? |
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◊ 2022-08-03 12:21 |
The thumbnail shows it has the Morris torpedo shaped badge rather than the Austin's more rectangular 'waterfall' design. |
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◊ 2022-08-03 20:49 |
Further to the Morris grille change I have found to be a July-August 1964 'B' reg with the Austin/commonised grille. This appears to be a 1960's photograph so not a preserved vehicle, thus putting the change-over probably between January and July 1964. I don't know if it has been mentioned before but I now see that the Austin sidelights were actually small chromed torpedo shaped units, similar to those commonly used on cars up to the 1950s, mounted slightly below the flashing indicators below the A pillar, so easily missed. However if you only have a clear view of the side they could be visible and identify the Austin. ![[Image: aussidelights.jpg]](http://pics.imcdb.org/558/aussidelights.jpg) Sidelight positions and grille as the early Austin (but Morris shaped badge) on Australian minibus. -- Last edit: 2022-08-03 20:53:31 |
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◊ 2023-07-12 03:42 |
New info from another book - there was definitely an Aus-made J2 as the Morris Messenger in 3 series 1956-60, 1961-63 and 1964-66. And with we can make this our first one. The "new" book doesn't mention an Austin version, but Keats comment here is confident they existed, and we seem to have some without the Morris torpedo outline, so those seem still valid alongside. Comparing our pics suggests there was no grille difference between Austin or Morris badged versions so UK rules don't apply. |
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◊ 2023-10-27 19:34 |
![[Image: s-l960.jpg]](http://pics.imcdb.org/10314/23/s-l960.jpg) ![[Image: s-l960.1.jpg]](http://pics.imcdb.org/10314/23/s-l960.1.jpg) (from an ebay listing in Aus) |
