Trying to identify this old wreck

YouThere

Hi,

A friend of a friend has pulled this out of his dad's shed - they've been trying to identify it - but haven't reached agreement yet.

Their location is rural England - so this perhaps gives some clues as to what choices of manufacturer it might be.

Bullnose Morris is one possibility - the guys say the wreck is not flat-front - so this means it'd be the pre-1926 variety.

Another thought is a Morris Oxford (or variant) from the 1914 era (older oxford shape).

I haven't seen the car in the metal/rust myself - and I haven't done much homework on the photos yet - been distracted with new arrival to household (the baby variety - not another car).

Plus I'm not going to Beaulieu this year - so can't enquire there!

Some of my own thoughts from the photos:
The vent on top of cowl just behind bonnet looks striking - might help with finding an identy.
The dashboard and bumpers might also help with identity.
Looks like the leaf springs had socks on - so perhaps not a bottom of range model?
But the rear wings look less than refined - no pretty beading on the wing edges - so perhaps a cheaper clone (eg. humber vs morris).
The light cluster on one rear wing looks curiously modern!
The numbers on the engine might be useful - or simply the photos of the engine might help as a clue!
In distant past, someone tried to convert it to a trailer, hence the frame bent to form a draw bar!
I have no idea what all that woodwork+frame is all about - is that the scuttle panel? or perhaps the old floor?

Anyway - I thought someone on the forum might enjoy this little challenge - and might have some ideas as to the identity - or even pointers to photos of pretty examples on the internet.

Once identified I think it'll be on ebay - if not beforehand!

(Hoping I can figure how to post the pictures correctly on first attempt. Apologies in advance if I screw up!)

red sean

The wheels and front bonnets look like Morris Cowley but the back end ( to my untrained eye!) looks more like late 20's/early 30's Morris Minor.
????????

Blue850

Looks like a Flatnose Cowley to me, metal dash panel is the same, but its upside down in the OP's photos, the Bullnose had a timber dash afaik

rugbyman

850,

anything for the 3.30 at Doncaster?

Thanks
Rugbyman

Blue850

rugbyman wrote: »

850,

anything for the 3.30 at Doncaster?

Thanks
Rugbyman

Haven't a clue about horsepower that doesn't have 4 wheels attached to it

YouThere

Thanks RedSean and Blue850 - that old B&W photo checks all the boxes.

Appreciate your help (can't click the thanks button until I get out of learner driver mode on the forum - ie. get beyond 25 posts!)


A friend pointed me to this url - which helps with chassis identity.
http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10306730&screenwidth=1188

btw - on the classiccars.co.uk site I found an explanation for the "light cluster" on the rear near-side rear wing - it's actually a step for access the dickey seat.
Anyone tempted to step full-weight on the wing of a modern car?

Best wishes.

Grimreaper666

Are you going to restore it YouThere?

YouThere

Hi Grimreaper666

me - not a chance!

Rewind to the days before kids (or fast forward to retirement!) - then perhaps I'd be tempted - even to make a special body hill-climber from it perhaps.

However - given that I couldn't recognise it in first place - I don't think I'd be the right guy to go finding all the bits and putting the impossible jigsaw back together minus the box with picture.

Best regards.

1928ford

I have just bought this car and am restoring it. I came across this posting whilst searching for information on it. Please can you put me in touch with the person who had it in the barn for so long. I have the remains of two cars and am building one from the bits. I understand one was from Somerset and the other from Gloucestershire and don't know which is which. Any information would be appreciated.

YouThere

Boards.ie wins again
I replied with a PM - just to double-check authenticity of the poster.
Exciting stuff!

unkel

1928ford wrote: »

I have just bought this car and am restoring it.

Welcome to boards and best of luck with the restoration

Will you do us a favour and keep us updated on this thread?

red sean

This will be a very interesting thread if you keep updating (with pics). Good luck with it!

YouThere

Armed with permission from 1928ford, I have pieced together some of the text and photos from our private message exchanges.
I have used some editorial licence to make the text flow better in this post and to retain a level of privacy for 1928ford.

I was initially puzzled why 1928ford couldn't just go back to the seller to learn the history - nervous he was phishing:

I did not buy it on ebay, but bought it from the man who did.
He lost his workshop as his parents sold their house and can not now restore it.
I bought the remains of two cars he had bought and will build one from the bits.
I have some images of it on my trailer when I collected them last week.

And indeed the images confirmed that this was no phishing expedition!





I was also curious how he stumbled upon boards.ie?

I was looking on Google images for Pre war Morris pictures and the black and white one showed up (courtesy of Blue850)
It looked like the bits I had bought might have looked like.
I clicked on boards.ie and the other photos appeared and I thought "hmm I recognize that rust", so I registered on the site and sent YouThere a PM.

So, why the interest in the Morris - and is it really a Morris?!

I rode in a 1929 Morris dickey seat as a child in 1960 and have wanted one ever since.
It is a 1929 model year. It might be a 1928 as the model year ran Autumn to Autumn.
Flatnose - as the rear sides are pressed and not hand beaten and they were introduced for that year.
The chassis number would give the month and even day it was made - but that is on the front right spring hanger and that was cut off to make it a trailer.
The other Flatnose car I have in bits sharing the trailer with it is a 1928 - and it has a chassis number, so that is what year the restored car will be.
The other car has a chassis and most of the front end but no rear and so the two are a perfect match.
I do have a 1926 Bullnose as well and they will make a nice pair.

Why make contact via boards.ie?

I fancied taking the finished car back to the place where it was stored - to do the before and after picture when it is finished.
I would also love to know its story in more detail - so thanks for passing my details on to original seller.

I've gone back up the food chain to my friend's friend - so we'll make the connection with the original seller.

Is 1928ford crazy?

It is not a difficult job as I have been doing this professionally for about 40 years.
The only problem is that for this (personal project) I have to pay for the bits and there is no big cheque at the end of this job.
But at least I get to enjoy the fruits of my labour.

Some proof of what 1928ford can do with old cars:

I am part way through a Model AA Ford truck (hence the username!).
The Ford and the Morris are both childhood vehicle memories I am trying to recreate.

The Ford AA was as seen on the trailer (photo below) having been imported from South Dakota.
Last taxed in 1961 - though might have had farm use since.
I bought the Ford in March (2013) and hope to have it finished by this next March (2014).
I have rebuilt the chassis and running gear and imported some panels and sourced others here.
I am just doing the wooden frame inside the cab at the moment and will then move on to the doors.
I am trial fitting it all at the moment so I can adjust it to get proper door gaps and so on and will then take it apart to paint.

My very best wishes to 1928ford on his projects - and I will gladly facilitate posting any photos or updates he has.

And suffice to say, I am already itching to wrangle a visit next time I am traveling anywhere close to 1928ford.