THE MORRIS LIGHT VAN IMPROVED.
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Now Designed to Carry 10 Cwt., the Capacity of the Body Has Been Increased to 75 cub. ft. With Four-wheel Brakes the Price is Less than Before.
ONE of the most popular light vans on the British market is the 8-cwt. Morris, which has shown itself to combine efficiency and reliability at a moderate price. Morris Motors (1926), Ltd., is, however, not content to rest upon its laurels, but has conducted continuous experiments with a view to improving still further this successful model, and for the 1928 season the S cwt. will be replaced by a van capable of carrying 10 cwt. and with a body capacity increased to 75 cub. ft.
This new model will be known as the Morris half-ton van. It is claimed by the maker that, whilst this vehicle will posses all the virtues of the former model and will be capable of running at practically the same cost, it will carry the larger load with caw: and with a consequent reduction in cost per tonmile. In addition, its price in lower, being £165. Only the one model is being listed, that having four-wheel brakes, and this compares with the 8-cwt. model which, with four-wheel brakes and equipment, costs £172 10s., so that the price is actually lower by £7 10s. The van will be fully equipped with all instruments and accessories, and will even include an automatic windscreen wiper, which was absent in the case of the previous model. With full load it will cover between 25 and 30 miles per gallon of fuel and is taxed at £16 per annum.
It will, no doubt, be of interest to our readers if we give a short specification of the new model. It has a four-cylindered engine of 69.5 mm. bore and 102 mm. stroke. The cylinders are cast in one with the upper half of the crankcase and have detachable heads. Oil is delivered to the bearings under pressure, and carburation is attended to by a piston-type instrument.
A peculiarly efficient type of clutch, consisting of plates with cork inserts, is employed. This is a type which has been found to possess a very long life, even in newspaper delivery work, where it is called upon to giie most arduous service.
Engine and gearbox form a unit and the gearing provides three speeds forward and a reverse.
The electrical equipment is of Lucas make, and this applies both to the h.t. magneto and to the 12volt electric lighting and starting outfit.
Nine-inch drums are employed for the four-wheel brakes.
The wheelbase is 8 ft. 9i ins. ; track, 4 ft.; whilst the internal body dimensions are: length, 4 ft. 9 ins. ; width, 4 ft.; height, 4 ft. 3 ins.
The equipment includes clock, speedometer, ammeter, oil gauge and instrument lamp, bulb horn, radiator calormeter, spring gaiters, toolbox, and a full kit of tools.
Lubrication of the chassis is effected by grease under pressure from a gun.
The Morris van chassis with its instruments is priced at £130.
The other model for 1928 will be a traveller's car, priced at £167 10s. This is designed to carry up to 8 cwt. of samples or goods. It has two comfortably uphoLstered seats protected by a hood and rigid side curtains that open with the doors. The box is behind these seats and is 2 ft. 11 ins. in length, 2 ft 10 ins. in width, and 2 ft. 10 ins. in height. The box is left bare internally so that the purchaser can fit shelves, etc., to meet his own particular requirements.
The chaSsis is equipped with four-wheel brakes and the full MOrris-CowIey equipment. It is delivered painted in shop grey.
For the convenience of those tradesmen who do not wish to disturb their capital, the company has approved a hire-purchase scheme for the use of any of their 1,750 authorized dealers. By means of this the buyer can obtain the Morris half-ton or traveller's van on convenient terms extending over a year, 18 months, or even two years, as
desired. We have no 'doubt that•both models will be very popular
amongst users. .
The upkeep, adjustment, ancl repair charges are covered by an official schedule which is issued by the manufacturers. This means that the owners of vans know exactly what any particular labour charges for the work will be before it is put in hand. There is a proviso, of course, that this can only be guaranteed when the work is carried out at the service depot of an authorized Morris dealer.