1928 Morris Oxford Truck

The utilitarian aspects of the horse-drawn wagons required replacements in the evolving world of the automobile, and auto manufacturers worked to fill the void. In Britain, the Morris Company built a line of Light Van Commercial chassis to supplement its small-displacement passenger cars. The chassis was then sent to coachbuilders to be clothed in body styles that met the customer's needs and specifications.

This particular example is believed to have been bodied by the Parkes Body Company of Sandling, Kent, and is also believed to be the only survivor of three such wood-bodied examples built by Parkes.

It is believed that this vehicle was placed in a barn for storage after a brief period of service, and was not re-discovered until the late 1960s by a previous owner, who commenced its restoration. Since it had been in storage, it was a good candidate for restoration, with no rot present and little woodwork needing replacement. It was purchased by another in 1978 in 'part-completed' fashion, who finished its restoration over the next two years.

This Morris Oxford can accommodate four passengers, with space behind the removable rear bench seat for cargo. It has a folding top and side curtains. The engine is an L-head, 1800cc four-cylinder engine fitted with a single SU carburetor and offering 14 horsepower. There is a three-speed manual gearbox and four-wheel mechanical drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2016