History

The1948 Introduction

The ‘J’ type was introduced at the 1948 Commercial Motor Show at Earls Court.  The pre-production van which Morris~Commercial exhibited on their stand at the show differed in many details from the production vehicle that was to follow in the autumn of 1949. The easiclean wheels gave way to pressed steel disc items, whilst the front grille, headlamp/sidelight units, and many other items were redesigned before full production commenced. The 1949 Geneva Commercial Vehicle Show van still had the soon-to-be-discarded easiclean wheels, but also had a front chrome bumper unlike anything seen subsequently.  Morris~Commercial had introduced the 15/20 cwt ‘PV’ model, with a forward control layout similar to that subsequently used in the ‘J’ type, in 1939 ~ although few were made before the outbreak of the Second World War brought production to a halt. Production resumed in 1945.

Photographs exist of two different ‘J’ type prototypes, one of which shows that the Morris~Commercial designers had experimented with incorporating the Company’s then-current frontal styling, featuring a vertical slatted grille, into the vehicle. This ‘J’ type prototype resembled the ‘PV’, although much improved by the very stylishly curvaceous pressed steel body.  Morris Motors at Cowley, another part of the same Nuffield empire, had been manufacturing a 10 cwt van since the mid-’30s. Although not fully forward control, the van had many similarities with the ‘J’ type, which mirrored its overall compact size and its offset engine.