Intrepid Oz J-reporter PB writes:
This is a snap of a Winning van parked outside their head office in Danks Avenue Sydney whilst the building is being renovated.
The sign says it all. That’s J types for you!
PS – it is the ex Old Middleton Grain Store van which was restored by Paradise Garages in Sydney.
The Southbank Centre in London has been celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Festival of Britain with events throughout the summer. TSL 577 was on display, but SLO 414, 835 BMM and JSJ 982 were working for their living! These photos were taken by GS on August 12 2011.
Intrepid Oz J-reporter Peter Bateman emails:
Chris Z has sent us photos of his Morris J/B part way through its restoration. The Register has known of the existence of this van, but until now we did not have any photographs.
This is how the Register website should work – owners and enthusiasts seeing what is needed and supplying it! It would be great if other owners also pass on details of how their vans are, roadworthy or not…
See the entry ‘under restoration – UK’ in the J/B gallery (click on the Morris badge) for more photos.
Another J-type get-together at Tatton Park has been and gone. The Register has had a display of vehicles for 21 consecutive years. On display over the weekend were: 344 CNM, 5003 NX, 749 VRF, 8444 UA and 224 TRE. There will not be a 22nd with any Register support!
On the Sunday, one of our members, who had driven his van, 572 CKC, over from Birkenhead, was denied entry at the gate despite having the correct paperwork, because he was late. This was someone who, despite the inclement weather, had made the decision to drive to the show anyway only to be told he could park his classic in the car park and pay for himself and his wife to go in. I can imagine his reply, and fully understand his decision to turn round and drive home. It would show disloyalty to him and to the effort he made to attend if we carried on as normal and booked in again next year.
He, and many, many other exhibitors, were late due to the woefully inept system that the marshalls have to work to, where all exhibitors have to come through a single vehicle access gate. Long queues inevitably form. Vehicles in this queue, late because of a system put in place by the organisers, should not then be turned away…
If anyone has any thoughts on an alternative venue, please let us know. The annual get-together must carry on.
4th/5th June Tatton Park, Cheshire Classic Car Show. This year the Register stand is being organised by Peter Smith. All vehicles have to be pre-booked, so contact Peter with details if you wish to attend. Those wishing to camp over can arrive from around 3pm onwards on the Friday (3rd). Last year the organisers imposed a £20 charge for the weekend for those bringing caravans. This continues this year but in addition they have decided to charge £10 for the weekend to those camping in tents. It’s beyond our control. Contact Peter on 07581 514365, or we can pass on enquiries via the website ‘Contact’ button.
We have just heard that we have been successful in having been allocated a stand at the 2011 Classic Motor Show at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England. The show is on the 11th, 12th and 13th of November. Our stand is 4C110 in Hall 4 directly opposite the Minor LCV Register.
We realise how difficult organising an event like this must be, and this year a record 220 car clubs will be represented. Our thanks to the staff at Clarion Events for their continued support.
In the photo, from left to right, are Anthony, Wendy, Lou, Sam and Bjorn. Wendy contacted the Register a month ago asking about 317 BXY, her dad’s van many years ago. She had found the photo on our website and following my reply, wrote: ” my Dad will be so pleased to hear all this as he often talks about it… I was born 1964 and remember it from early on, he bought it for £40 having a large brood of six kids to cart about and we went on many happy holidays in the van”. Wendy’s dad now lives in Texas, but she was able to tell him that the van survives and said in a following email “he’s thrilled we’ve managed to track the van down and to know that it didn’t go to the scrap heap”.
Wendy’s contact with us was timely, it coincided with Bjorn, owner of 317 BXY, coming to the UK for a few weeks – in the van! It was arranged that we would all meet up at Wendy’s so that she could see the van for the first time in many years. Wendy also invited along Lou and Sam. Sam worked for the GPO and serviced many J’s including BXY, and was instrumental in the van becoming part of Wendy’s family. Sam couldn’t believe how well the van was, telling Bjorn all manner of interesting bits about his time servicing the vehicles. It was a wonderful, emotional few hours, I’m so pleased to have had a part in it.
Bjorn has now met up with all but one of the previous owners of BXY (deputising Wendy for her dad) and the one remaining previous owner, a relative of Wendy’s, will apparently be in Sweden for a wedding over summer.
This really is the worldwide web working at its best. These contacts would not have been made were it not for Wendy finding the details on our website.
And ‘Chug-a-boom’? It was what the kids called the van!
Intrepid J-reporter and J-finder general Peter Bateman has established that this van is in Australia. A photo had previously been seen on a European website, so it was thought it was nearer to the UK. As it is it is about four hours drive from Sydney so PB expects eventually to have an excuse to go see it.
It can be seen from one of the photos that chassis work has been carried out to enable it to ride low (maybe not as low as in the photos, surely) so it might just be a sensational custom when finished. Let’s hope the owner finds the enthusiasm to complete this unusual project.
Peter Bateman forwarded this photo of E Hayes Hardware’s J-type van, in Invercargill, New Zealand. The photo was taken by Andrew Blacklock, whilst in NZ.
And why is it in great company? Because E Hayes and Co also own ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’ – the much modified Indian Scout that Burt Munro took to Bonneville Salt Flats and on which he gained a world record – that stands to this day, apparently! Also owned is a 1936 Velocette MSS, again much-modified by Burt, and thought to be the fastest Velocette in the World!
Visit http://www.ehayes.co.nz/burt-munro/ to see much more
