Morris Cowley
Encyclopedia
Morris Cowley was a name given to various cars produced by the Morris Motor Company
from 1915 to 1958.
and featured the same "Bullnose" radiator. To reduce the price many components were bought in from United States suppliers which proved cheaper than their UK equivalents. The 1495 cc, side valve, four cylinder engine was by Continental
and the three speed gearbox by Detroit. Supplies of these components was badly affected by World War I. The suspension used semi elliptic leaf springs at the front and three quarter elliptics at the rear.
The last example of the model, using up the original engine supply, was made in 1920.
Morris acquired the British interests of Hotchkiss in 1923 and renamed them Morris engines branch.
The chassis was further modified in 1931 to bring it in line with the Morris Major
. Wire wheels became an option instead of the solid spoked artillery
ones previously fitted.
A new engine, still of the same 1548 cc was introduced in 1933 along with a shorter chassis and only a saloon body available. From 1935 the car was called the Morris Twelve-Four.
The car became the Fifteen-Six in 1935.
, pick-up
and chassis-cab versions. The 10cwt MCV van was a replacement for the Morris Y-series van and had a capacity of 120 cu ft (3,398 l) or 138 cu ft (3,907.7 l) without the passenger seat.
with less chrome, no heater, fixed front quarter lights
and a simplified dashboard.
unit came from the Austin A40
. The body shell was based on the four door Morris Oxford Series II, sharing its torsion beam front suspension and live rear axle but with smaller 8 in (203 mm) brake drums on early models. Steering was of the conventional rack and pinion type. The car had a top speed of just over 70 mi/h.
The British Motor
magazine tested a Cowley saloon in 1955 recording a top speed of 71.9 mph (115.7 km/h) and acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 31.5 seconds and a fuel consumption of 28 mpgimp. The test car cost £702 including taxes.
Morris Motor Company
The Morris Motor Company was a British car manufacturing company. After the incorporation of the company into larger corporations, the Morris name remained in use as a marque until 1984 when British Leyland's Austin Rover Group decided to concentrate on the more popular Austin marque...
from 1915 to 1958.
Morris Cowley (1915)
The original Cowley, introduced in 1915, was a cheaper version of the first Morris OxfordMorris Oxford
After the Second World War the Oxford MO replaced the 10. It was introduced in 1948 and was produced until 1954. The design was shared with Nuffield Organisation stable-mate Wolseley 4/50....
and featured the same "Bullnose" radiator. To reduce the price many components were bought in from United States suppliers which proved cheaper than their UK equivalents. The 1495 cc, side valve, four cylinder engine was by Continental
Continental Motors Company
Continental Motors Company was an American engine and automobile manufacturer. The company produced engines for various independent manufacturers of automobiles, tractors, and stationary equipment from the 1900s through the 1960s. Continental Motors also produced Continental-branded automobiles in...
and the three speed gearbox by Detroit. Supplies of these components was badly affected by World War I. The suspension used semi elliptic leaf springs at the front and three quarter elliptics at the rear.
The last example of the model, using up the original engine supply, was made in 1920.
Morris Cowley (1919)
The updated Cowley for 1919 had an engine made by the British branch of the French Hotchkiss company, which was essentially a copy of the early Continental unit which was no longer being made. It was the basic model of the Morris two car range of the time with the Oxford, which used the same 1.5L 26bhp engine until 1923, having leather upholstery and upgraded lighting as the de-luxe version.Morris acquired the British interests of Hotchkiss in 1923 and renamed them Morris engines branch.
Morris Cowley (1926)
The Bullnose radiator was replaced by a flat version in 1926 in a new version of the car with all steel bodies becoming available. The engines remained the same, but the Cowley unlike the Oxford, retained braking on the rear wheels only as standard, although a front brake system was available at extra cost (featured car has this fitted). The chassis was new and the suspension was updated with semi elliptic leaf springs all round plus Smiths friction type scissor shock absorbers. The brakes are rod and spring operated with cams inside the drums to actuate. Interesting to note that the rear brake drums include two sets of shoes, one of which is connected directly to the handbrake.The chassis was further modified in 1931 to bring it in line with the Morris Major
Morris Major
The Morris Major and Austin Lancer are passenger car models produced by the British Motor Corporation of Australia between 1958 and 1964...
. Wire wheels became an option instead of the solid spoked artillery
Artillery wheel
The artillery wheel was developed for use on gun carriages when it was found that the lateral forces involved in horse artillery manoeuvres caused normally-constructed cart wheels to collapse. Rather than having its spokes mortised into a wooden nave , it has them fitted together then bolted into...
ones previously fitted.
Morris Cowley (1932)
The 1932 Cowley had a new chassis and Lockheed hydraulic brakes. the engine was the same Continental based unit but a larger 1802 cc version was available as a no cost option until 1933 on the home market. There were no more four seat tourers.A new engine, still of the same 1548 cc was introduced in 1933 along with a shorter chassis and only a saloon body available. From 1935 the car was called the Morris Twelve-Four.
Morris Cowley-Six
The 1934 Cowley replaced the Morris Major keeping the same 1938 cc six cylinder, side valve engine but with a new lower chassis.The car became the Fifteen-Six in 1935.
Morris Cowley MCV (1950-1956)
In 1950 the Morris Cowley name was given to a range of commercial vehicles based on the Morris Oxford MO. The Cowley MCV was offered in vanVan
A van is a kind of vehicle used for transporting goods or groups of people.In British English usage, it can be either specially designed or based on a saloon or sedan car, the latter type often including derivatives with open backs...
, pick-up
Pickup truck
A pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area .-Definition:...
and chassis-cab versions. The 10cwt MCV van was a replacement for the Morris Y-series van and had a capacity of 120 cu ft (3,398 l) or 138 cu ft (3,907.7 l) without the passenger seat.
1954 Morris Cowley
The 1954 Morris Cowley was a four-cylinder midsize car produced from 1954 to 1959. It was essentially a budget version of the Morris OxfordMorris Oxford
After the Second World War the Oxford MO replaced the 10. It was introduced in 1948 and was produced until 1954. The design was shared with Nuffield Organisation stable-mate Wolseley 4/50....
with less chrome, no heater, fixed front quarter lights
Quarter glass
Quarter glass on automobiles and closed carriages may be a side window in the front door or located on each side of the car just forward of the rear window of the vehicle. Only some cars have them. In some cases the fixed quarter glass may set in the corner or "C-pillar" of the vehicle...
and a simplified dashboard.
Morris Cowley Series I
The Series I Cowley was launched in 1954. The engine, the 1.2 L (1200 cc) B-SeriesBMC B-Series engine
The BMC B-series was a straight-4 internal combustion engine family, mostly used in motor cars, created by British company Austin Motor Company. The pre-cursor of the "B" series engine was a 1200 cc OHV engine which was used in the 1947 Austin A40 Devon. This A40 Devon engine was based on a...
unit came from the Austin A40
Austin A40
A number of different automobiles were marketed under the Austin A40 name by the Austin Motor Company between 1947 and 1967.Austin's naming scheme at that time derived from the approximate engine output, in horsepower...
. The body shell was based on the four door Morris Oxford Series II, sharing its torsion beam front suspension and live rear axle but with smaller 8 in (203 mm) brake drums on early models. Steering was of the conventional rack and pinion type. The car had a top speed of just over 70 mi/h.
The British Motor
The Motor (magazine)
The Motor was a British weekly car magazine founded on 28 January 1903....
magazine tested a Cowley saloon in 1955 recording a top speed of 71.9 mph (115.7 km/h) and acceleration from 0-60 mph (96.6 km/h) in 31.5 seconds and a fuel consumption of 28 mpgimp. The test car cost £702 including taxes.