Morris 8 Series 2 Four-door Saloon

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Morris's great Thirties success and one of Britain's best-loved pre-war cars, it is no exaggeration to say that the Eight was the car that saved the company.

It was an affordable family car, better suited to the now busy English roads than the larger models in the range. So successful was it that within three years of its introduction in September 1934, over 160,000 had been sold.

Available as a two- or four-seat tourer and a two- or four-door saloon, the Eight was capable of 60mph and 40mpg from its 23.5bhp 918cc side-valve engine while benefiting from hydraulic brakes and a good level of equipment - and all this for the princely sum of just £120 brand new!

Manufactured on the newly designed production line at Cowley, this particular example is a four-door Series 2 which was made in 1938 and differed from its predecessor in minor detail, the painted radiator shell and Easiclean wheels being the only significant differences. Replaced by the altogether more modern Series E only a year later, the Series 2 had added a further 58,000 units to the Eight’s already impressive production total, sufficient to oust the Ford Model Y from the top of the sales chart.

This superbly original Series 2 was owned within the same family for nearly 75 years. It was inherited by a lady teacher in 1985 and kept under lock and key until the vendor acquired it as a restoration project several years ago.

Dry stored for over 60 years, it is remarkably original, including the upholstery, headlining and sunroof and even has its original ignition key. Family legend had it that the car was taken off the road in 1955 due to worn kingpins, although sadly there is nobody around to confirm if this really was the case or not. The engine turns freely and it retains its original luggage rack, jack and handle and even its brass fire extinguisher.

Just as one would wish to find them, this charming, original and correct Morris 8 looks like the perfect candidate for careful conservation with minimal restoration as seems to be the fashion these days and is offered at no reserve so the highest bidder takes it home.