Morris 15/6 Saloon

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William Morris was a man with enormous vision and energy. A true 20th Century industrialist in the Victorian sense, the Morris empire rapidly grew from its humble origins in his bicycle shop in Oxford into the biggest car manufacturer in Great Britain.

Along the way, household names were absorbed into the business, including Wolseley, Riley, SU carburettors and of course MG. The Morris was always the mainstay of the business, making well engineered, solid and reliable cars, more sporting offerings being left to the likes of MG and Riley.

William Morris had always been a fan of the large six-cylinder engine. As soon as he could he introduced one, the F-Type Bullnose arriving as early as 1922 with its 2,320cc side-valve six. It wasn’t one of his commercial successes with just 50 or so finding customers, but it did introduce the format into the range where it was to remain for the next 50 years.

In the 1930s, the Morris Six was a popular choice with the middle-class buyer. The styling was slightly on the conservative side, although Morris had been able to inject a 'certain something' from across the Atlantic which made sure that local bank manager didn’t look completely behind the times when he turned up for work.

Amid the bewildering range of six-cylinder Morris' on offer, the 15/6 sat towards the top of the tree, offering a robust performance from its 2-litre side-valve engine. In a slightly devious manner, Morris incorporated a very large and impressive cover over the engine, looking remarkably like it was housing overhead valves, so don't be fooled when you look under the bonnet!

This nicely restored late 1934 15/6 has been in the current ownership since 2003. The vendor undertook a comprehensive restoration, including fitting new ash framing, new panelwork, undertaking an engine rebuild and giving the car a fresh coat of paint. It has been much loved and well cared for since.

Unfortunately for sale by order of the Courts, this particularly nice example is ready for immediate use and looks like a lot of car at the suggested guide price.