Morris Cowley Bullnose

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History

The Morris Cowley and its de-luxe brother the Oxford were so successful in the mid-twenties that William Morris was obliged to institute three shift working and acquire the Hotchkiss factory in Coventry to manufacture engines in order to satisfy demand.

The basic design of the Bullnose cars dates to the period before the Great War, but there was always a continuous process of development ? notably the introduction of balloon tyres, improved engines, electric lighting and starting and finally, in 1926, optional front wheel brakes.

FE 8195 has one of the most attractive of the standard bodies to be fitted to the Cowley ? the two seat tourer with dickey. In 1926, the two seaters could be had in grey cellulose or the striking shade of blue as worn by the car on sale here. The engine is the 1548cc four-cylinder side?valve Morris unit, with three main bearings and Lucas magneto ignition, coupled via a wet plate clutch to a three speed gearbox. A torque tube prop-shaft is employed and springing is by semi-elliptics at the front, and underslung three-quarter elliptics at the rear. On cars such as this with rear wheel brakes only, the 9inch drums contain two sets of shoes, one for the central handbrake and one for the foot pedal.

Bullnose Morris Cars were enormously popular when they were current ? indeed it was said that there was a Bullnose ?behind every hedge?! They were constructed from very high quality materials and in consequence are very robust. They are simple to maintain and spares are still relatively plentiful. Large numbers were in regular use up to the 1950?s when these attractive and highly charismatic little cars formed the backbone of the emerging Vintage car movement ? and indeed became something of a cult themselves.

This is a very pretty and sound example of the appealing two seater model and was in the hands of its previous owner for over thirty years, during which time it had occasional use in local shows, but was mostly carefully stored. It is offered with bills for an engine rebuild in 1972, a buff log showing owners back to 1950 and a V5 document. A new hood is fitted, and the car has been re-trimmed and re-painted in recent years. Taxed and MOT'd, it still makes a wondeful car for summer touring or vintage events.