1947 Morris Eight Van
Commercial vehicle development in Britain focused heavily on practical utility during the 1940s, and the Series Z represented Morris’s approach to small-scale goods transportation.
Though visually similar to the Series E passenger car, the 5-cwt van was mechanically closer to the earlier Series II, providing businesses with economical cargo hauling in a compact package that could navigate narrow British streets with ease.
The van’s straightforward exterior featured a simple two-door configuration with rear cargo access. A separate channel-section chassis provided durability for commercial use, while Lockheed hydraulic brakes delivered reliable stopping power. A 7-foot 5-inch wheelbase contributed to the vehicle’s maneuverability in urban environments.
Power came from Morris’s 918cc USHM series side-valve four-cylinder engine producing 29 horsepower. The powerplant incorporated several improvements over earlier versions, including a revised cylinder head, counterbalanced crankshaft, and modern shell-type bearings. A three-speed manual transmission transferred power to the rear wheels through a conventional drivetrain arrangement.
Production spanned from 1940 to 1953, with over 51,000 examples manufactured. Many units were supplied to Ireland in CKD form for local assembly by G.A. Brittain of Dublin, expanding Morris’s international commercial vehicle presence during the postwar reconstruction period.
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