Morris J2 Van Rescue Running and Driving!

[@davehyde6207]

Very best of luck with the old girl...regards from Ireland

[@joannemason5581]

Subscribed to the channel as I'd love to see the old girl restored. I used to own the minibus version of the J2 back in 1975. It was ex-Army and painted in camo green, I repainted it orange and white 🙂 Myself and some friends used to travel all over the UK in it. On a return trip from Devon back to Lancashire, we got an oil warning light come on. We'd lost 7 out of the 8 pints of oil as I recall and it was never the same after that. Oil kept being thrown out of the breather pipe, so we rigged up a pipe to send it back into the engine via the filler cap. It all came to an end when we literally broke the foot brake pedal and almost killed the lot us. But we were young and found it hilarious. Happy days.

[@johnfellows2867]

My Dad bought one off a local transport company in 1968, and fitted it out as a motor caravan. Cant recall any problems !

[@robertp.wainman4094]

Hope you can make a great job of it! I lived in a J2 camper as a student in the '70's. Mine had the floor change as yours, but with first and second to the right, making it quite easy to accidentally put it into third when attempting to pull away! Never failed to start and never broke down. Look forward to seeing yours finished.

[@jimdaniels7472]

There was a serious accident in the 1960's and several agricultural students were killed in a minibus version of this vehicle when crossing the A-1 near Newark (UK). My dad, we had three of these vehicles, always reckoned that the driver of the student bus had incorrectly - automatically - selected third gear instead of first due to the unusual gearbox layout and the minibus stalled and a lorry hit the bus killing the students.

[@Dunstire]

I love these old flat-front vans, from v-dubs to commas,i just wouldn't to be involved in a front-end crash in one

[@paulbennell3313]

Lovely old thing, should restore very well.

[@andrewbennett2323]

Thanks - it will take a while, but slowly slowly...

[@andrewwhitnet3557]

I love the old stuff but it's no wonder the Ford transit did so well.All vans before we horrible to drive,I drove them all.The j2 I drove was so bad to get in gear the column change lever snapped off regularly.Ours was an ex Leyland paint van with sliding doors,one of the lads was driving it with the doors partly open and braked hard,the doors slid forward and knocked the windscreen out.Great video,ceep up the good work.Cheers from UK.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

About a year ago, we were at our local supermarket here in NZ and in the carpark across us was a nicely restored, cream coloured Morris van similar to yours. Many passerbys were admiring it and for the old timers it must have brought memories.

[@law1008]

Wow! that takes me back a bit! Greetings from UK

[@allanhasted6572]

Used to work for a Austin/Morris Dealership back in the late 60s early 70s drove a JU all over Buckinghamshire/Oxfordshire/Northants delivering spare parts for Austin/Morris

[@mikego18753]

Great little vid.We had a brand new one of those(a while back lol). Thanks.

[@rogerwileman9965]

I had a Austin j2 like yours we went on our honeymoon in it here in NZ in 1966

[@CrimeVid]

I remember a mate had a J4 to go to work in for a while, all I remember is f’in diabolical suspension ! wash it gently !

[@macdale4741]

Very nice van l have one ,and l love the colour

[@andrewbennett2323]

Thanks - yeah I think I will try to leave the paint and original "patina" as much as possible

[@ronpalmer1371]

Love how your knees are effectively the crumple zone 😂 I remember my old dad had a few of these and the J 4 too along with the Ford Thames vans from the same era, I also remember an angle grinder cutting disc exploding and taking the skin from both arms while he was cutting off a rusty side valance off a J2 van 😂 he was very lucky to only suffer minor cuts ( no guard on the grinder)

[@athula19]

It's a great job do repairs and keep as an antique vehicle..

[@paulcarter2907]

Wow..I remember being in one of these as a kid on the Coventry Rd in England by the airport, 65/70 mph and it was flat out..so under powered, and then the Ford Transit came out..brought back a lot of memories for me, good luck, and subscribed..I'm 65 this year BTW...

[@nickb5391]

you're not far from me i'm in Hall Green, Elmdon airport not International lol, my claim to fame was being born just down the road from the B.S.A, i'm into BMC's as Birmingham born & bred

[@billywhizz98]

Glad I have just found this channel and subscribed

[@oldclassiccarUK]

*Love the van!*

[@Starman2319]

Subscribed and tuning in from England. Loving this project Andrew, and what a cracking van!! Looking forward to the next installment. All the best, mate.

[@andrewbennett2323]

Thanks so much Starman! I'll be posting a video on the clutch soon.

[@Starman2319]

@@andrewbennett2323 Fantastic! Looking forward to it. Keep 'em coming 👍👍

[@oldskoowlpebblestravels]

going to be a big build great to see a West Aussie having a go

[@andrewbennett2323]

Good on you mate, yeah it's going to be a slow restoration! Cheers

[@davidbarnsley8486]

That may well be the only one left in existence I do hope you have the doors 👍👍

[@andrewbennett2323]

Thanks David - there are very few around, I've not seen another one. I do have the doors, waiting patiently for me to get to them!

[@nickb5391]

did you know the slightly bigger version JU250 was called JU as the 'U' stood for under floor engine

[@miguelresendiz1330]

Una gota de estaño en el flotador del carburador para ajustar la válvula check de llenado si estuviera ahi te ayudaria a arreglar la morris ... tuve una modelo 58 .. y conosco cada detalle 🤔😊👍👍👍🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽

[@bridgetown45]

The Army had some of these J2's used as general runabouts.

[@colliecandle]

i bought one of the Austin J2's minibus. i hadn't even passed my test at that time either ! Unfortunately, i had to rely on my dad to drive it for me, and he hated it - said the steering was awful due to the engine being placed right over the front axle. i bought it off a couple of bus owner guys who had a small private business, so i presume it was at the end of it's useful revenue earning life.

[@two9parkave]

Almost painful to look at, when I was in my early teens 1968 I remember travelling from Kingston Jamaica to St Elizabeth in one these vans and I am telling you I thought that it would kill me!! Terrible thing loaded!!!

[@nickb5391]

@.024, alloy against steel they weld themselves together, i clean the housing holes & studs & put copper grease on so as to make it easy to get them off again

[@andrewbennett2323]

Thanks Nick - yeah it sure was well stuck! I put grease on the gaskets so hopefully won't have that trouble again.

[@keithwright4921]

Well done,guys,🍺🍺

[@nickb5391]

I think Securicor had them on their fleet, there is a J2 featured in the Peter Sellers film 'Wrong arm of the law'

[@Roger.Coleman1949]

You're right Nick, it was the Police ' persuit vehicle ' !.The headmaster at my school had one with windows and rear seating along the sides, used to take the football team when playing away - registered 441 DNV in the UK.Happy memories !.

[@valentin9378]

Nice patina

[@88SC]

It looks like a Nash Metropolitan that grew up into a van.

[@morrisjvan]

Nice, but this is the Austin , the Morris has a different grille panel.

[@jamiecleasby7979]

Is that van from wyalki?

[@gedman9527]

Love it , I want it , I'll chuck wife in

[@davidjohns.3065]

Back in the days when your face was the crumple zone.

[@richardlindo7723]

j2 was very good ju the next model was no so good and that was the last one.i always think if they design a later j2 it probably would be a hit.by then bmc was broke

[@alexandrakollontai2047]

No, there was also a J4. I had two J2s and two J4s. After that I had a Leyland Sherpa. The Leyland/BL/Daf Sherpa/Pilot was a J4 with a bonnet. Production of this line finally ended in 2005. The predecessor of the J2 was the J van.

[@oldskool1979]

I made a video of one here in Toronto canada.. check it out

[@petegreaves2657]

Possibly the worst van ever made by BMC , totally gutless and handled like a pig on cider .