1943 Morris Commercial C8 4x4 GS project

[svdwal]

Hello all,

In January of this year i've bought a Morris Commercial C8 GS which currently is undergoing a partially restoration.
Main work involves brake system, fuel system and complete electrics.
After this is done the truck will be officially imported from Belgium to the Netherlands so it has a numberplate and can drive on the road.

After this the truck will be cosmeticly restored, get it in the right colour and looks like a British wartime truck again.

At this moment a lot of work is allready done, the radiator has a new bespoke core and electrics are nearly done.
All necessary parts for the brakes such as caps are found and bought at War and Peace this year. So this will be the next work.

Some pictures:









I will try to update on a regular basis, but as a father of a almost 6 months old son and a busy job this is always challenging.

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[Mike Kelly]

Hi Sjoerd

Welcome to this forum

The response to your post has been less than enthusiastic .

Morris Commercial people are scarce on this forum . I have a few MCC ex military vehicles myself , not many of us around

[T Creighton]

Hi Sjoerd,
I have one also but it is in lots of pieces in the corner of the shed. It will probably remain so due to lack of parts.
I put in an offer on one the same as yours but have no heard back about it yet.
I love your pictures. Keep us posted. You are lucky to have found a vehicle in such good condition.
Good luck with the project.
Regards Terry

[svdwal]

Thanks for the replies,

It's hard to find Morris Commercial C8 GS owners and information, indeed the owners are not much around.
I am indeed very happy that this truck is fairly complete and everything is available to get it moving in a few weeks time.

At the moment work is being down on the electrical system, and the radiator has a new core. The old one was completely filles with rust and stuff.
I hope to have it on licenseplates and moving in november.
Then i can move the truck from my friends workshop to mine to get the cosmetic work done.

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[svdwal]

At the moment work is being undertaken at the wiring, the wiring that was still in place was the original wiring. This was in a very bad state and needs to be replaced.
The wiring that is used for rewiring is visuallly identical to the original wiring.

Also the lead wires to the spark plugs are changed to copper core wire, the former owner had installed fancy modern wires, which withstand radio influences etc. Really nice, but not for a vehicle like this.

This morning i ordered the British Olive Drab paint from Military Vehicle Paints, the base colour for the truck.



Rgds,

Sjoerd

[Mike Kelly]

Hi Sjoerd

Those blackout lights on top of the main headlights . What are they ?

Mike

[jack neville]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Hi Sjoerd

Welcome to this forum

The response to your post has been less than enthusiastic .

Morris Commercial people are scarce on this forum . I have a few MCC ex military vehicles myself , not many of us around

Mike,

Can you post some photos of your vehicles. I'm sort of a MC fan being a multi Fordson owner

[Mike Kelly]

Ok I found these wot pics for u . The WOT2 pics came from a friend in Adelaide, the girl sitting on the crash bar is his mother , the scene was a suburb of Adelaide during the war .

The Pu I have . At Colin Andersons auction, the day I bought it, a chap came up to me and said, he'd seen it driving around Echuca during the late 1950's and early 60's when he was a kid . It spent its life in Echuca from around 1948 to when Colin bought it . Mike

[svdwal]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Hi Sjoerd

Those blackout lights on top of the main headlights . What are they ?

Mike

Hi Mike,

Actually these light are American lights.
These will be changed after i've got the truck on the road. It needs EU legale and marked headlights and these are.
My NOS original Butler headlights are not.

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[jack neville]

Originally Posted by Mike Kelly

Ok I found these wot pics for u . The WOT2 pics came from a friend in Adelaide, the girl sitting on the crash bar is his mother , the scene was a suburb of Adelaide during the war .

The Pu I have . At Colin Andersons auction, the day I bought it, a chap came up to me and said, he'd seen it driving around Echuca during the late 1950's and early 60's when he was a kid . It spent its life in Echuca from around 1948 to when Colin bought it . Mike

The first photo is of interest. Not just the lady on the bonnet, but the front of the canvas tilt appears to have buckles which would indicate the provision to role up the front of tilt.

[Mike Cecil]

Interesting: the vehicle was assigned to an Australian general transport company.

Mike C

[Ian Mastin]

Jack what also is interesting in that photo is the very top of the windscreen see how the canvas roof folds down over the outsize of the W/S and also as a cut out for the W/S wiper arm!!!! must remember that for when I do my canvas for my wot.



Thanks Mike K for posting those photo's they will be a great help.


Regards
Ian

[Mike Kelly]

Originally Posted by Ian Mastin

Jack what also is interesting in that photo is the very top of the windscreen see how the canvas roof folds down over the outsize of the W/S and also as a cut out for the W/S wiper arm!!!! must remember that for when I do my canvas for my wot.

Thanks Mike K for posting those photo's they will be a great help.

No worries , I think you bought the Jeep Gene from me ? I met you at VMVc swap a few times ?

I am wondering about the arrival of this vehicle on our shores . It seems to be in good shape , maybe indicating that it arrived here in new condition . It may have been refugee cargo ...........

Did anyone notice the tyre tread pattern ?

The driver is wearing his drivers cap .

[jack neville]

Originally Posted by Ian Mastin

Jack what also is interesting in that photo is the very top of the windscreen see how the canvas roof folds down over the outsize of the W/S and also as a cut out for the W/S wiper arm!!!! must remember that for when I do my canvas for my wot.



Thanks Mike K for posting those photo's they will be a great help.


Regards
Ian

Shows how much notice you have taken of the canvas on my WOT!!!

[Ian Mastin]

Well Jack I'll be buttered on both side's just had a look on GMRG web site.


Ian

[jack neville]

Sjoerd,

Is this an original truck or an older restoration?

[svdwal]

Hi Jack,

The truck is being used until the 1970s as towtruck.
After that is was sold to a museum and (after painted green) went on display. So it was maintained and never really restored. Truck is in quite good condition, thats why we decided we do not do a nut and bolt restoration but only do what has to be done. So eventually a lot will be done :-)

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[jack neville]

In that case an even better story. I totally agree with your intentions. A very lucky find. I was sure you were going to say it was an old restoration.

[svdwal]

For this moment i'd like to keep it as original as possible.
That means no complete restoration, and luckily this isn't neccesary. The main job on the chassis will be removing the rust and give it a good primer and repaint it green.

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[svdwal]

Hi all,

It has been a while since a last gave an update on my project, but work continued.
Wiring for the ignition has been made in order as well as the fuel system.
Only the tanks have to be cleaned.

Brakesystem is done and all rubber parts such as the cubs and sleeves are now new.
Former owner said he allready done the brakesystem, but it was terrible. All dried rubber parts and no lubrication. Springs very weak etc. I am glad the brakes are done with good materials.

I've founs a source for correct Bargrip 9.00 x 16 tyres for British Rim, they will be delivered from the UK on Friday. Also found an address who can make the Canvas for me for a reasonable price.



Very happy, as it looks now the truck will be in the commemorations in the Netherland at Wageningen on the 5th of may and the 9th of may in Apeldoorn.

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[svdwal]

Hello all,

A lot has happened since last update, sorry for not informing as often as i want to.
I am not such a updater on posts.....

5 weeks ack almost all mechanical and electrical work was done on the Morris so we transported the truck to my own workshop for the cosmetical work.
In the last weeks the truck is painted in the colour it was gives at the factory 72 years ago and we replaced the bad wood in the structure.
Also we undertook it's first proper testdrive and the truck performed really well, can't wait to take it on a longer journey.

Now we have to wait until july the 10th for its licence examination to make it road legal. after that we will get the truck ready for War and Peace.

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Sjoerd,

Good to see you're making progress! Will be good to see another Commonwealth truck on the Dutch scene.

Regards,
Hanno

[svdwal]

And she has passed the import examinsations with flying coulours.
She is now registered in the Netherlands and after i receive the vehicle papers this week is allowed on the road. It was the first serious drive from our workshop to the examination station, which is about 25 miles, and she behaved very well. Did around 30/35 Mph.

I am very happy and can concentrate on the further work on the truck, but first i'll get her ready for War and Peace next week.

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Well done, congrats

Have fun at W&P, are you driving the Morris over the road or are you transporting it?

[svdwal]

Thank you Hanno,

I will not drive to the UK with the Morris, she will be transported there.
Truck is to slow to drive such distances, it only gets 35/40Mph.

See you there?

Rgds.

Sjoerd

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Hi Sjoerd,

No I won't be able to make it to W&P this year.

Regards,
Hanno