Motor vehicle
| Morris Major | |
|---|---|
 1931 Morris Major 6-light saloon | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Morris Motors |
| Production | 1930–1933 |
| Assembly | United Kingdom |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 4-door saloon 2-door coupe 4-door tourer |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1938 cc I6 (1930–31) 1803 cc I6 (1931–33) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Morris Oxford Six |
| Successor | Morris Cowley Six |
The Morris Major is an automobile produced by Morris Motors in the United Kingdom from late 1930 until 1933. It was described by commentators as a Morris Oxford Six with a coachbuilt saloon body. 4025 examples of the 1931 model were produced followed by 14,469 of the 1932-33 model.
15 horsepower
Announced 30 August 1930, the Major was offered in two types of saloon and a coupé:
- Salonette, 4-passengers, black fabric £215
- Coach-built saloon 5-passengers with folding head £225
- Coach-built coupé with folding head £220
The engine was similar to that of the Morris Oxford Six as was the chassis. The nominally 14.9 hp (11.1 kW) 2-litre engine was said to generate 45 bhp (34 kW) at 3,200 rpm. The gearbox provided three forward speeds. The car was fitted with six brakes, the four-wheel ones adjustable by a single winged-nut.
14 horsepower
The Morris Major programme reported for the October 1931 Motor Show had an expanded range of five body styles:
- Chassis £160
- Tourer £210
- Sports coupé £245
- Saloon fixed or sliding head £199.10.0 or £215
The fiscal horsepower had been dropped to 13.9 from 14.9. To achieve this, the engine bore was reduced by 2.25 mm for a bore and stroke of 61.25 × 102 mm, resulting in a displacement of 1803 cc. This reduced size six-cylinder engine had a four-bearing crankshaft, an air-cleaner-heater, and a fume-consumer head. Other standard features now included chrome finished automatic radiator shutters, a 4-speed twin-top gearbox, Lockheed hydraulic brakes, and a wide 52-inch track.
Special coupé
The range was extended during 1932 with a Special coupé priced at £285.
References
- ^ Michael Sedgwick & Mark Gillies, A-Z of Cars of the 1930s, Haymarket Publishing Ltd, 1989, page 137
- ^ Cars Of 1931. The Times, Saturday, Aug 30, 1930; pg. 12; Issue 45605
- ^ Cars Of 1932. The Times, Saturday, Aug 29, 1931; pg. 3; Issue 45914
- Display advertising Morris. The Times, Saturday, Aug 30, 1930; pg. 15; Issue 45605
- Display advertising Morris. The Times, Friday, Sep 02, 1932; pg. 17; Issue 46228.