Morris Oxford is a series of motor car models produced by Morris of the United
Kingdom, from the 1913 bullnose Oxford to the Farina Oxfords V and VI.
Named by W R Morris after the city of dreaming spires, the university town in
which he grew up, the manufacture of Morris's Oxford cars would turn Oxford
into an industrial city. From 1913 to mid-1935 Oxford cars grew
in size and quantity. In 1923 they with the Cowley cars were 28.1 per cent of
British private car production. In 1925 Morris sold near double the number and
they represented 41 per cent of British production. Meanwhile Oxfords grew
larger from the first 1018 cc, Nine horsepower, two-seater car to the last
2½-litre Twenty horsepower car. The model name was recycled in 1948 and
lasted almost another 23 years through to 1971 but in this time the market
sector and engine-size remained nearly constant between 1476 cc and 1622 cc.
Oxford bullnose 1913–19 William Morris's first car was called
Oxford in recognition of its home city. It was announced in The Autocar magazine
in October 1912 and production began in March 1913. Virtually all components
were bought-in and assembled by Morris. It was a small car with a 1018 cc
four-cylinder side-valve engine with fixed cylinder head from White & Poppe.
The car got its popular name, Bullnose, from its distinctive round-topped
radiator at first called the bullet nose. Most bodies were of the two-seat
open-tourer type, there was also a van version, but the chassis did not allow
four-seat bodies to be fitted, it was not strong enough and too short.
= Bullnose de luxe = It was first displayed at the Olympia
Motor Show which opened 7 November 1913. The standard model remained in
production unchanged. The new de luxe had a longer wheelbase, 90 in, and track
was now 45 in. The range of bodies was now expanded from the simple two-seater.
Its front axle and steering had been re-designed to reduce "bump-steer"and
its radiator capacity increased. = Cowley =
The American engined Continental Cowley, with most other significant components
US sourced, shown to the press in April 1915, was a 50 percent larger engined,
longer, wider and better equipped version of this Morris Oxford with the
same "Bullnose" radiator. The Cowley's stronger and larger
construction could carry a four-passenger body.
Oxford bullnose 1919–26 The 1919 Oxford was assembled from
locally made components and now took on the rather more substantial aspect of
1915's Cowley. Longer and stronger than the old Oxford, enough to carry five
passengers, the new Oxford retained the pre-war Bullnose radiator style in its
larger version. From August 1919, the Cowley became the downmarket "no frills"
variant with only a 2-seater body and lighter smaller tyres. The new car's
11.9 fiscal horsepower 1548 cc engine was made under licence in Coventry for
Morris by a British branch of Hotchkiss the French ordnance company.
= 14/28 = In 1923 the engine was enlarged to 13.9
fiscal horsepower, 1802 cc. This became known as the 14/28 engine. In 1925 it
got a longer wheelbase chassis to move it further from the Cowley, and
four-wheel brakes. This model of the Oxford would be the basis of the first
MG, the 14/28 Super Sports. 1926 mid-year switch to flatnose
Oxford Six F-type bullnose A short-lived 17 hp six-cylinder
variant, The F-Type Oxford Six, was displayed for the first time as a four
seated cabriolet at the November 1922 Olympia Motor Show. The first open
four-seater tourer was sold to Lord Redesdale. Only 50 were made and, after
the initial run, they were assembled to special order. It remained available
until 1926. The 2320 cc engine proved unreliable, two intense vibration
periods weakened and broke crankshafts and few were sold.
Oxford flatnose 1926–30 The distinctive bullnose radiator was
dropped in 1926 in an updated version of the car. The engines remained the same
but a new range of bodies was offered including all-steel saloons. There were
substantial changes to the chassis frame which was now firmly fixed to the
bulkhead or scuttle. The radiator cooling surface was increased sixty per
cent Oxford 15.9
The 2½-litre Oxford 15.9 Empire model was displayed as "a Colonial Chassis" at
the Olympia Motor Show of October 1926. The standard coachwork is a four or five
seater body with four doors. The car can be driven safely through 20
inches, 510 mm, of water. The ground clearance is 10¼ inches, 260 mm. A full
11 inches, 278 mm, is allowed at the forward running board bracket cross
stay. This clearance is now greater than on many American cars. This "falsifies
hostile propaganda to the contrary". This Oxford 15.9 was replaced by another
four cylinder Oxford, Oxford 16/40. Oxford 16/40
A revised version of the slow-selling 4-cylinder 15.9 it was announced in
September 1928. It was probably given this new name before the announcement of
the 15.9 horsepower Oxford Six. There were minor improvements of appearance
but this was no more than a 15.9 with a new name.
This 16/40 was replaced by Oxford Six 15.9 hp.
Oxford Six 1929-1934 A 1938 cc six-cylinder version, the LA
series Oxford Six, was made between 1929 and 1933. It was much more successful
than the 1920 version. The all-steel body was made over the road at Cowley by
W R Morris's joint venture with American Edward G Budd, Pressed Steel Company. It
had striking similarities to a recent Dodge body. By 1930 supply problems were
such that it was replaced by a similar but coachbuilt body.
In August 1930 a shorter chassis more expensive version was announced and
named Morris Major Six, For other Morris Sixes:
= Upgrade = In September 1932, the gearbox gained a
fourth speed and the engine grew to 2062 cc with the Q-series unit.
Direction indicators, a set of three coloured lights on each side of the car
visible from front and rear were fitted. Controlled from a switch on the
dashboard they permitted accurate indications of planned movements while
the car's windows remain shut. = Automatism =
The Oxford, Isis and Twenty-five were singled out and given "automatic clutch
control" described by The Times as automatism. The Oxford also received a
governable free-wheel, bigger seats, a spare wheel cover and concealed ashtrays
for back seat passengers. The chassis frame was quite new and now also
contained a cruciform shape. = Tax relief =
This Oxford Six was renamed Oxford Sixteen in September 1934 and placed
within the new 16 to 25 horsepower range of Morris Big Sixes expanded in view of
the 25 per cent reduction in Horse Power tax expected in 1935.
Oxford Sixteen and Oxford Twenty 1934–35 The Six name was changed to Sixteen,
from the car's 16 hp tax horsepower category, in September 1934 when its
2062 cc engine was joined by the 2561 cc Twenty sold for the same price, the size
of engine being the only difference. There was an intermediate eighteen
horsepower Isis. Two styles of coachwork were available, the saloon and a Special
coupé both fitted with a Pytchley sliding head and the sliding head was
wired for radio. Barely nine months later these cars were
superseded by members of the Morris Big Six series II range: Sixteen or Eighteen
and Twenty-one or Twenty Five announced 2 July 1935.
The Oxford name disappeared from new Morris cars until 1948.
Oxford Taxi Nuffield's Oxford Taxi was produced from
1947 to 1953 Oxford MO 1948–54
After the Second World War the 13.5 fiscal horsepower Oxford MO had to
replace the Ten horsepower series M, Morris's Twelve and Morris's Fourteen.
It was announced along with the new 918cc Minor and the 2.2-litre Six on 26
October 1948. Designed by Alec Issigonis, the Oxford, along with the
Morris Minor, introduced unit construction techniques, although it is
not widely recognized as a true unibody car. The MO was sold as a 4-door saloon
and 2-door Traveller estate with an exposed wooden frame at the rear. Both
were four-seaters. A six-cylinder version was sold as the Morris Six MS.
It was replaced by the Oxford series II announced Tuesday 18 May 1954.
Oxford series II 1954–56 The fully redesigned Oxford announced in
May 1954 was given a new shape directly foreshadowing the BMC ADO17 and,
following the formation of BMC, notably getting the Austin-designed B-Series OHV
straight-4. Styling was entirely new though the rounded body maintained a
family resemblance to the Morris Minor. Sales remained strong when the Series
III arrived in 1956. A 2.6-litre six-cylinder 7-inches longer
Morris Isis version was announced 12 July 1955 with a saloon or Traveller
estate body. Hindustan Motors of India produced the
four-cylinder version of this car naming it Hindustan Landmaster.
Oxford series III 1956–59 The Oxford was updated for 1957 with a
new fluted bonnet and small rear fins and an optional two-tone paint scheme
all announced on 18 October 1956. A semi-automatic, two pedal, "Manumatic"
transmission with centrifugal clutch with vacuum operation coupled to gear
changes was optional. The woody Series III Traveller was replaced by the Series
IV in 1957, though the saloon remained in production until the
Pininfarina-styled Series V was introduced in 1959. 58,117 Series III
and Series IV Oxfords were built. Oxford Traveller all-steel series IV
1957–60 The Oxford IV was only made in the
Traveller estate version. A steel-bodied replacement for the "woody" Series III
Traveller, it was similar to the Series III saloon in most respects. The IV was
introduced in 1957. A Traveller estate car version of the
series V Farina body was announced 28 September 1960. The new body now
provided a double bed size sleeping compartment about 6 ft long and 4 ft
wide. The back of the car had a tail-board hinged at the bottom and an
upper panel hinged at the top. The Morris version had a single bench front
seat and cost £10 more than the equivalent Austin Countryman.
Oxford series V 1959–61 For 1959, the Oxford, announced on Lady
Day 25 March 1959, was merged into the mid-sized Pininfarina-designed BMC
Farina range along with a half-dozen other previously announced models,
including the 1958 Wolseley 15/60 and 1959 Riley 4/68, Austin A55 Cambridge
Mark II, and MG Magnette Mark III. The Series IV Traveller was still sold for
the first year after which a Series V Traveller was made.
In all, 87,432 Series V Oxfords were built.
Oxford series VI 1961–71 All five Farina cars were updated in
October 1961 with a new 1.6 L version of the B-Series engine, longer wheelbase
and a new revised look. The tail fins had been trimmed and there were still
detail changes between the marques. The Morris retained the series V dash, while
the Austin had an all-new fake woodgrain design. The Morris Oxford Traveller
series V was replaced by a series VI, although little changed apart from the
front grille. A diesel-engined Oxford series VI,
introduced shortly after the 1961 update, was popular as a taxi. Variants
of the same diesel engine enjoyed a long life in marine applications.
The Oxford VI remained in production until 1971 with 208,823 produced. The
Oxford range was to have been replaced by the 1967 Morris 1800, but in the
event both were built in parallel until 1971 because in terms both of pricing
and of interior space the 1800 fell into the market segment of a slightly larger
car. The ADO17 1800 continued until 1975, when it was succeeded by the ADO71
Morris 1800. The car which took the Oxford's place at the smaller end of the
market segment was the Morris Marina, which also succeeded the yet smaller
Minor. References
Footnotes Bibliography