David & Noeleen Bates' 1954 Morris Cowley SII
History:
The Cowley has always been in Canterbury’s dry climate. The first owner had the car for about four years. It was then bought by the father of Barry Lucas. Barry was an original member of the Morris Owners Club S.I. Later Barry himself was the owner and was actually the third owner. We have, as fourth owners, been very pleased with the car’s ride, performance and ease of starting. We put radial tyres on it soon after purchase.
Restoration:
We believe that various things have been tidied – upholstery, shock absorbers, paint repairs, but the car has never had a full restoration and a close inspection shows a car that has had over 50 years of use but not a hard life – no rust under driver’s feet! Perhaps some day it may need a paint job but it is original.
Rallies:
We use the car for V.C.C. rallies and love the MOCSI outings to meet with other Morris owners. We have not had any International Rally attendances in this car.
Interesting Features:
We like the heating and ventilation which works well. The car originally had a 1200cc motor but at some stage an Oxford 1500cc has been installed. It has a 12 Gallon fuel tank. The bench seat with offset steering wheel makes a full six seater. I have an historic key ring (photo below) – older members will remember!
