Morris Cowley Bullnose (1915)
| Morris Cowley Continental Cowley | |
|---|---|
 Van (top removed) manufactured November 1916 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | W R M Motors Limited |
| Production | 1915–1920 1450 approx [1] |
| Assembly | Cowley, Oxford |
| Designer | W R Morris & Hans Landstad [1] |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | midsize car |
| Body style | two-seater, four-seater, coupé, cabriolet [1] and delivery van |
| Related | Morris Oxford bullnose |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1495 cc Continental Red Seal Type U |
| Transmission | dry 2-plate clutch, 3-speed gearbox (in cast aluminium housing), universal joint in a housing by the gearbox, propellor shaft enclosed by torque tube, rear axle: ¾ floating single piece banjo casing, spiral bevel final drive [1] |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 8' 6" 102 in (2,590.8 mm) Track 4' 0" 48 in (1,219.2 mm) |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Morris Cowley (1919 model) |
The Continental Cowley, shown to the press in April 1915, was a larger engined (1495 cc against 1018 cc), longer, wider and better-equipped version of the first Morris Oxford with the same "Bullnose" radiator; in addition it could carry a four-passenger body. To reduce the price, many components were bought from United States suppliers. The 1495 cc, side-valve, four-cylinder engine was made by Continental Motor Manufacturing Company of Detroit, and the clutch and three-speed gearbox by Detroit Gear & Machine Co. Back axle, front axle and steering gear also came from the USA. Supply of these components was badly affected by the First World War. The suspension used semi-elliptic leaf springs at the front and three-quarter-elliptics at the rear. [1]
The central position of the handbrake and ball-change gear lever revealed the gearbox's US origin. It also made for easy entry through the driver's door and no cold steel up a driver's leg. The petrol tank was in the scuttle, and its filler was above the gear lever in the centre of the dashboard. [1]
The US-made back axle was the first helically cut drive in a quantity-produced British car. [1]
Electric lighting was standard. It was the first Morris car to be sold like that. The six-volt Lucas lamps were a set of five, powered by a belt-driven dynamo fixed to the engine by its cylinder head studs. The cost of these few electrical components was equivalent to 59% of the cost of the imported engine. [1] The delivery van body was not provided with electric lighting.
More expensive than Oxford
There was no austerity for the Cowley, though it was at first slightly cheaper than the Oxford. There was diamond-patterned buttoned upholstery in real leather set off by mahogany cappings, and a proper door for the driver. The mudguards were black and the standard body colour was a chocolate brown. The Cowley did not become a stripped-down Oxford until 1919. [1]
McKenna duties
Although first shown to the press in April 1915, the new car was not generally available until late summer that year, just when the government suddenly imposed the McKenna duties. A tax of 33% was imposed on imported "luxury" goods, but demand for the Cowleys seemed to ignore the price rises. [1]
| Continental engined Cowleys | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cars produced | 161 | 684 | 125 | 198 | 281 | 1 |
source [1]
The last Continental Cowley was assembled in 1920, finishing the stock of original engines. Three thousand engines were despatched to Morris but more than half were lost by enemy action while crossing the Atlantic, leaving around 1,500 sets of certain chassis components unsold. [1] More recent research suggests that there may have been only one shipment of about 150 lost through enemy action, and orders for more shipments were cancelled.
Designed for mass production
Excellent American automobile engineering and production techniques made the first Cowley a great success. The cars were the right design for quantity production when Morris entered quantity production in the 1920s and their high quality engineering created a reputation for utter reliability and resistance to the most shocking abuse. [1]
Bullnose and Flatnose engines U.S. and Coventry made
| Continental Red Seal Type U 1495 / 1557 | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Continental Motor Manufacturing Company [1] Muskegon and Detroit USA |
| Production | 1915 |
| Layout | |
| Configuration | straight-4 cast en bloc [1] |
| Displacement | nominal 1.495 L (91.2 cu in) [1] actual 1.557 L (95.0 cu in) |
| Cylinder bore | nominal 69 mm (2.7 in) [1] actual 69.8 mm (2.75 in) |
| Piston stroke | nominal 100 mm (3.9 in) [1] actual 101.6 mm (4.00 in) |
| Cylinder block material | cast-iron 3-bearing crankshaft pistons: cast-iron crankshaft: Desaxé, white metal bearings in phosphor bronze shells, sump cast aluminium [1] |
| Cylinder head material | cast-iron detachable; fitted with priming taps; plain copper gasket [1] |
| Valvetrain | side valve L-head, helical timing gears [1] |
| Combustion | |
| Fuel system | carburettor: Zenith gravity fed horizontal [1] magneto:
|
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Oil system | main bearings: pressure lubricated by plunger pump, pressure test by special tap. big ends: splash. if not first, one of the first British cars with a dipstick [1] |
| Cooling system | water thermosyphon, fan assisted radiator by Doherty Motor Components or Randle, both of Coventry [1] |
| Output | |
| Power output | not published RAC (tax) rating 11.9hp [1] actual RAC (tax) rating 12.08hp |
| Chronology | |
| Successor | Hotchkiss |
| Hotchkiss later Morris 1548 | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Hotchkiss & Cie. Gosford Street Coventry until May 1923, works thereafter under the ownership of Morris Engines Limited [1] |
| Production | 1919 to 1926 |
| Layout | |
| Configuration | straight-4 cast en bloc with upper crankcase [1] |
| Displacement | 1.548 L (94.5 cu in) [1] |
| Cylinder bore | 69.5 mm (2.74 in) [1] |
| Piston stroke | 102 mm (4.0 in) [1] |
| Cylinder block material | cast-iron 3-bearing crankshaft pistons: cast-iron crankshaft: steel stamping, bronze backed white metal bearings, sump cast aluminium [1] |
| Cylinder head material | cast-iron detachable copper asbestos sandwich gasket [1] |
| Valvetrain | side valve L-head, helical timing gears, camshaft in two plain bearings operating valves by mushroom head tappets, single valve springs [1] |
| Combustion | |
| Fuel system | carburettor:
exhaust: 3-port
magneto: helical bevel drive |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Oil system | main bearings and camshaft gear: pressure lubricated by plunger pump from camshaft big ends: splash [1] |
| Cooling system | water thermosyphon, fan assisted radiator 1919 by Randle, thereafter by Osberton [1] |
| Output | |
| Power output | not published RAC (tax) rating 11.9hp [1] |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Continental Red Seal |
| Morris 1802 | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Morris Engines Limited Gosford Street Coventry [1] |
| Production | 1923–1926 |
| Layout | |
| Configuration | straight-4 cast en bloc with upper crankcase [1] |
| Displacement | 1.802 L (110.0 cu in) [1] |
| Cylinder bore | 75 mm (3.0 in) [1] |
| Piston stroke | 102 mm (4.0 in) [1] |
| Cylinder block material | cast-iron 3-bearing crankshaft pistons: cast-iron crankshaft: steel stamping, bronze backed white metal bearings, sump cast aluminium [1] |
| Cylinder head material | cast-iron detachable copper asbestos sandwich gasket [1] |
| Valvetrain | side valve L-head, helical timing gears, camshaft in two plain bearings operating valves by mushroom head tappets, single valve springs [1] |
| Combustion | |
| Fuel system | carburettor: Smith (various) exhaust: 4-port magneto: helical bevel drive |
| Fuel type | petrol |
| Oil system | main bearings and camshaft gear: pressure lubricated by plunger pump from camshaft big ends: splash [1] |
| Cooling system | water thermosyphon, fan assisted radiator: Osberton [1] |
| Output | |
| Power output | not published RAC (tax) rating 13.9hp [1] |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Morris 1548 cc |
