Description
VIN Chassis No.: 35794
First Registered: 1933
This Morris 10-4 is as original as you can possibly find. Admittedly it has had a new roof lining, but the seats, carpets, even the door cards and wood trim are all original and in fabulous order, all the more so for a car of this age.
There are a couple of images of the underneath of the seats to show its originality.
The era is unmistakeable, the box-saloon form, the solid, horse-drawn-carriage-style doors, the sweeping wheel arches, and the long, straight valanced bonnet, the sliding-head roof.
This particular example, and there really can't be many left in such original condition, boasts several features ahead of its time. These include state-of-the-art Lockheed hydraulic brakes, synchromesh on the 3rd and 4th gears for smooth gearchanges, SU carburettor for efficiency, a sliding rear luggage rack, and a 1292cc engine capable of 60mph in its day.
The car's colour-coordinated interior features a rear privacy blind, lovely solid wood trim on the doors, the original coachbuilder's plaque, and patented Pytchley Sliding Roof:
At first Pytchley used their sliding roof system to build a number of coach-built, custom "tourer saloon" automobiles, and in 1927 they claimed it "slides at the touch of a finger and opens up 50% of the roof area giving greater visibility and more air without draughts."
The sliding roof system evolved from a device that Pytchley installed themselves, to an option which manufacturers offered as a standard body style. Morris built several models using Pytchley's technology from 1932, including the Morris Minor, Morris Major and Morris Ten and Ten Four, adding what became known as a Sliding Head. The sliding panel also incorporated locks which allowed the panel to be fixed at any position from fully closed to fully open.
The sliding head, when fully open, offers the thrill of open-air driving to all its passengers, as it extends almost the full length and width of the roof. Together with the originality of the deep-sprung seats and the capable engine, it all makes for a convincing 1930s high-end driving experience. And an increasingly rare one nowadays, as these cars very seldom come onto the market.
