Morris Oxford bullnose
| 1913–1914 | |
|---|---|
|
|
|
| Overview | |
| Production | 1913–1914 1302 produced. |
| Body and chassis | |
| Body style | 2-door tourer |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1018 cc side-valve Straight-4 |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 84 in (2,100 mm) |
| Length | 125 in (3,200 mm) |
| Width | 45 in (1,100 mm) |
William Morris' first car was called the Oxford in recognition of its home city. To keep costs down 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 and Poppe. Ignition was by a Bosch magneto.
The chassis was of pressed-steel construction and suspension was by semi-elliptic leaf springs at the front and three-quarter ones at the rear. The brakes, on the rear wheels only, were external contracting type using metal shoes. A three-forward and reverse gearbox was fitted. The headlights were acetylene and the side and tail lamps oil.
The car got its name from its distinctive round-topped radiator at first called the bullet nose. Most bodies, made by Raworth of Oxford, were of the two-seat open tourer type, there was also a van version, but the chassis was too short to allow four-seat bodies to be fitted.
