Morris Oxford and Cowley buyer's guide

A Hindustan Ambassador is just an Indian Morris Oxford.

It began as the Series III, but it was developed in India for more than five decades with different engines and many changed parts. It is a separate car and should never be sold or bought as a UK Oxford.

A Cowley is an Oxford with a different badge.

The Cowley had plainer trim, less brightwork and fewer instruments, and the 1200 used a smaller engine. Its plainer fittings can be harder to find than Oxford parts, so check that a Cowley has not been dressed up with Oxford trim.

Every Morris Traveller has wood on the back.

Only the MO, Series II and Series III Oxford Travellers have timber-framed rear bodies. The Series IV, V and VI Travellers are all-steel.

Bodywork and structure

Rust is the biggest risk on every Oxford and Cowley, because the body is the chassis. Take a torch, a magnet and a mat to lie on, and spend most of your time here.

• Sills, inner and outer, and the bottom of the A-posts: A-post repairs are difficult without removing the front wing, and a door that sags or drops may be telling you the post is weak.
• Jacking points and the floor pans, including the box sections that run along the floor, from underneath and inside under the carpets and mats.
• Chassis outriggers, the front footwells and the bulkhead, especially where water collects at the base of the windscreen.
• The crossmember behind the front valance and the inner wings around the front suspension mountings.
• Front suspension mounting points and, on the Series VI, the anti-roll bar mounts: rot here is structural.
• Rear spring mounts and shackle points: original, unrepaired mounts are now rare, so look at the quality of any repair.
• Front wings at the lower edges and around the headlamps, plus the rear wheel arches, door bottoms, boot lid base and boot floor.
• Traveller estates: the tailgate bottom, the load floor and the rear floor behind the axle. On MO, Series II and Series III Travellers, press the timber at joints and at the bottom of each section for softness and look for blackened or split wood.
• Brightwork: chrome and stainless trim is extensive, and some parts, including the early MO grille, are Mazak, which pits and is hard to replate. Check bumpers, grille, window surrounds and badges.

Engine

Most cars have the B-Series, which can cover around 150,000 miles between rebuilds if serviced. The MO's side-valve engine is a different unit. Ask for a cold start and check the oil first.

• Check the engine number against the car's records. Engines have often been swapped, sometimes for a bigger B-Series and sometimes for a lesser unit, and some MOs may have been given later engines.
• Oil pressure when warm: 50 to 60psi on the move is healthy for a B-Series. Low readings need explaining.
• Blue smoke on start-up or over-run points to worn valve guides or stem seals; smoke under load suggests worn pistons or bores, and fumes from the breather mean blow-by.
• A rumble or knock from the bottom end means bearing wear. Some tappet noise is normal, but not a heavy clatter.
• Cooling: look for leaks, a corroded radiator and signs of overheating, which can lead to head gasket failure.
• Ask whether the cylinder head has hardened valve seats for unleaded fuel, particularly if the car is used hard.
• On the MO, listen for timing gear noise at the front of the engine and ask about the timing gears' history; the club can advise on this engine.

Gearbox and drivetrain

Every version has a four-speed manual, and the Farina cars have no synchromesh on first. Know which change the car should have, column or floor, and whether any automatic option is original.

• Second gear synchromesh is the most likely to be worn: change down from third to second briskly and listen for crunching.
• Check the gearbox does not jump out of gear under load or on the over-run.
• A rattle or rumble in neutral that goes away when the clutch is pressed suggests worn bearings.
• Column changes should select cleanly; vague or sloppy selection usually means worn linkage bushes.
• Series VI Borg Warner 35 automatic: look for clean, pink fluid, smooth and positive changes, no leaks and a working kickdown.
• Note any heavy rear axle whine and oil leaks at the pinion.

Suspension, steering and brakes

Front suspension wear tells you a lot about how the car has been looked after. All versions have drum brakes, so they need to be in very good order.

• Kingpins need grease every 3,000 miles. Look for fresh grease at the nipples, ask about the routine, and rock the front wheel top and bottom to feel for play.
• MO to Series IV and Cowley: torsion bar front suspension and rack and pinion steering, which should feel light and precise. Knocks or vagueness point to worn joints or rack mountings.
• Series V and VI: a steering box replaces the rack. Check for excessive play in the box, idler and linkage.
• Dampers: leaks and a floaty or bouncy ride show they are worn.
• Rear leaf springs can sag; the car should sit level. Check the shackles and bushes.
• Brakes: pulling, a long or spongy pedal, leaking wheel cylinders and seized parts are the usual faults, especially on cars that are rarely used.

Electrics and instruments

The electrics are simple, so faults are usually old wiring, poor earths, corroded connectors or amateur additions.

• Work every switch: lights, indicators, wipers, horn, heater fan and interior light.
• If the car has semaphore trafficators, check they rise and fall freely. Added flashing indicators are a common change and should be declared.
• Check the oil pressure and temperature gauges read sensibly.
• Look behind the dashboard and in the engine bay for brittle insulation, scorched connectors and loose wiring.
• Check the car starts without long cranking.

Interior and trim

Trim differs between series, between the Oxford and the Cowley, and between the Morris and its Farina relatives. Complete, correct trim is worth more than a smart but wrong interior.

• Check the interior suits the version: the Cowley had plainer trim than the Oxford, and Series III cars have a different dashboard from the Series II.
• Farina cars: Morris and Austin interiors are basic vinyl, while MG, Riley and Wolseley cars have leather and wood. Many survivors have had interior swaps, so mixed trim is common.
• Vinyl is durable, but look for splits along seat seams. Leather renovation is costly.
• Damp carpets or rusty seat frames point to leaks from the front or rear screen seals, door seals or the heater.
• Travellers: check the folding rear seat works, the load area trim is present and the tailgate seals.
• Missing badges, grille parts and window trim are slow to source, so a complete car is better than an incomplete one.

Paperwork and originality

With shared bodies, swapped engines and decades of repairs, the paperwork helps prove what the car is.

• Match the chassis number on the car with the V5C, and the engine number with the records.
• A Heritage Certificate from the British Motor Museum can confirm build date and original specification for Morris cars built from 1928 to 1971, although some original records were destroyed.
• Check the car is what it claims to be: a Cowley sold as an Oxford, a Cambridge dressed as an Oxford, or an Ambassador sold as a Series III all happen.
• For a diesel, a Manumatic or an original automatic, look for supporting evidence.
• Look for receipts and photographs of structural work, especially sills, floors and A-posts.
• Note modifications such as front disc brakes, a larger engine, flashing indicators or electronic ignition. Some are welcome, but they should be declared.

Where do Morris Oxfords rust?

The sills, A-post bottoms, floors and box sections, jacking points, outriggers, front crossmember, inner wings, spring mounts, front wings, rear arches, door bottoms and boot floor, plus the timber on wood-framed Travellers.

Which Morris Oxford is the best to buy?

For regular use, the Series VI is usually the easiest, with the 1622cc engine, wider track, anti-roll bars and the option of an automatic. The MO, Series II and Series III appeal for their earlier style. Body condition matters more than series.

What is the difference between a Morris Oxford and a Morris Cowley?

The Cowley, sold from 1954 to 1959, was a cheaper, plainer version of the Series II and III Oxford with less brightwork, simpler trim and fewer instruments. The Cowley 1200 had a smaller 1198cc engine; the Cowley 1500 shared the Oxford's 1489cc unit.

Is a Morris Oxford a good first classic?

It can be, because the mechanics are simple and the clubs are helpful. Have the structure inspected if you are unsure, and be ready for slower performance and drum brakes.

What is the difference between the Series V and Series VI Oxford?

The Series VI of October 1961 has smaller fins, a longer wheelbase, wider tracks, anti-roll bars and the 1622cc engine instead of the 1489cc unit, and a Borg Warner automatic became optional.

Which Oxford Travellers have wood?

The MO, Series II and Series III Travellers have timber-framed rear bodies. The Series IV of 1957 introduced an all-steel estate, and the Farina Series V and VI Travellers are all-steel too.