A tribute to JayBee
As iconic as Ginger’s granddad shirt
Nurse, nurse! false alarm, the old girl was fit as a fiddle.
The Pants’ van ‘JayBee’ was a retired Post Office Morris JB, circa 1958 and had the PO spec rubber mudguards, the front ones always caught out new passengers who often used them as a lever when jumping from the high-up floor and clearing the step.
The ‘guards flexed and the unfortunate soul always ended up in an undignified heap on the ground. Jaybe also had heavy steel duty cow-catchers on the front which made him a formidable traffic adversary and ensured that other road users often gave way. Naturally we assumed this was due to the Dirty Pants Band logo which was displayed like the Union Flag at Buckingham Palace, informing the public that the Pants were aboard!
There are numerous links to enthusiast pages of the J Type at the base of this page but you have to look at this lot: http://www.ccmv.fotopic.net/c1569848_1.html
The more modern J2 which followed Jaybee had nowhere near the charm!
Jaybee recreated for this site.
Skid demonstrates the rigidity of Jaybee’s roof, note the white coat, we were servicing the old gal prior to our first MOT with her, she sailed through!
This is how Jaybee looked in her working days, I bet more fun was had when out in pasture with the Pants!
This is a brief history of the vehicle type from Wikipedia.
The Morris Commercial J-type is a 10 cwt (0.5 ton) van launched by the Morris Commercial subsidiary of Morris Motors in 1949 and produced until 1961. After the formation, by the merger of Morris's parent company the Nuffield Organisation, and Austin, of the British Motor Corporation in 1952 the Commercial name was dropped and the van was marketed as the Morris J-type.
The van followed the emerging trend of having forward controls and sliding door on each side.It was made in both left and right hand versions. As well as complete vehicles, the J-type was also supplied in chassis form to external body makers and it appeared, among other uses, as a pick up, tipper truck, ice cream van and milk float. Many were bought by the British Post Office and these differed from standard in having rubber front and rear wings.
The J-type is fitted with a 1476 cc four cylinder side vale engine based on the one used in the contemporary Morris Oxford car. Drive to the rear wheels through a three speed gearbox and initially a spiral bevel type rear axle, later replaced by a hypoid type.
The van was updated to the JB in 1957 when a overhead valve 1489 cc, BMC B-Series engine was fitted along with four speed gear box.
An Austin version of the van appeared in 1957 known as the Austin 101 and differed from the Morris only in badging.
Production ceased in the early in 1961 after over 48,600 had been made. It was replaced by the Morris J4.
Possibly the most famous Morris Commercial in terms of media exposure in the Reactine van advertising the allergy medication on television and at promotional events.
Here are some links for those that might be interested in examples of this wonderful old workhorse. By George, I wish Rock and I had been able to hold onto Jaybee!!!
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/jtype/interesting/
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&&item=290471674385&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:GB:1120
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris_Commercial_J-type
The following are some ads sent from the wonderfully helpful folks at JTypeVan.com particularly Harvey Pitcher.
Jaybee’s replacement, Jaytoo was bigger, had windows all round and a cool side entrance to the rear, not nearly as much fun though.
