1935 Morris Eight

Morris Eight (Saloon), 1934-1948

The Morris Eight was in production from 1934 to 1948. Styled in house, it is a front-engine, rear wheel drive saloon seating up to four adults.

Morris had been inspired by the success of the Ford Model Y, otherwise known as the Ford Eight, and set out to develop a car that would steal the market. Sitting a rung above the masochistically specified Austin Seven, it used a 918cc engine, three speed gearbox with synchromesh on 2nd and 3rd, and hydraulic brakes. Available as a two or four door saloon or open tourer, there was also a van variant available for commercial types. Unlike the Ford, Morris offered an electrically driven windscreen wiper in place of the vacuum unit on the Model Y. It built upon the Austin Seven by offering a fully laden dashboard, with fuel and oil pressure gauges, and its wide track meant it was more stable than the Austin to boot.

Restyled in 1938, there was a body coloured painted grille surround and new disc wheels in place of the earlier wire wheels. From October 1938 onward there was an even more comprehensive restyle, the Series E which incorporated a waterfall grille and faired in headlamps. Four doors were most common, but the range would also include a two door saloon, tourer and van. This model would continue to 1948, with production continuing through the war for military purposes. An upmarket Wolseley version was launched post war, and said to be the favoured transport of Lord Nuffield. Almost 340000 Morris Eights were produced in total.

Obvious competition in the UK would come in the ford of the Ford Model Y, which the Morris was developed to rival. Also, the Austin Big Seven would have been considered an alternative until the launch of the Austin 8, which itself would have been a rival to the Morris. Today's buyers might consider the Morris Minor MM, the Citroen 2CV or the Volkswagen Beetle as alternatives, given each was developed to meet a similar brief to the Morris Eight but for a post war economy.