1923 Morris Cowley 'Bullnose' 2-Seat Tourer with Dickey
No Reserve

Registration No: PD 6735
Chassis No: MC11927111
MOT: Exempt

• Subject to a comprehensive restoration during the 1980s
• A charming example of a 'Bullnose' with good proportions
• Understood to have been in the ownership of three owners including the vendor since 1984

Introduced in 1913, the basic ‘Bullnose’ Morris design lasted until 1926, by which time its variants accounted for an impressive forty-five per cent. of new sales in Britain. Compared to domestic and foreign rivals in the 12-14hp market, the model offered notably good performance courtesy of its torquey, four-cylinder engines and light yet robust leaf-sprung chassis. Having originally sourced powerplants from the English White & Poppe outfit, William Morris switched to the cheaper American Continental Motor Manufacturing Corporation and then the French firm of Hotchkiss & Cie. The latter’s Coventry factory proved so successful at producing a reworked version of the Continental Red Seal 1.5-litre unit that it was bought by its biggest customer, becoming Morris Engines Ltd. during 1923. That year also saw production split between the basic 1548cc ‘Cowley’ (three lamp set, minimal instrumentation) and deluxe 1802cc ‘Oxford’ (five lamp set, leather upholstery, Dynamotor). Approximately 150,000 'Bullnoses' were made from 1919 to 1926 and they remained a familiar sight on British roads until well into the 1960s.

This extremely pretty Cowley has history dating back to 1983, when it belonged to Joyce Robinson of Brentwood, Essex. Mr. Denis MacGowan, also of Brentwood, acquired it the following year, at which stage we understand it was little more than a rolling chassis. He duly set out to rebuild it and put it back on the road, which he had succeeded in doing by 1991, choosing to reconstruct the car with the charming two-seater-plus-dickey body style. Parts of this process are documented in a collection of photographs illustrating the project at different stages.

Upon its completion, the Cowley was enjoyed by Mr. MacGowan for many years, with one other keeper looking after it prior to the vendor’s acquisition in 2020. Considering it was renovated some 35 years ago, the paint and exterior still present extremely well, but that is perhaps not surprising as it is only likely to have been used for local journeys and rallies. An impressive run of MOTs spans the period 1991 to 2013, with the several most recent showing no advisories. However, ‘PD 6735’ has more recently entered a period of hibernation – it has not been MOTed since 2013 or taxed since 2022 – so is likely to require some light recommissioning before venturing onto the roads. A current V5C and historic V5s are included.

For more information, please contact:
Lucas Gomersall
lucas.gomersall@handh.co.uk
07484 082430