Alison Carr's Austin J4 - Morris Minibus

 

 

 We are the first one's in the United States to feature this Austin J4-Morris Minibus.  

Thank you Alison for sharing it with us and we look forward to featuring your other builds.

 

 Alison Carr is from the city of Cornwall in the United Kingdom. Along with her husband, they enjoy building Hot Rods and Street Machines so much that they have over a dozen in their collection .

I told them that I would love to share them all , as some of them are quite unique such as this spectacular example we have here .

Alison said the van started life as a Austin J4/Morris Minibus, it's quite similar to our Dodge A100 or Ford Falcon Econoline's of the 1960's

They gave It a heavy roof chop & installed  suicide doors. The rear cargo doors were welded solid. She stated they also sectioned six inches off the bottom half .  During the roof chop the windscreen was made in two pieces to give the front end some character. Other body mod's include inset turn indicators and a molded in parachute box.  Plus multiple sliding windows were added let in some fresh air .

 In this view we can see the chromed out Jaguar IRS and the long wheelie bars that keep it planted.

 

 In the 1980’s it ran in red oxide primer and was then painted powder blue with black flames. This was stripped some years ago and redone in the same scheme but with a heavy metal flake. 

 

They just had the Jag IRS chromed and a limited slip diff fitted. The front axle is a narrowed I-beam on leaf springs.

 

 

   With  stainless steel Zoomie exhaust pipes exiting from both sides, and wearing15x10 Cragar S/S on the rear, and 15x3.5's on the front.  It has an over the top Street Machine attitude !

 

 

 

 

 

The van is currently running a mid mounted    4.0 Liter TVR Tuscan Challenge engine. However, another TVR 4.0 Liter is being built with two Holley four barrel carbs & a 4/71 GMC Blower .

 

 

 The interior features a full roll cage And Auto Meter gauges keep tabs on the vital signs, The roof is treated to a custom flamed headliner. Up front two bucket seats with full race harnesses keep the happy passengers safe .

 

 

 

 

 As you can see , this Austin J4 is no stranger to being noticed as it has been featured in magazines in the U.K..

 

 

 

 

 

Photos courtesy of Alison Carr . 2020

 

 

 

 

 The van's early years in the 1980's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    The many options of the Austin J4 .