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sam christie
United Kingdom
3059 Posts |
 Posted - 29/12/2014 : 13:27:33
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I have read that total J type production was about 2500 and that production started at chassis number J 0251 and ended somewhere beyond J4431. Every time I add 251 to 2500 it comes out as something rather less than 4000.
I was just trying to work out two things -
(1) the number of swept wing cars produced (began J3438 ?)
(2) the number of J types produced after J3580
Should I ask an Italian waiter ?
Sam |
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MaGic_GV
United Kingdom
868 Posts |
Posted - 29/12/2014 : 16:28:15
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Sam, there were some substantial gaps in the numbering.
Quite a large batch of 250 numbers was allocated to J3s, but of course that number was never made.
The first swept wing J2 was indeed J3438, though some subsequent cars were fitted with cycle wings.
Probably about 800 J2s were produced after J 3580.
Ciao,
Tazio (the racing job didn't work out)
Regards,
Graham
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3059 Posts |
Posted - 29/12/2014 : 17:45:54
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Thanks Graham, that more or less answers my questions.
Did J1 production stop completely at chassis J0631 (as I read it, this is implied by the Triple-M Register-2013) or was the odd J1 produced after that?
Sam |
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MaGic_GV
United Kingdom
868 Posts |
Posted - 30/12/2014 : 16:05:54
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J 0631 was completed on 7/7/33, about six months before the end of J production. There were some higher numbers built as chassis only for export, I can't say what the body styles were, but I can't see any J1s listed after J 0631.
Ciao,
Regards,
Graham
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John James
United Kingdom
960 Posts |
Posted - 30/12/2014 : 17:32:34
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Sam,
J0632 with engine number 2368AJ (build date 18/07/33) was completed as J3474 and was delivered on 05/09/33 to R.C. Bellamy Ltd., Grimsby and sold to customer T. Chambers on 01/12/33.
JOHN JAMES www.ttypes.org
'Proud to be independent' |
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3059 Posts |
Posted - 30/12/2014 : 20:21:21
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I am approaching this with limited knowledge of J history so please forgive any 'dumb' questions.
John, when J0632 was renumbered as J3474 was it completed as a J1 or a J2?
Did MG make a decision (at chassis J0631) to concentrate on J2 production because it was in high demand and end J1 production due to low demand?
Were left over J1 bodies and other parts (if there were any) applied to anything else?
Sam |
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John James
United Kingdom
960 Posts |
Posted - 30/12/2014 : 21:51:44
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Sam,
Who knows! There isn't anybody around to ask who was there at the time. Even for TC production there are only a couple left, one of whom is Jimmy Cox who started as a Messenger on 15th October 1945 and after 6 months graduated to the production line, albeit his initial duties were to make tea in the mornings and to fetch and carry spanners in the afternoons.
My guess is that the chassis was initially intended to be for a J1 (same chassis, but from memory different drillings on the chassis for the front wings?) but probably due to greater demand for the 2-seater model it was decided to use the chassis to build J3474. So J3474 was built on the chassis which was originally earmarked for J0632.
Although the J1 model was still selling (the previous five chassis numbers to J0632 built on 07/07/33 all went out to the dealers within two to three weeks of production and left the dealers within a week or two of arrival at their premises) the decision may have been taken to cease production of the J1 to make way for demand for the J2.
I can't help with the question about left over J1 bodies but the production of these could presumably have been cancelled at relatively short notice.
JOHN
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3059 Posts |
Posted - 31/12/2014 : 13:28:07
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Thanks John.
In my 1978 edition of 'MG by McComb' suggests a figure of 380 J1's produced and 2083 J2's. Are these figures still considered to be reasonably accurate?
Sam |
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John James
United Kingdom
960 Posts |
Posted - 31/12/2014 : 21:31:31
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That's about it Sam. For the J1 the chassis numbers ran from J0252 to J0631 which is 380. A 'handful' of these went as chassis only to have special bodies fitted.
JOHN |
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JohnE
United Kingdom
369 Posts |
Posted - 01/01/2015 : 15:50:53
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The J1 bodies could have been used on the last F3's. I think the J1 steering column has a different part number to the J2, and there is a tool box which would have been removed for the J2 scuttle bracing.
Nice to see a J1 at Brooklands today parked in the 1932 Motor Show spot;
JohnE |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6020 Posts |
Posted - 01/01/2015 : 16:26:38
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The F3 ceased production in April 33, so well before the J1 ceased. Mike Hawke did an article in the Yearbook about the end of the J series production and from memory (I don't have it to hand) he wondered why the J1 was stopped so early compared to them J2 and thought that perhaps it was stopped in anticipation of the arrival of the P Type at the October Motor Show. But the initial power output of the P Type engine was disappointing and it had to await the cylinder head design that came with the N. So the J2 was given a face lift and soldiered on with a number of updates - swept wings, electric wipers, extra front bearing on the crank - until the P Type became available in February 34.
Simon J
J3437 |
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3059 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2015 : 11:30:33
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Is it possible that J1 sales were simply so much slower than MG expected that production of the J1 was stopped when the stock of bodies was used up? Perhaps J2 sales were meanwhile much better than expected (is there any evidence of contractors making up shortages of J2 body components?).
On Monday 12th September 1933 at J2 chassis J3581 the factory began fitting J1 undetrays to all the remaining production of J2's (see parts list). Remaining J2 production (based on adding up the numbers on http://www.triplemregister.org/OctagonHeaven/Articles/162.pdf) was 502 cars. This suggests a pile of 500 J1 undertrays (part number 1965) needing to be used or scrapped. Perhaps this also suggests sales of J1's 500 less than initial predictions.
Is it reasonable to assume MG knew exactly when J2 production would end with introduction of the P-type and could plan and use up parts accordingly?
Sam |
Edited by - sam christie on 02/01/2015 11:50:31 |
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Biggles
United Kingdom
95 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2015 : 12:12:52
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Gosh John you have answered something about my car that has been puzzling me as I am the current owner of J 3474, which I purchased about 9 months ago. The car has been off the road since 1973 but is largely complete but missing its original engine and is now fitted with a Ford sidevalve. The chassis number looked to me as if it had been overstamped and this was concerning me as I thought perhaps someone had fitted a different chassis at some time. However, it is clear from my photos that it was originally stamped J1 0632. Many thanks John Tinley
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sam christie
United Kingdom
3059 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2015 : 14:06:31
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If J1 chassis number allocations started at J0250 and finished at J2000 might it suggest MG predicted vastly higher sales than the approximately 380 units sold?
That is interesting about J3474 being built on the chassis which was originally earmarked for J0632. It would be interesting to see how John's (Biggle's) chassis is drilled - presumably both as a J1 and a J2?
Sam |
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Biggles
United Kingdom
95 Posts |
Posted - 02/01/2015 : 16:32:38
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Sam, I have attached a recent photo of my car. I am new to pre-war MG ownership and would not be able to tell anything about it other than recognising that it is a J2. I hope to have it back at my house in Maidenhead within the next 6 weeks and would be very happy for anyone with some knowledge to come and tell me if the chassis is one originally drilled for a J1 body. Unfortunately it has lost its original engine and now has a Ford sidevalve and has what I think are Morris 8 brakes. It has been off the road since 1973 but seems to have survived quite well. Cheers, John Tinley
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Biggles
United Kingdom
95 Posts |
Posted - 07/01/2015 : 14:41:44
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| Many thanks to the kind members who have offered to come and look at my J2 to see if it was originally drilled as a J1. I will certainly be taking you up on your offers as soon as I get it back to my garage in Maidenhead. I am very keen to add more to it's history. As already mentioned the first owner was a Mr Chambers of Old Market Place, Grimsby. There is still a Chambers Restaurant trading in the square and I would be very interested to hear if any member of the group has any contact with the Chambers family or how I might go about tracing them. Cheers, John Tinley |
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