The Isis is a six-cylinder car in a four-cylinder body. It replaced the Morris Six MS in March 1955 and used an almost-unibody shell shared with the Morris Oxford — but with a lengthened wheelbase and modified front-end components to take the 2639cc C-series six. Series I (1955, 8,541 built) matches the Oxford Series II; Series II (1956–1958, 3,614 built) matches the Oxford Series III. Torsion-bar front suspension on both, saloon and estate bodies on both.
So: what crosses, and what does not. Rear doors, rear glass and rear body rubber follow the Oxford shell of the matching series. Front wings, bonnet, front glass and the entire front structure do not — the wheelbase is longer and the front end was modified around the six. Get the series right first, because an Isis Series I wants Oxford Series II rear parts and an Isis Series II wants Oxford Series III rear parts.
The engine is an Austin engine, but not in Austin tune. The 2639cc C-series came from the Austin Westminster; the Isis runs a single SU where the Westminster did not. 86bhp on Series I, 90bhp on Series II. Carburation, manifolding and air cleaner are Isis-specific; the bottom end is Westminster.
And the car it replaced is worth knowing about, because the same logic applies. The Morris Six MS (1948–1953, 12,400 built) is a 2215cc straight-six with an overhead camshaft, 70bhp, Lockheed hydraulic 10in drums, torsion-bar front, live rear axle on semi-elliptics and Bishop cam steering — lower geared than the Oxford MO’s rack and pinion. It shares the Oxford MO’s body shell from the scuttle backwards, on a 110in wheelbase against the Oxford’s 97in. Same rule, one generation earlier.
Morris Isis — specification & changes within the model
- Which Oxford does it match?
-
Isis Series I (1955) = Oxford Series II. Isis Series II (1956–58) = Oxford Series III. Establish the series before quoting any shared body part.
- What crosses from an Oxford
-
Rear doors, rear glass and rear body rubber, of the matching series. That is the list.
- What does not cross
-
Front wings, bonnet, front glass and the entire front structure. The wheelbase is longer and the front-end components were modified to take the six.
- Engine
-
2639cc C-series six, from the Austin Westminster. 86bhp (Series I), 90bhp (Series II), single SU — the Westminster did not run a single SU, so carburation and manifolding are Isis-specific.
- The car before it — Morris Six MS
-
1948–1953, 12,400 built. 2215cc overhead-cam six, 70bhp. Lockheed hydraulic 10in drums. Torsion-bar front, live rear axle on semi-elliptics, Bishop cam steering. Shares the Oxford MO shell from the scuttle back, 110in wheelbase against the Oxford’s 97in.
- Production
- Series I 8,541. Series II 3,614. 12,155 in total — which is why this is a small collection and why it is worth asking us rather than assuming we have nothing.
- Not claimed
-
Earth polarity. We will not guess it. No marque club, period road test or factory document we would stand behind states positive or negative earth for this car. Nominal voltage we can give you — and it is worth saying that the Morris Minor was 12 volt from the first car in 1948 to the last in 1971. Check the car before you order anything polarity-sensitive. We also cannot source the Isis brake specification directly — the Six MS figure above is sourced, the Isis is not — and nothing establishes New Zealand assembly of either car.
