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BMC Leyland

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A Brief History Of BMC

The British Motor Corporation Limited (BMC) was a UK-based vehicle manufacturer, formed in early 1952 to give effect to an agreed merger of the Morris and Austin businesses.

BMC acquired the shares in Morris Motors and the Austin Motor Company. Morris Motors, the holding company of the productive businesses of the Nuffield Organisation, owned MG, Riley, and Wolseley.

The agreed exchange of shares in Morris or Austin for shares in the new holding company, BMC, became effective in mid-April 1952.

In September 1965, BMC took control of its major supplier of bodies, Pressed Steel, acquiring Jaguar's body supplier in the process.

In September 1966, BMC merged with Jaguar Cars Limited.

On 14 December 1966, BMC changed its name to British Motor Holdings Limited or BMH.

BMH merged in May 1968 with Leyland Motor Corporation Limited, which made trucks and buses owned Standard-Triumph International Limited, BMH becoming the major part of British Leyland Motor Corporation.

B-Series Diesel

The precursor of the "B" series engine was a 1200 cc Overhead Valve (OHV) engine which was used in the 1947-1952 Austin A40 Devon, and, in slightly modified form, in the 1953 Austin A40 Somerset.

This engine had the same basic dimensions as one of Austin's pre-war sidevalve engines but to an all-new OHV design which had many features copied from the Chevrolet 235 straight-six engine used on military trucks that the Austin works had overhauled during the Second World War. These features included the valve gear and especially the siamesed cylinder head ports. Austin realised that eventually they would need an engine that could power many of its forthcoming medium-sized cars, and this would require an engine of at least 1500 cc capacity. Since the A40 Devon engine could not have its capacity enlarged, a new engine needed to be designed and built.

The design of this new engine commenced around January 1952, and was designated as the "B" series. Although superficially similar, it was longer and heavier than the A40 Devon engine. A major advantage was that it could be bored out, whereby the piston cylinders diameter could be increased to provide a larger capacity if needed. Originally of approximately 1.2 Litre capacity, later displacements ranged widely from 1.2 L to 2.4 L, the latter being an Australia only production six-cylinder variant.

The most common engine sizes were 1.5 L and 1.8 L and saw service in a number of vehicles. This included a version of the engine built under license in India by Hindustan Motors for its Ambassador series of cars. Petrol versions were produced in the greatest numbers, but diesel versions exist for both cars and marine applications including, narrow boats, broads cruisers, works boats and many more. At Our boulters-chandlery.co.uk and Boulter Marine Base In Norfolk, we maintain, refurbish engine and stock many parts for many of the BMC Models.

Call us with your requirements.