MEET THE OWNER – MARTIN KEEPING AND HIS MORRIS A60 “SUN-TOR”
25th February, 2020
At this time of the year, many of us dream of summer holidays; a time when the skies are not an almost permanent shade of grey.
Instead, we dream of sunshine, 99 Flakes (sprinkles and raspberry sauce optional) and maybe a trip in a classic camper van – such as Martin Keeping’s 1970 Morris A60 Sun-Tor.
The original Austin Half-Ton Van made its bow in 1956 as the replacement for the A40 Devon-based light commercial and a Pick-Up followed in 1957.
By late 1962 the line-up was facelifted with a new grille and the option of a Morris-badged version, and from 1963 onwards the Half-Tons were powered by the 1,622cc B-series engine as the “A60” Van or Pick-Up.
Their continued popularity was such that BMC did not see the need to offer a “Farina” or “Landcrab”-derived commercial vehicle.
Production ceased in 1972, with the introduction of the Marina van, and one of the most high-profile roles of the later A60 Vans was a motor home.
They were to be the first conversion by Torcars of Torrington at the end of 1968, with later campers based on the Marina, the Commer PB, the Leyland Sherpa and the Toyota Hi-Ace.
The A60 Sun-Tors were fitted with an elevating roof, a cooker, a sink with hand-pumped water supply from a six-gallon tank, a “cool box” and various roof lockers.
One advantage of the A60 was that it was larger than the Bedford HA camper but more compact than a Ford Transit, or BLMC J4. The Keeping Sun-Tor is ‘still 100 per cent original inside, including the seats’.
Martin came by his splendid Morris in 2013 - ‘one family owned it from new and it was sold through the Cambridge Oxford Owners Club’.
Mr. Keeping was taken with the Sun-Tor ever since he came across one ‘years ago’ so he could not turn down the chance to come by one.
‘I didn’t do the restoration as she was too far gone for me. I ran the spares, and parts side and Trickett Welding did the rest’.
Over the past seven years, sourcing the rear window rubbers proved to be a major challenge – ‘we cut them out before realising you can’t get them’.
The inner wings presented a further problem and ‘these had to be fabricated from a pattern made from an A55 car’.
The Morris has been employed as Torcars intended - ‘we have camped with it with a tent extension’.
The first time was at the 50th anniversary. On the road, Martin finds the steering column gearchange ‘hard work sometimes’ while the standard reaction is one of amazement as ‘most have never seen one’.
Cue a very appropriate theme tune:
WITH THANKS TO – MARTIN KEEPING
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