The J2 range of 15cwt vans and pick ups was designed by Morris but was
very much a BMC product and was the corporations first unitary
construction van. Launched in 1956 it continued in production until 1967
by which time over a 120,000 had been built. The J2 was originally
fitted with the 1489cc version of BMC's B-Series engine, which was used
in many different vehicles including the Austin Cambridge and MGA. In
1962 it gained the enlarged 1622cc engine, which was been fitted in the
rest of the corporation's products, and a floor change gearbox. A diesel
version using the same engine was also offered. In line with BMC's
thinking in the late fifties, an Austin badged version of the J2 was
made, which differed only grille shape, the Austin being plainer in
style and more rectangular. The BMC JU van that was announced in 1967,
and produced until 1974 was actually a very heavily revised J2 under the
skin.