A car from my own collection and, in my mind, the absolute best compromise in a classic English sports car. And I decided, three nearly identical examples is very possibly one too many..
Why is it my absolute favorite? An obvious question. Don't get me wrong, I adore MG TCs (and my last one was supercharged), had a restored Healey 100M LeMans for over twenty years, enjoyed a good number of Lotus Elans including a 155hp Sprint and a rare S2 with a BRM engine, fondly remember a restored Elva Courier Mk II, a Turner Climax, even a fabulous HRG 1500. All great cars. But as a compromise, and having owned Morgans for 48 years, NOTHING (in my mind) can compare with a 1950-1953 Morgan Plus 4 Flat Rad. Of which only 670 were built.
These early Plus 4s (actually, the first of a model that continues into the 21st century) possess the classic lines of an MG TC, provide the performance of a TR3A, great handling, comfortable ride (don't believe the legends of Morgan's ride forcing fillings out of a driver's teeth), simple to service, very reliable, easy cruising at 80 mph, the wonderful experience of a fold down windshield, AND MY CAR (the one for sale) has been greatly improved.
First of all, my car: excellent body, freshly painted in deep BRG (three coats of color, three coats of clear, wet sanded and buffed to a show finish), excellent chassis, wood floors and wheel wells all in good order, all new interior (with leather seats in a deep tan), most of the original gauges rebuilt, new wiring harness, improved with a new dual master cylinder (an element of safety hard to fit on most of the others), front disc brakes (okay, not original but nice to have modern braking), wire wheels (another item not original but pooh on Morgan for not offering it on this model), twin fuel pumps, racing style reduction gear starter motor, modern radial tires, and when acquired, we did a compression test and found 190-195 psi compression in every cylinder, and 65-70 psi oil pressure when warm.
Brakes are in good order, we just installed a new set of adjustable Koni shocks, top and side curtains are in very good condition and fit very well, we installed a powerful heater, a modern digital stereo, converted the car to negative ground, installed a racing battery switch, chrome radiator cowl is very good, has original King of the Road headlights, has been graced with turn signals, new seat belts, even a 12v outlet with USB outputs under the dash. Adding a lot of 21st century additions to a car with a front suspension patented in 1909!
With an incredibly sturdy 100hp engine and tons of torque, an unbreakable just rebuilt Moss gearbox (same internals as a 1948 to 1965 Jaguar.....able to easily handle the 265 Jag horsepower, will probably last forever with a mere 100hp), a curb weight of around 1800 pounds, it really does everything I would want in a fun, easy to own classic.
Plenty of Morgan parts suppliers in the USA, can get almost anything one would ever need directly from the factory in England (imagine calling the Porsche factory and asking to supply parts for a '53 Porsche!), and on a warm day, a winding road, and with the windshield folded, to me, pure heaven.
NEVER thought I would sell this rare car but, with two other identical Flat Rads in my barn and a newly acquired Plus 8, I think I have reached my limit in Morgan ownership. So, if interested, call (and photos will be posted within a week).
Now, I do love Morgans but after a half century of realizing that most of 'em look exactly the same, ALL with the traditional 'waterfall' grille, I have been enamored with the Plus 4 Flat Rad's pre war look. The upright grille, the beautiful chromed radiator cowl, the separate headlights, all missing on Morgans from 1954 to the present. The problem, of course, is that Morgans from 1935 to 1949 have tiny engines, cable brakes, odd tire size, difficult to find parts, and would be eaten alive on highways. While, a few years ago, when we trailered another of my '53 Morgans to Quebec on vacation, and on the way back with my Acura's transmission belching smoke (at the US/Canadian border), we did the obvious, lightened the load which allowed the Acura to make it home while we drove the Morgan....308 miles at 70-80 mph the entire way, a thoroughly enjoyable return home. Gosh, with 308 miles being effortless, no doubt we could have continued and made it all of the way to Florida. TRY THAT in a 54.4hp MG TC!
(almost forgot, the car came with a letter from the factory detailing the history of this car. Originallyl sold by the Morgan agent in the West Indies. So, sure, RHD BUT originally sold in 'the Americas.')
