+8 Group 4: fotos?

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Franz-Xaver Nager
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+8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Franz-Xaver Nager »

Morgan +8 Group 4 (1979-1981): Urgent quest for fotos

For my new HTP the FIA ask me to provide period evidence (fotos) of Bruce Stapleton's group 4 Morgan +8 (engine in particular). This being the only +8 having appeared in international group 4 GT racing, I am quite certain, some Morgan enthusiast must have taken pits fotos on the following events:

- Silverstone 6 hours in May 1981(see foto attached)
- Silverstone 6 hours in May 1980
- Brands Hatch 6 hours in August 1979

I am urgently and desperately looking for those fotos. Anyone being able to help may contact me directly (nagerfx@bluewin.ch / +41 79 244 1507).

Thanks & best wishes
Franz
(F.X. Nager, Switzerland)
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Mary Lindsay
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Mary Lindsay »

Have you asked Bruce Stapleton if he has any photos?
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Mark Shears
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Mark Shears »

Yes I was going to say exactly the same thing to Franz-Xaver Mary!

Especially as Bruce put a post up on For Sale and Wanted about my old engine very recently!

Cheers

Mark
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Bob Bull
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Bob Bull »

Motor Sport magazine may well be able to help, also Sutton Images. or Geoff Bloxham, would probably have been at those events. They are professional photographers, and would of course charge. If you need help contacting them let me know.

Bob

https://jeffbloxham.com/

https://nps.nikonimaging.com/members/sutton_images/
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Bob Bull
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Bob Bull »

https://photos.app.goo.gl/z5qMAfJ567u5hB2M9

Two photos found on Google, the second is listed as 1970 Morgan V8 FIA, and credits Richard Thorne racing. I presume that the engine must belong to Bruce's car if it was the only FIA registered Morgan.

Hope it helps
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Bob Bull
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Bob Bull »

1979 WMC - round 8
touringcarracing.net/Races/1979%20Brands%20Hatch%20WMC.html
Morgan Plus 8, Brian Classic, GB John Spero, GB Bill Wykeham, GB, 3532, V8, GT, 193, 29, 1.44,33. 19, 10, 11, A.M. Bernard Porsche 934, Georges Bourdillat, ...

1980 WMC - round 5
touringcarracing.net/Races/1980%20Silverstone%20WMC.html
DNF, 32, Morris Stapleton London's Morgan Agent Morgan Plus 8, Richard Down , GB Bruce Stapleton, GB Bill Wykeham, GB, 3528, V8, GT, 121, 27, 1.41,30.

1980 WMC - round 2
touringcarracing.net/Races/1980%20Brands%20Hatch%20WMC.html
20, 13/4, 28, Morris Stapleton London's Morgan Agent Morgan Plus 8, Bill Wykeham, GB Brian Classic, GB Bruce Stapleton, GB, 3528, V8, Group 4 Div.

1981 WMC - round 3
touringcarracing.net/Races/1981%20Silverstone%20WMC.html
15, 4, 36, Morris Stapleton Motors Morgan Plus 8, Bruce Stapleton, GB Richard Down, GB Bill Wykeham, GB, 3532, V8, Group 4, 177, 32, 1.42,85. 16, 3/2, 54 ...
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Franz-Xaver Nager
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Franz-Xaver Nager »

Hi Bob, Mark & Mary

Thanks for your efforts!

Yes, I have been in contact with Bruce for a long time and he has been ever so helpful (as a lot of other Mog community people). I even visited him 2 weeks ago - well, he says, at those times, his interest was more in racing then collecting words & picts for his archive :)
I also had Mike Hughes to most friendly check the MSCC archive, all in vain. And I sent a mail to Jeff Bloxham a few days ago - no answer yet.

It sure might be some sort of exaggeration to consider the Stapleton Gr4 car as a front runner, so I assume, photographers' interests may have been limited. If it was not Morgan fans, who might have been more curious? That's how I came to come in with my post.

In fact, my quest is for the carbs setup. Bruce remembers Silverstone 1981 (last outing in his Gr.4 car) and is pretty sure, he then had 44 DCNF carbs on a modified TR8 manifold. Would just be nice & helpful, to have a foto.

There is little hope, but still...

Franz
(R8138 / RPU 164R)
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Bob Bull
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Bob Bull »

https://historicdb.fia.com/car/morgan-plus-8

Are you aware of the FIA historic database?

There is this limited info about the homologated Morgan.

Regards,

Bob
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Mark Shears
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Mark Shears »

Well done with the sleuthing Bob.

Just a thought...

Did Miscellany or any of the contemporary weekly motor magazines (such as Autosport, Motoring News etc) ever photograph the Morgan hopefully under the bonnet...?

Would Bruce remember if one of the motor mags ever did a 'piece' on the car? It was after all quite unique even in that period.

Cheers

Mark
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Mark Shears
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Mark Shears »

Another thought...

Ted Walker at Ferret Fotographics.

He has a fantastic archive of racing photographs.

And he is a Morgan enthusiast too.

He has found some great photos of my car competing in the 1950's in some quite obscure competitions...!

Cheers

Mark
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Bob Bull
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Bob Bull »

Franz,
I found these in my collection, not much help with the FIA, but are part of the car's history.

Bob

https://photos.app.goo.gl/dkt2JLH1pxoSgzN67
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Franz-Xaver Nager
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Franz-Xaver Nager »

Hi everybody

Time to come back to all your most friendly efforts (Bob in particular) - thank you very much!!!

I must admit being somewhat surprised, that no engine fotos have turned up yet, although (you may have noticed) Charles Neal had graciously also put a note in the April edition of Miscellany. By pure accident I found some picts (incl. engine) here in Switzerland, taken by Morgan mechanic Raymond Bindy who had visited a test day (Goodwood?) in 1979. Bruce says, this was the first outing of his Gr4 car. Unfortunately the set-up then was 4 x 44 IDA's, which did not work quite well and were replaced shortly after by an American construction and later on by a pair of 44 DCNF's. Bruce still keeps this manifold & carbs, so I sent a pict of this to the FIA (including Bruce's confirmation of this being his final setup in 1981), which now has been accepted. John Eales was able to send me a crossover manifold (Offenhauser) and - on Bruce's hint - I eventually could get hold of a pair of those 44 DCNF's (having become very rare obviously) at Eurocarbs. All of this a bit expensive for my standards, but we are now optimistic, to get this setup fitted and hopefully working okay. Still it iis a shame I cannot use the 4 x 44 IDA's which formerly had been working fine on the car for both Chris Springall and me.

With Bruce's HTP having run out now, I might well end up with probably the only late 70ies' Plus 8 / Gr.4 with a valid HTP - although, seeing the sort of machinery on track in 1981, it will certainly not be a really competitive car (even if the car had a better driver on the steering wheel than myself)...

Thanks again
Franz
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Mark Shears
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Re: +8 Group 4: fotos?

Post by Mark Shears »

Well done Franz,

That is good news and thanks for letting us all know.

We look forward to you bringing the car to the UK for a race when that is possible so we can all see the result of your hard work - and cheque book!

Cheers,

Mark
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