1960 Morgan 4/4 SOLD

[Richard Clement]

Barn Find Abandoned Restoration Project

Being a lifelong Morgan enthusiast, I purchased this car a couple of months ago on a whim after it appeared for sale locally. Sadly lack of time, space and other ongoing projects, means that I probably won’t get round to doing it in the foreseeable future.

The car was discovered in a Barn approximately 3 years ago where it had been left for approximately 25 years. The previous owner pulled it out and started the rebuild in earnest. Unfortunately due to a change of circumstances he has been unable to complete this, so I acquired it.

The previous owner began the rebuild by putting a New Chassis on the car that he purchased from G.E.E. Ltd. Likewise he also rebuilt the suspension and added a Rutherford ‘Bolt-on’, 2 seater rear telescopic shock absorber conversion kit, with New AVO shock absorbers all round. At the same time he also converted the front hubs to the disc braked variety, and installed the discs (original hubs/drums available and go with the car, as do the dampers). He has also rebuilt and installed the engine, gearbox and axel, (some receipts and photographs available for this work).

Since being in my ownership I have traced the history of the car from when it left the factory on the 25th January 1960 and was dispatched to Kings Motors, Leicester, (official signed, copy of the factory chassis record pending deliver from the Morgan Motor Company).

The next element in its history is on the 21st June 1965 when it went back to the factory to have the Stub Axels rebushed and the play taken out of the steering, (copy of the factory service card available and will also be supplied).

From here until the 3rd March 1981 the cars history is yet to be traced, but the owner for the start of this period’s, name and address are available and will provide a good starting point.

At this date it was purchased by its then owner, who bought the car from an advert in the Exchange and Mart from a Chicken Farm in Fiskerton, Lincoln. He then drove the car round for a few years before parking it up, in one of the barns, on his own farm and forgetting about it. It was then discovered by the previous owner in January 2006, who rescued it and began the restoration.

Copies of the previous logbooks are available and will be supplied, as will photos of it in the barn.

The car is complete, although in a disassembled state apart from the rolling chassis.

As far as I’m aware it is complete apart from the original bench seat and the spare wheel, (I can point you in the right direction of where to go for these).

It will require a completely new ash frame, but these are easily available from the likes of Vintage Sheet Metal, along with a bit of work to the wings to repair them and obviously all of the other normal works that go with a rebuild.

The car currently doesn’t have the correct 1172cc Ford side valve 100e engine and 3 speed gearbox in it for the year.

The factory sales ledger states that the car was a Competition model Series II, coloured red, with a black interior, and it appears at some point in its life (as was and still is often the case with many Series II cars), to have had the engine and gearbox changed and upgraded.

In this particular case it has been upgraded to the 1498cc Ford Pre Crossflow 120e engine and 4 speed 2000e gearbox that appeared in Series V 4/4’s.

This got me thinking and doing some further research.

In the 1960’s, there were various people around the world who raced Morgan 4/4’s. These being namely John McKechnie in the UK, Ken Ward and Bill Hucker in Australia, to name but a few, who were all very successful.

In November 1964 with the help of Peter Morgan, John McKechnie and the Morgan Motor Company Homologated the 4/4. And what a specification it was!

In brief:

Open 2 seater or Hard Top, Aluminium or Steel Panels, Aluminium or Glass Fibre Hardtop, Aluminium Undershield.

1498cc Ford Pre Crossflow 120e engine, Twin 40 DCOE Weber Carburettors, SU, Bendix or AC Electrical and or Mechanical Fuel Pump(s), Oil Cooler.

Cosworth Single Dry Plate Clutch, Ford 4 speed 2000e gearbox (with optional ratios’ 2.917 (1st), 1.697 (2nd) 1.280 (3rd) 1.000 (4th), Normal or Limited Slip Differential with Final Drive Ratio 4.56 (optional 4.1 and 3.73).

Dunlop Wire or Disc Wheels, Rim Width 114mm or 101mm or 127mm. Hydraulic Brakes with 1 or 2 Master Cylinders and Disc’s Front / Drum Rear.

Dry Sump.

Weight: 643 kgs

Copies of the Homologation Forms also supplied.

Throughout this period the 4/4 competed in various International events such as those in Australia and on Sunday February 14th 1965 Bill Hucker won the Warwick Farm, Tasman Championship, International Gold Star Meeting.

Thus making the car eligible for a current FIA Historic Technical Passport (eligibility scruitineer e-mail confirmation / guidance / advice supplied).

Once in possession of this the car is eligible for a large number of events such as Equipe GTS, HSCC Historic Road Sports Championship, Masters Historic Racing Gentleman Drivers GT & Sports Endurance and numerous other UK based and European championships, that will often gain you entries to some extremely prestigious race circuits and race meetings.

If rebuilt to the original 1964 Homologation Specification the car should be extremely competitive and capable of winning, as it will have a better power to weight ratio than the vast majority of cars in its class!

Over the last couple of years with the rise in popularity of Plus 4’s in Historic Motorsport, until now, the 4/4 remains something of the forgotten relative. However due to its potential superior power to weight ratio, vastly improved gearbox and gearing, this car has the potential to be something of a giant killer. This was proved in period by the likes of McKechnie, Ward and Hucker but unfortunately appears to have since been forgotten in favour of the Plus 4’s.

For more info or a chat about the car please phone.

01792 208143
07769935243

[Jim Mountain]

how much do you want for it ?

[Richard Clement]

Jim,

If your interested please give me a phone to have a chat about it, or alternatively have a look on e-bay!

Regards

Rich

[Chris Acklam]

This appears to be the link to Ebay

[Richard Clement]

Thanks Chris.

I'm absolutely useless when it comes to placing links!

Rich

[Jim Mountain]

Think i'll pass on that.

P.S. the sweep irons are upside down !