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October - November 2009 - Morgan Cars for Sale

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<strong>October</strong> • <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong><br />

<strong>November</strong> 3, 1919 Happy Birthday, Peter <strong>Morgan</strong>. D.Y.M!<br />

INSIDE: Epic Racing Journey East • No Frame Waxers Tour<br />

1,000 Miles in +4 Super Sports • Oktoberfest<br />

The Morgazette<br />

The Newsletter of the <strong>Morgan</strong> Sports Car Club of Northern Cali<strong>for</strong>nia


Club Officers <strong>2009</strong><br />

President Larry Ayers<br />

(707) 554-1787<br />

E-mail:redmorganracing@earthlink.het<br />

Vice President Jerry Gurley (408) 867-9042<br />

ivygate@comcast.net<br />

Treasurer George Tollworthy (925) 462-6378<br />

Trikenut@comcast.net<br />

Secretary Maggi Craig (510) 638-4904<br />

maggicraig@sbcglobal.net<br />

Activity Chairperson Kathy Tollworthy<br />

(925) 462-6378<br />

Trikenut@comcast.net<br />

Board of Directors<br />

Bob Murray • David Haines • Doug Hamilton<br />

New Membership<br />

Audrey Haines (916) 652-5679<br />

audrey.haines@ncbb.net<br />

Membership Renewals &Advertising<br />

Kathy Tollworthy (925) 462-6378<br />

Trikenut@comcast.net<br />

Membership Contact In<strong>for</strong>mation Changes<br />

Bob Koupal<br />

957 Lee Ave. San Leandro, CA. 94577<br />

(510) 567-9855<br />

Koupal.Bob@microlinear.com<br />

Historian Larry Ayers<br />

(707) 554-1787<br />

redmorganracing@earthlink.net<br />

Morgazette Editor<br />

Gordon Craig (510) 638-4904<br />

lismoregordon@sbcglobal.net<br />

Design & Production<br />

Donna Dell’Ario<br />

dd-mgzt-gc@earthlink.net<br />

The Morgazette Online<br />

http://morgancars.us/msccnc.html<br />

The Morgazette<br />

Newsletter of the <strong>Morgan</strong> Sports Car Club of Northern Cali<strong>for</strong>nia<br />

The <strong>Morgan</strong> Sports Car Club of Northern Cali<strong>for</strong>nia (MSCCNC) exists to<br />

support and further the appreciation of <strong>Morgan</strong> motoring and the related<br />

activities of its members and friends. Our common interests start with enthu-<br />

siastic support of the <strong>Morgan</strong> sports car experience and extend to the friendship<br />

and camaraderie amongst all like-minded persons.<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 2<br />

The Morgazette<br />

is the newsletter of the MSCCNC. It is published 6 times<br />

a year and is mailed free to members in good standing.<br />

We welcome any and all original or reprint articles and/or<br />

photos labeled with the following in<strong>for</strong>mation:<br />

1) event; 2) date of the event;<br />

3) names of all persons appearing in photos;<br />

4) name of publication (in the case of a reprint);<br />

5) names of authors and photographers.<br />

The DEADLINES <strong>for</strong> receiving ads, photos and articles:<br />

Dec 14 <strong>for</strong> Dec-Jan issue.<br />

Classified ads placed by members will run one time.<br />

Please notify the editor if you wish to place the ad again.<br />

The Morgazette is now available in an on-line <strong>for</strong>mat<br />

as a web PDF. It can be downloaded at the club website<br />

or contact the editor.<br />

Welcome<br />

NEW MEMBERS<br />

Andy and Phyllis Hardin<br />

10 Grove St.<br />

Los Gatos, CA 95030<br />

408-354-2255<br />

hardin95030@aol.com<br />

Cover Photo: Watkins Glen, Grand Prix Re-Enactment<br />

Donna & Larry lead the <strong>Morgan</strong>s.<br />

Photo © Daniel Mainzer Photography


* MSCCNC Club Sponsored Event<br />

Other events are listed <strong>for</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation only<br />

Please let Kathy Tollworthy (Activities Chair)<br />

know if you would like to host an event so it<br />

can be listed on the Calendar and flyers can be<br />

coordinated. (925) 462-6378 or E-mail: trikenut@<br />

comcast.net<br />

Enjoy the challenge and camaraderie!<br />

Lead a day trip – weekend or weekday.<br />

Doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated.<br />

Do it Solo or Team-up.<br />

Contact Activity Chair, Kathy Tollworthy<br />

<strong>for</strong> details.<br />

MEMBERS REMINDER!<br />

Ballots and membership dues are<br />

being sent out separately.<br />

� Membership ($35.00 per<br />

annum) Renewal <strong>for</strong>ms have already<br />

been mailed, please respond with<br />

those to Bob Koupal.<br />

Bob Koupal<br />

957 Lee Ave.<br />

San Leandro, CA. 94577<br />

� Ballots <strong>for</strong> Club Officers will<br />

be mailed to you shortly by Audrey<br />

Haines. Please respond per the<br />

instructions on the ballots.<br />

+ Please send in your renewal<br />

dues and ballots in a timely manner!<br />

Cheers.<br />

Kathy Tollworthy<br />

Members Renewals Chairperson.<br />

Flyer<br />

<strong>November</strong><br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 3<br />

*14 TH SATURDAY • Turkey Trot. Bill &<br />

Theresa Wilson, Gordon & Maggi Craig<br />

December<br />

Flyer<br />

*12 TH SATURDAY • <strong>Morgan</strong> Christmas<br />

Dinner. Coordinator: Kathy Tollworthy<br />

*26 th SATURDAY • Combined North Bay/<br />

South Bay Boxing Day Run. Jerry Gurley &<br />

Wendell Bain<br />

JaNuary 2010<br />

*17 th SUNDAY • Annual Planning Meeting and Pot<br />

Luck Supper at traditional meeting spot: the Club<br />

House of Jim Taylor & Ellen Jo Baron.<br />

30 Los Altos Square. Los Altos. Ca.<br />

RSVP: Leave message to say what you will bring<br />

to pot luck. Also B.Y.O.B.<br />

Phone: 650-559-9778.<br />

e-mail-jimtay3pacbell.net<br />

Bring your ideas <strong>for</strong> runs and suggestions!<br />

Minutes 10/10/09<br />

The meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m. by President<br />

Larry Ayers at the home of David and Audrey Haines.<br />

President Larry expressed appreciation to event organizers<br />

and hosts David and Audrey and extended Donna’s regards and<br />

regret <strong>for</strong> having to miss the event due to out-of-state family<br />

considerations.<br />

Under Old Business: Audrey reported that the Jaguar<br />

Club acknowledged and appreciated the <strong>Morgan</strong> Club’s<br />

participation in the parking corral at the Monterey Historics.<br />

Obviously this is a mutually-beneficial arrangement <strong>for</strong> which<br />

we are also grateful and hope to continue.<br />

Treasurer’s Report: George Tollworthy reported there<br />

is approximately $5,000 in the treasury. MogWest produced a<br />

profit and did very well with regalia.<br />

The Club covered expenses <strong>for</strong> Mog 100 (barbecue at<br />

Cowley’s, Friday reception, banner, etc.) costing close to<br />

$1,500 total with no profit element to the Club. The Club also<br />

underwrites part of the expense <strong>for</strong> the Steck’s Friday night<br />

party at Monterey. This expense is also shared with the Plus<br />

4 Club. Mog 100 was the premiere event <strong>for</strong> <strong>Morgan</strong>s this<br />

year on the West Coast with Charles <strong>Morgan</strong> and Lew Spencer<br />

attending and with 65 <strong>Morgan</strong>s in the car corral and 22<br />

continued on page 5


Art & More Mogs Who Make It<br />

Arlin Robins, sculptor, and Armando Picciotto, photographer, exhibited their work at the Opening<br />

Show of the Pt. Richmond Art Collective at Dewitt Gallery in late <strong>October</strong>.<br />

Arlin, owner<br />

of a +4 with<br />

husband<br />

Michael Jhon,<br />

brought four<br />

cast bronze<br />

pieces to the<br />

show.<br />

Armando,<br />

owner with<br />

wife Carol of<br />

a 1963 +4,<br />

has provided<br />

photos to the<br />

Morgazette<br />

many times,<br />

most recently<br />

images of the<br />

“Mog 100”<br />

at Infineo.<br />

He travels<br />

frequently<br />

to the great<br />

outdoors <strong>for</strong><br />

his subjects.<br />

As you read<br />

this, he is with<br />

a group traveling<br />

the Amazon<br />

Basin.<br />

THANKS TO THE JAGUAR CLUB<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 4<br />

Point Richmond Art Collective at Dewitt Gallery<br />

121 Park Place, Richmond, CA 94801<br />

http://www.artslant.com/sf/events/show/<br />

72507-point-richmond-art-collective<br />

For the second year we have been able to partner with the Jaguar Associate Group in order to<br />

enjoy Corral Parking at the Monterey Historics.<br />

On our own, we don’t have enough <strong>Morgan</strong>s to qualify as a corral. But together with our “British<br />

cousins,” both groups are able to enjoy the com<strong>for</strong>t and convenience of a corral assignment. With<br />

special thanks to Dick France in the Jag Club who organized the corral and <strong>for</strong> extending their<br />

gracious hospitality. We hope to continue this partnership in the future.<br />

Audrey Haines


A Message from Our President<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> Centenary celebrations continue.<br />

Donna and I joined Dale and Karen Barry from the Plus 4 Club and trailered<br />

our two <strong>Morgan</strong> trikes back East to race at Lime Rock Park and Watkins Glen<br />

in September. More about that epic journey in this newsletter (page XX).<br />

Mid-<strong>October</strong> featured the wonderful Oktoberfest hosted by our stalwart club<br />

members, Audrey and David Haines. We had great weather <strong>for</strong> the weekend,<br />

and enjoyed the company of 25 other <strong>Morgan</strong> club members while enjoying the great<br />

roads in the Sierra foothills area with our <strong>Morgan</strong>s. If you missed the talent show featuring <strong>Morgan</strong> Staines,<br />

and the act with the duo of George Tollworthy and David Haines – well, the ongoing rumors will just have to<br />

suffice. Hint – that little black dress looked good on George.<br />

The year isn’t over with more chances to use your <strong>Morgan</strong> at the upcoming Turkey Trot/”Gobble Wobble”<br />

<strong>November</strong> 14, the Christmas Dinner Party, and the newly combined Boxing Day Run after Christmas Day, a<br />

“real” Boxing Day!<br />

The election <strong>for</strong> next year’s club officers is fast approaching so please give some thought to your selection<br />

<strong>for</strong> 2010 and get those ballot mailed back. Both Kathy and I are running <strong>for</strong> the top office. My plat<strong>for</strong>m is “get<br />

out and use your <strong>Morgan</strong>, whether it be <strong>for</strong> a rally, car display, or touring event, or perhaps a race.” Drive your<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> and be happy <strong>for</strong> tomorrow who knows …the shadow isn’t talking.<br />

Looking <strong>for</strong>ward to seeing you and your <strong>Morgan</strong> soon,<br />

Larry Threewayers<br />

competing on the track.<br />

Kathy Tollworthy reminded people to get their reservations in<br />

<strong>for</strong> the Christmas party.<br />

New Business: The next event is the Halloween party<br />

organized by the Fishers who need RSVP’s. Following the<br />

Halloween Party is the Turkey Trot <strong>for</strong> which flyers will be sent<br />

out.<br />

Awards will also be presented at the Christmas Party. Please<br />

contact Larry with nominations <strong>for</strong> the Tough Break, Soggy<br />

Bottom and Leaky Cup awards. The Matt Dillon and Racer’s<br />

Awards are also under consideration.<br />

Nominations: Larry opened nominations <strong>for</strong> Officers <strong>for</strong><br />

the year 2010.<br />

President: Motion made and seconded (Schmidt) nominating<br />

Larry Ayers. Larry accepted the nomination. Motion made<br />

and seconded (Powells) nominating Kathy Tollworthy. Kathy<br />

accepted. Motion made and seconded (M. Rubin/A. Staines) to<br />

close nominations <strong>for</strong> President; carried. Nominations closed.<br />

Vice President: Motion made and seconded (Murrays)<br />

nominating Bob Schmidt <strong>for</strong> Vice President. Bob accepted.<br />

Motion made and seconded (E. Fisher/L. Gurley) nominating<br />

Minutes, continued<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 5<br />

Jerry Gurley. Jerry accepted. Nominations closed (T. Murray/<br />

Cannon).<br />

Correcting/updating note: Jerry Gurley later withdraws as<br />

Vice President nominee. There<strong>for</strong>e, Bob Schmidt is sole candidate<br />

<strong>for</strong> the position of Vice President.<br />

Secretary: Elaine Fisher nominated (Cannon/L. Powell). Elaine<br />

accepted. Nominations closed (Cannon/A. Haines).<br />

Treasurer: George Tollworthy nominated by acclamation.<br />

George accepted. Nominations closed.<br />

Board of Directors: The following were nominated:<br />

Thorley Murray (E. Fisher/Cannon)<br />

Linda Cannon (E. Fisher/D. Hamilton)<br />

Phil Fisher (Ayers/E. Fisher)<br />

Nominations accepted by the individuals, and nominations<br />

closed (K. Tollworthy/A. Haines).<br />

With business concluded, motion made to close the meeting<br />

(B. Murray/L. Cohen).<br />

Respectfully submitted,<br />

Audrey Haines substituting <strong>for</strong> Maggi Craig, Secretary


�<br />

�<br />

Epic Racing Journey East<br />

Aug 26-Sep 25, <strong>2009</strong> • Story & Photos: Larry Ayers & Donna D.<br />

Earlier this racing season, we decided to participate in the racing<br />

venues at Lime Rock and Watkins Glen (with <strong>Morgan</strong> the featured<br />

marque) if Red survived Monterey. That being the case, final plans<br />

were instigated with Dale and Karen Barry of the Plus 4 Club who<br />

wished to join us in trailering our racers to the East Coast. �<br />

Dale boxed in his flat bed trailer so it would be weather-tight and<br />

loaded Karen’s ’60 Huffaker Formula Jr. along with his 1934 <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

JAP SS, and they hit the road a day after our departure with Red.<br />

The Barry’s got away later because of additional trailer work and<br />

regular job constraints. We headed East on Hwy. 80 calculating it<br />

would take us 8 days journey to arrive at Lime Rock, CT with a stop<br />

or so along the way. We rendezvoused in Lincoln, NE and then cara-<br />

vanned the remaining distance. We stopped to visit an Iowa auto<br />

museum, a New York cavern, and Niagara Falls be<strong>for</strong>e completing the final<br />

leg into Lime Rock. This was Donna’s first visit to the falls and she experienced<br />

their impressive power while taking “the Maid of the Mist” boat ride<br />

to the base of the falls. No one was spotted going over the falls in a<br />

barrel that day. Boo hoo!<br />

In West Cornwall, CT, about 20 minutes from Lime Rock, Jeff and<br />

Gail Jacobson welcomed us to their creative, spacious, yet com<strong>for</strong>table<br />

“converted-from-a-barn” home. Their cottage “converted–from-a-garage”<br />

became our dwelling <strong>for</strong> the next 5 nights.<br />

Jeff races a very quick <strong>Morgan</strong> trike � and he was joined by Chris<br />

Towner with his F-model thereby making 4 trike entries at Lime Rock, a<br />

1.5 mile road circuit. Several <strong>Morgan</strong> 4 wheelers were also in the mix <strong>for</strong><br />

this 27th Vintage Festival that saluted <strong>Morgan</strong>’s 100th Anniversary: Shaun<br />

Henderson (60 #17), Dow Smith (58 #323), Michael Virr (59 #447),<br />

Ernest (Chip) Brown (57 #684), Jeffrey Tamkin (62 #610), and Richard<br />

Odgers (57 #659) completed the <strong>Morgan</strong> entries racing in group four.<br />

(Note: Shaun also belongs to our MSCCNC.) All of us enjoyed great<br />

racing and outstanding weather. Jeff Jacobson was awarded the “Spirit<br />

of Brooklands” award while trike drivers, Dale and Larry, were awarded<br />

medallions <strong>for</strong> tying <strong>for</strong> 1st place in the “Prewar sports car class.”<br />

With no racing on Sunday, a Concours and swap meet took place<br />

at the track. Close to 30 <strong>Morgan</strong>s entered the show with 2 non-racing<br />

three wheelers making an appearance, one of them a trike called<br />

“Murphy” (ex-Jan Barton), currently owned by Jim Nichol, was once<br />

owned by myself, and restored by Steve Ball in Southern Cali<strong>for</strong>nia.<br />

Many car clubs participated and used most of the track’s surface <strong>for</strong><br />

their display. Afterwards, the Jacobsons hosted a congenial luncheon<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 6<br />


Photo © Daniel Mainzer Photography<br />

party <strong>for</strong> prewar and <strong>Morgan</strong> folk.<br />

Racing resumed on Monday with<br />

another glorious day. We were sorry to<br />

say goodbye to everyone and our gracious<br />

hosts, the Jacobsons, be<strong>for</strong>e heading<br />

west to Painted Post, Corning, and<br />

Watkins Glen, New York. We arrived on a<br />

Wednesday and parked in the <strong>Morgan</strong>/MG<br />

paddock. Being early arrivals, we staked<br />

out a grassy spot just off the gravel and<br />

put up the canopies between the trailers.<br />

With <strong>Morgan</strong> as the featured marque,<br />

around 35 <strong>Morgan</strong>s arrived during the<br />

next day or so and parked not far away<br />

in their own corral. Many of the members<br />

were from the Western New York <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

Owners Group (WNYMOG). Visiting with<br />

other owners from around the Eastern<br />

states, as well as <strong>Morgan</strong> Club members<br />

all the way from Texas (Bill Boyles, e.g.)<br />

was a weekend highlight.<br />

On Friday, a limited number of race<br />

cars were selected to go into downtown<br />

Watkins Glen <strong>for</strong> a display along Franklin<br />

Avenue (the main street) and then participate<br />

in the old Grand Prix course �<br />

re-enactment of 6.5 miles <strong>for</strong> 3 laps.<br />

Three trikes participated and wouldn’t<br />

you know, the skies opened up and all of<br />

us got a good dose of racing in the wet.<br />

Sporting our goggles and flying hats, we<br />

gloried in the pacecar-led dash through<br />

town and countryside. We managed to get<br />

back to the track be<strong>for</strong>e sunset, but just<br />

barely. What a super experience racing<br />

the re-enactment! You had to be there!<br />

There was more track time on<br />

Saturday, however, I sat out the morning<br />

session due to some lingering showers<br />

that cleared up <strong>for</strong> the afternoon session.<br />

�<br />

That evening, a <strong>Morgan</strong> Centenary<br />

Banquet <strong>for</strong> only <strong>Morgan</strong> owners was<br />

held in the track’s New Media Center<br />

with 150 in attendance. The 100th<br />

Anniversary <strong>Morgan</strong> cake was cut and<br />

quickly consumed following a nice<br />

buffet dinner hosted by Dick Powers,<br />

the President of the WNYMOG – a very<br />

congenial <strong>Morgan</strong> celebration.<br />

Racing resumed on sunny Sunday<br />

and an all-<strong>Morgan</strong> Centenary handicap<br />

race was an afternoon highlight. Ten<br />

entries in the <strong>Morgan</strong> race didn’t crowd<br />

the 2.5 mile track, and “super Dave<br />

Bondon” (an ex-MSCCNC member in<br />

a 62 4/4) won the 6-lap event beating<br />

out Jack Poteet (62 4/4) by just 2<br />

seconds. Finishing behind Jack were<br />

Craig Siebert (68 +8), Chris Towner<br />

(51 +4), Gene McOmber (62 4/4), Lee<br />

Gaskins (52 +4), David Hogdson (35<br />

F2), Carlton Shriver (38 4/4), Larry<br />

Ayers (30 JAP SA), and Dale Barry<br />

(34 JAP SS). Larry Ayers and Dale<br />

Barry were awarded 2nd and 3rd place<br />

medallions in the trike class while Dave<br />

Hogdson took the 1st place award. �<br />

Those <strong>Morgan</strong> entries in the<br />

Centenary race not participating in the<br />

finale <strong>for</strong> whatever reasons were Bob<br />

Wilson (37 4/4), Harry Gaunt (56 +4),<br />

Stacey Schepens (64 4/4), Peter Dunn<br />

(63 4/4), Richard Fohl (62 +4 SS),<br />

and Ernest Brown (57 +4). Bob Wilson<br />

actually had two <strong>Morgan</strong> entries,<br />

loaning his 35 F2 trike to Britisher,<br />

David Hogdson, who built it in the<br />

U.K. and was absolutely thrilled to be<br />

invited to race in the U.S. with this<br />

nicely turned out trike.<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 7<br />

Bidding all those great <strong>Morgan</strong> folks<br />

good-by, we headed West toward<br />

Chicago and then on to Rapid City, SD<br />

to visit Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse,<br />

and environs. Superb weather greeted<br />

us all along the route and during<br />

every visit. Yellowstone National Park<br />

was our next stop, and where we<br />

spent one night in the park at Lake<br />

Yellowstone. Luckily, it was the end<br />

of the season, so we didn’t have a<br />

problem with our rigs during a 1-1/2<br />

day period as we went to see geysers,<br />

mud pots, fumaroles and the “Grand<br />

Canyon of Yellowstone River” � and<br />

paused <strong>for</strong> commuting buffalo. �<br />

We said good-bye to Dale and<br />

Karen as they diverged southward at<br />

Pocatello, ID while we continued west.<br />

No more highlights to report as we<br />

headed to Cali<strong>for</strong>nia with great sunny<br />

weather again all the way back.<br />

Putting about 6,800 miles on the<br />

tow vehicle and trailer, we had an<br />

outstanding experience racing back<br />

East and <strong>for</strong>tunately there were no<br />

incidents or mechanical failures <strong>for</strong><br />

either the Barrys or us during the<br />

entire trip. Red ran like a demon and<br />

I really think the trike was looking<br />

<strong>for</strong>ward to the trip, having repeated<br />

it in 2004. Who knows, perhaps in<br />

another 5 years?<br />

What about it<br />

Podnars?<br />

�<br />

�<br />

Enjoy<br />

your<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong>s!


“We leave<br />

The No Frame Waxers Tour<br />

FlogMog • <strong>October</strong> 1-4, <strong>2009</strong> • Story & photos by Gordon Craig<br />

Cloverdale<br />

on the morning<br />

tide”.....<br />

Thus spake<br />

the Barc, who<br />

along with<br />

John Burks<br />

as Guides<br />

(?) and MCs,<br />

ushered us to<br />

the Gathering<br />

Place of this<br />

year’s annual<br />

FlogMog “No Frame Waxer’s Tour”. I<br />

lost count of the road warriors who<br />

had arrived the night be<strong>for</strong>e as a flu<br />

bug descended on me, but included in<br />

the East Bay group were Bob Panero<br />

and Dean Jackson (+4 four seater),<br />

Carol Pitman (+4 four seater), Maggi<br />

and moi (+4 four seater), Phil and<br />

Elaine Fisher (+8), and the Tollworthys<br />

(+8). Also, Katherine Bard and Sister<br />

Sue, who following my wholly errant<br />

directions to Bob’s house in Walnut<br />

Creek managed to find the launching<br />

pad, despite me, t.g. <strong>for</strong> Garmin. They<br />

arrived in Katherine”s Mini from L.A.,<br />

via Palm Springs and San Francisco<br />

overnights. Sorry, Gals, dead reckoning<br />

strikes again, but then on to<br />

Cloverdale <strong>for</strong> us all, and yet another<br />

Bates Motel. On previous FlogMogs,<br />

we always find at least one, and<br />

Cloverdale, a lovely town otherwise<br />

(although the landmark Owl Cafe,<br />

alas, appears to be closed these days),<br />

proved no exception. The manager,<br />

who had taken calls from many of us<br />

<strong>for</strong> reservations apparently thought<br />

this was all a big joke being played on<br />

him, and was hard pressed to honor<br />

his committments to us all, but in the<br />

end he did. Weirdness <strong>for</strong> the night,<br />

that didn’t stop the arrivals from arriving<br />

and the greeting party went well<br />

into the 10 pm time zone. All in all, 14<br />

Mogs, including two +8+ Bill Fink<br />

Corvettes, Bob and Thorley Murray,<br />

John Burks, the Larsens, the Powells<br />

X 2 in their modified 4/4s, the Schaws<br />

in the +8, Marge Naughton and the<br />

+4 Drophead, the Mini, John and Jan<br />

Grosetto in the Lotus Elise, and Tom<br />

and Bev <strong>Morgan</strong> in the MGA made it<br />

<strong>for</strong> the first night.<br />

Next morning, the tide did indeed<br />

swoop us north on 101 to Hopland,<br />

where we turned east on Hwy. 175<br />

over the Hopland Grade towards<br />

Clear Lake. I’ve driven many of<br />

Northern Cali<strong>for</strong>nia twisty, beautiful<br />

backroads over the decades, but<br />

this one is a Top Five stunner, climbing<br />

and turning to pitching heights<br />

and views to the ocean west of us,<br />

then over the summit to the lake and<br />

rolling hill country eastward, a long<br />

drink <strong>for</strong> the eyes and senses from<br />

either side. Coming the other way, a<br />

candy colored rainbow of late model<br />

Corvettes, a seemingly endless line<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 8<br />

of flashing headlamps and waves<br />

(there must have been at least 40 of<br />

them, not exaggerating). The only<br />

thing missing was the camera truck,<br />

and helicopters, it looked like one of<br />

those “Heartland of America” TV spots<br />

in the making. And we hadn’t even<br />

made Clearlake yet. As often happens<br />

on FlogMogs, the “parade” separates<br />

into smaller groups of 3 to 5 cars, so<br />

we all gathered again in Colusa <strong>for</strong> a<br />

staggered lunch stop, where the only<br />

mishap of the Run occurred. A large<br />

Semi with long trailer making a turn in<br />

front of Carol Pitman caught the front<br />

wing and bumper of the +4, crumpling<br />

and bending both. And the driver kept<br />

going! Katherine and Sister Sue sped<br />

off in pursuit, tried to hail the driver<br />

but he ignored them, so they snapped<br />

some pixes of the offending driver<br />

and license plates, etc.and later at the<br />

police station a “hit and run” report<br />

was filed with the evidence. Hope<br />

something came of it, this jerk will<br />

get his due. Lynn Powell straightened<br />

the<br />

bumper<br />

in place<br />

and Carol<br />

continued<br />

the trip.<br />

That<br />

afternoon,<br />

we went<br />

north<br />

on the<br />

Colusa-


Princeton Road to Hwy.162 east to<br />

Oroville, and the beginning flight up<br />

the Feather River Canyon on Hwy.<br />

70. This is another breathtaking<br />

road, hugging and ascending a deep<br />

canyon from the valley, to the foothills<br />

and then the opening vistas of<br />

Sierra meadows, one after another.<br />

For a very short time, I played chase<br />

the Lotus, hah, what was I thinking!:)<br />

I did stay in his rear view, but<br />

he dusted me in the straights, and<br />

pulled away at every turn more and<br />

more. Ah well, the scenery is the<br />

thing, and getting there is what it’s<br />

all about. Unlike last year--”FlogMog<br />

Inundation”, where it rained and<br />

rained <strong>for</strong> most of the run, drove us<br />

all indoors--this time the weather was<br />

clear and bright, that brisk snap in the<br />

air as we climbed altitude, rustles of<br />

shimmering Aspens in the sunlight, it<br />

kept us all in the peak of driving zen,<br />

mile after mile. In the late afternoon,<br />

we came into Quincy in little clusters,<br />

to our all too familiar and favorite<br />

haunt, The Ranchito Motel, cabins and<br />

rooms circled around a brook, main<br />

building of hand fitted stonework and<br />

circular windows. We sat out on the<br />

common by the brook, an array<br />

of pizzas organised by Greg and<br />

Pierce Powell, beers and wine by<br />

<strong>for</strong>ty plus Mogs, carrying on into the<br />

night.<br />

The morning after some stayed<br />

in town and had breakfast (more<br />

Pizza!), and some got running on<br />

the road, didn’t matter, the sights and<br />

sounds of the timberlands and meadows<br />

of the central Sierras awaited as<br />

we drove south on 70 and onto Hwy<br />

49/89 into Truckee and then Tahoe<br />

City on the Shores. Between these<br />

towns is one of perhaps a dozen<br />

roundabouts in the State of Cali<strong>for</strong>nia,<br />

part of the I-80 interchange. You<br />

would think our <strong>Morgan</strong>s would go on<br />

autopilot at the sight of such a Olde<br />

UK road entry (well, wouldn’t you?)<br />

but no, it proved just as confusing <strong>for</strong><br />

us vets (hah!) as the SUV drivers. It<br />

was all right, everyone got through<br />

unscathed, and though traffic was<br />

dense, moved along at a good clip<br />

past Squaw Valley, Tahoe City until<br />

just after Meeks Bay. From there on<br />

to Emerald Bay and beyond nearly<br />

to Meyers “<strong>October</strong>fest” was in full<br />

swing--anywhere we wanted to pull<br />

over to view the azure waters and<br />

scenery was chock-a-block with visitors.<br />

We did stop <strong>for</strong> lunch just be<strong>for</strong>e<br />

the turnoff <strong>for</strong> South Lake Tahoe, and<br />

getting back on the road was a chore.<br />

The last hurrah of summer in Tahoe-<br />

-watch out! After Meyers, the road<br />

gradually became ours again, the sun<br />

shone brightly as we headed south<br />

to US 395 and the wind picked up<br />

considerably the higher we<br />

climbed to 7000ft. elevation.<br />

If you looked to the<br />

northeast you could see<br />

an approaching front in<br />

the distance and you knew<br />

later in the day you would<br />

have to contend with it. It<br />

was time to get to Sonora<br />

Pass and over it, and not<br />

dawdle about like some<br />

of us had planned with an<br />

idea to travel the gravel road turnoff<br />

to Bodie and take a look at this ghost<br />

town, nope, not this time neither. The<br />

wind had really picked up, dust devils<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 9<br />

and tumbleweeds were swirling across<br />

the highway and we chased over the<br />

pass like we did last year with the<br />

bite of chill on ears and fingers, time<br />

<strong>for</strong> gloves and muffs. And “chase” is<br />

not the word <strong>for</strong> those of us with FI<br />

challenged <strong>Morgan</strong>s, no, more like<br />

chugging we crawled over the 9000ft<br />

+ heights puffing black smoke and<br />

panting, crunching Moss boxes into<br />

first to keep going and take the series<br />

of ups and downs and loopbacks that<br />

make Sonora Pass what it is. Then on<br />

the downhill side, squealing, screeching<br />

disc brakes, courtesy all that dust<br />

kicked up with the now incessant<br />

winds. This caused some pulling and<br />

fade <strong>for</strong> a couple of us, but we got<br />

down the other side well enough, just<br />

a bit surprised at the cause and effect<br />

with Mother Nature.<br />

A welcome sight came into view<br />

near Pinecrest, the Strawberry Inn,<br />

right there in Strawberry, elevation<br />

7500ft. This is a lovely Chalet lodge<br />

of a place, my Mog friend Tom Smith<br />

(also architect) of New York wrote<br />

me: “Gilbert Stanley Underwood was<br />

the architect of the Strawberry Inn.<br />

He was also responsible <strong>for</strong> many of<br />

the impressive lodges throughout the<br />

National Parks in this country, Bryce<br />

Canyon, Old Faithful Lodge, and the<br />

Ahwahnee Lodge in Yosemite.” Thanks,<br />

Tom, the accomodations are great and<br />

the setting can’t be beat, and welcom-<br />

ing us were a couple of Flatrads, a<br />

blue one owned by Bob Frisbey and<br />

the white one, originally bought by the<br />

Sirolli’s in Australia 20 years ago and<br />

brought over when they moved to the


FlogMog continued<br />

Hallowe’en<br />

Hosted by Phil & Elaine Fisher • <strong>October</strong> 31, <strong>2009</strong><br />

Intrepid “Trick-or-Treaters” atop Mt. Diablo … but no one home …<br />

Linda (Gwenda?) saved the day with tiny black cauldrons of candy corn.<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 10<br />

Sacramento area a few years ago. Also, our longtime<br />

FlogMog trailblazers Dave & Cheri Sneary drove up<br />

from the Bay Area to join us at the Pitman cabin <strong>for</strong><br />

the end of the run party. They brought Angus along<br />

with them, the FlogMog piper, and this year Angus<br />

was awarded to Katherine Bard and Sister Sue<br />

in recognition of their farthest distance drive and<br />

FlogMog spirit to make this year’s run. And finally,<br />

we were felled upon by the storm front that chased<br />

us that final day, a dose of snow in the night and<br />

continuing flurries the next day, melting off as we<br />

descended the slopes and headed <strong>for</strong> the barn. It<br />

wasn’t the longest or the biggest, but it was exhilarating!<br />

Come with us next year!<br />

The Witch of<br />

Malvern and<br />

the Prince of<br />

Darkness<br />

(aka, Hosts:<br />

Elaine & Phil)<br />

OK, use your imagination<br />

like Kathy did when she<br />

dressed as a “<strong>Morgan</strong><br />

part”: blue cap, silver<br />

garb, fire-red boa and<br />

dangles …<br />

What was she?<br />

a Radiator!


Oktoberfest <strong>2009</strong><br />

Hosted by Audrey & Dave Haines, Oct 9-11<br />

OktoberFest<br />

was a splendid<br />

event put on<br />

by David and<br />

Audrey Haines.<br />

With their lovely<br />

home & garage<br />

in Loomis (near<br />

Auburn and the<br />

“Gold” Country)<br />

as a base, Mogs<br />

from the Bay<br />

Area and the<br />

Sacramento<br />

Regions gathered<br />

<strong>for</strong> lunch at the<br />

Sierra Nevada<br />

House as we drove through the American River Valley. Later, we<br />

went a’tasting to Placerville <strong>for</strong> the David Girard Vineyards and<br />

the Gold Hill Olive Oil Company, and a short afternoon stop<br />

in Georgetown, which hasn’t changed much in 150 years, except<br />

<strong>for</strong> the Gelato/Coffee shop and cars. We went on back to Loomis<br />

<strong>for</strong> the evening to a delicious catered dinner and a great array of<br />

Talent put on by Mogs who don’t want their names published, but<br />

we all had a great time. Here are some pics of what you missed.<br />

Come next time!<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 11


(310) 998-3311<br />

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to meet US import compliance. Certainly<br />

one of the most beautiful, sensuous new<br />

cars ever designed and offered by any<br />

manufacturer at any time. Breathtaking to<br />

behold, breathtaking to drive. Own one!<br />

2007 morgan aero 8 Blue Sprint Metallic<br />

Series III, 1 of 8 US cars. Factory side<br />

exhausts. Stainless steel mesh in rear<br />

lower valence. Alpine stereo CD w/<br />

satellite antennae. Black ravenwood<br />

ash dash and door cap trim. 2,100<br />

one owner Cali<strong>for</strong>nia miles.<br />

2005 morgan aero 8 BMW Cool Blue<br />

exterior Magnolia leather w/blue<br />

piping, Tawny ash dash and door top<br />

trim, Factory side Exhaust Top Boot<br />

w/contrasting piping, 8k miles!<br />

2003 morgan plus 8 35th Anniversary<br />

Edition Jaguar Merlot/Grey leather, Grey<br />

Mohair top and weather equipmnet, ultra<br />

rare Factory A/C,<br />

badge bar, Lucas<br />

fog lights, high<br />

end stereo CD<br />

system, beautiful<br />

color combination!<br />

// Arriving Soon!<br />

2003 morgan plus 8 35th Anniversary<br />

Edition Rosso Corsa. Badge bar with<br />

badges, tan mohair top, bonnet strap<br />

with mouton, hood/ bonnet prop<br />

rods. Interior: red/tan with red leather<br />

seat inserts. Engine: 4.0, V8 16 valve,<br />

6,650 miles. Factory alloy wheels.<br />

1965 morgan plus 4 Sage/Champagne<br />

wings 5513 miles since rebuild. 2.5 litre<br />

GM 4 cyl. two 45 Webers added by<br />

Robert Couch as well as all aluminium<br />

body aft of doors. 160 bhp. New<br />

chassis and tub in 1988. Five speed.<br />

1964 morgan plus 4 British Army Drab<br />

exterior/green interior, new green top.<br />

Recently fitted with dual Weber carbs w/<br />

velocity stacks, Derrington style stainless<br />

headers, big bore exhaust, full fron<br />

LeMans alloy belly tray, dual Lucas Sl<br />

576 driving lamps, burl dash, virtual one<br />

owner car from Northern Cali<strong>for</strong>nia.<br />

1964 morgan plus 4 Raspberry Brown<br />

Leather, Alloy low profile SS body, 167<br />

dyno’ed HP, turns 1.54<br />

100 Years of<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> by<br />

Toye, Kenning<br />

and Spencer,<br />

est. 1635 AD,<br />

makers of the<br />

finest enamels and<br />

cloissene and chrome.<br />

Limited number 001-<br />

100! US $145.00 + P/P +<br />

sales tax To order, email:<br />

Suzanne@morganwest.net<br />

WWW.ALLARDWEST.COM<br />

at Laguna Seca, 2.02<br />

at Sears Point. Recent<br />

vintage race victories,<br />

highest standards<br />

1961 morgan plus 4<br />

Four Passenger Family<br />

Tourer Red body, black<br />

wings Black interior with<br />

red piping. Fiat 2000<br />

DOHC 4 cylinder engine<br />

Automatic. MOGWEST<br />

Class winner restored<br />

in tradition of the<br />

mid-’80s classics.<br />

1955 morgan plus 4 Roadster Twin Spare<br />

Serial Number 3390, commissioned<br />

<strong>October</strong>, 1955, dispatched from<br />

the factory December 10, 1955<br />

1954 morgan plus 4 Roadster Twin<br />

Spare Beige Body/Chocolate Wings<br />

Full restoration by Robert Couch;<br />

1 of 43 twinspares, fold down<br />

windshield; you can buy this car <strong>for</strong><br />

1/2 the price of restoring one!<br />

1953 morgan flat rad four Frame<br />

up restoration with new rubber,<br />

leather, top side curtains and<br />

tonnau. Yellow with black wings.<br />

1948 morgan 4/4 Series 1 Roadster<br />

BRG body/dark BRG wings/Black<br />

leather; recent restoration by Light Car<br />

and CycleCar Company, Birmingham,<br />

UK; correct EZ clean 17” wheels<br />

1934 morgan mx family Black UK/2nd<br />

owner; nicest all original 3 wheeler extant!<br />

Original correct sidevalve Matchless<br />

engine, original nitrocellulose lacquer<br />

paint-irreplaceable! All upholstery is<br />

the original rexine and the hood and<br />

side screens are original duck material,<br />

having never been re-trimmed.<br />

1933 morgan jap super sport Trike Pozzi<br />

Blue, Red leather interior, Submitted <strong>for</strong><br />

consideration <strong>for</strong> next year’s <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

class at the Pebble Beach Concours.<br />

HUGE PRICE ADJUSTMENT DOWN<br />

other marques<br />

‘95 ferrari 355 Spider<br />

‘75 aston martin V8 Coupe<br />

‘89 rolls royce Corniche<br />

‘68 jaguar E Type<br />

‘73 citroen SM<br />

‘66 austin-healey 3000 Mrk III<br />

‘65 austin-healey 3000 Mrk III<br />

‘57 porsche Speedster Custom<br />

WWW.MORGANWEST.NET WWW.ZOLFEWEST.NET<br />

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12PM Oct 16 <strong>2009</strong>


Member Classifieds<br />

FOR SALE: 1934 <strong>Morgan</strong> 3 wheeler MX Super Sports, cream and red.<br />

Restored from the frame up with new wood, sheet metal, paint, wiring,<br />

wheel bearings, brakes, etc. Reliable and a good runner. Get details/<br />

photos from Larry Ayers, 707-554-1787, or Red<strong>Morgan</strong>Racing@earthlink.net<br />

• $55,000 or nearest offer<br />

FOR SALE: Many +4 engine (TR) and drivetrain parts, NOS<br />

mechanicals and electricals, Call Lynn Powell, 209-245-3152 or<br />

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MogDogs<br />

Many Series 1, 4-4 and +4 parts<br />

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Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 13<br />

Adsightem: Espied in Malvern


1,000 Miles in a <strong>Morgan</strong> +4 Super Sports<br />

Story & photos by Hermen Pol<br />

The name Super Sports has always<br />

been connected to “<strong>Morgan</strong>s with<br />

something extra” during the 100 years<br />

of existence of the <strong>Morgan</strong> car. First<br />

came of course the three wheeler<br />

Super Sports. This was an abbreviation<br />

<strong>for</strong> Super Sports Aero (sometimes<br />

called Super Aero) and denoted an<br />

Aero, which instead of a sweeping tail<br />

had a low body with a beetle back rear<br />

end. The Super Sports three-wheelers<br />

did outper<strong>for</strong>m many of their contemporaries.<br />

Now it is a very much sought<br />

after model, which fetches high prices.<br />

The next time the name Super<br />

Sports was used, occurred in the<br />

1960s. It was then that the <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

Motor Company entered into a pact<br />

with racing driver and tuner Chris<br />

Lawrence, about the supply of tuned<br />

engines <strong>for</strong> a variation of the +4<br />

model, meant <strong>for</strong> competition. On this<br />

model I’ll enlarge in the rest of the<br />

story.<br />

The so far latest time that the<br />

Super Sports nomenclature was used<br />

<strong>for</strong> a <strong>Morgan</strong> is <strong>for</strong> the successor to<br />

the sensational Aero Max coupe, the<br />

Aero Super Sports. This is carrying on<br />

some lines from the Aero Max, but the<br />

rear end looks rather different, while<br />

the Targa type roof is a novum on<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> cars.<br />

The Plus Four Super Sports<br />

In 1961 the first Plus Four Super<br />

Sports appeared on the market. This<br />

was equipped with a Triumph TR3<br />

(later examples a TR4) engine, which<br />

had been tuned by the Lawrence<br />

Tune firm of Chris Lawrence. This<br />

involved –amongst other things- a<br />

special camshaft, 40 DCOE (later 42<br />

DCOE) Weber carburetors, a special<br />

exhaust manifold, etc. The type was<br />

advertised as being equipped with an<br />

aluminium body. Specifications could<br />

vary slightly from car to car, according<br />

to wishes of the person who ordered<br />

the car. Early cars were fitted with<br />

a high (Plus Four) body. Later cars<br />

were fitted with the low (4/4) body,<br />

which made it go even faster and gave<br />

it a better proportioned look. The<br />

scoop was also made to <strong>for</strong>m an integral<br />

part of the bonnet in those cars.<br />

Non-Factory Super Sports<br />

Plus Fours<br />

To make things even more complicated,<br />

there is a large number of<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> Plus Fours that were converted<br />

to (near) Super Sports specifications.<br />

Some examples of these are:<br />

• <strong>Cars</strong> built by Lawrence at his<br />

London workshops well after delivery<br />

date;<br />

• <strong>Cars</strong> built by Lawrence in<br />

Cali<strong>for</strong>nia, when he was running<br />

Lawrencetune West Inc.;<br />

• <strong>Cars</strong> converted by either <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

specialists or owners.<br />

Many of these cars are now on the<br />

road or racing as “original” Super<br />

Sports. Apart from that, there are<br />

even “original” Super Sports with<br />

double, or even triple identity!<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 14<br />

There<strong>for</strong>e if you ever consider the<br />

purchase of a +4 Super Sports, it is<br />

important to be well in<strong>for</strong>med about<br />

the car’s identity and previous history<br />

BEFORE the purchase. If there is any<br />

doubt about that, you had better leave<br />

that car alone.<br />

Plus Four Super Sports in<br />

Competition<br />

As the name implies, the type was<br />

built with competing in mind. It would<br />

go too far to mention all competition<br />

activities with +4 Super Sports.<br />

These were numerous and on different<br />

levels. Also the Lawrence Tune<br />

Team itself was very active, of course.<br />

It was just as well that exactly they<br />

scored the most revered success in<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> competition history: a class<br />

win at the 1962 edition of the Le Mans<br />

24 Hours race. Chris Lawrence and<br />

Richard Shepherd-Barron shared these<br />

honours.<br />

Plus Four Super Sports in<br />

the present time<br />

When the cars were made, the<br />

Super Sports was a relatively expensive<br />

variety on the +4 chassis. While a<br />

standard +4 2-seater had a basic price<br />

of GBP 715 in 1967, the +4 Super<br />

Sports of GBP 950, in other words a<br />

third more expensive! Of course various<br />

extras (different colour scheme,<br />

hard top, to name but a few), made a<br />

car even more expensive.


After the +4 had been succeeded by<br />

the +8, values of second hand exam-<br />

ples of the +4 Super Sports remained<br />

stable. It was quite a rare model after<br />

all, with 96 2-seaters built, 7 4-seaters<br />

and 9 Drophead Coupés.<br />

With the last cars being built in<br />

1968, there is a good survival rate.<br />

Sometimes “new” examples are being<br />

discovered. If you are keen on having<br />

one in your own stable, it usually is a<br />

question of patience and once the car<br />

of your dreams becomes available of<br />

acting quickly! Good examples are real<br />

valuable now, though a<br />

definite value is hard to<br />

give.<br />

If you can lay your<br />

hands upon one and<br />

have satisfied yourself<br />

it is a “real” one, don’t<br />

wait too long, or it will<br />

be gone! Replica Super<br />

Sports cars have the<br />

same type of per<strong>for</strong>mance,<br />

but NOT the<br />

same value. There<strong>for</strong>e, if<br />

you just go <strong>for</strong> the looks<br />

and the per<strong>for</strong>mance, a<br />

replica might be a good<br />

alternative, but the real devotee goes<br />

<strong>for</strong> a Factory built one!<br />

Now with the economic crisis at<br />

hand prices even <strong>for</strong> real Super Sports<br />

have dropped somewhat of late. For<br />

those with good reserves it’s a nice<br />

time to lay the hands upon one!<br />

The current real Super Sports survivors<br />

can roughly be divided into the<br />

following categories:<br />

• Restoration projects, either in<br />

state of neglect, or still in more or<br />

less running condition;<br />

• Nice road cars, that may be<br />

entered into the odd competition<br />

now and then;<br />

• Racing cars, highly prepared,<br />

participating in various historic<br />

racing events, in Europe and the<br />

USA or elsewhere;<br />

• Beautiful cars, restored to a<br />

high standard, meant to show or<br />

participate in concours events.<br />

Of the second category there are<br />

not too many about and because they<br />

are well spread out over the globe it<br />

is a treat <strong>for</strong> non-owners to get a ride<br />

in one.<br />

In my home country Holland the<br />

number of Super Sports +4s is very<br />

limited. One of them falls into the first<br />

category, while the opposite end of<br />

the ladder is also present. There<strong>for</strong>e<br />

the opportunity to get a ride in one is<br />

slim, to say the least.<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> Centenary<br />

For the most important <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

meeting ever, yours truly got an unexpected<br />

opportunity. Not really expecting<br />

to go, the phone rang out of the<br />

blue. The result of this initial phone<br />

call was a trip by Thalys to Paris and<br />

from there to Cheltenham in a REAL<br />

1967 +4 SUPER SPORTS!<br />

Long time <strong>Morgan</strong> owner Douglas<br />

Hallawell, with whom I had been in<br />

contact a number of times per e-mail,<br />

but never met be<strong>for</strong>e in person,<br />

belongs to the VERY select group of<br />

people who own two (or more) +4<br />

Super Sports <strong>Morgan</strong>s! Even though I<br />

tend to keep a close eye on changes of<br />

ownership of Super Sports +4s, inevitably<br />

some do escape my attention.<br />

Spain is a country to which many<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong>s were sold during the 1950s<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 15<br />

and 1960s. Due to its favourable<br />

climate many <strong>Morgan</strong>s have survived<br />

the test of times in remarkable good<br />

condition.<br />

Three of the <strong>Morgan</strong>s sold in the<br />

1960s were +4 Super Sports, of which<br />

two were delivered in the colour Vivid<br />

Yellow. These two remained in Spain,<br />

seeing little use.<br />

With his own +4 Super Sports still<br />

needing a part restoration, Douglas<br />

jumped at the chance when one of<br />

these low mileage cars became available.<br />

By the time that the Le Mans<br />

Classic 2008 took<br />

place, Douglas was<br />

the proud owner of<br />

yet another +4 Super<br />

Sports, had joined<br />

the exclusive league<br />

of multiple Super<br />

Sports owners and<br />

attracted much attention<br />

with his latest<br />

acquisition.<br />

Also <strong>for</strong> the<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> Centenary he<br />

was going to use this<br />

car. After spending a<br />

night full of <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

talk, it was time to pack the <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

and be on our way to Cheltenham,<br />

through the Le Havre – Portsmouth<br />

ferry. The Super Sports ran faultless,<br />

except <strong>for</strong> a loud CLONK when still on<br />

the French Autoroute. It appeared a<br />

bolt holding the right rear springs had<br />

given in to the test of time. This did<br />

not prevent us to continue our way.<br />

We joined a group of other French<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong>eers on the ferry. The original<br />

plan was to travel in a group to<br />

Cheltenham, but the weather conditions<br />

in England upon arrival immediately<br />

prevented that. It wasn’t until<br />

we made a detour to Ox<strong>for</strong>d, that we<br />

noticed the other <strong>Morgan</strong>eers, who<br />

left BEFORE us, catching up on us and<br />

continuing their way to Cheltenham.<br />

In Ox<strong>for</strong>d one of the things to be<br />

done was visiting a garage, in order<br />

Continued on page 17


Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 16


to see if the rear suspension could be<br />

repaired. That appeared to be a small<br />

job. Remarkable was that the original<br />

bolt <strong>for</strong> the shock absorber still was on<br />

the floor board and had not been lost,<br />

even after a ride of a few hundred<br />

miles!<br />

After Ox<strong>for</strong>d it was straight on to<br />

Malvern, where we were of course far<br />

from the only <strong>Morgan</strong> at The Factory.<br />

There was a good selection from all<br />

kinds of different models from prewar<br />

to present, with almost anything<br />

in between. Because the Factory was<br />

on official leave and the workers who<br />

were there in fact solely appeared <strong>for</strong><br />

demonstration to the public, they had<br />

far more time to talk to the visitors<br />

than usually allowed, which made <strong>for</strong><br />

a very relaxed atmosphere.<br />

One of the few Factory workers who<br />

probably made MORE hours than usual<br />

was Mark Baldwin, who helped out<br />

many a <strong>Morgan</strong>eer who turned up with<br />

mechanical problems. Thanks to him<br />

those <strong>Morgan</strong>s kept running during the<br />

weekend!<br />

The yellow Super Sports proved<br />

an attraction as the public noticed its<br />

original condition, low mileage and<br />

proud owner Douglas Hallawell was<br />

more than happy to enlarge on that!<br />

On Friday 31st of July many<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong>s gathered at the visitors<br />

centre, from where the cavalcade of<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong>s through<br />

the ages, organized The Super Sports +4s that had come to<br />

by Brands Hatch Cheltenham were the following:<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong>s, would start. Registration Country Colour<br />

This was a nice scenic<br />

route from Malvern<br />

to Cheltenham. Apart<br />

from Douglas’ Super<br />

Sports, there were<br />

MOG 1<br />

AWP 77 B<br />

WZX 278<br />

J 30 673<br />

New Zealand<br />

U.K<br />

Sweden<br />

Jersey<br />

White<br />

Blue<br />

Green<br />

Green<br />

two more +4 Super TOK 258 Jersey Green<br />

Sports participating in AL-20-46 Holland Blue<br />

the cavalcade, namely B 563493 France Yellow<br />

the one which had<br />

HPY 849 U.K. Blue<br />

come all the way from 208 FOJ U.K. Green<br />

New Zealand, owned<br />

#5222 U.S.A. Green<br />

by Jeff Williams, and<br />

a Swedish one, owned<br />

by Thure Gellerbrant,<br />

C 5330 Norway Green<br />

which had been<br />

display, the only exceptions being the<br />

restored by Brands Hatch <strong>Morgan</strong>s a white New Zealand car and the yellow<br />

few years earlier! It looked great and car from France, still on its original<br />

what’s more, despite its great looks Spanish plates…<br />

the owner was not afraid to use it.<br />

The Super Sports display of course<br />

He had come down all the way from drew a lot of attention from the public.<br />

Sweden in it. The <strong>Morgan</strong>s left the It was in a way very sad that its initia-<br />

Factory gates in groups of 10 and tor, Machiel Kalf, couldn’t enjoy it and<br />

had lots of admirers along the way even hadn’t his car displayed there,<br />

to Cheltenham, waving, cheering and because he took part in the Centenary<br />

taking photographs. Also groups of concours. He was more than rewarded<br />

other <strong>Morgan</strong>s had positioned them- <strong>for</strong> his absence from the display, as he<br />

selves strategically, in order to get a could take back home the prize <strong>for</strong> the<br />

good view of the colourful parade. overall winner of the concours! That<br />

Cheltenham, 1st and 2nd August was no mean feat of course. An extra<br />

<strong>2009</strong> were without ANY doubt the reward was his entrance ticket <strong>for</strong> the<br />

days with the best selection of <strong>Morgan</strong> fabulous Pebble Beach concours in<br />

+4 Super Sports together Cali<strong>for</strong>nia, a few weeks later. Here he<br />

in one place. No less than carried away second prize!<br />

11 had come over, from Instead of Machiel, Douglass<br />

all over the world, to take Hallawell proved an unsolicited stand<br />

part in the festivities AND in, as he stayed with the Super Sports<br />

the special display, which display <strong>for</strong> much of the time, proud<br />

had been organized by as he is of his original 1967 car. He<br />

Machiel Kalf at the main showed it to everyone who wanted to<br />

entrance of Cheltenham see it, did not tire to tell its story, but<br />

race-course, at the oppo- also was very keen to get it photosite<br />

side was a display graphed with THE Super Sports celeb-<br />

of very similar LOOKING rities, Chris Lawrence and Richard<br />

cars, namely Le Mans 62 Shepherd-Barron, who were important<br />

cars, organized by Keith guests of the meeting.<br />

Hofgartner of the Le Mans<br />

Keith Ahlers brought along not only<br />

62 register.<br />

The dark colours stood<br />

his “ordinary” +4 Super Sports, but<br />

out in the Super Sports<br />

Continued on page 19<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 17


Be<strong>for</strong>e resuming yarns and tales of “Downhill All the Way”<br />

I thought it best I clear up a few burning issues plaguing<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> owners the past 100 years:<br />

How did America, with its English heritage, blunder<br />

onto the wrong side of the road?<br />

Convention from earliest times was to move to the left<br />

meeting oncoming traffic, people predominantly right handed<br />

doing so enabled wielding a weapon at a foe or high-fiving<br />

a friend. In the 14th century Pope “all roads lead to Rome”<br />

Boniface proclaimed pilgrims must keep to the left. Come the<br />

French Revolution Robespierre reversed the rule, some say<br />

to spite Rome, or that carriages carrying jumped up Jacobins<br />

passed on the right of pedestrians to prevent disaffected<br />

peasants reaching the right hand seated driver, thereby halting<br />

the rig the better to remonstrate with the occupant over<br />

broken campaign promises. So right became the rule, and<br />

spread to all Napoleonic countries, loyal or conquered.<br />

But why, in 1792, did Pennsylvania (and other states soon<br />

after) legally require right of the road driving? Was it post-<br />

Revolution throw-off of the Crown and its Rule? Or, because<br />

late 18th century freight wagons, built by German immigrants,<br />

followed the long standing rule – driven from astride<br />

the left rear horse, the French imposed right side passing rule<br />

then allowing postillons to look out <strong>for</strong> locking hubs.<br />

Jousting knights started this right side passing rot, carried<br />

through to both Upper Crust autos, and race cars adopting<br />

right hand drive from the start, enabling chauffeurs and<br />

milady to exit curbside, and racers to add weight on the<br />

torque raising right rear wheel<br />

corners. Lancia Aurelia was<br />

the last Euro car retaining rhd<br />

tradition <strong>for</strong> home markets,<br />

Ferrari reserved rhd <strong>for</strong> the<br />

Works race cars, customers<br />

getting lhd, and in the Alps,<br />

truckers long choosing rhd the<br />

better to see the road edge. In<br />

the US, curbside steering now<br />

seen only on garbage and mail<br />

trucks, and a few <strong>Morgan</strong>s,<br />

which ones? Who knows<br />

better or different?<br />

Why did <strong>Morgan</strong> choose an<br />

oddball metric bolt pattern<br />

<strong>for</strong> its steel wheels?<br />

Until 1957 all <strong>Morgan</strong>s<br />

(save trikes) wore steel road wheels. After 1956 the SCCA<br />

in America banned <strong>Morgan</strong>s from racing because these steel<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> Musings<br />

by Michael Anthony<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 18<br />

wheels kept falling off, which <strong>for</strong>ced <strong>Morgan</strong> into action.<br />

Wire wheel hubs had been available <strong>for</strong> Salisbury axles since<br />

1954, <strong>Morgan</strong> copied a Dunlop design <strong>for</strong> the front splined,<br />

drum brake hubs. But from start to finish <strong>Morgan</strong> persisted<br />

with this metric mystery, at odds with every other British car<br />

manufacturer (who used the Imperial Standard measurement<br />

bolt pattern), necessitating the production of 16 inch<br />

and 15 inch steel wheels unique to <strong>Morgan</strong>, when they could<br />

undoubtedly have bought TR2/3 wheels <strong>for</strong> mere pennies.<br />

A theory: British Salmson, was the English arm of the<br />

French Salmson Car Company, whose factory outside London<br />

built Aero engines in the 1930s. About 1934 British Salmson<br />

decided to produce a 6 cylinder 2.3 litre twin cam engined<br />

sports car, assembled mainly from French made parts. An<br />

output of 25 cars per month was envisaged, the venture<br />

came to naught and only twelve cars total were made, with<br />

steel bolt on wheels. Study a rare photograph of a British<br />

Salmson, and it will be seen wearing what appears to be an<br />

identical 17 inch wheel, with slots, to that which appeared in<br />

1936 on the <strong>Morgan</strong> Series 1 4-4, and continued to be fitted<br />

to the 4/4 (other than dropheads) through to February, 1951.<br />

Did HFS go dumpster diving back of the Salmson factory?<br />

Maybe he was able to buy a few thousand overstock wheels,<br />

and so had to produce metric PCD hubs to suit. Who knows<br />

better or different? Today, later 1960s VW Bug wheels are<br />

the only readily available replacements. By the way, why was<br />

“4-4” changed to “4/4”? What other <strong>Morgan</strong> model prompted<br />

this? Think about it.<br />

Who built the first gasoline<br />

powered British car? (Clue:<br />

the business was located in a<br />

place called Malvern Link.)<br />

Wrong! Not what you think.<br />

Brothers Charles and Walter<br />

Santler of Malvern converted a<br />

compressed gas powered engine<br />

in a dog cart to run on petrol in<br />

1894. A German friend of theirs,<br />

a certain Mr. Benz, is said to<br />

have visited them on more than<br />

one occasion, and they popped<br />

over to see him as well. Those<br />

were the days when Malvern was<br />

the Silicon Valley of early motoring,<br />

and HFS, fresh from engineering<br />

school, apprenticeship<br />

and back home by 1905, needed<br />

a hobby. His “runabouts” became increasingly popular with<br />

his friends, and in 1909, MMC was born.


Super Sports … Continued from page 17<br />

also TOK 258. Many <strong>Morgan</strong> enthusiasts took the opportunity<br />

to get a nice set of pictures of this car too.<br />

One <strong>Morgan</strong> which, though not a +4 Super Sports in the<br />

strict sense of the word, has definite Lawrence links and<br />

also was present at the Centenary meeting was the +4<br />

owned by John Brook, who happens to live in Malvern! It<br />

has the chassis of the original (1956) +4 registered TOK<br />

258, the high body which reputedly first sat on the 1961<br />

car (which was later changed <strong>for</strong> a low body, in which<br />

configuration the car scored the Le Mans win), but … a very<br />

odd rear end! John did have a number of questions about<br />

the car and put a large display board next to his car and<br />

thus drew a lot of attention.<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> Musings, continued from page 18<br />

Finally, a contest: “Spot the Roll Axis”<br />

See the drawing below of a <strong>Morgan</strong> front suspension. Do<br />

the geometry and you’ll see why this design is among the<br />

most stable suspension designs in the automotive world,<br />

and why it is very hard to roll a <strong>Morgan</strong>. Send your answers<br />

into Gordon and the winner will be announced next issue,<br />

awarded a worn out kingpin <strong>for</strong> their trouble, probably two<br />

the way parts keep falling off around here.<br />

Yours, Mike Anthony<br />

Time to leave<br />

Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 19<br />

All too quickly the time passed by at Cheltenham and<br />

the hour drew near to say goodbye to all the Super Sports<br />

owners and other <strong>Morgan</strong> enthusiasts, get the yellow Super<br />

Sports and its occupants ready <strong>for</strong> depart and set off in the<br />

direction of Portsmouth again.<br />

With no bolts shaking loose this time and solely the occasional<br />

misfire, the Super Sports behaved itself impeccably.<br />

The only stops necessary were <strong>for</strong> filling up with petrol.<br />

The Weber carbs, combined with Douglass’ driving style,<br />

make sure that the maximum distance covered on one litre<br />

of petrol is about 7 kms, which is about equal to 20 mpg.<br />

Driving an exclusive, fast <strong>Morgan</strong> has its price…<br />

Arriving safely in France by the ferry, the final stint was<br />

Le Havre – Paris. In lovely sunny weather we drove along<br />

the French Autoroute, the Périfirique, to arrive safely from<br />

where the trip had started.<br />

The trusty yellow Super Sports had added another 1000<br />

miles within a long weekend, which was about 5% of its<br />

TOTAL previous mileage, from 1967 on! In other words, at<br />

last it had been properly run in!<br />

Thanks <strong>for</strong> the great ride, Douglass. May the Super<br />

Sports last at least another 42 years!<br />

Hermen Pol ©<br />

Editors note:<br />

Hermen Pol is a serious and respected <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

archivist and researcher. He lives in Holland and<br />

provides research services above and beyond what may<br />

be obtained from factory records. If you as a <strong>Morgan</strong><br />

owner are interested in the provenance of your vehicle,<br />

Hermen is your man.<br />

Contact him at:<br />

<strong>Morgan</strong> History Company,<br />

Het Veer 129, NL – HD AVENHORN<br />

Website:<br />

http://morganhistoryinfo.services.officelive.com

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