Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 16
to see if the rear suspension could be repaired. That appeared to be a small job. Remarkable was that the original bolt <strong>for</strong> the shock absorber still was on the floor board and had not been lost, even after a ride of a few hundred miles! After Ox<strong>for</strong>d it was straight on to Malvern, where we were of course far from the only <strong>Morgan</strong> at The Factory. There was a good selection from all kinds of different models from prewar to present, with almost anything in between. Because the Factory was on official leave and the workers who were there in fact solely appeared <strong>for</strong> demonstration to the public, they had far more time to talk to the visitors than usually allowed, which made <strong>for</strong> a very relaxed atmosphere. One of the few Factory workers who probably made MORE hours than usual was Mark Baldwin, who helped out many a <strong>Morgan</strong>eer who turned up with mechanical problems. Thanks to him those <strong>Morgan</strong>s kept running during the weekend! The yellow Super Sports proved an attraction as the public noticed its original condition, low mileage and proud owner Douglas Hallawell was more than happy to enlarge on that! On Friday 31st of July many <strong>Morgan</strong>s gathered at the visitors centre, from where the cavalcade of <strong>Morgan</strong>s through the ages, organized The Super Sports +4s that had come to by Brands Hatch Cheltenham were the following: <strong>Morgan</strong>s, would start. Registration Country Colour This was a nice scenic route from Malvern to Cheltenham. Apart from Douglas’ Super Sports, there were MOG 1 AWP 77 B WZX 278 J 30 673 New Zealand U.K Sweden Jersey White Blue Green Green two more +4 Super TOK 258 Jersey Green Sports participating in AL-20-46 Holland Blue the cavalcade, namely B 563493 France Yellow the one which had HPY 849 U.K. Blue come all the way from 208 FOJ U.K. Green New Zealand, owned #5222 U.S.A. Green by Jeff Williams, and a Swedish one, owned by Thure Gellerbrant, C 5330 Norway Green which had been display, the only exceptions being the restored by Brands Hatch <strong>Morgan</strong>s a white New Zealand car and the yellow few years earlier! It looked great and car from France, still on its original what’s more, despite its great looks Spanish plates… the owner was not afraid to use it. The Super Sports display of course He had come down all the way from drew a lot of attention from the public. Sweden in it. The <strong>Morgan</strong>s left the It was in a way very sad that its initia- Factory gates in groups of 10 and tor, Machiel Kalf, couldn’t enjoy it and had lots of admirers along the way even hadn’t his car displayed there, to Cheltenham, waving, cheering and because he took part in the Centenary taking photographs. Also groups of concours. He was more than rewarded other <strong>Morgan</strong>s had positioned them- <strong>for</strong> his absence from the display, as he selves strategically, in order to get a could take back home the prize <strong>for</strong> the good view of the colourful parade. overall winner of the concours! That Cheltenham, 1st and 2nd August was no mean feat of course. An extra <strong>2009</strong> were without ANY doubt the reward was his entrance ticket <strong>for</strong> the days with the best selection of <strong>Morgan</strong> fabulous Pebble Beach concours in +4 Super Sports together Cali<strong>for</strong>nia, a few weeks later. Here he in one place. No less than carried away second prize! 11 had come over, from Instead of Machiel, Douglass all over the world, to take Hallawell proved an unsolicited stand part in the festivities AND in, as he stayed with the Super Sports the special display, which display <strong>for</strong> much of the time, proud had been organized by as he is of his original 1967 car. He Machiel Kalf at the main showed it to everyone who wanted to entrance of Cheltenham see it, did not tire to tell its story, but race-course, at the oppo- also was very keen to get it photosite side was a display graphed with THE Super Sports celeb- of very similar LOOKING rities, Chris Lawrence and Richard cars, namely Le Mans 62 Shepherd-Barron, who were important cars, organized by Keith guests of the meeting. Hofgartner of the Le Mans Keith Ahlers brought along not only 62 register. The dark colours stood his “ordinary” +4 Super Sports, but out in the Super Sports Continued on page 19 Morgazette • <strong>October</strong> / <strong>November</strong> <strong>2009</strong> • Page 17
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