October - November 2009 - Morgan Cars for Sale
October - November 2009 - Morgan Cars for Sale
October - November 2009 - Morgan Cars for Sale
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
<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 />
JUST ARRIVED! <strong>2009</strong> Allard J2X Mk II<br />
2010 morgan aero supersports // order<br />
yours now! As few as 150 will ever be built<br />
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 />
Dennis Glavis, Managing Director | 3003 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90405 | DENNIS@MORGANWEST.NET<br />
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 />
(cell) 209-482-6627, email: lynn@wildblue.net<br />
MogDogs<br />
Many Series 1, 4-4 and +4 parts<br />
available! Call (# below) or email:<br />
lismoregordon@sbcglobal.net<br />
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