RE: PH Blog: Morgan, it's the new TVR

[SAGRIFF]

would I swap any of my TVRs for a Morgan, errrrr no.

[PascalBuyens]

Sivraj said:

Fare enough a numpty bought TVR but what happened to all the skills and creative tallent the company employed?
Where are they now?
Got to love the Morgan by the way!....

I think that some of them either started their own company (some of them in the old TVR buildings), or are working in some way for a company that still has something to do with TVR/cars in general...

[jellison]

Mog's really are the Nuts.

race against alot of them, and they really are what a proper "Sportscar" is all about, the basic done really well, but no frills.

The New V8 will be Epic now based on the Aero8.

[Al 450]

Bravo! Good article. Long may Morgan continue producing cars like this.

[Kazlet]

ReaperCushions said:

Cant help but love a Morgan, that shapely rear and that engine are simple sublime.

Although the front can look a little odd

Total cartoon car.

[robsco]

Excellent article, sums up the charm of a British sports car to perfection.

[T1berious]

Kazlet said:

Total cartoon car.

For this reason alone I'd get one. Epic Performance and never in a million years could it be mistaken for something by Porsche or any other marque.

Isn't the engine a BMW sourced item if memory serves? (could wrong)

[ArtVandelay]

Does it use the engine from a BMW 650i?

Good choice

[T1berious]

Yup, just checked it used the BMW N62 engine. In a car this light it must be staggeringly quickin the dry.

If I was 15 I'd want a poster of it

[Andy JB]

Garlick said:

Andy JB said:

Current issue was non-starting due to reasons we couldn't fathom. Turns out it needed new coil pack and amplifier and we couldn't diagnose at the roadside. Therefore, it was a new issue that resulted in this

Garlick i love your articles & read them with vigour, however, ref your latest Chim issues I would apply the same logic to the Coil as the battery - surely as its such a cheap serviceable item, and on any car over 10 years old its one of the first thing to change when you buy the car along with a new lead set.

With TVR's or any other marque its normally ignition related issues which cause unreliability, so if you eliminate the problem at source you likely to have a much more trouble free experience especially on an old Trevor.......

[Stuart]

Completely agree with Paul's piece. He and I have pretty much been on our own this week with the keys to this. Were it not for the fact that I have to pick up my wife and daughter each night there's no way he'd have been in it every night! I did borrow the keys for an hour yesterday over lunch though, and I was smitten.

I've mused on this in the past but all of a sudden I seem "get" Morgan. Is it an age thing - the automotive equivalent of suddenly realising that you like most of the presenters on BBC Radio 2, and barely any on Radio 1 perhaps?

[sospan]

I have a Morgan.
1992 4/4 with 1.6 injection 2 seater.
Not a speed merchant car but oh so much fun!
I love driving it.
As its that age -
no power steering
no servo brakes
a ride thats an acquired taste but adds to the fun -rear leaf springs and sliding pillar front suspension
Seat of the pants driving without modern sense - deadening extras.
You soon get the "Morgan smile" that grows bigger as the miles add up.
Went out in it today - on a whim.....
Superb short drive of about 50 miles - hood down of course!
It is used as a soemtimes commute car as well as fun drives and has room for my 2 spaniels behind the seats.
I want the Plus 8 but too £££££££££ for me unfortunately, but have seen them in build at the factory.
May change to the V6 Roadster though.
A few more encouraging moments to convince my co-pilot and she will say yes!!!
The factory visit went a long way to the yes vote!
If you haven't driven a Morgan then you should.
I love driving "modern" cars too but the Morgan.............
its like a magnet

[ClassicMercs]

300bhp/ton said:

Morgans are great, wish I could afford one. And if anyone gets a chance for a factory visit jump at it! Brilliant brilliant day and something to be proud of and to call British!

+1
Its a couple of years since we were there - but superb. They make cars - others assemble components.
And unless its changed Charles Morgan's desk is untidier than mine - which really says something. Real 'show us your desk' material.

[Garlick]

Andy JB said:

Garlick i love your articles & read them with vigour, however, ref your latest Chim issues I would apply the same logic to the Coil as the battery - surely as its such a cheap serviceable item, and on any car over 10 years old its one of the first thing to change when you buy the car along with a new lead set.

With TVR's or any other marque its normally ignition related issues which cause unreliability, so if you eliminate the problem at source you likely to have a much more trouble free experience especially on an old Trevor.......

Thanks for the compliment, much obliged

Quick answer is that I bought my car warranted from a dealer, so I didn't change a thing as it was fully prepped prior to collection.

I've owned it coming on for 2 1/2 years now and this is the first time it's ever failed to start (I don't include the battery issue as that was inevitable). I'm no mechanic, even the very basic stuff confuses me, so I write with honesty to tell my story. Of course there's always a reason or a solution to an issue, but I'll tell it how it is from the view of a Luddite TVR owner. if it needs recovery then it goes in my story.

I don't mean to do the car a disservice, but I do hope to give those who aspire to one an honest view from an owner who doesn't know one end of a spanner from another. Hopefully I've shared enough highs to make others join the fold too. Considering it's been turn key reliable during my ownership says an awful lot for the reliability of a decent example.

I think we're both agreeing here, we're just two different types of owner

[Garlick]

T1berious said:

Yup, just checked it used the BMW N62 engine. In a car this light it must be staggeringly quickin the dry.

If I was 15 I'd want a poster of it

It can squirm the rear tyres in the dry, in a straight line at the top end of 2nd.....probably third too.

Yes, it's rather punchy

[Small Car]

Morgan reliability is interesting. You, the owner do the shake down, and then drive the great distance, at regular intervals, to the dealer, to get it fixed. If you are really unlucky, your car then gets taken back to the factory as the 'technology' is too advanced for the supplying dealer to fix. This wastes plenty of time and adds miles to your car, if it is working. So very much in the spirit of a TVR???

[Jayfish]

ReaperCushions said:

Cant help but love a Morgan, that shapely rear and that engine are simple sublime.

Although the front can look a little odd

Never seen that angle before (not sure I want to again) it's got something of a Kenneth willams sneer to it; I'd still have one in a heartbeat.
Neighbours opposite me growing up, had visitors every sunday who parked a gorgeous Burgandy +8 outside; I was already into vintage cars and when I discovered it was modern recently made I was smitten, it was the first car I ever photographed and I still have the photo somewhere.

[Jayfish]

Bill Ferry said:

Morning all,
A few nice, thoughtful articles lately on a motor that I always imagined wouldn't be well received here.
I'm the wrong sort of fella to love Morgans'. I'm 6'4" and REALLY struggle to get in.. and, with the roof up.. well, forget it..!
But, they are British, and we should treasure them They have astonishing kudo's, the world loves them [and PH too I hope]. Tho' I suspect they don't fit PH cos' they haven't 1000 bhp and swimwear models aren't queueing up to get in.. In yer dreams boys..
When the money comes [lottery] as it surely will [ my dreams].. I'm going to see the Morgan man at Lanchester and I'll ask for a go in the new[ish] V8 and the 3 wheeler. If they fit and I'm not crippled.. getting in or out.. I would wish to order one of each. In Ludlow Green, to special order.. a Ford colour from the 1950's. Lovely.
And yes, I'm fully aware £85k is a lot of money. But a new 911S will be similar without extra's.. and it'll shed value like a falling girder.. 3yo= £40k or less. You won't be buying a 3yo Morgan V8 for £40k anytime.
So, there we are then. It's my birthday today [truly] and I really have WISHED very hard.. but the lottery didn't and Mr Morgan at Lanchester hasn't either. Bugger eh..
Ratbags.
Best regards
WF

I think you'll fond Ph is a broader church than you've presumed, sure there are guys with cars most of us will never afford, but take a look at the best car you've ever owned thread, even guys with mile munching monsters still love the 205 they first had or the first RWD car.
Morgan is well within the remit, Stylish, coachbuilt, British, light, demands skill to drive, purposeful and most of all 90% of the population just don't get it

[Garlick]

Most often heard comment over three days with the car has been 'look at that old car'

It's very well received by everyone, with lots of smiles and interest.....but most (esp ladies and kids) comment on the 'old car'

I haven't had time to explain...

[Celtic Dragon]

Don't Morgan use the BMW M V8? A motoring journalist friend of mine loves them and has bought himself the 3 wheeler. Personally, I'd have the TVR.

So the question is Mr Garlick, which would win your heart your TVR with the BMW V8 or the Morgan with the same engine?

Edit: Someone beat me to the BMW engine bit.

Edited by Celtic Dragon on Wednesday 14th March 21:56