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EDITOR’S LETTER
EDITORIAL Editor
Nigel Bradford nigel@mogmag.co.uk
Art Editor
Ian Denby-Jones ian@meteorcreative.co.uk
Contributors
Phil Royle, Cain Poulton, Bob Bull, Granville Orange, Christine Orange, Charley Bradford, Michele Jarvis, Travis Blake, Ian Parkinson
Cover Picture
James Gilbert MMC
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MOG is a registered trademark of Alphadeal Limited Registered in the UK number 00002603324 Registered with the British Library ISSN 2049-1786. Distribution by Select Publisher Services Ltd Print & Digital Publishing by CPUK Print Publishing © Alphadeal limited The views and opinions expressed by any contributors, advertisers and any third parties are those of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of, nor are endorsed by, the publisher or Morgan Technologies Limited and its group of companies. MOG Magazine is wholly protected by copyright and nothing may be wholly or partly reprinted without permission.
t’s been a month of decisions to be made and inhibitions forgotten as May lived up to its reputation of the merriest of months. Gone are the simple times when it seemed the only decision was what time of day should I go for a walk, or on what day of the week should I do the weekly essential shopping trip. Yes it’s true that I did get out and about a bit towards the end of last year, but looking back that seems like a dream made from longing for times past, when Corona was a beer and any mention of Covid immediately made me think of crows. Once again I have to decide what to wear, which Mog to get out of the garage and, perish the thought, what to wear. Lounge wear and Morgans really don’t go together at all! I have slept in a bed that was not my own, as hotels once again opened up for business and long trips are back on the agenda. Before that as beer gardens opened and not the bars themselves us Moggers were at an advantage in our normal motoring attire. Meeting Morgan Folk face to face again has been truly wonderful, and somewhat enlightening. This was particularly true of this month’s Conversation Street. It would seem that with only immediate family members to talk to over the past year or more, many people have forgotten natural British restraint! Long may it continue.
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All the Best Nigel Bradford, Editor
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WELCOME TO THE ARCHIVE ROOM
Contents REGULARS 006 NEWS The latest for the Morgan Enthusiast.
FEATURES
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018 MORGAN KNOWLEDGE A Swedish reader shares her secrets to that frequently asked question. 052 NEW PRODUCTS A few things we hoped you might enjoy and make you smile. 060 IN THE COCKPIT Say hello to Pavlova and Liz Lucy her very proud owner. 062 MOG FLEET The Fleet have been out and about enjoying themselves and really putting some miles on their MOG’s 004 www.mogmag.co.uk
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#107 // JUNE 2021
010 WELCOME TO THE ARCHIVE ROOM MOG exclusive of the new addition to the Experience Centre at Morgan.
054 3 WHEELER TOURING GROUP Ian continues where he left off from May with more adventures.
021 A DRIVER REMEMBERS The fifth instalment of our series where Peter Cole remembers 2010.
079 TRIP OUT Our regular feature exploring great places to visit throughout the UK when we can. This month the British Motor Museum at Gaydon
042 PITCH PROWLER A Stunning Plus 6 in Aston Martin Madagascar Orange 045 RACE REPORT First meeting of 2021 from Brands Hatch. 050 CONVERSATION STREET So the question was asked “What did you do in lockdown?” Some of the answers left us looking the other way in embarasment!
090 MORGAN & ME Many will remember Lyn Peek before she left the UK to live her dream in France with her Morgan’s. 086 SUBSCRIBE Where would you be if you don’t subscribe?
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NEWS
Issue One Hundred and Seven – June 2021
GREAT BRITISH CAR JOURNEY MOTORS INTO DERBYSHIRE
orn from an idea spawned by a 32-year-old Austin Maestro, and after four years in the making, the UK’s newest visitor attraction Great British Car Journey has opened its doors. Making the once ordinary extraordinary, the Great British Car Journey is packed with British marques and models that dominated the roads for nearly a century. Motors fixed in our memories, like the Morris Minor, Ford Capri, and everything before, after and in between, are cars that are now so rare that you’re more likely to see a £150,000 supercar on today’s roads. More than 130 vehicles now fill a former wire works factory on the banks of the River Derwent in Ambergate, Derbyshire. Richard Usher, CEO of Great
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British Car Journey explained: “Four years ago, when I owned and managed Blyton Circuit, a gentleman approached me asking if I’d like to buy his 1989 Austin Maestro in mint condition with just 10,000 miles on the clock. My first thought was ‘no’, but it then got me thinking about when I last saw an Austin Allegro, Metro, original Mini, or even a Ford Cortina on the road. These were cars that were once on virtually every street in Britain and sold in their millions.” The seed was planted and Richard, together with four private investors, set about amassing one of the largest privately owned collections of British designed and
manufactured cars in the country. Visitors to Great British Car Journey will be guided round the exhibition with a unique handheld audio device which tells the fascinating story of individual vehicles as well as the development of the UK’s motor industry. Starting with the Austin Seven in 1922, the Great British Car Journey chronicles car design and production in the UK through to
NEWS
the modern-day McLaren 650S, which has been lent to the attraction by the supercar manufacturer. The collection of almost 150 cars has been brought together over the last four years. One of the most difficult cars to find for the exhibition was a Vauxhall Chevette. Only a handful of Chevettes in roadworthy condition are thought to exist in the world today, despite around half a million being sold in Britain between 1975 and 1984. “Everyone who has been on the journey, whether a car nut like myself or not, doesn’t fail to have a smile on their face remembering days gone by. Great British Car Journey is the ultimate trip down Memory Lane,” added Richard. And the cars aren’t purely for looking at; more than 30 of them can be driven. For an authentic, hands-on trip down Memory Lane 32 cars, including the Maestro that started it all, are available to drive on a private road as part of the Drive Dad’s Car experience. All the vehicles in both the exhibition and Drive Dad’s Car experience are in working order and fully maintained by Great British Car Journey’s own time-served technician and apprentice. Visitors are welcome to watch them at work in the onsite workshop within the exhibition hall. Entry to Great British Car Journey costs just £15 for adults (concessions are available) Tickets for Great British Car Journey and the Drive Dad’s Car experience can be booked online at www.greatbritishcarjourney.com and at www.drivedadscar.com.
MORGAN ANNOUNCES SUNSET SESSIONS organ Motor Company are inviting owners to experience the freedom of driving on circuit and follow your motorsport heroes with Sunset Sessions, exclusive track evenings. New for 2021, Sunset Sessions will be held on 12 July and 9 September, at the iconic Donington Park circuit. With only Morgan cars allowed on circuit, a strict low-numbers policy, and free tuition on offer, they make for a safe environment whether it’s your first time venturing on circuit or you’re a Morgan racing veteran. Taking place on the longer, 2.5-mile ‘GP’ circuit, there’s even more track space to enjoy your Morgan. It’s not just about the driving, though, every ticket, for drivers and non-drivers alike, includes dinner – a gourmet barbecue
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– the chance to catch up with and make new friends in the diverse Morgan community, and hopefully MOG readers. Sunset Sessions also include the chance to experience driving the current Morgan range – comprising the all-new Plus Four and Plus Six – on the stunning country roads around Donington Park. Free on-track photography means you’ll come away from the event with professional photos of your very own Morgan. Available to download as a digital file after the event, the hi-resolution images will be perfect for printing or sharing on social media.
GT2 WIN AT SILVERSTONE FOR BRODY1 roving that you don’t need a 2 litre engine to win a 2 litre race, Billy Bellinger and father Jack stormed to a class win in the GT & Sports Car Cup race at the HSCC’s meeting on May 23rd. Starting from well down the grid the Morgan 4/4 Sports got off to an easy start driven by Jack
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Bellinger who calmly held his own before handing over to the car’s owner Billy, who easily reeled in all the opposition, including both the red and silver Morgan SLRs, in a superb display of driving in damp and testing conditions. Not bad for a “1500cc Cortina engine”, admittedly a Cosworth one.
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Star Letter
DEAR MOG Great mag once again and lots of interest / nostalgia to me. A few comments to show how Grahame and Morgan racers liked to enjoy their racing. Maybe some of this will feature in Part 2. I recall Grahame being on pole at BDC race and had his radio / cassette blasting out at full volume. Marshals took a dim view (although I don’t think there is anything in the regs about not playing your radio) Also a story about Grahame (or Peter Garland, or both) arriving at the circuit driving in their Mog for a race while still in the DJ from the party the night before
DEAR MOG I am a happy subscriber to the generally excellent MOG magazine. On a particularly positive note, I find the monthly articles about alternative marques most interesting and informative, such as the Lagonda features. I always look forward to such articles with great interest. On a less positive note, I am dismayed at the not infrequent assaults on the English Language and spelling. For example, in the April issue Conversation Street, the opening paragraph contains ‘’we were sat’’. The following article (Peter’s Lockdown 008 www.mogmag.co.uk
Despite going on to International Racing in all manner of exotica Grahame made the effort to forego Florida (or wherever) and enter the 30 years anniversary race at a very rainy Brands Hatch in2015, which was much appreciated. I was interested to see the sales invoice for 1 MOG. Almost identical to that for my car (attached) which was bought in October 1977. Grahame does have the distinction of having his car (and himself) featured in a photo shoot in Mayfair Magazine (soft porn of the 1980s). There was an article on Morgans by Bill Boddy and the photos were taken at the annual Mog event (I think in
Poser) opens with the spelling of ‘’gray’’ rather than the English version of ‘’grey’’. I would hope that professional Editing and Journalism will always be a bastion for the protection of our language. However much care is exercised, I recognise that some spelling errors are reasonably inevitable, but grammatical errors of the magnitude mentioned are an avoidable disgrace. While writing, I am not sure if you find any degree of readership profile helpful, however, I am the enthusiastic
the early 1980s in Cotswolds). I still have the magazine ! Best wishes Leigh Sebba. Hi Leigh, great memories. Wasn’t life more fun then, if a tad less safe? I remember that particular magazine. Of course I didn’t own it, but it was certainly being passed around at Malvern College. We loved the local interest story. Thanks for enclosing your invoice, another wonderful piece of nostalgia.
owner of a 2015 M3W. Perhaps not surprisingly my primary, but certainly not exclusive, interest therefore particularly lies in all 3 wheeler matters. Regards, Jon Goodson Hi Jon, I must have been heavily influenced by my choice of tea and the Wolfhound/Greyhound cross Lurcher sprinting around outside; not to mention what the spider did to startle Little Miss Muffet or where they were at the time. But thank you so much for your kind thoughts regarding MOG.
+44 (0)1264 772811 www.moto-lita.co.uk “A Fine Example of British Craftsmanship” Sir Stirling Moss OBE
NEW ADDRESS: Unit 2, Fairview Road, Weyhill, SP11 0ST
THE ARCHIVE ROOM
e all know Morgans provide a real wow factor on first sight; from the original single seat Runabout of 1909 to the AeroMax, they stand out. But a Morgan endeavour doesn’t need three or four wheels to elicit that traditional sense of wonder; the new Archive Room does that too. Entry from a Factory Tour takes the Visitor past Martyn Webb’s 1910 Runabout replica, a delight in itself, and then the room opens out into a what can only be described as Morgan Heaven, the most immersive Morgan experience possible without the need for helmet and goggles, gloves, and a very warm coat, Wow! The room itself is no bigger than the old museum, which could feel small, cold, and impersonal - but with dramatic use of video projection and clever lighting, not to mention the array of the motorcars parked on the floor, any sense of limited space is lost to the enormity of spectacle presented to the wide-eyed visitor The Archive Room houses over a century of Morgan Motor Company artefacts; documents, photographs, illustrations and paintings – alongside hours of video and film footage. A full audio visual installation brings to life each archive item and tell the full story of one of the world’s most unique car manufacturers. And it’s not just pictures, sounds, and words to take in; for its opening season the Morgan Experience boasts seven outstanding vehicles as part of its display, including the 1910 car. These include familiar favourites through new introductions to the company’ heritage fleet, and some iconic vehicles on loan.
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Right: Beautifully curated “scrap books” belonging to George Morgan (Father of HFS) contain thousands of original press cuttings from the early years of the company www.mogmag.co.uk 011
THE ARCHIVE ROOM
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1 - The certificate of incorporation for the Morgan Motor Company (1912) and original letters from Harrods Department Store (1910) are displayed. 2 - More recent press articles and magazines on display, including the 1987 Autocar front cover featuring “1 MOG” Plus 8.
The company’s stated aim for the Archive Room has been to help educate and celebrate, not just on Morgan’s past, but also the present and the future. The journey through time can be taken via three distinct routes through the room. The right hand wall features a large wall display, dividing the company history into ages. Loosely speaking these are: The original Three Wheelers; The transition to Four Wheelers, leading to the V8 engined Plus 8, the worlds fastest accelerating production car at the time of its introduction over 50 years ago; Then we move onto the new Millennium with the Aero and bonded aluminium chassis that lead naturally on to the new CX Platform cars. For MOG’s
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little preview showing the destination of our first journey through the ages of Morgan was a stunning whole wall projection of a Three Wheeler being put through its paces. Was this film of HFS taking a Super Aero to the limits? No it was the end of the line P101 Three Wheeler! (As an aside one does wonder what the founder would have thought of the Dazzle Ship paint scheme adorning this car, but clearly the Royal Navy are impressed as they have just re introduced the pattern to the newest Offshore Patrol Vessels in the Fleet. Were they following Morgan’s lead?) That’s the thing about Morgans, aesthetically they are easily distinguished from other cars, but to distinguish them from each other?
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3 - A chance to create your own Morgan using sketch paper and guidance from Morgan’s design team. 4 - From Texas to Tokyo, a range of Morgan car badges from clubs around the world. 5 - An aerodynamic model of “Big Blue” alongside a scale model and original photographs of its racing exploits
Only by looking under the skin can their age and era be accurately determined. The cars themselves are arranged in an order on the central floorspace to reflect these phases, whilst at the same time links between the ages of Morgan are clear, as Prudence Fawcett looks down from a large mural over 1 MOG, the racing Plus 8 that drove at speeds that she could only have dreamed of achieving in an aeroplane when she drove her 4-4 at Le Mans in 1938. Having concluded our first journey to the present it is time to return once again to the origins of the Morgan Motor Company by walking back to our starting point, almost certainly taking in more for the detail of the
cars on display. Now the visitor’s attention is drawn to the projection onto the wall at the other end of the Room, and the slideshow projected onto it. A succession of images and information are showing in a random sequence. Some images are very familiar to any Morgan enthusiast, others are quite new to public view. Now it is time to start our second journey through Morgan History by viewing the contents of the long array of display cabinets along the left had side of the Room. Children of all ages, even those drawing their pensions, know that a proper museum has buttons to press on some display cabinets. Well the special feature of the Archive Room is that most of the cabinets
Morgan models from throughout the company’s history are displayed with the incredible backdrop of the archives. www.mogmag.co.uk 013
THE ARCHIVE ROOM
have buttons! This is the secret behind the random projections on the wall, as a slide show telling the story behind the contents of each case is started by pressing its button. Once again walking down the length of the room takes you through the ages of Morgan to the present day. The artefacts are not displayed in strict chronological order, but in an order that best tells the Morgan Story. Some exhibits will be familiar to visitors to the old museum, but now with the reconstruction of Peter Morgan’s office gone you are able to see them much closer up, and have their importance clearly explained. Previously visitors were made to feel that they were interlopers, spying in on the great man’s office. Now it is easy to feel his presence and that of his father HFS far more closely as their story is told through some of their prize possessions, such as HFS’s prized Leica camera, and the trophies they both won. On display for the 014 www.mogmag.co.uk
first time are some of the earliest documents form the founding of the Morgan Motor Company, including the agreement that made Harrods of Knightsbridge, the famous department store, the first official Morgan Dealer aside from HFS himself. Among the earliest of the artefacts are two A shaped wooden trestles. These are over 100 years old and date from the opening of the Pickersleigh Road factory. Press the button and we discover that each wheel of the car under construction was placed on these trestles in order to have it at an easy working height. Why are there only two? Well the third is still in use as a stool on the Line by a senior member of the workforce, therefore it will not be joining the other two for many years to come. Proof that this is indeed a living museum. When you buy a Morgan you’re not just buying a car you’re buying into a lifestyle. Not only that, but soon you
THE ARCHIVE ROOM
realise that you are buying into something that’s much bigger and that you have entered into a relationship with a community, indeed a family. Many artefacts on display along this line of cabinets are from that world-wide family too, and not just the Morgan family itself. There are car badges from groups all around the world, along with other club memorabilia. There are helmets and racing suits from famous Morgan racing pilots, and awards from various organisations that have been presented to the Company over the years. Of course the day may come when people just buy a Morgan for the drive, along with its looks of course, but if those new owners were to visit the Archive Room they will probably understand what it is all about and the world wide family will continue to grow. This exhibition gives you a feeling of just exactly what that community is and where the family came from at the end of this second journey through the ages
there are examples of the old steel chassis along with the new aluminium one. The importance of each is clearly explained. The last car on display is the electric EV3. The car that should have taken Morgan into the electric age, but this was not to be. Seeing this car reminds us that the opening of the Archive Room has come at a most dramatic time for the whole Motor Industry and not just Morgan. We are at the end of the Petrol Age. But we are certainly not at the end of Morgan! We are at the start of another new age and this is where some more fun starts in the Design Your Own Morgan” area. This is for both children and adults who want to learn to draw their own Morgan, with a tutorial by Chief Designer Jon Wells. Rumours that the Morgan Motor Company will record all the designs drawn up on the high tech draftsman table and incorporate the best features in their future designs can neither be confirmed nor denied! www.mogmag.co.uk 015
THE ARCHIVE ROOM
The EV3 concept from 2016 is on display in the “future” section.
Once you have finished designing the Mog of the Future it is time to retrace your steps back through the room and exit through the giftshop, by taking yet another journey through the ages. This time we leave the Room by walking up a long ramp, on one side is a wall of framed chronological pictures, on the other a splendid view over the whole exhibition below. I’m sure many visitors will feel that the whole experience within the Archive Room has been like a visit two a really high tech trade fair pavilion, or an exhibition in a big theme park, Disney’s Epcot springs to mind. But unlike those experiences this one is not going away and more importantly, no one is going to keep you moving. if you look down and see something you’ve missed, you can go back! Indeed Saturday visitors for the next few months at least will enter by descending on this ramp and start their journey through the ages by going back in time, and isn’t that just a little bit of what Morgans are all about? Morgan have designed a space that can grow and evolve, with enough space for additional cars and artefacts, as well as the opportunity to create new displays and installations. I’m hope is that you will find something new each time you visit and the good news is that for the first few Saturdays of opening admission will be free. 016 www.mogmag.co.uk
A few years ago the Morgan AeroMax was described as pure automotive theatre. Indeed you can judge for yourself as Charles Morgan’s AeroMax is one of the cars on display. I opened by telling of how the Archive Room has the Wow Factor when you first walk in and as a Theatre of Automotive history and vision I don’t think any number of visits will see that diminish. It is indeed educational, but above all as any celebration should be, it is fun!
The chance to design your Morgan is suitable for visitors of all ages.
MORGAN KNOWLEDGE
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“What MOG needs is a feature where experts can tell us how to do those things that we should all know how to do - but won’t admit that we don’t!” DRIVE A MORGAN, AND KEEP YOUR HAIR IN PLACE Morgan Knowledge is not just restricted to the technical or mechanical, but it is always practical. Our advice won’t always be about the cars themselves, but sometimes it will be about living with them. Long hairstyles and Morgans are not an easy combination,
so we really appreciated getting these tips from Sweden on arriving at your destination without a hair out of place. If you’ve got a top tip for Morgan owners, be like Karin and let us all benefit from your Knowledge.
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY Karin Boyer
ow do you enjoy a ride in your, or in my case my husband´s Morgan, with your hair style kept in place? Fortunately, there are more than one answer to that question, but it has taken me a couple of years to discover the best solutions. Our Morgan is a quite new member of the family, the first years I often disappointed my husband turning down all kinds of suggestions for different excursions, with the oddest of excuses. Sometimes I said frankly – “I´ve washed my hair an hour ago and if we take the Morgan it will suddenly look like it was 3 days ago!” Well, that’s not the way I like to live my life. Problems are there to be solved! Of course, there’s always a spare cap in the car. It’s not bad, but unfortunately, I´ve got longer hair and 364 out of 365 days it’s kept in a hair clip, which means that the cap doesn’t have a chance. Then there is the convertible scarf! I´m sorry to say it sounds better than it is. Over the years I´ve tried all sorts
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of materials, sizes and forms. A huge rectangular one in cotton or linen does the job sometimes, but it has to be worn really tight. I´m afraid that doesn’t look fancy at all, definitely not afterwards.
A reliable solution, also really cool is the traditional leather helmet. It looks lovely – as long as you don’t take it off…
MORGAN KNOWLEDGE
If you live in Sweden like we do and it’s come to my knowledge that my husband isn’t the only crazy Morgan owner out there. I mean that in the respect of loving to put the winter tyres on and when possible go for a ride in the snow! For instance, picking up the Christmas tree with your Morgan always pays you back with an incredible amount of smiles from people of all ages… That kind of ride gives you the possibility to try an alternative cover for your hair set. A simple wool hat is not bad at all! The hair clip has to be banned of course, but necessity knows no law. This unique year with its very resilient pandemic, there are new challenges. Our Morgan turned out to be fairly safe transportation for the elderly parts of the family! As I write I suddenly occurred to me that a modern skiing helmet with a visor does the perfect job, both concerning infection and hair style, although it might look slightly odd… Finally, to be honest, my best tip if you´d like to
look cool and stylish at the same time whilst keeping things fairly practical. My suggestion boils down to a linen scarf and a cap on top! Then you´re ready for all sorts of adventure. Try it out before you miss any more spectacular trips – like the one we did on the dramatic shores of northern Cornwall two years ago! If you´re not a fan really, it’s possible to do some cheating. You just put the roof back up till 50 yards from your destination!! Everyone who’s ever driven a convertible of any kind will of course see through your solution. Have a lovely, unforgettable season in your or in a Morgan owned by a loved one - with the hair set intact! www.mogmag.co.uk 019
A DRIVER REMEMBERS
BOB’S GALLERIES - 2010 Peter Cole, not only gives details of his 2010 season, but also offers advice to anyone contemplating joining the ranks of Challenge drivers. WORDS Peter Cole PHOTOGRAPHY Bob Bull Andrew Thompson in his pre ARV6 guise
o, reading MOG, you have an interest in Morgans and as we reflect on the last year of lockdowns, now may be a good time to think about getting on the track. 2010 was my first full year in the Morgan Challenge and perhaps my comments here can help you. As the owner of a four-seater, Plus 4, I had seen stories about, and heard that the Challenge was “a great series”. I had done some track days, including those like Palmers Sport with race cars, and I had always wanted to try some racing. At a visit to Race Retro I saw the new factory built lightweight Roadster race car on Richard Thorne‘s stand. The car looked great. Richard was encouraging. The car was quite a lot of cash, so not this time!
GET TO KNOW YOUR MOTORSPORTS DEALER A little later fate intervened when my local dealer Techniques, advertised a second-hand Roadster race car for sale. Brian Gateson of Techniques was extremely helpful arranging a practice test day at Mallory Park perhaps not the best track to start on, being very narrow and having “The Lake” as a centrepiece to the long Gerrards corner, but that test reinforced my desire to have a go. “Now or never”, and so the investment was made. It is possible to prepare your own road car for racing, but the best advice seems to be, to buy an existing Race Car, as that ultimately is a lower cost, and the car will have been bedded down and fully tested. It also means that should you wish to sell the car in the future, it should be attractive to another competitor.
Jack from the back, the iconic WAR +8 of Jack Bellinger
Richard Plant leads at the long gone Hairpin at Silverstone
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A DRIVER REMEMBERS
Chris Aclam, our 2007 contributor, shows off his own personalised number plate
Number 27 is Sean Horwood’s 2007 Roadster
The Techniques Team take time off for a photo shoot
1994 Champion, Chris Phillips was dressed down at Silverstone
GET A RACE LICENCE So, after the car, a race license was required. This involved another day at Mallory with some coaching, followed by taking the practical exam on the track to show you are competent! Then a written paper to be sure you understood the flags and race conduct. The License secured and a prominent yellow and black cross on the back of the car to show you are a novice and now you’re ready to go! SNETTERTON The first race in 2010 was at Snetterton with an early start to sign on and then scrutineering the car to ensure all the kit, helmet, suit etc and the car was in order. A short practice session for the group in the morning to establish the best lap time and so the cars position on the starting grid. There always seems to be a lot going on, which is why
Eleven Roadsters were entered for the Bentley Drivers Meeting Simon Baines, still races his today 022 www.mogmag.co.uk
doing a test day before on the track really helps. My immediate impressions of the series were that everyone was very helpful and welcoming to new drivers. Drivers were there to have a good race and race another day. They were happy to give advice on the best positions on the track, and most importantly, to remind you of the guidance to “maintain your track position” as the faster cars go by. Not to move off-line, as it’s not unusual amongst slower cars to have fast cars coming by on both the left and right, at the same time! Cars gather in the assembly area and are then called out onto the track and guided into their grid position. A one lap warmup and back to the grid, Red lights, Green lights, GO! The start is always exciting! With the faster cars at the start of the grid often finding it harder to get grip and get away, whilst the other cars behind can accelerate creating the moment when cars need to be avoided quickly.
Cupie Doll, now owned by the author
A DRIVER REMEMBERS
Another missing landmark, the bridge over the Club Straight, Richard Plant in LEO
99 OK, what is it with Morgan drivers? Personalised Number plate for Matthew Wurr
Susan Shears’s Father was a Touring Car Champion, like Father like Daughter
Mark Hoble took in the TT, the hood was a good idea in the rain
Just to make it interesting, some faster cars may have had a slow practice and may then make rapid progress through from the start! The cars tend to run in close order for the first lap until they start to get spread out and the race settles. Any rain makes races even more interesting, with less grip and spray from the cars around. One of the attractions of the challenge is that there are a number of cars of different classes, so you can choose the level to suit your skills, and the potential for road use. There are always a good number of people to race against, either trying to catch and overtake you, or for you to chase down. It is not like a Formula One procession! THE CIRCUITS The Challenge races at several different circuits and as guests to other clubs, MGCC, VSCC, the events are always varied.
Peter in his first season with the distinctive yellow/silver Roadster
All the circuits offer their own challenges. BRANDS HATCH. Where the fast lap requires speed over the blind brow on the Brabham Straight before braking for paddock and then the steep run down and up Hailwood Hill. A lot of the race circuits are run by Jonathan Palmer’s Motorsport Vision and are maintained to the highest quality. Some like Castle Combe retain the original “club” atmosphere, where a trip infield can result in the car returning to track with a sheaf of wheat in the radiator from the crop growing in the middle of the track. SILVERSTONE. Silverstone with its wide-open tarmac laid out for Formula One, gives lots of space for a Morgan Race Car! The Bentley Drivers meeting has a great atmosphere and has the Techniques Trophy race for Morgan four-cylinder cars. If you want to visit a race meeting this is the one!
Reigning Champion,Simon Orebi Gann wears Number 1 on his car www.mogmag.co.uk 023
A DRIVER REMEMBERS A gaggle of Morgans at Silverstone, a colourful sight
SNETTERTON. Marking the end of the racing year, the final race is run with the setting sun at the end of the main straight, adding a further challenge! My 2010 best lap here 1.25.3. compared to April visit of 1.27.1. A bit faster after a season of racing, with a great run round Corrams after touching the drain on the apex of the Bomb Hole! SO, WHAT IS THE COST? At the dealers there are a range of existing race cars. Once you have the car and your race kit, the main cost comprises the entry fees, petrol and support costs for each event. About £500 for two races at each event. At the end of season, a race check service, replacement brakes, new tyres etc about £2000. Obviously, higher costs for a more modified car. There is inevitably the occasional knock between cars due to the close racing, but the majority of these are superficial. PRIZES The series has a prize giving after each race, so there is a chance to collect a pot including one for driver of the day. The driver’s dinner at the end of the year awards the series trophies. Simon Orebi Gann won the Challenge and the Peter Collins Tray in 2010 and also class R in which I came fourth.
Steve McDonald in his Techniques prepared Class C V8
The other 2010 class winners were: A Keith Ahlers B Andrew Thompson C Jonathan Edwards D Andy Faulds E Michal Pavlik 10 years later I finally achieved class R Champion. I have had many Morgan racing highlights over that time including, Spa, Le Mans classic and the odd spin. Come along and have a look. There is more information on the Morgan Challenge website and YouTube videos of races from the cockpit etc. IN THE JULY ISSUE, Tim Ayres recalls his Championship year in the July issue.
To the victor the spoils, Peter displays his trophies 024 www.mogmag.co.uk
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TEA BREAK
A CUP OF TEA WITH
THE MMC TEAM
From first to last to first”...Babydoll wining Techniques Trophy Silverstone 2014 From L to R: Tim Whitworth, Tony, Mark, Steve Morris, Ian Weaver
Brands Hatch, a sunny day, and despite having not entered a car, Mark Evans and Tony Hirst were there, presumably checking out the opposition prior to the debut of a possible new car later this season. Also lurking in the Paddock was our Race Reporter, Bob Bull. The rest is history. WORDS All three PHOTOGRAPHY MMC, and Tripos Media
Mark, Tony it is good to see you both here and to share a cuppa. Mark only drinks Beef tea Bob, and as I am still reigning Champion, I’m only drinking Champagne. Great, and I’m stuck with this cafeteria tea, never mind it gives me a chance to ask you both a question that many people like me have wondered about. From actor and complete novice to 2019 AR Morgan Challenge Champion, how did you get together in the first instance? I was lucky, ITV’s Louise Goodman invited me 026 www.mogmag.co.uk
to compete in the Celebrity Challenge race at the Silverstone Classic 2012. The mad Morgan owners supplied their cars and I was lucky enough to drive Sharlie Goddard’s +8. I was a complete novice, having just got my race licence, but Sharlie & Phil were incredible, their advice and support was invaluable. I got on well with the factory at that meeting and had a passion for the brand so the following season when they wanted to enter the new Babydoll into the AR Morgan Challenge race series they asked me and Brian Johnson from AC/DC to share the drive. Luckily for me, he was
TEA BREAK Clubsport 1-2.” Tony leads team mate Craig Hamilton Smith. Silverstone 2019
I’m a Celebrity Get Me In Here!” Line up for the Celebrity Challenge Race Silverstone 2012
off being a Rock N Roll hero so I did pretty much the full season and I’ve competed with them ever since. Yes, Tony took part in the Silverstone Classic Charity race and impressed the management team within the factory. I was not part of the race team attending the Classic, so didn’t meet Tony until later when he joined us to race the Babydoll in April 2013 at Brands Hatch. The team then consisted of, Tim Whitworth who was in his first season attending meetings, myself, chief mechanic Ian Weaver, Richard Gilbert our Photographer, Tony Hirst and Greg Dixon-Smith who was driving the +4 SuperSport. We
were under the company name of Aero Racing. Surely you were both taking a chance, an inexperienced driver, and a Works Team, with a reputation to maintain, at what stage did you think it was going to work?. From my point of view I realised, pretty quickly that not only were these cars that I loved but I really bloody liked the people involved, Steve Morris, Tim, Mark, Ian, Greg and the much missed, much loved Richard Gilbert. They were normal, funny, generous and passionate about racing. There is a real sense of family around the Morgan www.mogmag.co.uk 027
TEA BREAK
The new Plus Four race car in build
Tony takes Class win. ARV6 Donnington 2017
racing community and I have always been made to feel very welcome. From day one with Sharlie and Phil but still to this day from pretty much everyone. And to be honest we never really sat down and asked what’s in it for us, we just wanted to push and develop the cars and enjoy our time doing that together. It did need me to get quicker though! So I worked hard on that, developed my race craft and kept pushing, but I don’t know about Mark… Well, from my point of view that is a difficult question to answer simply, I think it was a natural progression within the team, it was our first season as a new team, everyone worked closely in all areas to improve the car, taking onboard both drivers feedback. Race craft is something that can’t be 028 www.mogmag.co.uk
taught and at times is a steep and costly learning curve. First season was about getting the team to work, everyone filling their roles, getting the communication working and making sure we had a competitive car. Clearly the partnership has worked out well, with your 2019 season. What were the highs and lows of the years in between, ‘L’ driver and Champion? Well on reflection it makes me laugh and feel slightly embarrassed at how bloody slow I was when I started! Why didn’t you say Mark?! I did… I know, many times! But we’ve always been open and honest as a team I have huge respect for what they do
TEA BREAK
and the knowledge they have so always listened. But not to Mark’s Thrash Metal music blaring out in the van. I have to give mighty thanks to Greg Dixon Smith, my team mate that first season, he’s a great driver, taught me loads and gave me real confidence. And as I’ve got better, the team, have also improved. There are loads of highs, I don’t remember too many lows, I probably should! Racing at Spa with the Reservoir Mogs, laughing really, really hard with good mates too many times to mention are all highs. Losing team mate Richard Gilbert, horrible low. Certainly putting the Babydoll on pole at the Techniques Trophy Race Silverstone 2014 and then spinning at the second corner, down to last place, that was a low! But fighting back to pass the leader on the last
corner of the last lap and take the chequered flag, that was a high. Being punted off by a team mate at Malory Park wasn’t great, nor was the rollicking from Mark after…honest Guv it wasn’t my fault. But personally I think my highest point might sound daft but the last race at Castle Combe in our Championship year, in the assembly area pre race Mark leaned into the car and said “If you want this Championship you have to win this race with maximum points and beat your team mate, let’s take it to the final round…” Team mate Craig Hamilton Smith beat me off the start so I got my head down, chased him down and went round the outside of him at the top of Avon Rise into Quarry. Anyone who knows the circuit will understand, outside there is not really a www.mogmag.co.uk 029
TEA BREAK “A winning combination” Champions 2019 Ian Weaver, Tony & Mark with the Peter Collins Tray
place to do it. At the time I just felt calm, determined and committed. Afterwards though, it was definitely squeaky bum time. But that meant we went into the last race at Snetterton, pretty much just needing to finish in the points. Clearly winning The Championship was a very, very big high and I’m proud to be part of the first factory team to do it. Highs for me were almost completing a unique double of the championship and Aero Racing plate with our two-car team and having a Morgan family member Craig Hamilton
“Media duties” Team mates Greg Dixon Smith, Tony, Zandvoort 2014
Smith drive for the factory team. The Low was Richard Gilbert sadly not being there when we finally won it. Obviously it’s a truncated season this year but rumours abound there will be a new car this year. How much can you tell me? Well I’d like to tell you more, but over to Mark on that one…I’ve heard rumours…come in Malvern…are you receiving, over…Either way I will be ready and prepared as possible, should be really exciting.
“Rock n roll hero signs for Morgan” Brian Johnson with Mark Silverstone 2012 030 www.mogmag.co.uk
TEA BREAK Richard Gilbert. Oulton Park. 1957-2015
ARV6 in new University of Wolverhampton livery, Silverstone 2017
“Teacher & Pupil” Tony & Greg Dixon Smith Zandvoort 2014
“Take it to the last round...” Tony leads team mate Craig to take maximum points. Castle Combe 2019 www.mogmag.co.uk 031
TEA BREAK
“Champagne for a Champion” Snetterton 2019
Be assured, Tony we are listening and it is exciting. We are entering two of our new Plus Four CX Generation cars, one manual, and one automatic. Both with hardtops, both using a two litre, Twin Power turbo charged B48, BMW engine. They will give us about three hundred BHP, and weigh about fourteen hundred kilos. Do you expect to be a front running team or simply going for Class wins? Well this is a whole new experience for Morgan, totally different chassis tub, suspension and brake setup but we intend to be a front of the grid car. Realistically I believe the truncated 2021 season will be very much development of the setup as testing only gives you so much information, you need proper race time, with the car under pressure. While we should be alright on outright speed, it will be some time before we make the chassis nimble enough to compete over a full race distance, after all this is a new concept and the first major change to the design in one hundred year. The 2022 season will be a continuation of fine tuning the car and setup for both drivers to accommodate the different styles. I foresee us being real championship contenders by then. Tony in the mighty AR Motorsport ARV6
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“Tell him to go faster...” Mark at work in the paddock
Looking further ahead, with MMC’s continued involvement in the Challenge, does the company have ambitions beyond purely National Racing? Again over to Mark on that one but I hope we can all get back to proper racing soon, continuing to develop and improve the cars and of course continuing to have lots of laughs along the way. After this last year or so, I think we all need that and each other more than ever. Bring it on. Obviously, we want to bring Morgan to as broad an audience base as possible, we don’t rule anything out. It sounds like there are exciting and challenging times ahead, finally who will be driving the cars? Tony will drive the manual car, and Shane Kelly will handle the automatic, and we will be inviting friends of the factory to guest drive, we also hope to put Keith Ahlers in the car at some stage to get a comparison with the older models. (I asked Mark if the Media might get an invite – he just looked at me and laughed. Like a drain. Miserable B...)
A MORGAN’S TALE
ONE MORGAN, THE STORY OF 1 MOG PART 2
Grahame Bryant continues the history of the V8 he has owned since new, and tells of a very special award for the car from the marshals at the Sebring 12 Hour Race in 2009. WORDS Grahame Bryant PHOTOGRAPHY Various 034 www.mogmag.co.uk
A MORGAN’S TALE
It became immediately apparent, that we should not be in that grid! When moved to our correct grid, we were against 1960s and 1970s Corvettes, Mustangs, Cobras and hot Porsches. 1 MOG was immediately at home, historic racing in America would appear to be any car that’s over 1 year old! Therefore, the grids are incredibly varied and super competitive. We had great success and 1 MOG was voted “car of the weekend” by the corner marshals and we were presented with the circuits chequered flag, signed by them, at the prize giving. We entered as many races as
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possible, often back to back including a 3 hour race, which featured such cars as the ex Tom Kristensen Audi R8 LM winner! A varied grid indeed. 1 MOG dealt with all of Sebring’s bumps and hung together throughout the event. One highlight was a night time all comers race which featured a number of very quick RSR Porsches. The sky was very dark with only the pit straight illuminated, the rest of the track was un-lit. Olly was driving and up the front throughout but with standard headlights and no auxiliary lighting, he could see nothing
A MORGAN’S TALE
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A MORGAN’S TALE
pulling close to 150 mph before turn 17. The leading RSR had the benefit of some serious headlamps and a row of spots on the bonnet. Olly followed the RSR until the final lap before sneaking into the lead for a popular victory. The other driver had no idea the Morgan was tucked under the Porsche’s rear wing for most of the race! These trips were particularly rewarding as all prep and support was carried out by just Olly, myself and a chum. Apart from adjusting the wheel bearings, the old girl never missed a beat. From 1977 to 2020. After the success with 1 MOG in the 1980s, the car was parked for a number of years, from 1988 through to 1997. During this period I was competing in some contemporary races in the USA, Daytona 24 hours and Sebring 12 hours. Olly had been joined by a sister and brother, so racing every weekend was no longer a priority. Fast forward to 1997/1998 I wheeled 1 MOG out of the garage and entered the Bentley Drivers Club
at Silverstone in 1987 spec. By this time, the Morgan Challenge Series, was being dominated by Keith Ahlers and Rick Lloyd in their purpose built class A plus 8 racers, with full roll cages, fibreglass bodywork and the latest spec John Eales engines. I was reunited with old sparring partner Peter Garland and others, and after a fun battle, from memory I finished 3rd, but some way off the lead pack.. things had moved on. I decided that 1 MOG should be brought up to current spec, as I wanted to race it competitively again, but still retaining alloy panels, leather interior and the original roll cage. It was still important that the car could be used on the road. At lot of the work was undertaken by Rob Wells, the engine went back to John Eales who was now preparing many engines for the Morgan brigade. The car was fitted with bigger brakes, larger wheels to accommodate these, a 5 speed Getrag gearbox, and the engine was upgraded to 4.6L with fuel injection www.mogmag.co.uk 039
A MORGAN’S TALE
producing circa 375 bhp. It has been run basically in this spec, since then. We pick and choose the events we like to compete in. We’ve taken the car to Spa on a number of occasions since the early 2000s. The car seems to suit this circuit well, and in 2018 in the MSCC Aero Challenge race, Olly recorded a lap time of 2.39.2s, over 4 seconds faster than the previous class A lap record. To put this in perspective, 1 MOG on road tyres in class A tune, can lap Spa over 2 seconds faster than a Ford GT40 pole time for the Spa 6 hours, and you can still drive it to the restaurant in the evening. We returned to Spa a year later to compete in Dutch series which featured heavily modified sports, touring and GT cars with a capacity grid. 1 MOG was again triumphant, Olly won on Saturday and I won on Sunday and the car ran without missing a beat. I still thoroughly enjoy driving 1 MOG
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and “bangs per buck” it’s very difficult to think of a more competitive car. I now have grandson, Freddie, who arrived in January, so perhaps it’ll be the “Olly & Freddie show” in years to come. 1 MOG has competed in over 500 events and it’s career is not over yet. Alongside 1 MOG and the Cobra, we campaign cars from late 1950’s (Lotus XV) through to 1995 Roush Ford Mustang which Olly has driven up the hill at Goodwood FOS and at Goodwood Speedweek. 1969 Lola T70 MK3b, 1962 E Type FHC, 1971 Chevy Camaro, 1965 Porsche 911. 1 MOG was returned to the Morgan Factory for the first time since it was collected in spring 1977. It’s on display in the visitor’s centre, to be enjoyed by Morgan enthusiast and customers who visit the factory, where it will stay for a number of months.
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PITCH PROWLER
PITCH PROWLER Whilst preparing to write this month’s Pitch Prowler I stumbled upon a comment under the non-de-plume of Bertie Wooster, that was disparaging of the colour of the car in question. To this I can only say pah! The real Bertram Wilberforce Wooster would adore everything about this marvellous marmalade minx, and so do I! The car to which I have so confidently ascribed good old Bertie’s admiration is this effortlessly eye-catching 2020 Morgan Plus Six. Destined to turn heads wherever she goes thanks to her unfairly maligned paint job, she is such a perfect example of Morgan’s distinctive fusion of timeless aesthetics with modern motoring power that I’m certain even the most sceptical among you will be convinced of her merits by the time I am done.
Of course looks aren’t everything, and as such I am pleased to report that this tangerine temptress more than delivers in the accessories department. With power steering you’ll find handling her to be a joyous breeze, whatever obstacles may come your way, whilst her air conditioning provides you with a literal breeze to cool things down again should the action become too hot to handle. The real hidden gem here however is her tracking system, ensuring that any villainous jealous souls who seek to claim her for their own (and there will be jealous souls, believe me) can be easily thwarted! 042 www.mogmag.co.uk
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AERO CHALLENGE
Old and new, 99Ok (old) Oliver Pratt (new), two dominant victories
CHANGING OF THE GUARD? A Rousing Start to the Season – Rounds 1& 2 of the 2021 Aero Challenge. WORDS Bob Bull PHOTOGRAPHY Tripos Media
rands Hatch, was the venue for the launch of the 2021 Aero Racing Morgan Challenge, when the MG Car Club hosted their annual April meeting at the circuit. The Morgans had two races on the Sunday with a mix of old hands and new faces making up the field, with a number of familiar faces missing from the ranks, no Keith Ahlers, no Pretty Red Car, and neither Michele Bailey, or Tim Ayres making
the trip South. The meeting was strictly ‘no spectators’ so many of the friends one hopes to meet and greet at any gathering of Morgan folk were sadly absent, with most wives, girl friends, and hangers-on unable to attend. With the face covering rule enforced by roving ‘Covid Marshals’ it was often difficult to know who-waswho, when approached by people one would normally recognised on sight.
Roger Whiteside, notched a hatful of points with two solid performances
Gleaming in the sunshine, John Emberson’s Baby Doll, rounds Clearways on it’s way to third place in race one
B
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AERO CHALLENGE
Oliver, locks-up at Druids. Why all the hurry?
Despite the foregoing, relief at being back in action was tangible with plenty of smiling faces behind the masks, even Andrew Thompson, who had the misfortune to have a big end go on his ARV6, was in good spirits. Apparently the difficulty of obtaining spare parts, or even finding a replacement engine leaves a major decision to be made as to the future of his Championship hopes. Another non-starter would be James Sumner once again due a problem with the engine, and rather than risk an expensive rebuild he withdrew. Amongst the new boys, Father and son, Oliver (son) and Martin Pratt soon made their presence felt with Oliver Pratt taking Pole for the first race in 51, 665 seconds, a clear 1,765 ahead of Roger Whiteside. Roger was a mere
0.009 sec faster than Martin Pratt in third spot. Oliver was driving the ex-Matthew Wurr, Plus 8, 99 OK, while Martin occupied, ‘Tomcat: a 2.5 Litre 4+4 as used previously by Chas Windridge and Richard Plant. No lack of money there it seems, as they are two top line racing Morgans, certainly not entry level cars. Behind this trio of Class ‘1’entrants, John Emberson had placed his Baby Doll ahead of Simon Orebi Gann’s ARV6, and Phil Thomas’s +4. Andrew Thompson should have lined up next, but as we know! Craig Hamilton-Smith took the place with Jack Bellinger in his Class ‘3’ 4/4 alongside. Stephen Lockett and Brett Syndercombe, rounded out the top ten. Paul Voakes in 11th place was best Class ‘4’ runner in his Wolf Perfomance, Club Sport model.
Father leads son, so it must be qualifying. A welcome addition to the field 046 www.mogmag.co.uk
AERO CHALLENGE
Cresting the rise to Druids, Greg Parnell’s Aero Eight shows signs of a qualifying bunp with Martin Pratt
Before losing his carburettor, Jack Bellinger made progress
Doing “Very well”, Richard Fearn pleased Cain of Wolf Performance
Simon Orebi Gann, has Roger Whiteside looking for a way past
RACE 1 From the start Oliver Pratt in 99Owas never troubled detached itself , so also became a non-finisher. This left on his way to a maiden victory in the Challenge, leaving John Emberson to take the final podium place behind all of the excitement and drama to the rest of the field. Oliver and Roger, Craig Hamilton-Smith and,, Phill Initially Martin Pratt held second spot ahead of Roger Thomas occupied 5th.and, 6th.places, followed by Whiteside and John Emberson, with Stephen Lockett Brett Syndercombe, heading Class ‘3’, Phillip Tisdall, a brilliant 5th on the first lap. Simon O G had slipped Stephen Lockett, and Tom Richards in 10th. to 9th before, making his way up to fourth by the Jack Bellinger; “All good. I made a bad start, a lot of cars spinning-up in front of chequered flag. Martin me, lost a lot of places, then it was a fight to get back, but I really enjoyed it. Had a Pratt retired from 3rd. place laugh with Phill Thomas, I managed to slowly pull away and got to Brett. Managed following a clash with Jack to dispose of the Bandit, when the third Brands Hatch bandit in yellow managed to Bellinger, while Jack himself hold him up so I got past. Then, I had a confrontation with the little racing blue one. found his carburettor had We touched going round a corner, and he lost it causing a safety car.”
Phill Thomas, was out of condition, after missing last season – and he was cold!
Jim Mountain enjoyed his dice with Peter Cole, but Peter beat him www.mogmag.co.uk 047
AERO CHALLENGE
The rather ‘Grim Grey’ Club Sports of Tony Kilby looks better in the sunlight
Jim Mountain; “Intriguing, thank you very much, I enjoyed it, first time at Brands Hatch for ten years, I was seventeenth out of twenty four starters, so I’m pleased with that.” Tony Rivers, Peter Cole, Jim Mountain, John Richards, Rob Gilmore, Guy Grant, Simon Sherry, Greg Parnell, Tony Kilby, and Richard Fearn all finished, but Paul Voakes, and Geoffrey Lewis joined Martin Pratt and Jack Bellinger in the dead car park. To add to his commanding victory Oliver added a new lap record, breaking the previous best that had stood to Rick Lloyd since 2003. at 52.194. For Race 2 neither Jack Bellinger, or Geoffrey Lewis made the start, so 22 cars lined up in the order they finished race one, with Paul Voakes and Martin Pratt on the back row. With Martin having been running third
when he retired it looked like a charge through the field was on the cards. Once the Red Lights went out, Oliver Pratt stormed away to repeat his round one performance, never troubled on his way to the Chequered Flag. Roger Whiteside was an equally untroubled second, as Martin Pratt made his way through the field for a well deserved third place. Behind Martin, Simon Orebi Gann had his mirrors full of a blue Baby Doll with a fired up John Emberson intent on claiming fourth position from the ARV6. Despite spending most of thirty one laps inches from Simon’s rear bumper, and on one occasion a little too close, it was navigating the back markers that proved decisive, as John lost time in a gaggle of cars at Surtees Corner. Craig Hamilton-Smith headed the rest, with Brett Syndercombe’s 4/4, passing Phill Thomas’s +4 after a dogged pursuit over many laps. In 9th. place Stephen Very close quarters, the duel of day was John Emberson V Simon Orebi Gann. A minor ‘touch’ brought an a pology from John
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AERO CHALLENGE
Cain Poulton. Who was he running? “We’ve got Paul Voakes, we’ve got Tom Richards, we’ve got John Richards and Richard Fearn, all in Club Sports.” How did they do? “Tom did very well, Dad was doing pretty well, Paul had a little issue with some electrics and had to come in, and Richard is doing well, he’s doing very well.”
Paul Voakes drove a good race from the back of the grid in race two
Lockett also clinched Phill Thomas; “I had a very difficult start. Unfortunately I was behind Roger Whiteside. a Class ‘4’ win with Lights went out, Roger dropped the clutch and the car span sideways, and rather than Paul Voakes, from the run into him I hit the brakes, and everyone went passed me, so it took me half a dozen back of the grid filling laps to regain, three or four places, Then I had to work really, really hard, Jack Bellinger out the top ten. Tony was on my tail, as normal, but I managed to put a couple of back markers between me Rivers, Peter Cole, Rob and him, but generally it was hard work. I’ve not had a race for over twelve months, my Gilmore, Jim Mountain, shoulders are aching, legs are aching .. I’m cold!” Greg Parnell, Guy Grant, Jason Lewis, Richard Fearn, and John Richards rounds 3 and 4 became rounds 1&2, meaning that the (after a visit to the gravel at Clearways) completed the Championship is now scheduled to be run over ten Role Call. races with the best eight scores counting. This means Tom Richards, and Phillip Tisdall both failed to finish. that those who failed to score at Brands Hatch still have A new season, and a new challenger, an intriguing a chance to record a perfect 8. The next circuit on the prospect for the rest of the year, the Aero Racing calendar is Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, which may Challenge is well and truly underway. At last! prove a touch too far north for some, however, the Following the cancellation of the original start official MMC cars are expected to be there with the to the season at Snetterton, what should have been latest Plus Four CX models.
Mr Brands Hatch Morgans, Brett Syndercomem on home ground leads Phillip Tisdall
Leigh Sebba faces the camera as Simon Sherry, Tony Hirst, Peter Cole, and Brian Gateson fail to socially distance Peter’s brother, Richard looks bemused www.mogmag.co.uk 049
CONVERSATION STREET
Lockdown is over, our lives are getting back on track. But time hasn’t exactly stood still. MOG has published fifteen editions, so there have been just as many virtual conversations on these pages. Now some of the usual suspects, along with a few less shady characters, all met up in the paddock at the Bonviende International Raceway and Aerodrome to blow away the cobwebs and chew the fat, not
to mention each other’s dust on the track. (Face coverings do make life better!) The sheer joy of being at a gathering of over 100 Mogs just passed without comment. So in catching up after so long MOG was wondering had anyone discovered new activities? What had been a favourite thing to do during lockdown? Would it be missed?
(This question was initially met with a laugh from a dirty handed mechanic that can only be described as matching the state of his fingers. Then after a short pause a chap in driving overalls commented;) “Well my bank account was depleted by Viagra…” (Two minutes later we had picked ourselves up from the garage floor dried our eyes and normal speech resumed, and another voice continued , sotto voce…) “Spending time at home with my other half ” “Will you miss that?” “No!” (At this point we were joined by a couple who had wanted to see what the fun was all about.) “Well I actually made love to my wife during lockdown…” “Will you do that again now it’s over?”
first fag after giving it up for six months it’s like, you know, the bee’s knees.” “The bee’s knees, I like that, but I’m not sure about the Viagra thing, MOG is a family publication. “Why not? You can get it on prescription now, when you’re old enough.” “You can get MOG on prescription?” “No that’s on subscription, or over the counter of course, I mean those pills! Older gentlemen are allowed them on prescription.” “Really? How old is old enough?” “If we told you that it would give the game away!” “Thirty Six….” “Yeees, fair enough…that’s alright then…” “You know every time I do something naughty I buy the wife a frock, unless its Wednesday, then I keep it myself.”
“No!” (This caused much merriment with the lady in question who was stood right next to him.) “Now I just can’t get out in the Morgan enough. This is our first trip out together for so many months. It has been wonderful dodging the showers to get here.”(They wandered off to get a coffee, chuckling away to themselves.) “Racing! That’s what I missed the most.” “Is it as fun as you thought it would be?” “Oh yes! A lot more fun than I ever remember, as I’m now looking after more cars.” “It’s like all good things, you leave off it for a bit, and you come back to it and it’s magic again. I suppose it’s like giving up smoking. You’ve stopped and then when you have your first fag after, well I’m not a smoker, but I assume that when you have your 050 www.mogmag.co.uk
“What on earth?” “You know, the Lumberjack song.” “Oh yes”(Cue some stifled mirth.) “I had a girlfriend many years ago who was so thin someone said she had Wednesday legs. As in Wednesday they gonna break.” (Thankfully at this point another lady walked up and joined the conversation, so the question was asked again.) “I learned Portuguese, and now it’s over I hope I’ll get the chance to use it. Would I do it again? Absolutely not.” (The chat then moved on out of the paddock garages to the picnic tables.)
CONVERSATION STREET
“Lockdown didn’t change our lives at all, we just carried on. That must mean we have such boring lives.” “Not at all, I think a lot of us did just that, regardless of the Government. Within the rules, of course!” “So having just carried on normally, is there anything that you’re doing now that you did miss doing? “Golf, and to be honest its better than I remember it, because I’d forgotten all my rubbish shots. So I just stood on the first tee and hit it as hard and straight as I can, because I had no fear of what went before. That first shot was as straight and as true as any shot I’ve ever hit before. So I’ve decided that you should play golf three times a week, or twice a year.” “That sounds like a great philosophy for many Human Activity. What about Morgan’s though?” “Ah well, that’s a late life crisis. Golf is silly, Morgans are fantastic, but really stupid!” “Yes, Morgans are for both of us, I may be a golf widow, but Morgans are our passion, I gave up my money for the car, it’s called love! I’m too flippant for golf, when I go out I just want to joke and muck around and you don’t do that on a golf course.” “Well I did a lot more gardening in my own garden, which made a pleasant change, as we normally work in a former Prime Minister’s garden which has its different rewards.” “You mean financial advice?”
“Good Lord no, not him! But I must admit it was lovely to eat out properly again, last night off china plates with proper glasses. But I must tell you I did something during lockdown that I had never done before, I drove my Morgan for the weekly shop. It was so nice at my local branch of Mr Lewis’s Grocery and Delicatessen because it has an underground car park, and it was lovely to hear the exhaust echoing off the walls.” “Well I live in an old Oast House that has about two acres of old orchard attached to it. Over the last eight years it has become covered in brambles, so I spent weeks chopping down acres of brambles and burning them. That is definitely something I am not going to do again now Lockdown is over. One wonderful thing is that last night I was able to stay with my sister, and give her a hug. But the best thing is that I can see my girlfriend, who is dying from cancer, tomorrow for the first time in many months.” “Oh gosh, I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you. I’ve been there, but not being able to see her in those final months is beyond imagination. And that’s it isn’t it? We are all so happy to be putting this most complicated of times behind us, but it has been such a terrible time for so many people in so many ways. We must never forget that.” Thank Goodness for Morgan Therapy and the lifting of restrictions that limited its use.
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PRODUCTS
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2021 RAPIDS MATCH SHIRT PRE-ORDER ITEM www.wccc.co.uk | £49.95 The Worcestershire Rapids match shirt features team details and sweat-wicking fabric to help keep you dry, comfortable and warm on and off the pitch. www.mogmag.co.uk 053
MORGAN THREE - WHEELER TOURING GROUP
MORGAN THREE- WHEELER EVENTS IN EUROPE - PART 2 Concluding our two part feature to started last month the Three Wheeler Touring Group’s Ian Parkinson tells of group adventures overseas WORDS Ian Parkinson PHOTOGRAPHY Ian Parkinson and Others
ne of the great pleasures of life is driving your M3W on open country roads. Whilst there still are such roads in the UK, you could have to travel some way to get to the open countryside there are lots of events during the year to attend for us the journey is part of the adventure. Long distance overseas touring has become increasingly more popular amongst the regulars in Touring Group and the M3W in upgrade modified form is as reliable as any other vehicle. Carrying enough luggage for two is just about possible with the space given and the addition of a rack makes it perfectly feasible. There is also the added reassurance of travelling with a group of fellow enthusiasts where help and guidance is close to hand.
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M3W Jungfrau- Treffen at Grindelwald, Switzerland This event just has to be high on the list for any M3W owner to attend. Staying in the beautiful town of Grindelwald with a large choice of accommodation this is a long weekend of socialising, eating, drinking and driving ! Spectacular as a word does not describe the views you will get on the routes planned by the organisers Laurens and Rineke Vos. With over 50 M3W’s now making the journey to this event it is clear that the organisers are coming up with what the owners want to participate in. Once you have been it is highly addictive. www.m3w-jungfrau-treffen.com
MORGAN THREE - WHEELER TOURING GROUP
Events in France where Morgan Three Wheelers can take part Each year many of us cross the Channel to either participate in or just to watch the events that only the French do so well. They close off towns, put straw bales out then race around the town at breakneck speed. A bit like a mini weekend Isle of Man really.
Vintage Revival Montlhéry
The Circuit Historique de Laon Another May event is held in the beautiful hilltop town of Laon. For vintage/classic vehicles only this is the perfect venue to combine with a tour of this super part of France. Spectacular views of the countryside and some great viewing points to watch the racing make this somewhere to think of visiting. The next event will be its 30th year of being organised. We loved the place so much I fell for it in a big way.
www.circuit-historique-laon.com
The absolute must do on the French calendar is The Vintage Revival at Montlhéry. Usually held in May. This famous concrete banked circuit just outside of Paris has been hosting this event for several years now. There is a 300+ entry of Vintage vehicles many which are extremely rare and the atmosphere is electric. Many of the Morgan Three Wheeler racing fraternity enter and you can enter with a road going vintage Morgan. Though it is for vintage vehicles M3W’s are allowed a special area within the circuit with a grandstand view of the track and the cost per person to enter for two days is 20 Euros, outstanding value for money.
www.vintage-revival.fr
Grand Prix Retro, Carignan This event is held in the Ardennes in the town of Carignan. Quite a laid back event, or so we thought until after two lovely days of driving some well planned scenic routes they laid out straw bales all around the town and we were invited to join in the madness of French town racing. Some of the others racing around were obvious nutcases, we kept to a more sedate pace as the town has bumpy cobbled roads. Plus we had to drive our Mog home afterwards. It was certainly an experience and well worth putting into your must visit list when this event is on. www.grand-prix-retro-yvois.fr www.mogmag.co.uk 055
MORGAN THREE - WHEELER TOURING GROUP
Le Mans Classic This event has grown to an enormous one in recent years. Held in July each year. It is just an awesome experience however, if you don’t like crowds its not for you. The MSCC and VinMog are the two favourite ways to attend. Both clubs have prime position stands with lots of parking and three wheelers are made most welcome by both clubs. Some years ago I organised a group trip for six vintage Morgan Three Wheelers, 2008 it was. It was the absolute best meeting as I managed to blag us onto the track for a session of a few laps. What an amazing feeling that was to drive our Morgan Three Wheelers down the Mulsanne straight. We even have a great video of this escapade. Tickets are not cheap but it is well worth the visit.
www.lemansclassic.com
Grand Prix Retro Le Puy, Notre Dame This event features highly in any Morgan or vintage vehicle owners calendar. Held the last weekend in July, in the town of Anjou it features around the town racing in true French style with a large contingent of Morgan Three Wheelers, Darmonts and other vintage vehicles with the most amazing line up of Bugattis entered.. There are usually 160+ vehicles entered all pre 1950 and this is ranked No 1 for this type of event. It is also extremely popular for spectators. So, it is yet another venue to visit when on a tour of France.
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MORGAN THREE - WHEELER TOURING GROUP
Course de Cote d’Etretat This is a spectacular hill climb held in August on the western coast of Northern France in the town of Etretat. Several Morgan Three Wheelers can be found competing at this very quick climb. The top end of the town gets closed off for racing and there are some spectacular viewing points. The fastest vehicles do the hill in 44 secs and average 144 mph quite fun to watch. It is a lovely seaside area to stay in whilst on a tour of France and we stayed on afterwards for a few days to relax.
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MORGAN THREE - WHEELER TOURING GROUP
Circuit des Ramparts, Angouleme Held the third weekend in September this meeting is ideal for a pre Autumn break in France. Held in Mid-West France this event was first held in 1939 and attracts some really exotic historic vehicles. All racing around this beautiful hill top town. There is a great atmosphere all weekend with lots to see and do in the area therefore making it an ideal place to tour.
www.circuitdesremparts.com There are of course many other similar events taking place across Europe during the year, these above are our favourite ones.
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IN THE COCKPIT
IN THE COCKPIT
Liz Lucy What are you driving? An 18 Months old Plus 4, called Pavlova, in Jaguar International Racing Red. We’ll come back to the name – Is it your first Morgan? No it’s my second. I bought my first one, a 4/4, two and half years ago. I loved it but it was 20 years old, and I couldn’t get the roof on in a hurry! When the two cars are together you can’t tell them apart. So you still have them both? No I sold it to my partner, as he can get the roof up without too much trouble! What is your daily driver? I have a Jaguar XF, almost the same colour, but funnily enough it isn’t in 060 www.mogmag.co.uk
Jaguar International Racing Red. The Morgan colour came about because I was at a Sex Mog lunch and the pudding, a raspberry pavlova was set in front of me and I just thought, ‘that’s the exact colour I want!’ I also decided that I wanted the interior to match the ice cream and merengue, so that’s how the cars name came about. The colour is also very practical as my usual passenger is my dog who is like a lion cub, and so any hair left on the seat doesn’t show! It certainly is a stunning looking car, but I’m getting a sense that it’s not just about looks, what other sports cars have you owned? Well in the Old Days, I had all the usual Midgets, Sprites and MGBs. I had an E Type. I had two Jensen
Healeys, and when one fell apart I was loaned the one that came before the Interceptor, a CV8. Then later on I had a Jaguar XKR. But I’m an archer and my club is near to Brands Hatch Morgans and I used to drive past every Saturday and see all the fun they were having with their parties. So I stopped one day and that’s how I ended up buying a Morgan. The Mog is so much fun, only the E Type has come close to it in that sense and the XKR, lovely car that it was, was just dull by comparison. What has been your most memorable Morgan experience? I took the car to Holland on the Harwich/Hook ferry to visit my daughter last year during that short time when we could go away. Friends had discouraged me from going alone, but they could have been more wrong. Everywhere I went people were just drooling over the car and couldn’t have been more helpful. It was just a fabulous experience!
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CAIN POULTON
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Qualifying
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RACING BEGINS
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he first Morgan Challenge Race of the season was a go; I was a little excited! As usual I wanted to get there early but as M’ Lady pointed out (slightly grumpily); we could not park up and unload until the Saturday racers had left the pit garages, so this would be around 18:3019:00hrs but we got there for about 14:30hrs… It had not helped the “Grumpy” M’ Lady as she had to shower George at 5 o’clock that same morning as he had arrived back home caked in a layer of think silt/ mud! Did I help, no not really, I just rolled over and went back to sleep. We still have not figured out what happened on his night-time antics! For those that have never been to a race track, there are typically two basic variations the weather
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Bearing Baking
conditions that you should expect, the first is very (baking) hot, no wind and a lot of “pink lobsters” by the end of the day. The second is bitterly cold, high winds (that never stop) and wind burn. At this point we ignore the rain factor as that can occur with either points one or two!
Note. The only track with a general exception to these points is Snetterton, as in my experience, it is always very windy and hence cold! So after getting into the pit garages on the Saturday evening and setting up ready for the Sunday racing we settled down to a steak
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MOG FLEET February 2019 the recovery
FIrst Race is a go
dinner and a bottle or two of cider before tucking up for bed (the good news for the evening was the Crows were quite quiet compared to the track day a few days before…. Probably because it was very Windy and Cold) At about 07:00 on the Sunday morning all the remaining Morgan’s started to arrive to unload and get set up for the day as there was plenty of time before the qualifying session at 11:45 that would be followed 4 hours later by the first race of the season! Then the second race was the last race of the day scheduled for 18:00hrs. M’ Lady did emphasis that we could have gone on the Sunday morning! At the end of the last race the usual packing charge with the trophy presentation for the racers before heading home via “Burger King” and the collapse onto the sofa! Ready for the unpacking the next day and back to work in the workshop. We only have 6 weeks before the next race day at Cadwell Park, but before that a few more track days with the some 064 www.mogmag.co.uk
of the Club Sports So what else has happened since the last MOG Mag. Well with lockdown easing and people started to go out and planning their summers I have been as busy as ever running round like a headless chicken! At one point I was seaming to be replacing quite a lot of wheel bearings, for people, this in itself is ok but M’ Lady did complain that it was starting to take time to get the smell of hot grease out of
Nearly there
the oven before she cooked the Sunday Roast! And let’s not forget the bearings in the freezer…. well where else would you put them! This month also saw M’ Lady and I celebrate our 14th year anniversary! But due to lockdown we celebrated at home in true Hobbit style with crispy fried pork followed by home preserved apples and cream! Thank you M’ Lady for the adventure so far and I hope for many more to come.
George!
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PHIL ROYLE
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ecently, I was pondering some of those deep philosophical questions such as “Why does lockdown mean pretty much the same as lockup?”, “Who WAS the mother in Mother`s Pride?”, “before Typhoo, did we live in Briain?” and “why does Mindfulness insist that we empty our minds?”. Being Morgan enthusiasts, we do not have to ponder these deep and searching philosophical questions, especially the one which asks “Why drive a
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Morgan?”, we just KNOW! As our lives are starting to see some semblance of normality on the horizon, I am looking forward to resuming some of the activities which, a year ago, I would have taken for granted. I have resumed my conservation volunteer work for the National Trust, although there is only one volunteer allowed in per day at the moment. This has allowed me to work more closely with the staff and pick up some new skills and expertise along the way.
MORE MORGAN MUSINGS
I have also had my views sought on various matters and shared with new staff some of the peculiarities of the property of which I have some knowledge. I have also had access to parts of the house which are not generally open to the public or “normal” volunteers (some of the graffiti in the roof-spaces is very interesting!). It is a reminder to me, that within the Morgan world, we also respect each other, listen to ideas and share skills. I was reminded of this when
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Megan was in for a service recently and I was informed that the steering wheel had a stress fracture in one of the spokes. This is the factory-fitted steering wheel which I really like and unlike most other drivers, have no wish for a replacement woodenrimmed wheel. I looked at dealers` websites and could buy any number of after-market wheels, but nobody seemed to sell the much-loathed standard one. I made enquiries about this within the Morgan community and was immediately offered several
steering wheels of the kind I wanted for the cost of a donation to a charity of my choice. For me, this sums up the generosity and kindness of Mog people. Would that all society could follow suit. On the recent Drive It Day, many of you will have driven out somewhere, but Donmog decided to have an “On the Drive It Day” instead and hold our proper event when restrictions are eased in June. I dutifully displayed Megan on the drive and was ably assisted by my
grandson in the detailing of the car. He has only recently started to become interested in the Mog again. I think it is because he is now tall enough to fit safely into the seat and is looking forward to joining Grandpa on a drive or two in the summer. Sadly, the Donington Historic Festival was closed to spectators at the last-minute this year, but we were able to watch a live stream online. Well done to the drivers of the 1929 Morgan three wheel flying www.mogmag.co.uk 067
MOG FLEET
machine (Ewan Cameron and Sue Darbyshire) who came fourth in the Mad Jack race for pre-WW2 vehicles. It is great to be able to enjoy the Morgan again without worrying about whether I am staying “local” and within the current legislation. Our weekly trip to Kedleston Hall has meant that the cobwebs are blowing off the car and me. I think that for the foreseeable future we shall still be taking precautions such as mask-wearing in closed spaces and social distancing etc. but at least, by the time you are reading this, we shall soon have many of the legal restrictions lifted and we will be able to meet up again, socialise and get out in our Morgans. In a few years` time we may even be reminiscing about the “good old days of the Covid pandemic”! Who knows? Continue to be safe and I look forward to meeting up with many of you before too long. 068 www.mogmag.co.uk
MOG FLEET
GRANVILLE & CHRISTINE ORANGE
t e e l F aving been nowhere in MOG 3W for 6 months or so, along come three events within a week ! A bit like the proverbial London bus, talking of which, from my observations locally, the buses around us seem to be driving around almost empty these days. The operating companies must be running at a loss, presumably heavily subsidised in some way to provide a social service / personal taxi for the one masked, brave, elderly, lonely passenger that seems to be on board each bus.... perhaps its the same person, spending their days riding around in post-Covid lockdown freedom on a discount Rover ticket hoping to find some human contact and interaction to relieve their sad and isolated existence ? Who knows ? Anyway.... this is sounding a bit like a Ralph McTell song, so from London buses on to proper motoring. “Freedom”. Yes, to some extent at least, with Covid restrictions eased
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AN ACTION FILLED WEEK... ”OUT AND ABOUT IN MOG 3W”
from the 12th April, (in England), allowing outside gatherings of 6. So, limited to just six cars and six persons, and therefore no passengers, I was fortunate enough to join Ian Parkinson and four others for a day in the Cotswolds with the 3W Touring Group on a sunny Sunday, the 18th April. Whilst a member of the 3W
Touring Group on Facebook, of which there are almost 1,000 of us now, this was my first face to face meeting with Ian and other members of the group, and what a pleasure and a wonderful day that we had. We met at a farm shop for breakfast just outside of Gloucester, made our acquaintances, posed for photos, and headed northeast.
MOG FLEET
Skirting Cheltenham and on into the Cotswolds via Toddington, we stopped to stretch our legs and were joined by a very nice +4 which pulled into our lay-by to say hello, the proud owners on their way from London to Sudeley Castle on a day out to see the elephants....well, why not ? On to Broadway. Another stop and photo opportunity with more
admiring public. From there and on to Adam Henson’s rare breeds farm for a late lunch, late, not least, because we managed to get lost at least twice, and in fact at one point we were going around in circles and failing to find our destination !!! Hey...did it matter ? Not a bit... the scenery was wonderful...a delight...and worth seeing twice, or
even three times, and what is more wonderful than an English spring, with the sun shining and the wild flowers in the hedgerows emerging from their winter slumbers... the public out and about, pub gardens overflowing... and the promise of things to come? I look forward to Ian announcing further Touring Group runs in or near to our
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region...keep an eye out for further details on the Touring Group Facebook pages. Later the same week was the first of the monthly summer meetings - “Cars in the Valley” at Shelsley Walsh. Limited to members only, and no more than 125 cars, there is no telling what delights one might see upon arrival... modern, classics, vintage, veteran, cars and bikes. To add to the evening the Courtyard
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restaurant and bar were opened. Besides our 3W, it was pleasing to see several other Morgans on display, including one particular fine example of a Plus 4 that was advertised “For Sale - Possibly”! It looked a very good investment with an asking price of circa £35,000. These events in the beautiful rural countryside of Worcestershire, on a sunny late spring evening, are always a joy to attend, and how lovely to
see Shelsley Walsh open once again after the Covid restrictions of the past 12 months. Then there was the Vintage Motor Cycle Club’s “Three Wheels on my Wagon” tour of Herefordshire on Sunday 25th April. I went along with Ross who I had met the previous week on the 3W Touring Group Cotswold run. We both live near to Bromyard, the start of the rally, and even closer to the proposed finish on Bringsty Common. Membership of the VMCC, according to their web page, is open to persons with an interest in motorcycles that are over 25 years old....the machines rather than the owners - albeit both Ross and I would, only just mind you, scrape through the over 25yo requirement should ID proof be needed ! Ross and I were also pushing the boundaries somewhat in agreeing to go along...yes with three wheels, yes in tricycles, but relatively new ones, thus way off the mark in meeting the vehicle age - vintage requirement. Would they turn us away? Well, we duly turned up in Bromyard on a sunny Sunday
MOG FLEET
morning in our bright and polished 5 speeders. Were we accepted? Did they turn us away in disdainful rejection? Far from it! In fact we were warmly welcomed with great enthusiasm and what a large number and varied and exciting collection of trikes and bikes assembled in the town square.... so many, in fact, that parking was a struggle, much to the delight of the organisers. Great to see amongst the gathering 3W Morgans both new and not so new, including the “Mithril Special”, a number of Lomax, a Pembleton or two, and a Triking - rather striking it was too! The route was circulated with meticulous attention to detail, and off we set in groups of six. Our particular group included Ross and I in our 3W Morgans, plus a couple both in “his and hers” editions of Lomax - rather (a kit car based upon the Citroen 2CV engine), a stunning Triumph tricycle, and Geoff...the organiser, on his fabulous and rare (less than 100 remain in the UK) 1950 Triumph 500cc TR5T Trophy. Another beautiful day, another www.mogmag.co.uk 073
MOG FLEET
fabulous trek through stunning countryside, concluding for a late lunch where many a contact detail was exchanged, photos agreed to be swapped, and with open invites to Ross and I to join the group again on future outings. How special it is and how privileged we are to be able to enjoy the friendship of fellow
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motoring enthusiasts of all ages and each and all absolutely absorbed in their respective marque of vehicle, whatever the age, value, condition, and whether it has two, three or four wheels! On that thought, we look forward to more special adventures and meeting up with friends old and new next month.
1993 Caterham, Super Sprint.
AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR CATERHAM
AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR MORGAN
1979 MGB
SALES SERVICE AND CONSIGNMENT FOR ALL BRITISH SPORTS CARS
VINTAGE MOTORSPORT SALES • RACE PREP • TRACKSIDE FUN
RUMBLINGS FROM THE SHED
Rumblings hed From The S Step 1
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SPORTS EXHAUST UPGRADE – PART 2; REMOVAL Before we can fit the new exhaust system we need to remove the old one. This stage is normally the easy bit, but with exhausts going through massive temperature changes, all whilst being exposed to what elements the roads offer up; it is advisable to soak all the fixings in “penetrating” fluid before you start! Step 1 Remove the flexible air intake 076 www.mogmag.co.uk
hose that runs from the top of the radiator to the cylindrical air box by loosening the jubilee clips at either end of the hose. Step 2 The front (manifold) Lambda sensor needs to be disconnected from the wiring loom by the connector.
Step 3 Remove the front Lambda sensor (we have used a crow foot wrench). Step 4 Disconnect the rear Lambda sensor by the connector, you will also need to remove the inner wing rubber grommet in order to remove the wiring.
RUMBLINGS FROM THE SHED
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Step 11
Step 5 Remove the rear Lambda sensor. Step 6 Remove any heat shields. Step 7 Undo/remove all fixings, bobbins and clamps at the front of the silencer that mount onto the chassis along with the pipe “ring” clamp, you might find them corroded and that some parts may shear off.
Step 8 Undo/remove all fixings, bobbins, and clamps rear of the silencer and lift off the rear tailpipe from its rubber mount.
Step 11 If you have a “star” socket you can remove the studs from the engine block, this will give you maximum room.
Step 9 You can now remove the tailpipe and silencer sections.
Step 12 Lift and rotate out the manifold and CAT section as it runs through the inner wing so it is a bit tricky!
Step 10 Undo the copper manifold to block stud nuts (5 No.).
With that done we are one step closer to installation.
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TRIP OUT
TRIP OUT COME RAIN, SHINE OR SNOW, WE’VE FOUND PLACES TO GO! Deep in Shakespeare County we find a unique collection of something that is close to all our hearts, Britain’s Motoring Heritage. In this Trip Out we are Gaydon bound. WORDS Travis Blake PHOTOGRAPHY British Motor Museum
Family Looking into Workshop
h the great British Motor Industry, a colossus of my youth, regularly attending the Motor Show at Earls Court, the Marques, the names, the badges, the styling, the colours, purples and oranges, smells of leather, walnut and Wilton, always leaving with carrier bags of stickers, sales brochures and all the free paraphernalia available. Some of the cars that we saw in those heady days I still covet today, particularly the larger engined, sports and luxury models, and luckily for me many of these vehicles are included at the largest collection of more than 300 historic British cars housed at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The origins of this magnificent collection of
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British automotive history lies within its own past as the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust Archive Collection, goes back to the formation of British Leyland in 1968. This Corporation merged most of the remaining British motor manufacturers, and encompassed a wide variety of firms from car and commercial vehicle makers, a mikfloat manufacturer, an asphalt and tarmacadam plant, and many more besides totaling ninety seven companies. Set up in 1975, Leyland Historical Vehicles was created to enable the collections from these companies to be brought together and form the core collection of what in 1983 became the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust. This trust was established with charitable www.mogmag.co.uk 079
TRIP OUT
British Motor Museum & Collections Centre
status to safeguard the items within and the collection itself which is the origin of what we know today as the British Motor Museum. Having shed most of its commercial vehicle and non car related business, British Leyland in 1986 changed its name to the Rover Group, who agreed to fund a purpose built centre that opened in 1993 to house the historical collection. Never wishing to rest on their laurels the British Motor Museum was refurbished in 2006 funded by a £1.3million Heritage Lottery grant secured by the Trust to help keep the Museum current. In 2014
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the museum was proudly awarded Designated Status, recognising the collection to be of significant National and International interest, and a further £1.1million refurbishment was carried out in 2015. It is not just the cars that make the British Motor Museum a fascinating, enlightening, entertaining and educational trip out, the collection and experience of the day has a wide variety of interest for all the family. With over three hundred cars in the collection, each one a British Classic, this is of course the main focus of the experience and these wonderful vehicles certainly
TRIP OUT
Time Road
set my head spinning in a whirlpool of nostalgia back to a more simple time in the universe, but also the stories of the people and production that go with these exhibits are told. A fresh and interactive approach is taken to present many of the exhibits in an engaging way, such as the “Under the Skin” and “Making British Cars” exhibits both of which entertain and educate whether the participants are auto enthusiasts or not. As well as what is permanently housed at the British Motor Museum at Gaydon, the venue also plays host too many temporary or “pop-up” exhibitions such as
“Aston Martin a Centenary of Craftsmanship” and currently a celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the Launch of the magnificent Jaguar E-Type. Who would have thought it there is also an online exhibition celebrating the Austin Metro at forty, I’m sure we all remember this Mini replacement launched with the somewhat over confident strapline of “Austin Metro a British Car to Beat the World,” with more of these online pieces planned for the future. I have a few highlights from the vehicles on display to give you a flavour of what you will encounter on your
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TRIP OUT
Family Visit
visit to the British Motor Museum, bearing in mind the size of the collection, these are cars that caught my eye and appeal to me subjectively. Having said that, I’m always surprised that there is not an objective dislike of the Austin Allegro in all its forms, I keep meeting people who have great affection for this Christmas pudding shaped automotive monstrosity (feel free to email me with your Allegro love stories). As an admirer of the Aston Martin marque since boyhood the 2001 Vanquish Geneva Show car shines, the Paddy Hopkirk driven London-Sydney Marathon Austin
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1800 is an interesting beast and the 1969 first off the production line Range Rover is a gem, as is the 1971 Lotus Europa, the Lotus for Europe. For us aficionados of all things Morgan there is the 1939 Morgan 4-4 flat rad and a 1935 Morgan Super Sports Three Wheeler. A couple of majestic examples of British Badge Engineering are the Rolls Royce engined 1965 Vanden Plas 4-litre R and the 1975 Wolseley 2200, with this car being the very last Wolseley ever produced. On display you will find many prototypes, one offs as well as historic, sporting and vehicles from Film and
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TRIP OUT Guided Tour
Television, something for everyone for sure. A further treat is the Collection Centre with two hundred and fifty cars from the reserve collection, which are garaged and not displayed as such, giving the visitor a behind the scenes look at how the vehicles are stored and restored. At the British Motor Museum all the fun and action isn’t confined to inside the buildings as there is an ever changing calendar of events from specific club meets and displays to the less formal Gaydon Gathering. Held on the second Tuesday of every month this free,
but ticketed, event is a gathering of classics displayed outside the museum, with parking available for those who wish to attend in a modern vehicle. Tom Caren, Show Manager at the British Motor Museum stated “These casual gatherings are open to everyone. It doesn’t matter if your vehicle is British or not, if it’s a car, commercial, military, bus, motorbike, scooter, tractor or any other interesting vehicle, just bring it along. Be it classic, veteran, vintage or a modern classic – all are welcome. It’s an opportunity for petrol heads to indulge their passion with like-minded
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TRIP OUT
Morgan Supersports three wheeler
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TRIP OUT
Sports Cars
people - whilst having a burger and a drink. We hope these events will appeal to our enthusiast friends who would like an early week alternative to staying at home watching TV!” What a wonderful way to spend a few hours of an evening. And now a date for your diaries as the British Motor Museum will be holding Mogfest welcoming the Morgan Sports Car Club which is marking its 70th Anniversary with this event beginning on Saturday 10th July at 10am until Sunday at 4pm, so if you were thinking of visiting and would like to tie it in with a passion for Morgan cars this would be an excellent time to attend. There are many upcoming events at the British Motor Museum, and all the information about these gatherings and displays can be found on the Museum’s website details below, you can even have your wedding there. As we go to print the Museum is now open for
visitors, with bookings and face coverings necessary due to some continued restrictions. Ticket prices are very reasonable, £14.50 for adults, ages 5 to 16 are £9 and the under-fives go free. To find out more about the British Motor Museum their website, www.britishmotormuseum.co.uk you will find the Museum on Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwickshire, CV35 0BJ, it is recommended that if you are using a satnav to enter British Motor Museum as a place of interest rather than using the postcode, it is easily accessible just off J12 of the M40. I hope you have enjoyed this “Trip Out” I’ve had a blast, from my past, and it would be great to hear what you think of the attractions, do drop me an email travis@mogmag.co.uk We are looking forward to more to explore, see you out there! www.mogmag.co.uk 085
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MORGAN & ME
My first Morgan at the Windemere Weekend 1990
LYN PEEK OWNER OF COTTAGES & CLASSICS I was 18 years old when I saw a red Morgan with wire wheels and instantly fell in love I had to wait until the ripe old age of 37 before I bought my first 4/4. WORDS Lyn Peek PHOTOGRAPHY Various
urchased from Libra Motive it was a 1984 signal red 4/4 and I cringe when I remember my test drive. Despite already owning a Spitfire 1500 which had a very sensitive clutch, I kangarooed down the road, repeatedly stalling it and sliding back down the hill at the traffic lights as I wrestled with the fly off handbrake. Richard Havard the sales assistant was unperturbed.
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“So, do you want to buy it… and then learn to drive it?” Excitedly, we took it to Helmsley that weekend. I remember Graham shouting at me (above the noise of the vibrating soft top) “give it some welly” as I drove up Sutton Bank, weighed down with a suitcase on the back. What we didn’t realise, was that buying that first Morgan would put us on the road to relocating to France. We joined the MSCC and found a family of like
Celebrating the Morgan Centenary at the Circuit des Remparts 2009 090 www.mogmag.co.uk
MORGAN & ME Morgan Tofinou Regatta, Il de Re
minded enthusiasts which stretched across the world and have made so many friends over the years. Immersed in all things Morgan I became Centre Secretary of the East Anglian Centre for 14 years. Anglemog has a long history of racing, but in the 90s we had a massive influx of new members and we really enjoyed ourselves with a full social programme which included national events, weekends away and I
introduced them to an annual French Foray. I attended MSCC national committee meetings when Jacquie Lightfoot (Chairman) and myself (Centre Sec) were the only elected women present. The MSCC had a reputation of cloth caps, pipe smoke and tinkering under the bonnet - so I caused a bit of a stir when I offered to organise the raffle for the Annual Dinner & Dance with just 3 prizes: Lunch on the Orient Express, a flight in a
Chateau Fleury La Foret in the +4
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MORGAN & ME Driving up the test hill Brooklands in 1995
tiger moth and a hot air balloon ride. I have fond memories of all the National Mog events, especially Anglemog winning the team prize as the Anglemog “Legion” at Bath in 1997 and arriving at Halmogs “Eastern Promise” fancy dress party dressed as Eastern Gas workers in white boiler suits, cloth caps with the logo on our backs “Eastern Gas – always on a promise”. Unfortunately the disco lights did rather make us glow in the dark. During those years Morgan ownership offered us some memorable experiences : a hair raising circuit of the Nurburgring and Zolder race tracks; being taken up in a glider over the Suffolk countryside (never again!); making it up the test hill at Brooklands, enjoying a private visit to the home of Wing Commander Wallace who flew “Little Nelly” for us, and displaying our Morgan with the “Sporting Bears” at Beaufort Polo club while watching Prince Charles thrash the Argentinian polo team. I never had a trial run for our French Forays but set
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to with a Michelin map and guidebooks to design the itinerary and scenic routes. I only spoke a smattering of menu French but managed to get permission for reserved parking wherever we went. We had a blast. We started in 1998 at the Laon Historic then explored Brittany, Normandy, Dordogne, Alsace, Poitou Charentes, the Jura, the Loire, the French Alps and sniffed and slurped our way round Burgundy and Bordeaux regions. Highlights were Chateau Fleury la Foret in Calvados country where our 18 Mogs were the star attraction at the event - dressed to impress at the Concourse d’Elegance , feted with presents, we were interviewed by local radio; unexpectedly watching the thrills and spills of the practice day of the French Motor Cycle Grand Prix, whilst enjoying lunch in the salle panoramique, during our visit to the Museee de L’Automobile de la Sarthe (home to the Le Mans 24 hrs); being invited into the Schlumpf Motor Museum to park in their courtyard (pursued by Japanese tourists) before touring the magnificent collection of
Anglemog Team Pitstop Challenge MOG97 Bath
MORGAN & ME
French Foray to Brittany
Bugatti’s and driving through the Mont Blanc tunnel to tour the Aosta valley. Within 2 years of buying the 4/4, in 1991 we traded up, for a new signal red +4 - a beautiful car, black leather interior and walnut dash. It was just two months old, when driving home from a New Years Day noggin, we came to a stop, as the cam belt had broken. The car had to be returned to the factory for a new engine to be fitted! We had that car for 10 years, and covered about 50,000 trouble free miles except for a fuel pump incident which is another story!. It sounded amazing as Graham had a complete Librands exhaust system and a racing air filter fitted. We regret selling it, but Graham had always wanted a + 8 and in 2001 the new +8 arrived. (we had been on the waiting list for years!) Ivory with red Connolly leather and a walnut dashboard. Graham has subsequently had the engine chipped, changed the manifold and exhaust system and recently changed the camshaft. It is a very comfortable touring car, but at only 5’ 2” I find it a bit heavy to drive. I suggested a replacement Morgan Roadster (a lighter drive for me) but hell would have to freeze over before Graham ever sold his pride and joy. Instead, in 2008 I bought a 1992 connaught green 4/4 094 www.mogmag.co.uk
4 seater, with green leather interior from Brands Hatch Morgan’s. Sarah says it was the easiest sale she ever made. I saw the advert, recognised the car registration and knew that the owner had always looked after it, so I rang up put down a £1,000 deposit on my credit card and asked if we could pick it up later in the month. Sarah bemusedly asked “Don’t you want a test drive first?” It is a lovely car, light and nimble to drive. We replaced the silver wire wheels with green powder coated wires and all our French friends call it “ the baby Bentley”. Then in 2017 I saw a 2015 Sport white +4 4 seater for sale. It had a walnut dash, Cognac leather interior and an easy up hood (a definite plus on the fingernail front). This time, Nigel, current Anglemog Centre Sec kindly took it for a test drive for us. The report he sent us would put a detailed RAC inspection to shame. So, we bought it sight unseen. Graham, went to pick it up and had an enjoyable drive home, but the next day a strong smell of petrol was emanating from the garage. The seam in the petrol tank had split. It had to be trailered to Welcome Automobiles in Tours, for a replacement petrol tank which was fitted under guarantee as the car was less than 3 years old. It is a dream to drive. “Teething troubles” are soon forgotten with the joy of driving a Morgan!
MORGAN & ME
Graham in his pride & joy the +8
In 2002 I fractured 3 vertebrae in my neck, when I wrote off my Triumph Spitfire in an accident. Although I recovered and returned to work in the NHS, Nation Grid then offered Graham the choice of early retirement or relocate to Coventry. It took us about 30 minutes to decide to have an adventure, and move to France. As well as the French Forays, we had spent our holidays exploring the whole of France in our trusty Morgan. The different regions are all spectacular in their own way, but we decided to settle in the Charente Maritime (the second sunniest region in France). It is far enough south to be guaranteed good weather, and has excellent air, road and ferry links to the UK. I knew we couldn’t spend all our time relaxing by a swimming pool – we were far too young! We knew what we required when holidaying in a Morgan and I had “form” organising the French Forays so we decided to develop a holiday business catering for classic car enthusiasts. In 2004 we bought La Rose des Vents, a former Cognac domaine in 2 acres of gated grounds – just 15 minutes from Cognac and an hour to the Atlantic coast. Our friends thought we were mad - there was so much work to be done (but we are both professional project planners and serial DIYers). Today, you can stay in our self-catering cottages
(awarded 4 stars and selected by Sawdays as a Special Place to Stay); enjoy a 3- 5 day mini break; stop over for B & B in the Manor House; book a 7 day signature tour - our Circuit des Remparts Special is always booked one year in advance - or request a bespoke tour - guests select the date, and we do the rest. Classic car enthusiasts appreciate the relaxed house party style; secure parking and the use of a garage and tools! Since opening in 2005 we have welcomed classic car owners from across the world in a variety of cars ranging from Aston Martin, Austin Healey, Jaguar, Ferrari, Lagonda, Lotus, Mercedes, MG , TVR as well as many Morgan’s. I am happy to offer the option of driving the 4 seater Morgan’s to guests staying with us, if they are classic car owners and know how to look after a car. This has proved popular with transatlantic classic car enthusiasts; as well as much appreciated surprise birthday presents for some lucky husbands. The best thing about living here, is that the roads are in such good condition and are not clogged with traffic so driving, even in convoy with a group of classic cars, is sheer pleasure. Obviously the Circuit des Remparts in Angouleme features in our annual calender. As well as the excitement of race day, the experience of driving through 200 kms of www.mogmag.co.uk 095
MORGAN & ME
Our pair of 4 seaters
beautiful scenery waving to the crowds of people lining the roads is an experience not to be missed. One year that holds special memories is 2009 – the 70th anniversary of the Circuit des Remparts,100 years of the Morgan, 100 years of the Bugatti and 50 years of the Mini. Bugattis from the Shlumpf Museum were on display, as were a collection of Voisins, and “les anciens pilotes du F1” – Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, Jean-pierre Jabouille, Jean-Pierre Beltoise, Jacques Lafitte and Henri Pescarolo all made an appearance on the Saturday. To celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Morgan marque, I was very proud to organize a static display of 20 French and English owned Morgans to represent every model ever made. They ranged from a 1928 Three Wheeler Super Sports Aero ( JAP 100cc dog ear) to the brand new Aeromax (at that time). This was followed by the never to be repeated, opportunity to drive 5 Parade laps of the circuit, whilst the commentators described the cars in detail in French and English to the crowds. Smiles practically had to be surgically removed from the faces of the Morgan drivers and their passengers. We joined the Morgan Club de France and Vinmog and have enjoyed the Pau Historic; Montlhery, Le Mans Classic and Chantilly Arts & Elegance. We have also attended the Retromobile in Paris numerous times and had a wonderful week in the South of France attending the Monaco Historique. Graham is still a member of GRRC and we attend the Goodwood Revival and Anglemog weekends away 096 www.mogmag.co.uk
when we can. We have Morgan friends on the Il de Re and we started to meet for an annual dinner in the yacht club. Soon the Yacht club Commodore asked us to organise something with the local Tofinou club – as these handbuilt yachts have a history not unlike Morgans. In 2016 the annual Tofinou/Morgan regatta was borne. This year it will be held on 12th August 2021. Local car clubs are multi marque but membership is restricted to cars built in/before the 1970s (although traditional Morgans of any age are always welcome - and we have enjoyed many excursions with local French clubs). Many friends with modern sports cars are excluded – hence in 2012 I founded the Club Charentais de Belles Voitures which extends membership to include younger models. A mix of French & English owners, the cars do not have to be pre 1970 but they do have to be beautiful. Legally, the club is administered by an elected President, Secretary and Treasurer, but each member takes responsibility for organising an event in rotation. The system works very well, and we enjoy a varied programme of monthly events: driving skills test; treasure hunt; visits; scenic runs… and plenty of good lunches. We always offer our classic car guests the opportunity to participate in any classic car event being held in the area during their stay. Rarely do they say no. …and occasionally we get time to relax by the heated swimming pool! www.cottagesandclassics.com
MOG LIFE
In the Factory and beyond
Life STERN SHOTS From our Naval Correspondent. Ship Picture: LPhot Phil Bloor RN. Car Pic: Morgan Motor Company. No sooner had Morgan launched the P/101 in its spectacular Dazzle Ship livery than the Royal Navy decided to apply a dazzle camouflage paint scheme to a warship for the first time since the end of the Second World War. The first ship to sport the new look is HMS Tamar, P233, a River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel. Unlike the black and white scheme of the Morgan, inspired by the black and white photos of the time, Tamar has four shades of grey, and black, adorning her steel. Coincidence? We’ll never know.
MOG SEX? Was it the end of lockdown or was it the consumption of a certain brand of Vodka? We used to think that Sex Mog was just the name of the Sussex Chapter of a certain car club, but having ventured to that part of the world for conversation street this month, and received a copy of a certain gentleman’s magazine from 1978 we’re not so sure. One thing is for certain, the editor remembers learning an awful lot from that edition that would prove very useful in later life. 098 www.mogmag.co.uk
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED There is no doubt that after your first drive of a new Morgan you will feel a strong urge to take it on a trip. So had we stumbled across a new slogan for MMC displayed in the Works showroom? No they were just charging the Plus Four’s battery. But come on, that would be a great T shirt!
LINE OF DUTY Did your enjoyment buckle like a crushed paper cup at the ending of Line of Duty? Well perhaps it’s not all over for the BBC’s hit police show, set in a vision of Birmingham that looks a lot like Belfast. Viewers will know that nothing good ever happens when a black Range Rover drives into shot. So what was going on at Pickersleigh Road this month? Is the OCG an Organised Car Group? Was H just the first of three initials? Time will tell, or not.
THE MAKING OF THE ARCHIVE ROOM There is no doubt about it that the new Archive Room is the jewel in the crown of the Morgan Experience Centre. It is certain to prove extremely popular with visitors. Our cover feature shows the Room in all its finished glory, but we were so impressed to see the love and attention to detail going into the final preparations made by MMC staff during our preview visit. See you all there.
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