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History of the World
according to Morgan
The Morgan sports car, with its flowing lines and
nostalgic look, draws attention wherever it goes. Its
owners, however, must answer a barrage of
questions when stopped at a traffic light or parked in
town such as, 'It's a antique?' or 'Is it a replica?.
It is not a not antique, although it is made with the quality and craftsmanship of one. Neither is it a replica, even
though ten will be produced this week. And it's
definitely British.
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History
The Morgan is a motor industry phenomenon. In a small town in Malvern, Worcester, England, there is a factory run by Peter Morgan
and his son, Charles, where the Morgan 4/4, +8 and +4 are still built. They, and the workforce of just under 100, lovingly produce about
ten of the hand-built, ash-framed cars per week while the waiting list continues to grow. At last count it was four years long or more.
Peter took over from his father, HFS Morgan, who built a three-wheeled car, with the world's first independent front suspension, in 1909.
Friends and acquaintances all wanted one, and in 1912 the Morgan Motor Company was founded.
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Radical Changes
In 1932, Morgan risked some minor changes, which included the addition of a fourth wheel. This model was called the 4/4 (four wheels,
four cylinders). Nothing much happened for a decade or two; the radiator grill went from flat to rounded in 1954.
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In the 1960s, the factory shoe-horned a 3.5 litre V8 into the engine compartment, widened the wings by an inch on each side, and
named the result the Morgan +8; a 'scary fast' (Jim Kenzie of the Toronto Star) sports car that today out-performs the Porsche 911
Targa and the BMW M3 and gives the Ferrari Testarosa a run for its money from zero to 130km/h (at which point the latter begins to pull
ahead). The Researcher of this entry has been lucky enough to drive one on the racetrack and the Autobahn (German motorway). With
the top down and no windscreen, it will do 224km/h. Better not think about the 1909 front suspension when you are doing that. Current
models still use the sliding pillar concept.
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Click for More History
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History Courtesy the BBC
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