Description
Offered for sale is an absolutely gorgeous, numbers matching 1960 Morgan Plus 4 two seat Roadster, with a body finished in era specific Battleship Grey and Burgundy steel wings over its original black leather interior. This car has a factory alloy bonnet and factory alloy body (save for the cowl), which was an extremely rare factory option generally reserved for the Super Sports. The recipient of a professional body off restoration by a well known marque specialist in 1998, the car has since been fastidiously maintained, routinely shown and has won a number of awards at San Francisco Bay Area concours and events. The care its previous owner provided is evident in the car’s exceptional condition, which is nearly as flawless today as it was upon completion.
Of all the classic British post-war roadsters produced, no other car is quite as unique or charming as the Morgan Plus 4. With a simple and strong drive train, agile handling and a truly visceral, sporting drive quality, sitting behind the wheel of a well-sorted Morgan is ceaselessly grin-inducing. Timeless and distinctive styling never fails to garner appreciation, part of the reason these iconoclastic cars are perennial favorites at shows and touring events. The early 1960s models are really the most representative of the breed and easily the best to drive, with the significant benefit of the Triumph sourced inline four-cylinder engine.
This striking example is fitted with its original TR3 engine and Moss 4-speed gearbox and it is an absolute thrill from behind the wheel. Astute mechanical modifications were made at the time of restoration with the intention of preserving the car’s originality but also improving reliability and performance. When the car left the factory at Malvern, Morgan engineers left the dual SU H-6 carburetors open, as standard air filters of the day wouldn’t fit under the closed bonnet. Apparently there isn’t any dust on English roads! To improve upon this typically British engineering, a specially designed, bolt-on accessory air filter has been fitted to the original carburetors, but don’t worry – it’s incredibly easy to remove if you want to return the car to stock. The car has also been fitted with Morgan exhaust headers instead of the regular manifold, a gear reduction starter, an upgraded ignition, oversized ribbed oil pan, new Eibach springs with adjustable SPAX shocks and an upgraded alloy radiator with auxiliary cooling fan.
The car starts easily, idles consistently and pulls strongly and smoothly through each of the gears. After a long cruise up to Santa Ynez in 75 degree weather (part of which was in significant traffic), I’m happy to report that the car shows no indications of overheating, a testament to the effectiveness of the alloy radiator and auxiliary fan. The transmission is crisp and smooth, the suspension is stiff and the car drives and brakes straight. The best way to describe the car mechanically would be to say that it is entirely turn-key, completely tight, and needs nothing to be enjoyed.
The two tone Grey and Burgundy finish is excellent condition, marred only by the most negligible of imperfections, none of which are significant enough to appear in any of the pictures. All of the brightwork is flawless, all of the glass and rubber is excellent and the painted wire wheels have recently been performance balanced and are wrapped in nearly new Vrdestein Sprint radial tires. The undercarriage is clean and rust-free and all of the ash wood is perfect. The original leather seats show only the most minimal wear, the carpets are excellent and a new solid cherry wood dash has been installed to compliment the period accessory Moto-Lita steering wheel. Hardly ever used, the soft top and soft top frame are in excellent condition, as is the full tonneau cover and each of the new side curtains. Everything works as it should, including all of the original white faced instruments, the car’s headlamps and the bumper mounted Lucas running lamp.
If you’ve been looking for a correct, honest and beautifully presented Morgan Plus 4, this car deserves your serious attention. It has all the right things going for it: beautiful, body-off restoration, well maintained, strong original mechanicals and a fantastic color combination, It’s arguably the best example on the market and is sure to bring its next owner years of continued pleasure.
