Welcome to MorganVille.org! This is the reference center for information concerning your favorite car and mine, the Morgan.

The Morgan Timeline

See the Morgan Timeline by Mark Braunstein! This is not an official Morgan Motor Company publication and is only intended to help Morgan enthusiasts understand the marque's various models. It's a great resource to watch the development of Morgans over time!

The Clifford-Thames/Cardiff University Environmental Rating for Vehicles, or ERV, takes into account not only the obvious environmental impacts, such as emissions, but broader demand on resources from the manufacturing and ongoing use of the car. A key element is a vehicle’s physical “footprint,” obtained by multiplying the length by the width by the weight. Although it seems simple, the ERV’s creators say it’s a good indicator of resource consumption. A car’s physical footprint, they say, “is a very important consideration, because even a near-zero emissions car has an environmental and indeed sustainability burden. This burden includes the resource consumption required from raw materials; transport and processing of raw materials (with associated environmental and social costs); paint emissions and other manufacturing impacts; contribution to congestion and other road space requirements (parking, for example); the degree of damage caused to people and property in an accident, etc.”

Because of their smaller size, sports cars tend to do pretty well in the index. “One reason is that in order to optimize their performance, many sports cars are designed and built on the principle of weight reduction. This is not normally the case for saloons, however sporting they may be. Indeed, sports cars in general are far more built to purpose than typical hatchbacks or saloons that, as a result, are generalist vehicles that are competent in many areas but excel in none. It is even possible nowadays to engineer a large 4x4 car that performs like a sporty car, at least in some respects, but such performance comes with excessive environmental cost,” the authors say. In fact, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo comes in next-to-last in the rankings.

Morgan, for one, is promoting the greenness of its current products. Under the ERV index, its 4/4 1800 roadster was neck-and-neck with the Toyota Prius hybrid, in spite of the fact that the Prius gets greatly superior fuel economy and puts out far fewer emissions. Highest ranked among new cars is the Smart ForTwo, which pegged the scale at 60 points. The Smart is also the only vehicle available in the U.S. that made the top 10. The worst? You’ll be shocked, shocked, to learn that the Bentley Arnage RL, Range Rover 4.2 Super Charged, Cadillac Escalade and Bentley Continental Flying Spur tied at a measly 2 points.

You can read the thinking behind the rankings on the Clifford Thames Web site. Be sure to check out the interactive tool, which allows you to compare two late-model cars. - By David LaChance

MORGAN LIFE CAR Morgan shows off its high-tech capability

TED LATURNUS

From Thursday's Globe and Mail

* E-mail

October 16, 2008

When we think of Morgan automobiles, we don't usually associate them with alternative-fuel, low-emission technology.

Morgan is the oldest privately owned automobile manufacturer in the world and has been pumping out full-fendered, minimalist sports cars for almost 100 years. Even today, most Morgans utilize an ash-wood body tub and front suspension designed in 1910 and, for many non-cognoscenti, today's breed of 4/4 or Plus-4 is indistinguishable from the ones that came out of the plant 50 years ago.

But there are changes in the wind. Morgan recently launched its alternative-fuel Life Car, and it couldn't be more different from the traditional models that come out of the company's plant in Malvern Hills in Britain. In almost every respect, it has absolutely nothing in common with its tweedy stable mates.

"We have been trying to demonstrate that as a business we have a very high technical capability," explains Morgan's public relations manager, Matthew Parkin. "This has been hard when we continue to make traditional cars, as there are such strong associations with this car not changing. The Life Car project seemed a good opportunity to help to reposition the business as modern and capable, using a mixture of high-tech materials and craftsmanship." Morgan Life Car Enlarge Image

With a body shell and frame made from recycled aluminum and laminated ash-wood seats, the Life Car will tip the scales at about 650 kilograms. (MORGAN) The Globe and Mail

And when you think about it, utilizing sports-car technology in the pursuit of environmentally friendly, emission-free mode of transport isn't that over the top. After all, sports cars are all about weight reduction, performance engineering and getting the most out of the least.

And few car makers can top Morgan when it comes to delivering maximum bang for the buck. They may look ancient and creaky, but, over the years, Morgans have consistently outperformed their larger, heavier and more powerful competitors.

In a study conducted by Cardiff University, Morgans also held their own in overall environmental impact. Measuring things like carbon dioxide output, toxic emissions and the consumption of raw energy and resources during production, the Environmental Rating for Vehicles (ERV) ranked Morgan automobiles near the top of the heap, surpassed only by the Smart car.

On a scale of two to 60, the Morgan 4/4 was given 24 points — the same as a Toyota Prius. By way of comparison, a Porsche 911 Carrera garnered eight points and a Bentley Arnage two. The average rating for most production automobiles is 15 or 16.

With a body shell and frame made from recycled aluminum and laminated ash-wood seats, the Life Car will tip the scales at about 650 kilograms. That's considerably less than the company's regular production models, which typically weigh in at around 800 kg, and about half the weight of most conventional, similarly sized cars.

Unsurprisingly, the prototype features a hand-welded body shell, with wood patterns used throughout during the forming process. As sleek as something out of Star Wars, the Life Car also retains vestiges of the classic Morgan body profile, with flowing fenders, oversized wheels and the unmistakable "tombstone" front grille.

So far, the company has designed the Life Car around a fastback body style, but that could change. Either way, the company assures us that the "Morgan DNA is clearly visible."

Propelling the Life Car are four electric motors — one at each wheel — with small gearboxes incorporated to maintain power. Interestingly, this type of technology is also found in the massive off-road dump trucks used by mining and construction companies.

Morgan says that the Life Car will go from zero to 100 kilometres an hour in about seven seconds, with a top speed of some 130 km/h. It will travel 240 kilometres for every gallon of fuel consumed, with a range of approximately 400 kilometres.

And that fuel will be liquid hydrogen, which is stored in a carbon fibre-wrapped tank at the back of the car. It feeds a four-stack fuel cell that produces some 22 kilowatts of electrical energy, which is in turn directed to the electric motors through a set of electronic controls developed by Cranfield University. There are no emissions whatsoever.

The electric motors are said to be "95-per-cent efficient." Each motor will also have a regenerative braking feature to capture kinetic energy during deceleration, and Morgan engineers are claiming that their system is up to five times more efficient than that found on today's hybrid vehicles. There will also be conventional hydraulic brakes at each corner.

Unlike many alternative-fuel vehicles, the Life Car does not have a battery pack, instead employing heavy-duty capacitors, which can "shuffle" 1,000 amps of power throughout the vehicle. This helps keep the weight down, as battery technology continues to be the weakest link in alternate fuel technology.

The Life Car was on display at last spring's Geneva Auto Show and Morgan has been quietly putting it through the endless bench, track and road testing necessary to get the bugs out of a vehicle this sophisticated.

It's also interesting to note that the finished product is almost identical in appearance to the computer-generated image that was proposed at the beginning of the project.

It's far too early to think about marketing, production numbers or pricing, or whether the Life Car will even make its way across the pond to North America. "We still have much work to do before we can give an on-sale date," Matthew Parkin adds.

But one thing's for sure, the Life Car is now officially the best-looking alternative-fuelled vehicle in the world, and things will never be the same at the Morgan plant.

I think it comes down to thinking carefully what all it is you want from a Morgan.

In the Discourses by Epictetus (a Greek slave of Romans), he notes that the most important question in life is "What is it you want" followed closely by "How is it you intend to get it?" Epictetus of course does not assume goodness or badness of the person asking these question merely that they are to be asked and are of primary importance regardless of the ethical qualities of your intent.

So I know that with The Great White Hope, what I want is the driving experience of a Morgan in the late 1950's - which because of its inherent design harkens back to driving experiences of earlier times - in its entirety - not just the car but the entire environment through which I drive it. I even live in a place that seem similar to the country byways in old(e) England. My commute is up past lakes and on country roads that are arch-overhung with trees. I see cows and horses, occasionally a noisy John Deere. Sometimes there are more than 4 cars on the road with me. I try to be almost never on highways (except those built during the WPA and on which trucks and busses are forbidden). It's a time machine; in the force of my will I can rock the universe back on its fulcrum to a warmer, more pleasant day, and for a short while I feel the sweet taste of that universe in harmony. From a driver's perspective, it is the world as described in that first-ever driver's handbook, The Lure of Speed by Sir Henry O'Neal Dehane Segrave, delightful in its innocence, like a fire just lit or field grass in early spring, not of this time and fleeting at very best.

Who, in their right mind, would ever want to change the description in the preceding paragraph by "improving it". I work hard to not improve the Hope. Oh, OK, sometimes I'll replace a part with one that promises to not fail quite so often, but even some of the failures harken back to that time. It is a time when, presented with some failure (starter, points, regulator, tyre, etc.), it was expected that you would take an hour or two to repair it and (only then) continue on your way with any tardiness forgiven. Why would I want to sacrifice that ease and grace to convenience? Truthfully, I'm not into convenience....it has become, in my estimation, the enemy of a civilized life in that it creates expectations of human behavior that are in and of themselves inhuman.

The 57 four seater is exactly and wonderfully an embodiment of that deliciously polite and peaceful time; every line in that car holds with no compromise to it's original intent; no need for better performance, or better braking, or better acceleration, or more appeal to popular sentiment and commercial viability; or better weather protection, or -dare I say again- convenience is evidenced.

I know I blaspheme but, if it were a better car I wanted, I already have that. My everyday car is a BMW Z4 (snow or shine) and I wouldn't trade it for a more modern Morgan. When I want to drive a vintage car, the Hope comes out under my loving hands.

Nor, in any of the above to I mean disrespect to those of you who see it differently, whose love of touring in a Morgan the way I might tour regularly in the Z, whose interest in high performance, or whose love of more modern technology is evidenced in their Morgan choice. I merely needed to put down how I , personally, see it (all) in Morgans.

Crustaceously,

Spider 3585 (high bodies, wide boards, and long grilles forever)

I have had various British cars since 1971. I have had a TR4, three TR3’s, an Austin Healey 3000, an Austin Healey 100-4, an MG-TD, a JZR Morgan trike replicar, and four Morgans. I purchased my first Morgan in 1985, a 1965 4/4 that had been “rebuilt” as a church project. It looked great, ran great, but the suspension was so bad that I could only do 100 miles in a day and then I had to recuperate for a week or so before I could get back in it. There were no other Morgans in the entire state of Mississippi that I could find, so without any other information, I just assumed that they were all that way.

In my attempts to try to improve the ride, I found Bill Fink of Isis. He gave me some great advice, but little seemed to help. In 1987 Bill told me about a 1984 propane 4/4 that was for sale and I quickly purchased it. It was even more beautiful than the first and was extremely comfortable to drive. I soon converted it to gas and started to go on extended trips in it. From 1987 to 1995, I put a little over 50,000 miles on it with the longest drive including over 1100 miles in a single day. It was light, nimble, problem free, and fun to drive.

My next Morgan was the 1995 Plus 8 purchased new from Isis that has just been converted to a Plus 8 Plus. Prior to the conversion, I had put over 53,000 miles on it and had won a number of longest distance awards at the various Morgan events. Last summer, I toured the eastern US and Canada for three months. It was during that time that I first drove a Plus 8 Plus and thought about it the entire summer.

My most recent Morgan is a 1953 Plus 4 4-seater. I have always wanted a flat-rad and a 4-seater, and I’m delighted with this car.

So, as you can see, I am not a great speed demon or a horsepower fanatic. I am more interested in reliability, comfort and fun. Making the decision to convert a car that I greatly loved was a major one. There were a number of issues that concerned me. The price was, of course, an issue; the time being without it was an issue; whether I would still be as happy with the car afterwards was an issue.

Now that I have had my car back for a week, have driven it almost 3000 miles from California to Mississippi (including side trips along the way), and have driven Bill’s car for a week while he was finishing mine, I felt that you might be interested in what was actually done and my opinions.

The engine was replaced with a Corvette LS3 440 hp engine mounted 1 1/2 inches further back. The radiator was replaced with a GM stock car radiator and a 16 inch fan that keeps the operating temperature between 90 and 95 no matter what the temperature may be. The transmission was replaced with a GM GTO six-speed that shifts smoothly and is reported to be bullet proof. The rear axel, brakes and springs were replaced with a GM Camaro differential and disc brakes held in place by an anti-trap bar, a fabricated frame, and coil-over shocks. This set up gives the added advantage of moving the rear wheels about 1/2 inches further back giving a longer wheel base and centering the wheels in the wheel arches (Bill says 1/2 inch is all I gained, but it appears to be more like 1 1/2 or 2 to me). The installation looks very professional and is hardly noticeable unless you are looking for it.

Granted, the cost is expensive, but if you consider all of what is included, fabricated, and time spent PLUS the cost of all the other methods of getting a few more horsepower, better handling, better reliability, and increased value of the car, I think the expense may seem more reasonable.

Several individuals that have tried Bill’s Plus 8 Plus have commented on the harsh ride. I agree that Bill’s car does have a harsher ride than my original car, but I had already gone through the standard shocks, Koni’s, and AVO’s to get a really comfortable ride. My Plus 8 Plus ride is much more comfortable than Bill’s, but not quite as comfortable as the AVO’s were. The existing coil-over shocks are adjustable and the springs can be replaced independently of the shock, so I may play with them once the car is broken in. The bottom line here is that the ride comfort should NOT deter anyone who is considering this modification.

And now for what most of you are interested in—the power. This car goes like nothing I’ve ever driven, including my wife’s BMW M5. During the trip home, my GPS recorded 101.5 and 95.9 as top speeds and I never realized I was going that fast. Bill has managed to not only give the car more power but improve the handling as well. He and Keith had to change the angle of the steering column in order to accommodate the engine. Although neither Bill nor Keith think this should improve the steering, I believe that along with setting the engine 1 1/2 inches further back the steering is much improved. Turning the wheels while standing still is the same, but with any movement whatsoever, the steering becomes much easier. The rear suspension is comfortable and keeps the wheels on the ground. With the rear disc brakes, the car stops better and the hand brake actually works. The net effect is a very fast and controllable car.

My car was the 10th conversion and the first one to utilize the LS3 engine. I would suggest that anyone considering this, should drive one of Bill’s more recent projects. He and Keith are constantly improving their design.

Would I do it again? In a heart beat.

The new engine adds 13% more power, raising output to 367Bhp, giving a power to weight ratio of over 315 Bhp/tonne, enough to propel the car from 0 – 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 170 mph.

New for Morgan is an automatic gearbox option. ZF’s latest 6 HP26 six speed gives even better performance than a manual gearbox due to its special lock up clutch, low power loss design and instant change characteristic. The automatic is useable either as a full automatic for more relaxed driving or in sport manual mode when the bespoke gear lever will hold the engine revs up to the maximum in each gear, increase change speed and ‘blip’ the throttle to smooth down changes.

The efficiency of the new engine and gearbox combination deliver the extra power and performance with a reduction in CO2 emissions. Thanks to Morgan’s clever lightweight design and efficient engine/gearbox combination the European drive cycle emission level, at 260 g/km, proves supercar performance does not need to come at enormous cost to the environment.

New instrumentation, a repositioned fuel tank for better weight distribution and significantly increased luggage space and larger air intakes and exits on the wings distinguish the new model.

Over 600 Aero 8s have now left the Malvern factory. This year production combined with the AeroMax will add another 140 cars to the total. There is a flourishing Aero Eight Club offering Aero drivers the opportunity to take their cars onto European race tracks and to follow the fortunes of the three Aero 8’s competing in the International FIA GT3 Race series.

The Morgan 4 seater has always been a well kept secret, despite being in production for over 70 years. Available as either a 2.0 litre Plus 4 or 204 Bhp 3.0 litre V6 Roadster, this model adds a new dimension to Morgan ownership, and with just two 4 seaters rolling out each week, exclusivity is guaranteed.

Two generous rear seats fold forward to give a large load area. Child seats can be fitted to ensure that the whole family whatever age can enjoy the delights of open air Morgan motoring.

The ultimate development of the traditional line is the smooth, powerful 3.0 V6 Roadster. Weighing only 938 Kg, the 204 Bhp Roadster sprints to 60 mph in around 5 seconds. New lateral axle location ensures smooth standing starts, whilst a new dashboard and instrumentation adds to the visual delight of the cockpit.

Morgan build cars for people who want a highly individual sports car that’s great fun to drive. With the Morgan factory approaching the Centenary, the passion and dedication for the next 100 years is as strong as ever. The Classic Range has been shaped by a long heritage but the emphasis for 2008 is on environmental considerations and fuel efficiency as well as speed and exhilaration.

MORGAN 4/4 SPORT

This year the iconic Morgan 4/4 celebrates its 72nd birthday, a world record for a continuous production run, by introducing a new model – the 4/4 Sport.

The name 4/4 denoted the change to 4 wheels back in 1936, and the model has had continuous development ever since, culminating in this, the latest in small, lightweight, safe and fun sportscars using the unique fusion of traditional quality materials with the latest in advanced powertrain technology.

The high efficiency 115Bhp 1..6 litre Ford Sigma engine means that full advantage of the 800 kilogramme all up weight can be made. 143 Bhp/tonne gives lively performance with 0-62 mph in under 8 seconds, and with CO2 emissions well below 140g/km means that the Morgan delivers a thoroughly contemporary package.

The 4/4 Sport sits on lowered suspension, and has been lightened to deliver the most fun for the driver and passenger. Still retaining a generous fixed specification which includes beautiful saddle leather, and a choice of 5 colours, the Morgan 4/4 Sport customer can add a variety of personalised packages through the supplying dealer.

Priced at £26,025 including VAT, few cars can deliver more smiles, let alone the combination of low environmental impact, low cost of ownership with the added pleasure of owning a coach-built car. The new Morgan 4/4 sport does all this and more, putting fun back into motoring.

We also welcome any additions you may have to the list! If you wish to be added to the registry, please fill out this form. Thanks!

If anyone has any additions, please email me at ldmcjr@morganville.org and I will add it to the list.

Join the MogTalk Web Group, hosted by the MSCC.

Click here to join!

http://smogthis.net A great photo web site for a great car!