Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Roadster 3.7/Morgan '65 USA

Would love to get y'alls opinion of our Stateside variant of the Roadster 3.7. Dennis Glavis(out of Mog West in LAX) figured out a way to build a components built 3.7 and title it essentially as a kit car here in the States.
It's apparently a phenomenal setup built by a really reputable guy who does recreation Shelby builds. I believe Dennis gets everything shipped in from Malvern and only sources the engine/transmission independent of Morgan supplies...
So I guess my question is where does this stack up in your eyes? Do we have ourselves a Morgan or a kit car supplied by Morgan or ...?

Check out the link below...the car looks superb in my book though I'd change the spec slightly. The only *small* concern I have is in the next 2-3 years when I go to buy one(as the dream has been for a while) can I confidently say I own a Mog or do I just own a kit car that I paid $105,000USD for?

Not that it would really matter once behind the wheel as it's apparently a gas to drive, but it would always be at the back of my mind. Isn't the fact that some blokes in Malvern wrenched on it and built it part of the beauty of owning a Mog?

Also bring this up as I wasn't aware if any of y'all knew we had accomplished this feat over here...it's been a long time coming. Here's the link of the dealer demo that's for sale:

http://www.morganwest.net/preown/car8/precatalog.html

This is a very tricky one.

Was it an original car that was built by MMC at Malvern , with an original chassis number?

Was rebuilt in the USA as a result of accident damage, and therefore have an earlier identity.

Was it an earlier car that Dennis has re-engined with the latest Cyclone power plant ?

If it does not fit any of these (or other similar scenarios) , then it looks like the purists would rank it as a Morgan based kit car , albeit a very nice one.

None of this need concern you if you like the car, and want to keep it forever. It is only when you come to sell it that the problem will appear. I am afraid that although "originality" is possibly much less important in Morgan circles than other marques, as we all tend to modify our cars to suit our needs or tastes, but a car that did not get built at Malvern would be a step too far for most Morgan enthusiasts , so I would expect it would affect the value quite significantly.

Others may have differing opinions , but that is my 2 cents worth.

No way would it ever be a 'kit car'. I suspect it would be built in Malvern complete except for engine and gearbox, shipped to the states, and a locally sourced engine/gearbox installed.

At worst, in the unlikely event that all the parts are shipped separately, it would be a component car - never, ever a kit car.

Make of that as you will?

I agree. A kit car is put together from almost completely separate components. This is a car built by Morgan with the addition of the engine (not built by Morgan in any case) being installed in America.

If this is done with the agreement of Morgan it is 100% a Morgan. Nobody every questioned whether or not the VW Beetles that were assembled in Australia were actually a Volkswagen.

But are they still doing this? I got the impression that the idea had been dropped and new Roadsters are not listed on their web site. Weren't they going to call it the "Malvern Roadster"?

PS. I just Googled "Malvern Roadster"..... They can't call it that.

It was shipped minus engine and gearbox after being built at the factory. Are the 2.5 duratec engined Plus4s built by Williams considered any less a Morgan? I don't think so.

Would love to see a photo of the engine bay

Still a Morgan in my pretty blue eyes

If it is built by MORGAN, looks like a MORGAN , it is a MORGAN.