Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms A nice American 1968 Plus 8

Tcherek, thank you for the clarification and sorry for my mismatching.
I find it very exciting how different the lives of such old cars can be. The light blue car is very impressive, it embodies a very fine work and the restorer has perfectly realized his artistic freedoms. I‘m sure she will find a new home soon.

The other car you're describing, Tcherek, (and thanks for the link to the pics) electrified me in one fell swoop. I don't know if her color or the black rims are original, but the car is amazing as is, like hovering to us from a time machine. I love this „orange-brown“? authentic tone from the era

The car is "right" in all its appearance and all of a piece. Funny, but with some photos it's like developing telepathic abilities, and that's the case here.
BTW I love this early 1970s unagitated functional sporty dashboards with plastic toggle switches most of all decades. Maybe also because my first Morgan came from this time, and I purchased her brand new...not from dealer Flaving but from Revell in the toy store.
If I ever wanted to drive another Mog, other than my current 4/4, it would be such an early Plus 8 like R7194. (That would already be her name...R7194, like R2D2). Wow.

Heinz, the owner was a long time Morgan aficianado. I suspect the car's integrity was kept intact, however I cannot claim to know for certain. His other Morgan was a +8+, created just for him. He enjoyed the contrast and meticulously maintained his cars. The family was hoping to find local homes for the Morgans, however the +8+ went to Arkansas and I feel this one would be most appreciated back home in the UK. Happy to put you in touch with the family if you want to send me a PM. The widow continues to be a very active member of the Nor Cal Morgan Club (I spoke with her at a club event just weeks ago) and her late husband's enthusiasm is sorely missed by all of us in the California Morgan community. I posted a couple more photos in the TM gallery.

My first +8 was January 1969.The chassis no 7029. Wish I had kept it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. PS last I heard it was in Canada.

The ID plate on the R7662 car seems to be in german - wonder why, how that comes about. Apart from that, lots of great photos, especially the Bay Area ones. Is that emeryville? Maybe somewhere like larkspur , san Quentin?

I love all these DIY chassis plates, it so simplifies ringing, with a concerted effort every +4 could (say) become the actual car that ran at Le Mans.
I have an acquaintance who constructed an Austin Riley Special Equipment with appropriate stamping, for the delight of its abbreviation with VSCC scrutineers.

It is between Oakland and Berkeley, which lay east of SF across the Bay. Nearby Richmond is home to San Quentin prison, so you are correct. You can tell it apart from my dad's signature "Morgan by the Bay with Golden Gate Bridge" images since Alcatraz is his prison of choice for background scenery. When we shot the cover for Mog Magazine I told Bill that we would not be showing the GG Bridge in any shot. He said "But how will they know it's San Francisco?" Ironically, this conversation took place as we waited for a cable car to cross, with Lombard Street zigzagging up ahead of us. I said not to worry, our address is posted on the website, and half the time you fail to notice a key feature common to San Francisco...see if you can spot it!



This is actually one of his best shots - his shadow isn't blocking the car and he actually managed to get the entire car in the frame. This is a rare find, as you can see by his more typical photographic compositions.



By comparison the Emeryville car images are museum quality. I hate to have to disagree with the general consensus however, because personally I think that the misdated 1972 car has been over restored, and robbed of it's original charm. Too much bling for me, which is fine because I am not in the target demographic whatsoever. I am sure much care and money went into it...I just would have done it differently. And if the next owner loves it, then that's the only opinion that matters. (I have exceptionally good taste, and so naturally there are those who won't share my views.)

Tcherek, I totally agree with your opinion. The over restored car is impressive but a car like R7194 has real soul.

Northern California Morgan Girl: thanks for confirming the location. San Quentin is my prison of choice - from that scene in Dirty Harry (Callaghan) where Clint provokes the mafia hitmen by asking directions to San Quentin (‘now you do know the way don’t you, a**** etc...)

I haven’t spotted the SF key feature you refer to - which photo?

My valuable opinion on the R7662 vs R1794 issue is that the former looks like a race car, along the lines of the ‘Baby Doll’ model; whereas the copper/bronze car is something I would want to drive around in.

And thanks to Heinz for putting it up there for us.

I agree with Tcherek too much bling. But I do like the alloy interior and the seats especially. When I built My +8 Bitsa it was an alloy interior that I wanted. But My skill does not match My wants.

Nick55, I was referring to the photo which normally would have contained the GG Bridge and Alcatraz, and yet my dad failed to notice that another SF staple (fog) obscured them. I let this slide due to not cutting off the car. But he is loyal to a fault and a creature of habit. To prove my point, behold a photo from the 1970s I found recently...



There are so many wrong things about this photo that I am not sure how it inspired the hundreds of identically shot photos that followed. But then my dad's loyalty to tradition is why he is still doing this 50 years later. Pretty sure that despite my being more of a creative type myself I still am very drawn to those early, unfussed with Morgans that so impressed my friends each time Bill drove me to school, sleepover party, etc. It made such an impression on me that today, I have no recall of the parties, or picnics, I just remember the drive there. Plain dash and toggles, no frills, just pure fun.