Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 1938 Morgan 4/4 Brooklands For Sale

Anyone know anything about this car?

https://www.autoclassics.com/advert/134525

Described thus:

Chassis: n. VM0047 Engine: ford sidevalve,4 cyl, 1122cc Morgan 4/4 “ re-bodied in the late 40’ with an aluminium streamlined “Brooklands” style bodywork, by Victors of Belfast. Part of the private collection of the famous roman jazz player Carletto Loffredo, who bought it in 1991 from Classic Automobiles of London Ltd. The car has had only three owners since 1938 (the first owner – one P.J. Stace – from 1938 to 1990); the car was auctioned in 1981, but apparently remained unsold. It has been subject to a recent “sympathetic” restoration, in order to preserve the period patina (the seat back still its original leather!). The engine needs to be run in, as it has been totally rebuilt in 2017. It is a unique Collector’s piece, extremely rare, unusual and fascinating.

Chassis number VM0047 ? I thought all climax engine cars just had a number and no letters. Brooklands style body from the late 40s but the last race at Brooklands was in 1939. Ford sidevalve instead of a climax.
If this is a blue car I think it was advertised in car and classic last year for over 30k

I owned a series 1 (1938). Coventry climax engine. I change to the E93A Ford when I couldnot get spares for the original engine. This was mid '60s and I was young. The next Morgan 4/4 had a Standard engine. It all sounds fishy to me.

A couple of my more knowledgable friends have done some investigation.

The auction image from 1981 show the car with this bodywork, and with a non-original engine , there is little to fix its history. The gearbox number might be a help, or even the steering column number (to get close to the chassis number), but other than that we are in the dark. Most of the useful pieces were probably lost when it was rebodied.

The registration letters LSU were a previously unissued Scottish combination that were used by DVLA in the 1980s for cars of dubious or unknown provenance, often for barn finds etc.

So without more data very tricky to get any further.

That's not quite true. The DVLA requires proof of the age and identity of a vehicle before issuing it with an age related registration. If there is anything dubious or unknown it gets a "Q" plate.

Not a bad price for something rather different. It would certainly get a few sharp intakes of breath and some tut tutting at an MSCC meeting. For that reason alone I rather fancy it!

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