Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) New Member question

Good morning all,

I've been looking at Morgans for some time but just haven't found one that I was able to buy. I've located a 4 seater +4 here in Southern California and I'm trying to do some research to try and find out exactly what it is.

According to the owner it has a VIN of 4705. Which, according to gomog.com and other sites is not a VIN because the VIN has 17 digits. This number appears to be a chassis number which, according to gomog.com is a +4 between February '56 and February '64 with a TR3 engine. The engine number is TS80224ME which is a TR2 or 3. There is another number stamped on the frame that appears to be 602 or 802.

The vehicle has webber carbs on the engine.

If anyone can help on this I'd greatly appreciate it.

Joe

Be wary of gomog, it's not known for its technical expertise.

Hi Ian,

Is there any other site where I might find more reliable information? I've gone to the Morganville.org, but it seems they only take info to register an owned vehicle. Is there any way to identify a Supersport model? According to gomog they started with chassis number 4749 some time in Feb. '61. So this one would not be a Supersport. But if their info isn't accurate would you know where I could find out? The engine is set up with dual Webbers, which may have been added at some time later.

Thank you for the information,
Joe

TBH I would not be so harsh in my assessment of Gomog. The site has helped me a lot, last time was when I had the lowering blocks removed from my 4/4. Of course I can't judge if the serial numbers etc. are correct, but I think that Gomog has compiled information quite knowledgeably.

Like Heinz, I would not be so damning of the site as I have learnt a lot from it in particular the braking system when I changed my rear cylinders, shoes and front pads on the Plus 8.

It suits me as I don't want a pictorial step by step guide, I find those boring in the extreme but very good if that's your need. I always want the answer quickly as I get bored easily..

It is a massive catalogue of work and there may be some errors, exactly the same as this site when anybody is free to contribute. Rather interestingly I don't use Wikithing for that reason but with Morgan's I have sufficient knowledge to sort the wheat from the chaff technically on gomog and TM.

As with any forum you have to apply common sense and filter what you read, TM is by no means excluded from this process

Hi Joe you might get the information you need from Machiel Kalf of the historic morgan register, who is particularly interested in anything plus 4 with triumph engines his e mail is machielkalf@ziggo.nl hope this helps duncan

If you've looked on Morganville, you might have seen that 4704 is listed as a 1960 +4 4 seater, that 4711 is a 1961 +4, but that most of the 47** chassis numbers seem to be 1961.

I didn't think that any 4 seater Supersports were built, except for one built in 1966 (according to Worrall and Turner 'Original Morgan)

Again according to Worrall, from 4650 it should have black toggle switches, and front disc brakes from 4644 (both changes listed as September 1960). TR4 engine was an option from Feb 1961 but not standard until June 1962 (when it was the TR3 engine that became the option)


Malcolm

How do you work that one out Ian, please explain!

Arwyn

Hi Malcolm,

I was able to get into the registry on Morganville this morning and saw that chassis number on the '60 4 seat car. Since this is the next number in sequence I would think it should also be a '60, but then I'm thinking it may have been called a '61 depending on the year it came out of the factory. I've got a '40 Chevy pickup, that I know is a '40, but for some reason it was originally registered as a '39. That was fun to correct at DMV, NOT!!

I'm thinking the Webers were put on later by a prior owner and this is not a Supersport model.

This car has beige toggle switches and front disc brakes.

Joe

Hi Malcolm, I've just gone through the process of registering a 5 digit VIN with the DMV in California - completed last week - mine was extra complicated as it also involved discussions with the DMV in Alabama ...

If you'd like to chat on the phone about my process feel free to dm me and I'll share my phone number.

Cheers,

Rob