Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Tales from Malvern Link

On Wednesday 14th September I went up to the Morgan factory to collect Tarka, after her long struggle with escaping electrons. My pal Reid took me up and as a "thank you" I I booked the two if us on the "Morgan Experience". It was my first visit to the factory since 2017.... so after picking up an immaculate Plus 8 I drove round to the carpark using the new "one way" system. Next to the service department is a building site, the old boiler house and chimney are gone and additional painting booths and an extension to the service area will be built.

Going into the visitor centre my first impression was "wow".... it now looks like the sort of reception area and showroom that is expected of a premium brand. Good (excellent) coffee in the refurbished "canteen" with a more than acceptable menu.
The Tour got off promptly and after a short video we walked over to the factory. There is a lot of evidence of tidiness and more attention to H&S, but not enough o change the essential character. In the Chassis shop the trolly frames on which the CX chassis are fitted out were impressive, much easier for the fitters, no more crawling under a car sitting on wooden trestles....well not quite. At the end of the row was a trad chassis in build....



It seems one of the new Italian Directors requested a special, possibly inspired by SP1..... our guide was not at all forthcoming. The chassis was clearly new-old stock, rather grubby in places but with no evidence of a past life.

In the wood shop we realised that major changes in procedure had taken place. Bodies are now built and skinned, then painted before returning to be paired with the completed rolling chassis. This can only be possible if production tolerances have been reduced, significantly. Only the bonnet and cowl are car specific. There was further evidence of this in the Trim shop, where hoods are built on a jig and are NOT fitted to a finished car.

We then went off to the old Aero building which was busy with lots of Super 3 bodies. But in the corner was this wonder...



The last GT R, built it is rumoured on the Aero chassis used for the "Cut Away Plus 8" shown a few years ago at Geneva. The colours are, in my view, close to perfect. I hope it is driven, not used as a show car.

Overall, I'm optimistic that MMC will weather the brake master cylinder storm and go off into a bright future. All Super 3 production is sold into the end of 2023. It was also interesting to hear that Plus Four sales are 70% automatic, 30% gear box: I'm not surprised.

A good day out...

So bonnet and cowl are now the only two items left that depict “hand built” as opposed to “kit car”. It was bound to happen.

Love the GTR. The cowls I thought were superformed already.

All of the woodwork is cut in the machine shop and then assembled by hand. I got the strong impression that the wood was cut to much closer tolerances, reducing the amount of "fitting" needed. The wood shapes used to be cut by band saw and shaped using a spindle moulder. I wonder if the cutting and shaping is now done on CNC driven machines. If so it is utterly logical and in my view doesn't distract from the "Hand Built" description.
I'm actually much more concerned that the Super 3 has no ash frame, it is an aluminium glued monocoque. As such it loses, to me, some of the essential "Morgan DNA".

Interesting update Peter, I assume if the customer is open chequebook then a Trad build is still possible

This Mog Buggy was built on a +4 Trad chassis this year, and auto 'box too

Agree on the super 3 .

So how is Tarka now PJ?

From what I’m hearing on other forums the brake issue might be surpassed by the radiator problems on the CX’s

Thanks for posting an update on the factory Peter and for the pics. The GT R looks wonderful in blue.. I hope you are correct re the a bright future for Morgan.

Really interesting update, with some great pictures GT R and the trad buggy. anyone know what engine is in the buggy?

Stewart, Tarka is reprieved.... but will become a third car for nice days. The Porsche is now my daily drive...it is a hard life, I know!

As to the CX Morgans it seems that they run hot and have very complex cooling systems and all owners will be advised not to put anything in front of the radiator, even badges. The Master cylinder issue is almost over, so MMC need to get on building cars and 3 wheelers. I have an urge to drive a Super 3...