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Most Online1,046 Aug 24th, 2023
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 31 Likes: 3
Just Getting Started
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OP
Just Getting Started
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 31 Likes: 3 |
I've not posted anything on here since I sold my midnight blue +8 back in 2017 so that I could buy our current house.
I first fell in love with Morgans around January 1999. I had a day off school to go with my Parents and brother to the factory to collect dad's new Morgan, a Connaught green +4 with Stone leather trim and stainless wire wheels. I can still clearly remember the drive home, dark grey clouds with heavy rain and looking back to see the Morgan on the trailer every 10 minutes or so. Dad took me for a sneaky ride up the road when we got home (he was taxing the car in spring) and in the garage it went for a full leather. For the next full week (if not more) I would go into the garage every morning and sit looking at it for a while before breakfast.
For the next 14 years there were many happy rides out, including being allowed to drive it for the first time in 2008, taking my then girlfriend ( and now SHMBO) for lunch.
At some point, it developed an intermittent non start fault. We tried everything, removing the immobilizer, new ECU various specialist diagnostic technicians but to no avail. The car was traded in and a new Duratec +4 was ordered. My dad spend months deciding on what colour, but the day before final confirmation, he saw a metallic grey Mercedes SLK with mulberry red leather, and in a heat beat, the original colour chosen (blue with saddle brown leather) was out the window.
The day the new metallic grey +4 arrived, my dad was not a happy man, it looked ok (which is NOT good enough!). After a drive he didn't like the exhaust note... far too loud and raspy and the seats were not as comfy as the good old T16. Mum said he didn't even go in the garage for a week as he couldn't even bare to look at it!
Back in 2019 I saw a 1999 Connaught green +4 with Stone leather that the current owner had purchased from Ledgerwood's. I started to get exited and did some checks and found out that it was dad's! I spoke with Ledgerwoods and they confirmed they managed to eventually get to the bottom of the intermittent non start fault. I called the current owner to arrange a viewing, but alas, the car was sold and someone was collecting it the next day. I asked him to put my contact details in with the paperwork and ask the buyer to get in touch when they are ready to sell.
Well on Monday around 5pm I answered my work landline and it was a BT Text message service... if anyone else had answered the phone they would have been confused and I would have missed out! The message read "THIS IS THE BT TEXT MESSAGE SERVICE, A TEST MESSAGE FROM 077.... I HAVE BEEN TOLD YOU ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING MY MORGAN. THE TIME HAS COME TO SELL..."
Not ideal timing for me, as I bought a Caterham R500 a few years ago, a new watch last week and a new daily driver two weeks ago!
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1 member likes this:
Jon G4LJW |
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Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 43 Likes: 7
Just Getting Started
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Just Getting Started
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 43 Likes: 7 |
No brainer find the cash and buy it
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Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 11 Likes: 1
New to Talk Morgan
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New to Talk Morgan
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 11 Likes: 1 |
What a great story! Just get the car, enjoy driving and the memories and worry about the rest of the fleet later! Sounds like serendipity to me.
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 31 Likes: 3
Just Getting Started
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OP
Just Getting Started
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 31 Likes: 3 |
My wife and I have had a long day driving down to Surrey from York to see my dad's old car. I was pleased to see it is still in great condition, and it was nice to have a little drive.
I'm still torn between head and heart, and I think it might be a few grand over price. I said I'd give my final decision tomorrow.
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Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,027 Likes: 23
Talk Morgan Expert
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Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,027 Likes: 23 |
Go for it, you can always change your mind at a later date - but how many more chances will you get to buy it?
Aero 8 GTN #11
"What we do in life.. echoes in eternity."
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,777 Likes: 468
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
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Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,777 Likes: 468 |
Sounds like you have to go for it, we normally only regret the things we haven't done and you have little to lose if you are not suited.
2009 4/4 Henrietta 1999 Indigo Blue +8 2009 4/4 Sport Green prev 1993 Connaught Green +8 prev
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 779 Likes: 18
Talk Morgan Regular
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Talk Morgan Regular
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 779 Likes: 18 |
Read this story https://www.mgexp.com/forum/mgb-and-gt-forum.1/back-in-the-family.4317518/ Then buy it. I feel people whose parents owned something interesting are so lucky, my parents never owned anything I wanted to buy back. The MGB owner lives about 400 metres from me, he came over to show me the car and we had a chat. His two older brothers got to learn to drive in the car and he used to take it out unknown to the rest of the family after school on the odd occasion he thought he wouldn't get caught. His dad sold the car when he was 15, buying it back at 59 was a dream come true. He owns an E-type that he is trying to sell and move house but he said the MG is staying his until he goes.
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Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 779 Likes: 18
Talk Morgan Regular
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Talk Morgan Regular
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 779 Likes: 18 |
Just in case I was not clear by "Read this story - Then buy it" I mean buy the Connaught Green Morgan +4, that MGB will not be for sale for a few decades.
I feel guilty because my son loved my Silvia Convertible and at the time the hail storm rote it off I didn't get a lot from the insurance company but I was not feeling like spending a lot of money to fix it and the only way to keep it was to not take any money from the Insurance company. With hindsight I should have just kept the wreck and fixed it for him, we have photos of him in the car at 4 years of age, not something he can ever repeat with another car.
Last edited by ChrisConvertible; 25/09/23 08:17 AM.
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Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 31 Likes: 3
Just Getting Started
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OP
Just Getting Started
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 31 Likes: 3 |
The main issue is that my dad gave me a substantial interest free loan so I could buy the family business from him. I have 2 years until the loan is paid off, and I feel its a little unfair me buying a "toy" until then. My mother and brother made it perfectly clear that they thought it was unacceptable and my brother thinks " it would be highly offensive".
How could I enjoy the car under such circumstances.
One never knows, Ithe next owner might get back in touch in 3 years!
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 703 Likes: 70
Talk Morgan Regular
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Talk Morgan Regular
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 703 Likes: 70 |
what was the watch model ? 
Lille - North Of France
Sold : MTW 2012 / Mog 4-4 Sport 2010 / Mog Roadster V6 2008 Mog Super3 2024
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