Talk Morgan Forums Thread Like Summary - classic/specialist car market

I'm searching for a replacement for my MGB which isn't going well. I've been looking for around a month but haven't found a suitable replacement. Values are definitely on the slide as completed sales show but many owners are still trying to sell overpriced rubbish and refusing to accept the reality of a falling market.

Ive noticed too older (perhaps less well looked after) Morgan prices are falling too. I've seen 3 early 80s cars for £10-14k.

Locally the story is particularly barren with nothing interesting listed on eBay, Facebook or the classic car websites within 100 miles. The few cars listed locally are all way above national prices and well below standard.

The situation is worsened by me not knowing want I fancy next - it'll be an opportunistic purchase.

What I need is a warm waterproof saloon, what I want is a sports car! Morris Minor or Tr6!

oh-hum, first world problems

The eagle has landed…..

Morgan did a good job in designing a sports car in the mid 1930s. Very low center of gravity (underslung frame), independent front suspension, low weight. They added to that a dazzling appearance and an affordable price to appeal to buyers.

The car then competed four times at Le Mans, so with a 4/4 (4-4) or Plus 4, you basically have a Le Mans racer in your garage. In addition, Morgan cars successfully participated in countless rallies and club races.



So a Trad is clearly a sports car, albeit a very old-fashioned one.

The CX still has to earn its sporting merits, so let's see if anything comes of it.

- Dolomite Sprint..... ?!

James

Some 40 years ago, in my younger foolish days I may have got close to that. There was an ugly rumour that I might just have driven my +8 to and from a mates garage for a respray, minus everything we could take off it. Wings, doors, bonnet, cowl, windscreen and the exhausts. Apparently it sounded awesome and fully complied with Colin Chapman's ideal of added lightness so was quicker than a quick thing.

How about a SAAB?

Or a TR4

Sounds like you are bored and need a project

Can I loan you my Aero to be fettled?

(p.s. if, and its a big if, you can find a reasonable dolomite and bring it back you will be doing history a service. I loved mine as a first car)

My uncle had the soul crushing job of selling British Leyland vehicles in the 1970's for Hillcrest Motors in Holywell. To this day people still cross the road to avoid him.

He sold the whole range - Mini's, Maxi's, All aggro's, Marina's and the Dollop of Shite.

Cars were delivered rusting, missing doors and headlights. Couple of them had to be deep cleaned where the strikers had pissed in the boot.

Spent most of his time dealing with warranty claims than actually selling cars! Marina's were a firm favourite as they used to knock out 3rd gear.

Jacked it in and joined the local Datsun dealer - easiest job he had as the cars just sold themselves!

Arwyn

I may have solved my conundrum…..

Watch this space.

I believe the are categorised, Vitesse 6 (1600), Vitesse 2 litre and Vitesse 2 litre mk2, mine is the middle one, sometimes referred to as 2litre mk1.

It needs a fair bit of work but most of it is mechanical and electrical. Nothing significant structurally wrong with it. And it looks pretty decent from 5 yards.

First two jobs will be fixing a leaky carb and sticky callipers

A 960 estate with the 24v IL6 would be very nice. Lovely leather seats and quality fittings. I have no idea what I am going to do when the key to the E63 S212 estate is taken away from me because it will have to be taken! Can you fit a tesla motor to a wheelchair ?

The way cars are being dumbed down yet the screens are giving access to more distracting content is going to lead us to finding a complete new level of accidents. We had a standard phrase in IT, every time we make it more idiot proof all that happens is that we expose a newer, better standard of idiot.

I had two Dolomite 1850s, but both were free rotters, The '74 was better built than the '78. The later one just fell apart' and interior quality was pitiful, although looked great in the showroom.

We had a Mk1 Vitesse, also totally rotten.but at least with a chassis.

I would also go GT6. I regret never having one.

Luddite, I did notice the backward smiley and was wondering if that was intentional :-).

John, FWIW I asked the "DeepResearch" AI the following: "Analyse and compare the typical age and net worth of Morgan owners today vs. 1995. Describe whether the demographics have shifted and, if so, in what ways. Use all available resources."

The complete answer is very long and detailed, but the conclusion is as follows, which will I suspect surprise just about no one on TM:

"In conclusion, the Morgan owner of today is generally an older, wealthier version of his 1995 counterpart. The passion for the marque’s timeless style and driving experience is a constant, but the entry ticket has grown pricier and the audience greyer. The buyer demographic has shifted upward in age by roughly a decade or more, and upward in net worth into higher brackets. Morgan has indeed become more exclusive, relying on a cadre of loyal, well-heeled enthusiasts. Whether this trend is sustainable is a question Morgan Motor Company is actively grappling with – hence their efforts to modernize and attract younger buyers without alienating the existing ones. For now, the evolution is clear: from 1995 to 2025, Morgan’s private owner base in the UK has evolved from merely mature and affluent to even older and very affluent. The brand’s challenge ahead will be to broaden its appeal to a new generation so that in 20 years the typical Morgan owner isn’t only in his 80s with a sizable pension, but also in his 40s with enthusiasm and enough means to carry the torch forward."

This analysis focussed on the UK market.

One very unscientific observation I have is that the Continental cohort of Morgan fans is maybe a bit younger -- I have heard that in France Morgan has a strong following amongst (and I kind of hate to use this word since it has some negative connotations which I really don't intend here) "hipsters", by which I simply mean people a good few decades younger than me who are skeptical about the all-digital-all-the-time mode of modern life and seek a more grounded, more "analogue", authenticity, which is so magically embodied by Morgan cars.

My daughter helped me grease the kingpins yesterday, lying on the old leaves and twigs while dodging the pinecones dotting the dirt driveway on which our Morgan sits under a canopy of pines. She carefully held the tip of the grease gun in place while I pumped. It was one of my (and, I hope her) happiest moments in a long time.

How to build a Sports Car:

1. Disassemble any car to its constituent parts

2. Reconstruct the car piece by piece

3. For each piece, ask the question: "Does this component help the car go faster, stop quicker, handle better, or go round corners?"

4. If the answer is "No", chuck the component away.

5. Build the car with what's left.

Liking this on Car and Classic - irritatingly, says reserve not met at £85k but unable to see what the reserve is.