Description
This bright red projectile is Euro3 specification (more powerful than the later Euro4) and started life in the tender care of the Morgan factory where it spent it’s first 18 months. I then bought it and added a few extras and refinements to the already excellent specification.
Bodywork and cowl are Morgan Sport Red with waterproof Black Pleated Leather upholstery.
Options include storage pockets, black union flag badges, heated seats and the communication module. A heel rest is fitted for driver comfort and a removable foot rest is included for the passenger side which has a generous length of leg room.
This car has the Bright Pack (polished roll hoops, headlights, heat shields and engine), Vintage Bonnet Catches and the Heritage V Windscreen - this is an important option; it makes the car so much more usable.
Also fitted is the beautiful Brooklands Steering Wheel (so nice to hold and a £600 option on its own) and the mirrors are polished stainless as opposed to the black plastic ones.
The optional rear mud guard is fitted; hidden away but it’s another important extra.
Blockley Tyres are fitted to the front wheels and the speedo has been re-calibrated to be just 1mph optimistic at 70.
The original, rather feeble, battery has been replaced with a more powerful one so starting the hefty engine is no longer a cause for concern.
Tri-bar headlights are fitted and have LED side light bulbs installed; these work very well as DRLs if you wish. A Lucas Fog Light and Altette horn sit beside the engine and add to the ‘period’ look.
The fuel gauge sender unit has been replaced with one of the correct length (the standard one was too short) so the fuel gauge is now a bit more useful. At the same time the fuel pump was changed for a more reliable unit.
The S&S V-twin X-Wedge engine has stage 1 modifications (air filter & free flow exhaust) which enhances the torque noticeably and lets the engine run cooler (the original exhaust comes with the car if it’s wanted) These engines run with a ‘dry’ sump with the oil stored remotely in a tank under the bonnet. This system works well but if the engine is not run for a longish period some of the oil seeps through the oil pump into the sump and can cause a problem. The usual solution is to remove the sump plug, drain the oil and return it to the tank. But not with this car; it has an oil feed stop tap (with a safety cutout for the engine), so wet sumping can be prevented.
As with all the modern Morgan 3 wheelers, progress through the country side is enhanced by the super slick Mazda 5 speed gear box. If you’ve never tried one you have a treat in store.
The suspension has been modified with AVO adjustable spring/ damper units and set to the correct ride height with the attendant improvement in ride and handling.
And finally, because I mostly used the car without a passenger, I have made an aluminium cover for the passenger side which has proved very effective; it adds to the period appearance of the car and looks absolutely stunning. There is not another like it. The ‘monoposto’ cover is held firmly in place by 4 clips and can easily be replaced with the standard toneau if needed. A tailor made half toneau is included for use when the monoposto cover is fitted.
In addition there is a clip-on deflector/ armrest for the driver - helps to keep the outboard arm dry in inclement weather.
Morgan don’t make the V-twin any more and these later 3 wheelers are considered to be somewhat superior to the earlier examples having had the benefit of continued development after cars of the original specification at launch were found to have problems. As an example the later chassis is a stronger design and is made of steel which is itself 50% stronger than that used in the earlier model. This is not the average 3 wheeler and make no mistake, it is a hooligan car. Everything about it attracts attention. It will encourage you to misbehave and everyone who notices it (that’s everyone) will smile. These little cars are surprisingly fast, they gobble up the miles with ease and can cruise happily at 70mph (or more if need be).
Over 2500 of these were produced but not many come up for sale; those who own them tend to keep them. This actual car was depicted in the MSCC calendar for July 2021. The Autocar magazine has a list of some 400 road tests of which only about 18 qualify for 5 stars; the Morgan 3 wheeler is one of them. I have had a lot of fun with this car but nothing is forever - there are still other cars I want to try and I can’t keep everything so this one must go.
MOT to September 2025 is included along with an original sales brochure and the 2021 MSCC calendar.
