• Cherished 4/4 - Engineer owned

• Starts on the button

• Plenty of scope for aesthetic restoration

Introduced in 1936 and surviving in production (with numerous revisions, updates and mechanical improvements and excluding a wartime break) until 2018, the 4/4 was a staple of the Morgan line-up, and represented the company’s first foray into four-wheeled transport.

The first-generation cars (such as this one we have here) were available in two and four-seat roadster form, and the exceedingly rare 4/4 Drophead Coupé. Powered by a 1122cc Coventry Climax inline-four engine until 1939, power was sent to the rear wheels by a four-speed Meadows gearbox initially, which was later upgraded to a Moss gearbox in 1938. 

A total of 663 4/4 two-seat roadsters were built before the outbreak of war in 1939, making pre-war examples a tantalising prospect for any Morgan or pre-war car enthusiasts.

Assembled during the first full year of 4/4 production, this 1936-registered two-seat Roadster has been through the hands of just four registered keepers in its lifetime, before being added to our vendor’s father’s small collection of vehicles.

Delivered new with a 1122cc Coventry Climax engine, a previous owner replaced the engine with a Triumph Climax 1232cc example with dual SU carburettors, though the vendor’s father subsequently removed the larger downdraught unit.

An engineer by trade, he worked on the car extensively during his ownership, only outsourcing work where it was absolutely necessary to do so. This work ethic even goes as far as having stripped down engines, replacing gaskets and chains, and generally keeping this vintage 4/4 in top mechanical condition. 

As a pre-war car enthusiast, the owner also took it upon themselves to extensively research the car’s history and the wider history of the Morgan 4/4, and was evidently enamoured by this charming little pre-war roadster. 

Ultimately, the joy for the ownership experience was in the engineering and the hands-on nature of the vehicle, and as such it spent more time in the workshop than it did out on the road, meaning a mild tune-up may be needed before the car sees any major use, though it did start first-time and without any hesitation during our photo shoot, so perhaps a simple ‘Italian tune-up’ is all that would be required. 

Sadly, the time has come for the family to move the vehicle on to an owner that will cherish it and care for it in the same way as the vendor’s father once did, meaning this lovely Morgan 4/4 is now on the hunt for a new custodian.

The paperwork and history folder for this Morgan is nothing short of breathtaking. Included in the tightly-packed A4 binder are the usual documents (V5, various SORN and tax notices, and invoices) along with printed diagrams, hand-drawn notes, maintenance guides, handbooks and even some history for this particular 4/4, dating back to new. 

Spartan and yet charming and intriguing in the way only a pre-war car can be, there isn’t much to the interior of this 4/4 other than two seats, a shifter and a steering wheel.

The seats remain in very good condition, with no sign of any rips or tears that we could see. The tonneau cover is also present (seen in the gallery below) and is also in excellent shape, remaining water-tight and with no damage that noted.

The side windows for the folding roof are included with the vehicle, as is the folding frame for the roof, but the soft-top itself is currently missing.

Elsewhere, the dashboard is in good order and all of the gauges and switchgear appears to be working as intended, though there is plenty of wear around high-traffic areas such as the dash edges, door inners and tops, and rear edge of the cockpit, simply due to years of enjoyment and use. 

The lines of the vehicle are unmistakably Morgan, and it is impressive just how much of a resemblance this 4/4 bears to its successors produced nearly 80 years later.

The bodywork on this particular example is in good order and is perfectly usable as it sits, but there is plentiful scope for the next owner to make the bodywork match the mechanical condition of this 4/4, with the most noticeable wear being to the rear arches, around the cockpit ‘tub’ and on the nearside rear corner.

All four wheels are in good condition, and wrapped in a mixture of period-look Michelin and Avon rubber. 

Kept in fighting-fit condition by the owner, this 4/4 looks to be in mechanically sound condition, as far as we could tell.

The engine fired into life with an impressive gusto on the first attempt, and was happy to sit idling and shuffle around. Due to the design of the oil supply line to the inlet rockers, some oil is naturally burnt when idling for extended periods of time causing a blue exhaust, but once the car was driven under load the exhaust cleared up nicely and didn’t appear to stutter or hesitate. 

Inside the bay itself, there are a few signs of considerate upgrades such has NGK spark plugs, suggesting there are a few ‘under the skin’ tweaks to improve the drivability of this 4/4, though we are unable to confirm the full scope of these upgrades.

Underneath, the Ash frame looks to be in good order, and the suspension and steering components show signs of having been cared for and given plenty of attention, with new grease noted and no sign of any corrosion-related issues that we could see. 

Cherished, maintained and loved, this Morgan 4/4 is a fantastic ‘survivor car’ example of pre-war sports car motoring at its best, offering an engaging drive and a fully mechanical ownership experience.

Presented in sound mechanical health and with potential for further aesthetic improvements, this 1936 Morgan 4/4 would make a fantastic first foray into pre-war motoring or an excellent addition to any established collection.