Effectively the 27th of only 26 Plus 4 Plus models ever produced, built around the last remaining unused factory-issue bodyshell
Built using a factory-issue Plus 4 Plus body on a donor 1965 Plus 4 chassis and engine
One of 9 known to be remaining, according to How Many Left?
The vendor reports the interior is all new
Registered in the UK in 2022
The Appeal
While Malvern were hardly struggling from their nearly single-minded focus, they were always interested in expanding their horizons, and in the 1960s, this involved Peter Morgan going down the route of plastic-bodied cars, despite the reservations of his father. It was quite the leap; Morgan's chassis design - which was shared with the legendary 4/4 - was a somewhat flexible thing due to its venerable roots, and it took quite a spell of reworking to make a fibreglass shell more practical.
The styling - penned by John Edwards of the commissioned EB Plastics - was an equally bold move. The fixed-head car boasted a familiar Morgan nose that leapt up into a tight little cabin hump before dropping into a dramatic tail. We think it's a very nifty thing, but at the time, it seemed the public really didn't know what to think of it.
The press celebrated these impressive little coupes, but despite the intention to sell only a very reserved 50 units, the car still didn't meet expectations. Only 26 of them were ever built, and they've since become a remarkably coveted classic; vanishingly rare and utterly fascinating from bumper to bumper.
Built post-production around the only remaining unused factory-issue Plus 4 Plus bodyshell - which survived the fire that destroyed coachbuilders EB Ware - this is effectively car No.27. The enthusiast responsible, a well-known Morgan enthusiast based in South Africa, undertook the project with considerable care and the assistance of Morgan specialist Melvyn Rutter. A 1965 Plus 4 was sourced as a donor car to provide the engine, gearbox, steering, instruments and suspension, while a new chassis, front scuttle, inner wings and fuel tank were supplied by Rutter. The engine was rebuilt, the gearbox and suspension refurbished, and a new brass rear bumper and over-riders were fitted as a sympathetic upgrade over the original chromed fibreglass items. Extensive correspondence with Morgan clubs and owners ensured the build remained as faithful to the original specification as possible, with the only deliberate deviation being the fitment of more deeply upholstered seats from a later car for improved comfort.
Finished in British Racing Green over a tan leather interior with green carpets and a wood-rim steering wheel, and sitting on chrome wire wheels, this impressive Plus 4 Plus cuts a very handsome figure. The vendor informs us that the interior is in very good condition and entirely new, while the paintwork presents well. The accompanying history file is substantial, documenting the build in impressive detail with invoices, club correspondence and photographic records. The car was featured on the front cover of the Morgan Sports Car Club Magazine in November 2018 and in Classic Car South Africa in May 2018. image.png1.92 MB
History and Paperwork
Registered in the UK in 2022
Bodyshell purchased for £20,000 with an accompanying £6,500 catalogue of parts
New chassis, front scuttle, inner wings and fuel tank sourced from Morgan specialist Melvyn Rutter
Donor car details confirmed by the Morgan Sports Car Club South Africa in 2013
MSCC Historic Register provided data on chassis numbers, engine numbers and body numbers to assist with registration
History file includes invoices exceeding £20,000 in parts and machine work, in addition to the £26,500 initial outlay for the bodyshell and parts
Featured on the front cover of the Morgan Sports Car Club Magazine (November 2018) and in Classic Car South Africa (May 2018)
Imported to the UK and presented at the Silverstone auction in 2022
Tan leather interior with green carpets and a Moto-Lita wood-rim steering wheel
The vendor informs us that the interior is in very good condition and entirely new
Nicely presented chrome wire wheels
Brass rear bumper and over-riders, a sympathetic upgrade from the original chromed fibreglass items
Period bucket seats replaced with more deeply upholstered seats from a later car
It's fair to say that the Plus 4 Plus casts a very unusual silhouette. That fibreglass body is instantly recognisable, still carrying familiar Morgan traits while adding a fixed-head roof that still stands out from the crowd. The build having been completed in recent years means that it's still in fine order throughout, with only gentle swirls and marks to the paintwork.
The British Racing Green-over-tan colour scheme perfectly matches the Morgan best-of-British persona, and everything has been kept in fine condition. The upholstery is clean and well-presented, the instruments legible and the dash nicely finished, with the wood-trimmed steering wheel perfectly completing the array.
The vendor reports the engine and all mechanicals are in good condition
Described as being in good running order
As with all Morgans, this Plus 4 Plus is powered by a proprietary engine, and this one is built of standard Plus Four running gear, with a Triumph engine and a 4-speed manual transmission. Thanks to its lightweight bodywork, the model soon proved itself as capable of an impressive 105mph and became known for its sharp character.
The vendor reports that the car is running well, with no known untoward issues, and that it's ready and waiting to prove that character with its lucky new keeper, who will no doubt be very proud to own one of the only remaining examples in the world. image.png1.52 MB
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