If there is a common thread running through all these Morgan acquisition
stories, it must be the one where all Morgans spend some time being
driven, and a longer time being rebuilt or waiting to be rebuilt. (The
next entry in this series will probably come from somebody who had
his/her name on the Morgan Works waiting list, eventually picked up a
shiny new Morgan, drove away from the Works and has never had to open
the hood other than to change the oil and dust the engine, and then
another theory will bite the dust).
Of all the members of our graduate radiochemistry group at Penn State
back in the mid-60's, I was the only one temporarily without a car. My
previous car, a '56 TR2 had survived a near-head on collision in the LA
area in 1961 (an uninsured idiot in a Ford passing somebody on a hill
almost made me buy the farm) and I had never found the cash to fix it
properly. I drove the injured TR along Route 66 back to college in
Michigan and eventually back to Vancouver, BC, where my brother managed
to sell it for me.
Anyway, just before handing out final exams to freshmen students before
Christmas, my thesis advisor told us that the local VW dealer had a
Morgan for sale. As soon as we could manage, about six of us, including
our thesis advisor, climbed into a car and drove to the VW dealer. It
was a 1952, silver +4, black upholstery, faded top. We casually
inquired about the sales price. The following week a group decision was
made that I (the only one without a car) would have to buy the car, if
for no other reason than to avoid having some pimply teenager buy it,
put a radio in it and drive it through town with a fox tail on the
aerial. My previous cars had been a '52 MGTD and a '56 TR2, so I was
familiar with the foibles of a British sports car and with Lucas
electrics. The following weekend my girlfriend came down to visit and I
managed to drag her to the VW dealer to look at the Moggie. I casually
inquired about the price and noted that it dropped 200$ since my first
visit.
Anyway, I bought the car and then called my Dad in Vancouver for a loan.
I drove it for four years, got married along the way to above-mentioned
girlfriend and accepted a job in Manitoba. We moved all our earthly
belongings, including a beagle and two parakeets in a Ford Econoline
U-Haul and my wife's '64 Corvair. I went back to finish and defend my
thesis and drove from State College, PA, to Pinawa, Manitoba end March
1969. Low oil pressure was "cured" by the addition of a can of "Motor
Honey" and by driving at speeds less than 55 mph. A year or two after
moving to Manitoba, the Department of Motor Vehicles felt compelled to
have me have the car safety inspected, something I thought I had left
behind in Pennsylvania. I knew the car would not pass inspection
because the treads on the tires was less than 1/4" minimum and I
couldn't find 5.20 x 16" tires in time. So, the car sat, and sat, and
sat, while we raised a family, bought a house, drove unexciting cars on
unexciting roads, etc. etc.
Now that 75% of the offspring is out the door and the remaining 25% will
leave in another year, the time has come to restore the car. I had a
new two-car garage built a few years ago, leaving the old garage
dedicated to the Morgan and my radial arm saw. Trouble is, even though
I've insulated the old garage, it's not heated...yet, so working in the
garage in the winter, i.e. for six months, is out of the question. So,
this summer, I have to install electric heat in the garage and continue
to dismantle the car.
If I've learned anything over the years is that procrastination gets you
nowhere...
Chuck Vandergraaf
'52 +4, P.2473/V.345.ME
'87 Olds Custom Cruiser
'85 Chrysler Lebaron Turbo
Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0
Canada
vandergraaft@aecl.ca
>----------
>From: Bob Nogueira[SMTP:nogera@prodigy.net]
>Sent: May 21, 1997 9:58 AM
>To: aMORGANS@autox.team.net
>Subject: Lets keep Will Happy
>
>-- [ From: Bob Nogueira * EMC.Ver #3.1a ] --
>
>Gee, all the Morgans must be running great, since no posts = no problems.
>
>If this keeps up we're all going to get one of those withdrawal notes from
>Will .
>
>So here's the start of a thread which everyone can participate.
>
>How I Came to Find my Morgan
>
>1964, I'm in high school and a friends sister is dating a sailor who has a
>Morgan . He leaves it at her house when out to sea and l swear I will some
>day own one of these fine looking autos.
> Fast forward five years.............
>I am in college, reviewing the local newspaper I see a Morgan for sale.
>Off I go. It's a fine example of a 1964. The owner has just brought back
>from Canada a New Plus 8 ( he used the 64s papers to drive it across the
>boarder) and wants $1800. for the 64.
>Having all of a couple of hundred dollars to my name, I talk him down to
>1500,..... if it isn't sold over the next couple of days for the asking
>price.
>Running to the bank I apply for a car loan. The banker can't find Morgan in
>his NADA book and tells me I have to get someone to give me a statement
>as to its' value. I solicit the help of a friend at work to find someone who
>knows what a Morgan is much less the value.
>The car is sold to someone from San Antonio for the full 1800 dollars.
>The next 10 years are spent going about my life, but always an eye open for
>anything to do with Morgans.
>One day someone tells me they know a person in town who is restoring a
>Morgan. Off I go.
>He won't sell but gives me the info on the local Morgan Club. Seems there
>are 20 to 30 Morgans in the Dallas area but only 3 on the road .
>Joining the club, I get the membership roster and start calling. One of
>these 20 to 30 owners of a non runner will surely be willing to sell.
>As I call the last name on the roster, it seems to be familiar. Yes, Steve
>is the guy from work that tried to help me find someone to put a value on
>the Morgan ten years ago. Three months later he found another Morgan for
>sale and bought it. He drove it home and was going to replace a piece of
>rotted wood. This led to the complete tear down of the car which was then
>placed in boxes and stored for future restoration . Like the other 20 -30
>he did not want to sell.
>For the next six months I took Steve to lunch once each month and begged him
>to sell me the Morgan. The day he said yes I would have rejoiced but rather
>ran to the bank , then rented a truck. At five o'clock, when Steve walked
>out of his office I was waiting, Money and truck in hand.
>The car was truly a basket case, every panel , nut , bolt and tack had been
> removed.
>The next 18 months were spent putting the car back together.
>That was 17 years and 160,000 miles ago .
>
>Bob Nogueira " Alaska Departure -11 days and a wake-up "
>
>
>_____________________________________
>
>
|