Morgan friends,
This is part three of a three part report. Please refer to my earlier reports
(parts one and two).
Jack Claxton
339 Grand Avenue
Cornelia, GA 30531 USA
1956 +4 4-seater
Arrival at the Works
The factory building blended so well with the surrounding structures, I
actually drove past it, and had to turn around to come back to it. Upon
arrival, I drove alongside the ends of the buildings you see in any factory
photos, to visitors' parking at the back of the last building. After parking,
I walked back up to the reception room in the first building, armed with my
camera, camcorder, and photos of my own car. Along the way, I soaked in the
few cars parked outside, and piles of galvanized chassis. Peter Morgan's +8
was parked near the first building. The dispatch room full of cars was on my
right, and the showroom, also full of cars, was on my left. This was going to
be good!
I entered the quaint, modest sized reception room, which gave no hints of the
beauty and revealed glory of the cars I was about to see. After signing in, I
bought a coffee mug and some key fobs using my VISA check card (I still had no
cash). I also bought a pictorial history book in case I got the opportunity to
have Peter or Charles autograph it for me during the tour (I didn't).
Of course, as some of you told me, the tour is self guided (a map is
provided), and I proceeded through the door to the stock room. What can I say
about the stock room? - it was a typical stockroom. Through the stockroom area
to the dispatch area, the story changed dramatically! Wall-to-wall were new
Morgans of every color, all bright and glossy, awaiting pick up or shipment.
Beautiful leather interiors. I spent a lot of time in this room, just looking
at the cars one by one. You are likely to meet Mick Hand in this area, who
made me feel comfortable and very much at home. When I photographed the owl
(that keeps birds out) in the back of the room, Mick pointed out that it was a
fake, and showed me the "real" stuffed owl in the ceiling rafters near the
large doors at the other end. Mick also directed me to the large map of the
U.S. where previous visitors had placed pins at their home towns. I was
surprised that the small town of Cornelia, GA was on the map, and I placed a
pin there. I saw maps of no other country.
About 12:20, ten minutes before lunch break, Mick's co-worker David ______?
offered me a ride - he was going down the road to get fish & chips. After I
got in that dark, sleek +8, he said it was THE prototype of the new 4.6 liter
model. We pulled out on the road, and all I can say is, that ride redefined
"fast food" for me! He got the food while I looked over the car, and we rode
back. As we pulled in the drive, Peter Morgan was making his way to his +8
with his collie. They hopped in and drove away. A classic scene - did I dream
this?
Lunch
As I said, visitors must leave from 12:30 to 2:00, so I headed to Malvern
Link. My first stop was a Lloyd's Bank teller machine to get some cash, again
using my trusty VISA check card. No, I don't work for VISA; my ATM card would
have worked just as well in the teller machine. With 20 pounds purchased at
bank rates (the best), I stepped across the street to the "Burger Star" (the
British version of Burger King). A food tip here - the bacon on their bacon
burgers is not like ours - it's thicker - like ham almost. Anyway, after
eating I drove around Malvern Link. It appears very livable. I thought later
that I wish I had thought to eat at The Morgan Pub in Great Malvern, as
mentioned in Mark Hughes' article "Stormin' Morgan" in the July 1995 issue of
Classic and Sportscar magazine. This article was about his tour of all the
Morgan sites in the area.
Back at the Factory
After spending some more time in the dispatch area, I was introduced to Nigel
in the Service Dept. I was looking for older cars, but Nigel had none as old
as mine at the time. I did get a glimpse at Charles Morgan's light blue racer
before leaving the area. I made my way through dispatch, into the rest of the
factory, after seeing Charles Morgan across the room at a vending machine. I
gave a greeting of "hello" as we passed. This is unbelievable!
I was amazed at the orderliness and neatness of the work areas - it was not at
all what I expected. The workers were doing their work at a fast pace. I saw
no one standing around talking or shooting the bull. Oldies (what else, I
suppose?) were playing on a radio somewhere. The shop floors were all painted
a very pleasant blue, and the areas were very well lighted. Everything was
bright and uplifting, especially when I came across a painted car in progress.
I must have seen a hundred cars in some state of manufacture. Imagine -
Morgans everywhere you look! Like the baseball player in the movie "Field of
Dreams" when he stepped out of the corn onto the baseball field, I felt like
asking "Is this heaven?!".
I enjoyed the trim area. They were working on some beautiful cars there. I
saw the new paint building (there is a window to see in, but visitors are not
allowed in). I spent some time in the showroom, where they have some older
cars - some three wheelers, a DHC, and other early four wheelers, besides
newer cars.
I was very much the tourist, snapping a roll of still photos and getting about
an hour on film to share the experience back home. I spent little time talking
to workers other than the dispatch area, although I know I could have. I was
loaded down with brochures, before I left at 2:45.
The Journey Back
To get to Birmingham was simple (and would have been simple had I come that
way also). I took a right out of the Morgan drive, went to the light in
Malvern Link, and took a right on A449 toward Worcester. I followed the signs
to get on M5 going north. I took M42 off M5, and then A45 to the airport. I
arrived at the airport at 3:45, for a total trip time of one hour. By this
time I felt like a Britisher as far as the traffic - merging, passing, and
negotiating the roundabouts easily. Because of time constraints I did not get
to see Holden Vintage & Classic or John Worrall's facility - whoops! - I guess
I'll have to return someday!
Closing
Folks, this was great fun, and I hope all that desire to go will someday find
a way.
A closing note - back in Ireland, we had eaten twice at the Dublin Planet
Hollywood (only open for about a month) to get some good ole' American food.
Sunday, Dec. 7, as we were leaving the Dublin Conrad International Hotel to
come home, I was told by the doorman that Arnold Schwartsenegger (incorrect
sp.- who can spell this name?), Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone, and Demi
Moore were coming to celebrate the opening of the Planet Hollywood, they were
bringing their friends Wesley Snipes, Gerard what's-his-name, and an entire
entourage of stars, and they would be staying there at the Conrad Hotel
(security was already everywhere). We would be gone before they arrived.
In spite of this news, I left Ireland content - I had seen the Morgan factory!
(with thanks to my wife, Monica - this trip is my Christmas gift from her)
Jack Claxton
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