My present Morgan Plus 8 is actually the fourth I’ve owned. The first was a present from my wife, Jayne, for my 40th birthday — which, I should perhaps add, was some time ago!
After my third Morgan I fancied a change and bought a TVR Cerbera. With straight-through exhausts fitted, it sounded magnificent and I spent most of my time driving with the windows open simply to listen to it — much to Jayne’s annoyance.
Then, one Sunday lunchtime, I casually mentioned that I thought I might sell the TVR and go back to a Morgan.
“If that’s what you want to do, get on and do it!” came the reply.
I’d already spotted a very nice navy blue Plus 8 advertised at a Birmingham dealership, so I conveniently engineered a site visit nearby the following Wednesday. Unfortunately, the Morgan had been sold the day before.
“Why not have a new one?” suggested the salesman.
“I’m not waiting seven years!”
“You don’t have to. We’ve got two build slots available.”
The first was already taken. I bought the second.
Thus, just eight weeks after casually mentioning to Jayne that I was thinking about another Morgan, I was collecting a brand-new Plus 8 from the Malvern factory. That was July 2003.
It is one of the last Morgans powered by the glorious 4-litre Rover V8 — indeed, “Land Rover” is still proudly displayed on the rocker cover — and is one of the 35th Anniversary models, complete with chrome wire wheels and walnut dashboard.
Its first proper outing was to a friend’s villa in Fréjus in the South of France. We left home in rain. It rained all the way to Lille and was still pouring the following morning.
After stopping for fuel, the four-week-old Morgan refused to start.
Some helpful British motorcyclists gave us a push and we eventually found a garage, where the battery was diagnosed as the culprit. Morgan had sensibly moved the battery from behind the seats to under the bonnet, but had fitted a small dry-cell unit — something apparently unknown in France at the time.
The solution was a full-sized battery installed in the passenger footwell, between Jayne’s feet! Fortunately, like any sensible Morgan driver, I carried jump leads.
Our son Ben was flying out to join us and somehow managed to bring the correct replacement battery in his suitcase. Problem solved!
Since then, the Morgan has been remarkably reliable. We’ve completed several more journeys to the South of France and two trips to Italy, including the magnificent St Bernard Pass. In fact, the car has probably covered more miles abroad than it has in Britain.
Two years ago I finally had power steering fitted. With that heavy V8 over the front wheels and wide tyres, low-speed manoeuvring had become increasingly arduous. The transformation has been remarkable.
There is, however, one problem that even power steering cannot solve. As the years advance, getting into and out of a Morgan with the hood up is becoming something of an athletic event.
Perhaps the answer is obvious.
Only drive it when the sun is shining.