holbeck Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Yesterday, I spent the day on a Factory tour at Morgan. A friend who lurks here organised it, and jolly good it was too. Although I doubt that Morgan ownership will happen to me, it was all a bit infectious. £20 gets you access all area's, take as many photo's as you like. So here, have a few. The shitters Morgan choice? Thanks for looking. Coprolalia, doug, Nyphur and 27 others 30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticvandan Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I did my work experience there for a week in 2004 oldcars, holbeck and strangeangel 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scruff Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Went last year; very much recommended! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 The chassis is made of wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Wow a Morgan, you never see one on the road though rml2345 and chaseracer 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sigmund Fraud Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 They're chassis is made of wood The body frame, actually. Chassis is a nice, agricultural, steel one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkman Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 £20?About ten years ago, I did a tour of their neighbour's factory* in Kenilworth for absolutely free.This included being ferried on a bus to Long Marston and hooning around with a TSO.Did anyone actually buy one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holbeck Posted April 22, 2016 Author Share Posted April 22, 2016 Did anyone actually buy one? AIUI you get your £20 back if you do. Junkman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous user Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 It all looks a bit tidier than when I was last there. I have never paid to go around, but was allowed an unaccompanied wander around when I went there for bits. I bet the crash test Plus 8 is no longer out the back rotting away in the brambles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaseracer Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Did the tour a few years ago, when it was a tenner! The 'visitor reception complex' is the old RSRE/MoD social club, where the Owd Giffer was a member for years when he was doing Secret Squirrel shit with radar and where I spent many happy hours as a child/teenager failing to play snooker. My mate Brian works for Superform in Worcester and delivers these in a BFO Sprinter... Dirty Rooster, Dick Longbridge, anonymous user and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaseracer Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 A very long time and about six months, respectively. fantasio and Junkman 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 It was indeed a good day out, and as a bonus I learnt about this forum.... holbeck, chaseracer, Cavcraft and 5 others 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous user Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 How well do those Morgans usually last? And do they still have the crazy waiting lists? A very long time and about six months, respectively.Assuming you look after them they can last forever (my old 1937 one, that I owned over 20 years ago, is still going), since the late 1980s you get pressure treated woodwork and galvanised chassis which helps. If they live outside, as most of mine used to, they do take in a lot of water so need regular use/drying out to slow the rot. The achillies heel always used to be rot, but they are straightforward to rebuild, newer ones like the Aero are a lot more complex so there's more to go wrong or become obsolete. The factory used to be very supportive with spare parts even down to re-making obsolete Morgan specific parts to keep older ones on the road. I doubt I shall ever have another as I'm now to fat and crippled to get in and out of them easily. Due to the changes at Morgan over the last few years their dealers have to take a certain number of cars, even if they have no definite buyer lined up, so you can with a bit of ringing around get one off the shelf, but that will be to whatever spec the dealer thought safest to specify to secure a sale; if you want it to your own specification then it probably will take about six months, as has been said. I'm pessimistic enough to wonder how much longer they will keep going, so I'd say if you fancy a visit get in soon. Skizzer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaseracer Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I'm pessimistic enough to wonder how much longer they will keep going, so I'd say if you fancy a visit get in soon. They're exporting 60% of production, so they're not doing so badly: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/19/europe/morgan-motors-retro-cars/ Note the quote from our very own Dugong... saucedoctor and Junkman 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 They're exporting 60% of production, so they're not doing so badly: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/05/19/europe/morgan-motors-retro-cars/ Note the quote from our very own Dugong... It was very noticeable going around the factory yesterday that a significant number of cars (including the three-wheelers) were left-hookers. Judging by the lack of spare workshop space I would say they're certainly not struggling to shift cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous user Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I appreciate that the cars appear to be selling, however, I understand Morgan no longer own the premises in which the cars are built, having done a sell and rent back deal to raise development capital, hopefully this will not come back to bite them. They've been through the doldrums before and I do hope they survive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beko1987 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Plus you can go to the Morgan show at llangollen, which looked like a good riot, especially driving around those roads! Well, looked good from the shipping anyway, explaining to the guy behind the counter what a cob was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavcraft Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I love places like that, would be happy to pay £20 for the experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownnova Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Now that gives me a good ideas of something to do on my next week off!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Case Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Yes, it's well worth a visit, I went there in February (a Christmas present from my wife ) Our guide (the company archivist) really knew his stuff, and the most impressive thing was the sheer craftsmanship that went into every part of the process. It was great to see how much was still handmade but at the same time state of the art techniques from the aerospace industry are used to make components like the front wings. Our 6 year old grandson (a first for Autoshite?) enjoyed it and was given a scrap piece of laminated ash trimmed from a rear wing, and a piece of burgundy leather left over from a plus 4; he now wants to be an apprentice there when he grows up Order books looked healthy. One car was being prepared for the Geneva Motor Show, another was about to be sent to Dubai and a lucky middle-aged couple were picking up their brand new one as we arrived. You do see a lot of them around Worcestershire, perhaps their owners are combining a blast round the lanes while making a pilgrimage to the factory. I tried one of their hire cars for size, they are quite roomy and easier than it looks to get in and out, but the steering wheel is a bit close to your chest. Unfortunately the four seaters are very tight in the back, you can't get a child seat in . A Morgan is now very high on my bucket list if the Case fortunes improve (as in appear), depreciation is negligible after the first couple of years, WCPGW. Skizzer 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DVee8 Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 I would love a blast in one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted April 22, 2016 Share Posted April 22, 2016 Some of my pictures: All destined to be fitted to these: Special one: 4/4s and Plus 4s in build: In the trim shop: And PDI: I want: Jim Bergerac, Junkman, anonymous user and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holbeck Posted April 23, 2016 Author Share Posted April 23, 2016 I love places like that, would be happy to pay £20 for the experience. Praise indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negative Creep Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 I just think it's genuinely wonderful a company like this can exist and thrive in 2016 Dick Longbridge, Urko, Chris2cv and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waderider Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 My friend has just sold his Plus four for more than he bought it for maybe 5 years ago. Very nice to be driven in. Had a Kent engine, which sounded right for the style. I'd need to be very rich to buy one though, I can think of a few cars I'd rather have, but that's just because I like functional and practical motors. I would love to do the factory tour. Urko 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forddeliveryboy Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 My friend has just sold his Plus four for more than he bought it for maybe 5 years ago. That's how cars should be. Otoh, houses should slowly depreciate from the day they're built, as in parts of Germany (and many other parts of the world). £20 isn't a lot today, sounds well-spent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticvandan Posted April 23, 2016 Share Posted April 23, 2016 I did my work experience in the repair shop,don't let all the craftsmanship bollo fool you,if a car leaks like a sieve then it gets the full autoshite treatment of gluing bits of rubber around the screen pillars to make it seal...I tried getting an apprenticeship there,didn't make the cut,must have been 20 of us.living fairly close to the factory means it doesn't hold as much novelty for me. Dirty Rooster 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lord Sward Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 A tour of the Morgan factory has to be the best £20 one can spend. I've done the factory tours there for over 16 years now and a lot has changed believe it or not. I'd love one because you're buying into a lifestyle, not a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous user Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 you're buying into a lifestyle, not a car.Not everyone, all mine were cars, used for everything. I used to do 30k miles a year in them at one point. The four seaters make good pick-ups for moving bales of hay and small furniture. They are also good off road. Angrydicky, Sigmund Fraud, loserone and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lord Sward Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Sorry, let me clarify, buying a Morgan is more than merely buying a car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now