Rare, left-hand drive example, US-spec, Three owners since 1985
1967 Morgan Plus Four Low-Line Super Sport Two-Seater

2,138cc Pushrod Inline 4-Cylinder Triumph TR4 Engine
2 Weber Carburetors
Approximately 125bhp at 5,500rpm
4-Speed Manual Transmission
Sliding King Pin Front Suspension, Solid Rear Axle
Front Disc - Rear Drum Brakes

* Rare, left-hand drive example, US-spec
* Three owners since 1985
* Major service completed last year by marque specialists
* The ultimate Morgan


THE PLUS FOUR SUPER SPORTS

The Super Sports is the 'Holy Grail' of all Morgan production. The model took all of the sporting connotations that had been woven into the breed from its earliest days, reviving the 'Super Sports' title which they had applied to some of the most sporting three-wheelers, building on that heritage with the four-wheeled Plus Four Super Sports. In doing so, Morgan delivered legendary international racing success for the brand.

Not surprisingly, its story is linked to the greatest endurance race of all, the Le Mans 24 Hour Race. When Morgan racer and preparer Chris Lawrence elected to contest the 1961 running of this event, it is said that the organizers deemed a Plus Four to be a pre-war car and denied it eligibility. This move incensed Peter Morgan to such a degree that he agreed to provide full Works support for Lawrence, guaranteeing acceptance for the '62 edition. Lawrence brought his Super Sports home to a class win that year, earning the model its place in history and arguably perpetuating the company to this day. That car, known simply as 'TOK', referring to its British license plate number, led to production versions and countless replicas of the famed Super Sports.

As ever with Morgan, there was some variety and differentiation between the original Le Mans car and those that the public enjoyed, as customers sometimes chose specifications and the manufacturer worked to supply bespoke cars relative to their demand. As John Worrall and Liz Turner state in their book Original Morgan: "The Super Sports model was originally constructed with the standard Plus 4 body style, but with a bonnet scoop. These were the original high-line models. Later, however, the Super Sports models featured the same low-line body as the original 'Le Mans car'."

Worrall and Turner record that the production process saw the cars built with their running gear and ash frames. These were then sent to Chris Lawrence workshops in Westerham Motors. From here the engines, the clutch, flywheel, con rods and crankshaft were sent out to Jack Brabham Motors to be balanced. The cylinder head was polished and gas-flowed, and the compression ratio was raised to 9:1'. A high-lift camshaft was fitted, and then aspiration would come from 42 or 45 DCOE Webers mounted to a cast alloy manifold, a four-branch exhaust system ensuring clear exit. On the later, 'Low Line' cars, with the reduced height of the intake and exhaust set ups, the whole profile of the car was able to be lowered, and accordingly its radiator was cut down in height. While this aided the aerodynamics, the reduced radiator aperture had to be compensated for, which was achieved with a header tank set back on the firewall. A small bumper set was fixed to the front of the car while overriders only were fitted to its tail.

The combined effect of all of these improvements was to push the horsepower out from roughly 100bhp on standard TR4 engined cars to north of 125bhp, while its weight was shaved down from nearly 1,900lbs to 1,736lbs and allowed a 0-60mph of 7.6 seconds.

All told, production of the Super Sports tallied 101 cars only, a small fraction of the more than 4,500 Plus Four cars built. According to the Original Morgan book, among even this modest number some were more sporting than others, as a result of requirements offering one year guarantees on the enhanced specifications. Some arrived in this country un-tuned, and one was even delivered as a four-seater.


THE CAR OFFERED

Super Sports number 6388, as recorded in Morgan's own chassis record, was built new to left hand drive configuration and USA specification. Originally trimmed in Westminster Green over Black leather, the car was fitted with 72-spoke wire wheels, disc brakes, a wood-rimmed steering wheel, heater and defroster, rear bumper, and a badge bar with fog lights. Dispatched on December 20, 1966, it was retailed when new by Louwman & Parqui in Leidschendam, Holland – a break from their usual business of Dodges and Toyotas.

The Morgan was not long for the European continent and rather quickly made its way to the United States where documentation on file indicate it was originally purchased by of Gary Lee Webb in the New Orleans area. On September 24, 1985, Michael Norton of nearby Metairie, Louisiana acquired the Morgan for all of $1,000 and with a recorded odometer reading of 25,012 miles. A copy of the Bill of Sale from that transaction is on file. Retained briefly by Mr. Norton, the next known owner was Thomas Mossman who is reported to have bought the car later that same year. Kept for 23 years, in 2008 Peter Castner of Massachusetts became the penultimate owner with a reported 40,752 miles. The current owner purchased the Super Sport in April 2023 with 42,443 miles showing.

Service records on file go back some three decades with evidence of maintenance by marque specialists throughout. In March of last year the Plus Four was sent to the experts at Morgan Motors of New England in Copake, New York for an extensive mechanical overhaul that included service work to the fuel system, gaskets, motor mounts, steering, suspension, and more as well as a rebuild of the Weber carburetors. The total bill was over $6,400.

Driven about 1,200 miles in the current ownership, the records on file would tend to indicate that the nearly 43,650 miles on the odometer are likely from new. Reported to be largely original paint, the rear deck around the fuel filler was repainted in the current ownership. Currently fitted with a rare hard top, it is complete with a barely-used top and frame (not currently fitted to the car), interior tonneau cover, and side curtains. When shown at the Speed and Style Festival in Alexandria, Virigina in May of 2023, it was bestowed with the "Spirit of the Road" award.

Rarely does a Super Sport appear on the public market, such that they are perhaps occasionally overlooked for their sheer importance and eligibility. By the very nature of their broad international success roster in period, today it is possible to campaign one at numerous events, not least of course the Le Mans Classic.