.Liverpool to Chipping Norton

June 14, 2013

We boarded the bus a half an hour early this morning because we needed to add some extra time for our visit to the Morgan Factory in Malvern, Worcestershire.  Our bus ride was about 2 ½ hours in length.  Being Friday, the Morgan Factory closes at 1:30 and we were eager to be in the plant while the workers were

Morgan Roadster

working.

The Morgan is an expensive handmade sports car that still incorporates wood in the forming of the body.  They make 7 models each one made to order for a customer.  The cheapest one sells for around $75,000 and we saw one that was just completed that sold for $300,000.  It is sad, but the cars cannot be exported to the US because they don’t pass the stiff safety requirements that American cars must pass.

$300,000 Aero Supersport

 

They make 4 roadster style models that look like my MG on steroids.  These cars differ mainly in their engine configuration.  They also make two models that are their high end modern sports cars and finally they make an interesting three wheel model that has a V-2 engine pasted on the front.  This is a remake of the first cars that they built in the style related to the prototype that was constructed in 1909 and was a simple three-wheeler with a tubular steel chassis fitted with a 7 h.p. Peugeot V-twin engine.  They built their company on

Roadster Chassis note the automated assembly line

 

the 3 wheel vehicle until 1953.  Then in 2011, they reintroduced the three wheeler and that it makes up 50 percent of their current production.  It sells for about $35,000.

The company produces about 1,500 handmade cars yearly.  Most of the craftsmen can do all of the processes required to make the car.  We watched a guy take a flat piece of aluminum and form a hood panel using a break and hammers.  The wood shop mills the blanks and the builders fit them to the chassis which is also made in house.

Of interest to me was their factory.  It was made up of a bunch of small buildings located of a hill side and the highest of the buildings was the original shop where the early three wheelers were made.  As you move from building to building heading down the hill, the various components are added to the cars and the final one is driven under

Wooden Body frame

its own power to the paint shop where it is disassembled, painted and then moved across an alley to the leather shop where the upholstery is made and fitted.  Finally, the cars are moved to another room where they are reassembled.

 

We watched one car being driven into the pre-waxing shop.  The driver got out and it turns out that he had built this car by himself.  We started at the top of the hill and went all the way to the end with it.  It was a special edition car that was made to order for an American and he stated that the

Scuttle Patern

price would be somewhere around $300,000.  It is interesting; the company stated that they were unable to ship to the US but here is a car that was built for a US customer.  Hum!

From the Morgan factory, we headed to the Crowne Plaza at Chipping Norton.  This is another ultra-modern 5-star hotel that has been added to an ancient estate.  It is huge.  Getting to our dining room was like walking through a maze.  We were again fed well.  Following the meal, we were taken to a stately conference room

Fabricating the Cuttle using tin snips and a hammer

where we received a presentation from one of the British Morris Minor Owners Club.  This is the centinium of the Morris company and they anticipate somewhere around 1,500 cars manufactured by this company to be in attendance over the next two days.  The majority of the cars are the Morris Minors and Minis.  

We were tired and bed was

Adding the leather interior

welcome.