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Closed Auction- Unsold

1997 Morgan Plus 8

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  • Mileage~43,972 last reading on clock
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine4.6L
  • LocationHeathfield

AUCTION CLOSED

1997 Morgan Plus 8

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Introduction

Alan Stuart
Vehicle Consigner and Photographer

If it’s an un-compromised, wind in the hair, retro motoring experience you’re looking for, few cars will better a Morgan Plus 8.

Hand built by craftsmen at the company’s facility in the Malvern hills, Morgan cars are an institution. With an uncompromising commitment to wind in the hair motoring Morgan successfully combine retro styling and construction with fantastic performance and an unparalleled driving experience. The uniqueness and individuality of the Morgan brand provide a degree of isolation from ebb and flow of the classic car world. There is little to match the look, feel and engagement of these cars and as a result they remain popular and hold their values well.

Underpinned by the Morgan legend and powered by the iconic Buick/Rover V8 the Plus 8 re-energised Morgan and revived the company’s fortunes. Progressively developed over three and a half decades while remaining faithful to the original styling, the Plus 8 is a motoring icon.

This Plus 8 comes to auction from 12 years with its current owner. Presented in “Nightfire Red” over a grey leather interior it has a full MOT, plenty of history, new tyres, and refurbished alloy wheels. This is a good, useable example of an iconic classic that’s ready to be enjoyed. It even comes with a highly appropriate, private plate “P8 MOG”.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Alan after meeting Sasha the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

I love this car, it’s so full of personality and character – with the top down and an open road ahead there’s nothing to beat it.

Sasha has owned this Morgan for 12 years and was keen to tell us all about it “it’s a great car and a real pleasure to drive with wonderful handling, V8 power and a 5-speed gearbox”.

She goes on to say “I’ll be sorry to see P8 MOG go but it’s time for someone else to have the fun I’ve had.” Sasha will be happy to answer any questions about his car in the comments section below.

Sasha
Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER

Exterior

Classic lines and retro styling recapture the romance of vintage motoring – presented in a classy colour.

Wheels and Tyres

The 15-inch alloy wheels, centre hub and wheel nuts all look in great condition and appear to have been refurbished recently.

The wheels are wearing Hankook Kinergy Eco 205/60R15 tyres all round which have a 2021 date mark and present very well with good tread remaining.

Bodywork

The car stands straight and doors, boot and bonnet all open and close as they should. We could see no sign of panel distortion and shut lines looked good. The bodywork does have some dents and dings as well as some slight corrosion showing in places as shown in the photos and exterior video, although overall the car presents well. The hood appears in very good condition and the car comes with a full tonneau cover.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The choice is "Nightfire Red" is a great colour and overall, the paint is even and consistent with a deep shine. In some place there are marks, scratches, and scuffs consistent with the age of this car. While the paintwork is not perfect and would benefit from some attention the car presents well overall.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

Windscreen, detachable side windows and rear hood screen appear in good condition with no significant marks or scratching that we could see. There is some surface corrosion on the inside of the driving lamps, however all lenses look unbroken and in good condition.

Chrome and badging are undamaged and show some minor pitting entirely consistent with a car of this age.

Interior

Grey piped leather, burr walnut dash and traditional styling work together to create a cabin with real period atmosphere.

Seats and Carpets

Grey leather trimmed seats with red piping look great and contrast beautifully with the "Nightfire Red" exterior. The seats are in good condition being firm and comfortable with only very minor wear to the driver’s seat bolster as would be expected.

Grey fitted carpets look very good with no significant signs of wear

Dashboard

Walnut dashboard compliments the interior and adds wonderfully to the sporty, period feel. The wood itself has some wear with minor scratches and some small areas of peeling but is generally sound. The dials are easy to read and have no glass broken or significant scratching while the central bank of warning lights appear to be working although, there is some peeling to the protective perspex covers.

The LED odometer on the car does not appear to be working anymore, and the last two MOT’s show the mileage as “Unknown”. The last recorded mileage was the MOT in 2018 with it reading at 43,972. Please take the time to look at the hi resolution images and video of the interior so that you can assess the condition for yourself.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

Stunning three spoke, drilled alloy steering wheel with wooden rim really suits this car and, together with the, Morgan badged, centre boss looks in great shape.

The leather gear knob, gear lever and grey leather gator all look good with only minimal signs of use.

Mechanics

The Rover V8 is said to have been bored to 4.6L on this block, this car is about raw, communicative, and engaging road-craft.

Engine and Gearbox

The iconic Buick/Rover V8 is framed in the stunning 30’s style engine bay and we could see no signs of significant leaks or damage. In previous ownership, the engine had a rebuild and was said to be increased in capacity to 4.6L. A power output test shows a peak reading of ~211BHP in August 2004 after completion.

On the cold start the car fires up well and then settles down to a steady, even idle with that characteristic V8 rumble. Oil pressure looks good, and emissions appeared clear. We did note that while on cold start the fuel gauge displayed around half a tank this was showing empty on the test drive suggesting the fuel gauge or sender unit may require attention.

Suspension and Brakes

With coil spring suspension at the front and leaf springs at the rear the Morgan holds dear to its sporting origins. This set up combines with front disc and rear drum brakes to help create the traditional feel and characteristic handling of these cars.

On our drive with Sasha the car felt planted and pulled up strongly and evenly.

The Drive

An experience unique to Morgan! The view of the long, louvred bonnet is fantastic and the V8 pulls superbly. Gear changes were smooth and slick while the suspension provides complete engagement with the road. Modern running gear, transmission and power-plant beautifully combined with retro styling.

Being quiet is, rightly, not a feature of Morgan’s but we could not hear any untoward knocks, bangs or rattles. In fact, the drive was everything it should be - engaged, connected and physical. Check out the "On the Road" video to share in our experience.

Electrics and Other

In keeping with Morgan tradition electrics are simple and straightforward on the Plus 8. Sasha tells us everything is working to her knowledge, with the exception of the temperamental fuel gauge and non-functioning odometer referred to elsewhere.

History and Paperwork

A great, useable example of these really special cars – Morgan can genuinely claim there is nothing on the road quite like a Plus 8.

Traditional styling, V8, power, factory 0 to 60 in ~5.5 seconds and a top speed of around 125mph this is open top motoring without compromise. The new owner of this highly useable, instantly recognisable classic will enjoy a visceral driving experience with little around to match it in personality or character.

The car comes with a new MOT, history from the previous owners including original service manual, past MOT certificates and photographs of the original build. Ready to use and enjoy the car would benefit from a little TLC to take it to the next level.

The private registration plate P8 MOG is being sold with the car

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
06.10.2022 MOT -
16.06.2021 MOT -
13.07.2018 MOT 43,972
24.04.2017 MOT 43,795
21.09.2015 MOT 43,568
22.09.2014 MOT 43,207
09.09.2013 MOT 43,157
23.08.2012 MOT 42,837
01.09.2011 MOT 42,197
27.08.2011 MOT 42,197
07.10.2010 SERVICE 41,473
17.09.2008 SERVICE 38,438
29.10.2007 SERVICE 32,678
25.09.2006 SERVICE 30,002
28.09.2005 SERVICE 26,450
19.07.2004 SERVICE 22,782
21.07.03 SERVICE 19,651
10.07.2001 SERVICE 18,430
21.06.2000 SERVICE 11,923
20.07.1999 SERVICE 9,655
19.08.1998 SERVICE 4,952
23.09.1997 SERVICE 1159
Key Details
  • ModelPlus 8
  • TransmissionManual
  • Reg. Date16.07.1997
  • CC~3,947
  • HistoryGood
  • ColourNightfire Red
  • Interior ColourGrey
  • Interior TrimLeather
  • Chassis #SA98400004R11692
  • Engine #47A06267B
  • MOTValid Until 05.10.2023
  • MOT ExemptNo
  • Road Tax ExemptNo
  • HPi ClearYes
  • Former Keepers3
  • Tyre TreadGood
  • LHD or RHDRHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~12 Years
  • Key FeatureIncreased 4.6L capacity engine
  • Auction ID1018






Auction Closed

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This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information.

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Ask Questions
Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.
redline
Member
redline

The engine is variously described as 3.9 and also as 4.6. Which is correct please.

johnmc
Member
johnmc

Does the speedo still work , is it just the pixel display ? Have you attempted to have it repaired,
Thanks, john

Mrtoad
Member
Mrtoad

Sasha, in the documentation for your Morgan the advisory list for the most recent MOT is not shown and I can not get the copy from DVLA without the 11 digit number of the vehicle document. Do you have the advisory notice? If not could you download it from DVLA and post it with the other documents please?
I am aware that Morgans of that age suffers from chassis corrosion so wondered if there had been any work done to it in that respect or have there been any comments from your garage about it?

Thanks.

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Vehicle Location

Heathfield

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