Morgan F4 Four-Seater

Click Here for Full Screen Image - Click Here to Download Image

The F-Type 3-wheeler came about in 1935 because sales of the original twin-cylinder exposed-engine machine had dwindled alarmingly.

Launched just in time to save the day, HFS Morgan developed his own ‘Z’ shaped chassis rails into which he dropped a standard 933cc Ford 8hp engine. Retaining the old model’s tubular structure which took the drive to the rear gearbox, the engine was hidden under a conventional bonnet for the first time and the distinctive Morgan radiator made its debut. Still with three wheels, its 8hp engine still qualified for the reduced annual tax of just £4 and they were on offer for as little as 110 Guineas. A reasonable seller pre-war, they soldiered on until 1952.

Available as a two- or occasional four-seater (presumably for people with occasional legs) they never quite captured the spirit of the original, but spawned the immortal 4-4, a car with four-cylinders and four wheels which used a similar chassis design adapted to accept a conventional rear axle.

According to factory records, chassis number F554 was despatched on 23 June 1939 to Maskell, the Morgan dealer in Surbiton, Greater London. The car was originally painted in Nile Blue with black wings. Its original Ford 8 engine carried the serial number Y.229135, the Burman gearbox number 2764 and the body was numbered 5296.

Acquired by the vendor in 1981, it has remained unused since 1983, largely because the owner always struggled to find a garage prepared to MOT a 3-wheeler. It has received a considerable amount of attention over the ensuing years but never quite made it back on the road.

Restoration work included removing the original engine (which is included in the sale) and fitting a later, fully rebuilt unit which has had its white metal bearings replaced. The gear selectors were re-bushed and the gear linkage reconfigured to give a conventional change pattern. A new floor and radiator have been fitted and a rewire completed, the wheels having also received attention from Richards Brothers in Cardiff. The cable brakes have been converted to hydraulics.

Now requiring thorough recommissioning, it comes with an old style logbook, its desirable number FXN 4 remaining on the DVLA database. There is still plenty of time to get this straightforward renovation project back on the road in time for the summer.

AMENDMENT - The original engine may not be complete and can only be collected from the seller who lives in Usk, Gwent, by arrangement outside of Brightwells' control.