Updated April 27, 2008 11:52 GMT                                                                                         Readership 3/2008: 4207

AEROMAX  PRODUCTION BEGINS Malvern, April 13, 2008  The first two production Aeromaxes are now being built. The production cars will vary in some details from the first prototype.  It is expected deliveries will begin in April 2008. The Aeromax will be the  first Morgan with an all out-sourced body using  Superform panels and bonnet. Click the car more images. More added 13/04/2008  MODERNIZING PRODUCTION Malvern, April 13, 2008  The  machine  shop  has been able to cut  back  work load for all models as more items are being outsourced. This has allowed for many changes and modern day production  techniques are re-characterizing the Works. Pre-stamped panels are  being incorporated into traditional cars. There are recent reports that  stamped rear panels will soon be used join the new stamped side panels.  NEW 4/4! Geneva, March 6, 2008 A new version of the Morgan 4/4 debuted in Geneva. Called the 4/4 Sport, it will be powered by a smaller Ford 1.6L engine than the present 4/4 's 1.8L . Bhp will drop but the MMC reports a much lower weight (800 kilos) that should compensate for the power difference. The 4/4 Sport sits on lowered suspension and has a fixed specification of Saddle Brown leather, and a choice of  five colors; Black, Battleship Gray, Army Green, Dark Blue, Ivory all with black painted wire wheels. This will be the only 4/4 offered for the future, though existing orders will be honored. It is priced at £26,025.  NEW KINGPINS Malvern, March 3, 2008 There is a new type of kingpin and top bolt on the new trads A kingpin passage has again reappeared in Morgan kingpins (after 6 years) and the top bolt now has a grease nipple. This is not an one-shot oiler. A much wider and longer passage has been made for grease. The passage now reaches the grease reservoir between the bushes where the old one-shot oiler passage used to end above. It gives a choice of two ways of greasing the same place. From the top and the bottom. The bushes have been changed back to bronze from Devol, but they now have a spiral groove cut into them. reports suggest that these bushes require more frequent greasing. (There is some speculation that the grooves present an easier escape route for the grease).  TRAD HEAD RESTRAINTS  Malvern, March 3, 2008  The MMC has redesigned the traditional head restraints. Though still very prominent, the shape has been ovalized. See image. TRAD RAD AIR DAM Malvern, March 3, 2008  The MMC is trying a new rad dam system to force air into the new alloy radiators by blocking air going past into the engine bay. Earlier versions of this system have proved to  increase engine bay temperatures. REAR SUSPENSION Malvern, March 3, 2008 The MMC, has changed the number of rear leaf springs from 6 to 4. The added flexibility has received much praise from all who have experienced it. The Company has previously used or 6 springs and as much as 7 on earlier  4-seaters. opinion: editors@mogwire.com news: newsdesk@mogwire.com

AERO GT RACING Silverstone Circuit, April 20, 2008 Three Aero teams entered the Silverstone Super Car Showdown of 47 racers for the opening of the FIA GT3 season with two races. None of the  Morgan teams finished the Saturday race but  the Aero team of Scheier/Lesoudier took 4th position on Sunday! The first three placing cars were a Ford GT, a Corvette and a Porsche 997. AERO AMERICA DELAYED Malvern, April 10, 2008 The latest word is that deliveries for the Aero 8 (ver.4, a 4.8 automatic), will be delayed until some time in 2009. The Aero  (vers. 3&4), were granted a three year exemption in 2008 by the NHTSA. Shipments were suspended pending the new model arrival and the compliancy testing and certification will not be completed as originally hoped. US dealers have been without a trad Morgan model since 2005 and there has been no word on a possibility of a compliant trad as yet. The trads are Euro-compliant until the end of 2009.  CLUB MORGAN AERO 8 Geneva, April 10, 2008 The Club Morgan Aero 8 has opened a web facility off the Barings Brothers Bank website; Click here for access. The Club, formed in 2006, is run with the joint sponsorship of the MMC and Barings Bank. It is a first amongst Morgan clubs in requiring that a member must possess an Aero 8 or Aeromax as a precondition to membership.  It is hoped that exclusivity will encourage potential buyers. The Club holds an annual Fall outing in St. Tropez.  THE LIFECAR Geneva, March 6, 2008 The LIFEcar concept car was presented at the March Geneva Show. The car caused much comment amongst the onlookers and the Press. The LIFEcar is a joint project of six organizations contributing different elements to the effort. The MMC has provided the frame and body. The car's fuel cell system develops electric power by electrochemically combining on-board hydrogen with oxygen taken from the air outside..leaving water vapor as the only emission. The resultant electricity powers motors and each wheel. It supplements acceleration by the use of ultra capacitors discussed on eMog. Click the Lifecar image for more photos. Morgan Sports Cars - The Heritage Years: 1954-1960 by J.D. Alderson & Chris Chapman with Craig Atkins  A Review by Art Greenberg This is a book with something for every Morgan lover. And well it should, given its comfortably large format (10 inches high by 7.5 inches wide and over an inch thick), the vintage color and black & white photographs. It hefts over four pounds with a prodigious length of 420 double column-width pages, including indices. There are  forewords by Charles Morgan and Lew Spencer (the prominent US Morgan racer of the era).  Alderson and Chapman are well known in the Morgan community, having previously  co-authored Morgan Sports Cars, The Early Years. Their contributions form the bulk of the book, covering Morgan activity in the U.K., Europe and the U.S., while Craig Atkins provides an interesting view of Australia's and New Zealand's Morgan developments, along with the occasional exotic location, such as Macao. The book is runs chronologically from 1954-1960. The authors provide a wealth of detail on the finishing order and conduct of nearly every race, driver, rally and hill climb that occurred during the era, and, incredible detail as to prevailing weather and road conditions, chassis numbers, race strategies, and, even upholstery colors!  Inter- spersed in all the race results are marvelous vignettes of the people, cars, and the economics of the era itself.  Morgan drivers and owners of the time will no doubt recognize many familiar venues, cars, and members of the Morgan sporting community. The name index contains roughly 1200 names! Those who are keen to know more about Morgan Motor Company history will delight in the regular reports of the Company's Board meetings, the trials involved in sourcing parts from vendors, and the working and personal relationship between HFS Morgan and his son, Peter, who succeeded him. The period of HFS' passing on is handled with respect with the use of many period references documenting the reactions of those who knew him. The introduction and evolution of new models is also amply covered.  As the owner of 2002 Plus 8, I was interested in the relationship of my car to its predecessors, including the suggestion, made in the 1950s, that Morgan move from bronze to nylon bushings, an idea clearly before its time, but one that, at least briefly, came to pass.  Current Morgan owners will have fun tracing the "genealogies" of their cars as well. I was impressed with the cars and personalities that were around in the U.S. at the time. It was an era  when an amateur race could draw 15,000 attendees, and competitors would drive their Morgans 1300 miles, from New York to Florida, to compete at Sebring's 12 hour endurance race, and then intrepidly drive them home. Familiar people, like fashion designer John Weitz, a Morgan driver and owner, make appearances in the US sections, as do famous Morgan cars, such as the "Baby Dolls," driven by Lew Spencer. The UK portion is great fun, tracking the emergence and development of, separately, and then jointly, of Chris Lawrence, Richard Shepherd-Barron and TOK 258, prior to their class victory at Le Mans. We will need to wait, however, for the authors to produce their next book to hear that story.  Hopefully, research for it is already  underway.  Published in 2007 by Plus Four Books, United Kingdom, is available in the UK and Europe from Melvyn Rutter (mr@melvyn-rutter.net); and in the United States from Dennis Glavis (dennis@morganwest.net). Another version of this review will appear in the Morgan World.

PLASTIC RADIATORS Malvern, April 12, 2008 The Factory has begun to install crossflow radiators. These have become common in the automobile industry since the late 1990s. They are much less susceptible to leaking and mass production, but they are non-repairable. A crossflow design should improve cooling. ROAD & TRACK REVIEWS THE ISIS +8+ San Francisco, April, 2008  Road & Track Magazine has published a review of the Isis Imports +8+, a Bill Fink/Keith Baldwin designed upgrade for the Plus 8S offering a choice of Corvette LS engines. The tests were independently conducted on a LS7 version (505 bhp). 0-60  mph @ 3.6 seconds and 0-100 mph @ 7.9 puts the  car's performance well within the pack of the fastest super cars in the world.  USAGE OF WINGS LOGO  Malvern, March 12, 2008 We have often been approached on exactly what the MMC's position is on the use of Morgan wings logo(s) (old or new). We have bought this issue up directly with the Morgan Directors in hope of clarifying the situation and they have reported that it was brought to the attention of the full board and owners recently for final disposition and response. The official stance of the MMC is that that they are sole proprietors of the Morgan wings and no organization, company or individual has ever been given the right,( at any time by any MMC individual) to use these logos in any fashion saving the Agents is a dictated fashion and one club being the MSCC in the UK (not their affiliates). Usage by anyone or any other club or organization is unauthorized and illegal.  It is hoped that this clarification will eliminate any confusion and requests to the company from Morgan clubs and others wishing to use the wings on wares, web sites, or newsletters. MATTHEW HUMPHRIES WINS DESIGN AWARD Birmingham, UK, March 11, 2008 The Morgan designer  working on the joint program of the MMC, Birmingham City University and others for the the LIFEcar has been recognized as a Business Leader of Tomorrow' at the prestigious KTP (Knowledge Transfer Partnership) Awards. Humphries was first spotted by Morgan when he created designs for the new coupe version of the Aero 8, the Aeromax while still at university. His latest design, the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Life Car', was unveiled at this month's Geneva Motor Show. AERO SERIES IV Malvern, March 1,  2008 A new series of Aeros will be phased into the retail market in 2008. This newest Series (the fifth since 2002) will feature the larger capacity 4.8L BMW engine rather than the 4.4L and will produce an extra 45 bhp for 367. The Series IV will be sold in Europe with a choice of a standard or a sequential fully automatic gearbox. Only the autobox will be available to the USA and it awaits acceptance form the NHTSA. Reports suggest that the automatic models accelerate faster than those with a standard gearbox and may achieve 062 mph in 4.2 seconds. Prices will be increased over the Aero Series III by GBP 4700 (9%) to 57,872.34 or GBP 68,000 (VAT incl.) The automatic gearbox  will be a 2395 pound option for Europe. All Aeros will now come with a leather interior. The US Aero automatic will be priced $129,250 (shipping, duties, port and sales taxes excluded) or about  $150,000 with all included. NEW TRAD BATTERY March 3, 2008 As mentioned last year, the MMC returned to a battery placement next to the axle at the rear and have left the small ("Red Flash") battery. The placement mirrors an eMog idea discussed in 2005. The new setup reflects all trads needs in that it can 1. accommodate easy to find battery dimensions, 2. On RHD cars,it has been placed  on the passenger side for balance (sadly on LHDs it is still on the driver's side) 3. uses an easily made frame for the space. The battery is a Banner UniBull 50200 made in Austria and is supposed to hold a charge for long periods. REPORTS ON THE  GM 4/4 PACKAGE Market Drayton, March 1, 2007 A major GM parts supplier in the UK has created a fully comprehensive upgrade package for earlier 4/4s. The make-over includes a new 175 bhp engine, gearbox, brakes, bespoke fuel map and optional ancillaries. For more details, pictures and reports click here.

From the eMog Pub  April 27, 2008

Die MORGAN-POST

Edi Stampei was kind enough to send me a copy of the latest newsletter of the Morgan-Club Deutschland, aptly named the
Morgan-Post.  http://www.morgan-club.de/DerClub/DieMorganpost/tabid/44/Default.aspx

It is one of the finest examples of what can be done with a passion for Morgans. The 108 page newsletter is literally
stuffed full of technical and community information and replete with scores of great pictures..all with advertising kept strictly under control, giving the work a joyful informational quality rather than a commercial one.

I am very much enjoying this wave of Morgan pdf newsletters. It is definitely the way to go, greatly saving costs for a
club while opening up infinite costless improvements to quality and presentation. It allows newsletters to prioritize
the enthusiast again and harness the energies of a far larger lode of potential editors.

Well done Edi! 108 page of good Morgan stuff and pics has me poring over my computer screen with a German-English
dictionary.