1937 Morgan 4-4 Standard Special Prototype

Description

Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan and his son Peter had a problem. The Morgan Motor Company in Malvern Link, England, had just introduced their first four-wheel sports car, the 4-4, in December 1935. Then in 1937 the supplier of the four-cylinder engines used in the 4-4, Coventry Climax, announced they would no longer produce that powerplant. Morgan turned to Standard Motor Company Ltd., who agreed to produce a special version of their 1,267 cc four-cylinder engine in overhead-valve form called the “Standard Special.”

This 1937 Morgan 4-4 is the factory prototype used to develop the new production model powered by the Standard Special engine. The factory ledger indicates the engine was “on approval” from the Standard Motor Company. That year H.F.S. Morgan gave this car to Peter, who used it as his personal car while racing it with some success, including a third-place finish at Silverstone on September 13, 1952. It spent much of its life at the Morgan factory as a reference vehicle before being imported to the USA, where it has competed in over 100 vintage races in the past 30 years.

The historic 1937 Morgan 4-4 Standard Special Prototype is truly one of a kind.

Highlights

• Significant factory prototype used by the Morgan Motor Company factory in Malvern Link, United Kingdom

• Formerly the personal automobile of Peter Morgan

• Autographed by Peter and Charles Morgan, as well as Maurice Owen, Morgan’s development engineer

• Third place finish at the Motor-Cycling Club Handicap at Silverstone on September 13, 1952, driven by Peter Morgan, as reported by MotorSport Magazine October 1952

• Featured at the prestigious Pebble Beach (1999) and Meadowbrook Hall (1995) Concours d'Elegance events

• 1,267 cc OHV four-cylinder Standard Special engine listed on the factory ledger as “on approval” from the Standard Motor Company Limited

• Listed on the Morganville Registry

• Please note that while the odometer displays just over 2,380 miles at the time of listing, the true mileage is unknown

Features

• OHV four-cylinder Standard Special engine

• Displacement: 1,267 cc

• Horsepower: 38.8 @ 4,500 rpm

• Compression ratio: 6.8:1

• Gearbox: Moss four-speed manual

• Steering: Burman-Douglas cam-and-peg

• Brakes: Cable-operated 8-inch Girling drums

• Wheelbase: 92 inches

• The Morgan 4-4 (later named 4/4) was made from 1936 to 2018, and holds the record as the longest running production vehicle in the world

Known Imperfections

• Minor fluid leaks

• Minor paint imperfections

• The 1937 Morgan 4-4 Standard Special Prototype was recently brought back to running and driving condition, having remained in prolonged climate-controlled storage by a long-time engineer, enthusiast, mechanic, and collector specializing in British, antique, and special interest cars

Included

• Current racing logbook

• USA racing history booklet

• Photographs

• Spare parts

Ownership History

This 1937 Morgan 4-4 Standard Special Prototype is offered from the collection of Robert W. “Kermit” Wilson, a remarkable group of motorcars associated with Bob Wilson, race car driver, columnist for numerous automotive magazines, and lifelong enthusiast of British cars.