1937 Morgan 4-4 Series 1 Standard Special Roadster

Description

In a country steeped in tradition, Morgan takes their heritage to the extreme. They still build their automobiles in much the same way Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan did when he founded Morgan Motor Company in Malvern Link, England, in 1910. But in 1936 the company made a radical departure from the three-wheeled motorcycle-powered vehicles Morgan was noted for when they introduced the Morgan 4-4, which denoted four wheels, four cylinders. Then in 1937 the modern 1,267 cc “Standard Special” OHV four-cylinder engine replaced the Coventry Climax flathead originally used. According to allocated engine numbers, only 700 Standard Special engines were ever made, all going to Morgan.

The Morgan 4-4 (later named 4/4) was made from 1936 to 2018, the longest running production vehicle in the world. This 1937 Morgan 4-4 Series 1 Roadster is one of the earliest 4-4 models built, and one of the first with the Standard Special powerplant. This roadster has been lovingly cared for and raced in the USA by noted British automobile enthusiast Robert W. “Kermit” Wilson and his son. It has had several small updates for vintage racing but remains largely original and ready to carry on the Morgan tradition.

Highlights

• One of the earliest Morgan 4-4 Series 1 Roadsters built

• 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

• Competitor in over 100 vintage racing events

• Manufactured from 1936 to 2018 holding the record as the longest running production vehicle in the world

• Please note that while the odometer displays just over 23,893 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

• Transmission: Moss four-speed manual

• Steering: Burman-Douglas cam-and-peg

• Brakes: Cable-operated eight inch Girling drums

• Wheelbase: 92 inches

Known Imperfections

• Minor fluid leaks

• Minor paint imperfections

• The 1937 Morgan 4-4 Series 1 Standard Special Roadster 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

• Tonneau cover

• Photographs

• Spare parts

Ownership History

This 1937 Morgan 4-4 Series 1 Standard Special Roadster 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.