Although Rover's attempts to acquire the Morgan Car Company in 1966 had proved fruitless, it nevertheless granted the sports car manufacturer access to its newly acquired, ex-Buick lightweight aluminium V8 engine with a view to cementing a supply contract. Hired by the Malvern works to assess the powerplant's merits/suitability, race engineer Maurice Owen lost little time in shoehorning one into a Morgan Plus 4 chassis. With trials of the resultant prototype successfully undertaken in 1967, the Plus 8 debuted at the following year's Earls Court Motor Show.

Its lengthy production run has seen the Plus 8 alter little in outward appearance, save for ever widening wheelarches accommodating fatter rubber, yet beneath the skin the changes have been innumerable. Better gearboxes, fuel injection, rack-and-pinion steering, improved corrosion protection and paint, telescopic rear dampers, air bags and the obligatory catalytic converter have all become part of the Plus 8 picture over the years, along, of course, with bigger engines to offset the inevitable increase in weight.

Dating from 1990, E9 MOG was chosen by our vendor for it’s exceptional build quality having been restored by renowned Morgan expert Kevin Vernon of Tudor Motors. During the process the car benefitted from many refinements and upgrades and it's estimated that the parts and labour costs for the enhancements and upgrades ‘E9 MOG’ enjoys, would be in the region of £40,000 in today’s market. These include;

• · RPI new Land Rover 4.6-litre V8 engine - recent Dyno rolling-road test indicating 230bhp
• · RPI Piper 272 fast road cam
• · RPI lightened flywheel
• · RPI Superflare plenum trumpets
• · RPI chromed Morgan plenum chamber
• · Jaguar/Bosch AFM
• · FSE adjustable rising-rate fuel pressure regulator
• · Mallory Unilite distributor (bespoked to the car)
• · Mallory high performance chrome coil
• · RPI chromed valve covers
• · Morgan branch manifolds (metalized)
• · Stainless twin Morgan exhaust system
• · JEGS polished stainless exhaust tips
• · Griffin bespoke performance-fit aluminium radiator
• · SPAL electric cooling fan
• · Mulberry polished aluminium overflow
• · Morgan R380 5-speed gearbox (rebuilt)
• · Morgan Salisbury steering rack
• · Mulberry anti-tramp bars
• · Shortened Morgan rebound springs
• · Morgan suspension rear hoop
• · Hard chromed Kingpins with bronze bushes
• · Rutherford AVO shock absorbers (front & rear)
• · Caparo Morgan brake hydraulics & calipers (upgraded)
• · Portferfield fast road brakes
• · Kunifer brake lines & stainless flexible brake hoses
• · 4 x New Michelin Primacy tyres
• · Refurbished alloy wheels
• · Fully refurbished chassis (stripped, primed, painted & sealed) with stainless steel fittings
• · Wooden chassis elements removed & re-treated with another Cuprinol coat
• · New Superform (lightweight) front & rear wings
• · Polished Heart of England front & rear plinths, door latch covers etc
• · Morgan telescopic mirror bases with upgraded mirrors
• · Chromed Morgan windscreen supports
• · Polished stainless luggage carrier
• · Jaguar X120 Tri-pod halogen headlamps
• · Lucas LR576 chrome sport lamps
• · Bespoke Kauffelt dash made by Mathias (incorporating VDO instruments)
• · Bespoke rear storage bins
• · 6006E 6-Disc CD multi-changer (Burr Walnut Fascia) with Infinity speakers
• · Original mohair top, tonneau & side-screens
• · Classic chrome lap-latch seatbelt system

The car appears superbly finished in Bentley Sapphire Blue with a discreet pearl-effect and the original leather upholstery has been well cared-for and remains in excellent condition. This wonderful Plus 8 benefits from a recent service, rolling-road test set-up (230bhp), a ‘no-advisory’ MOT and pleasingly, our vendor is generously including the appropriate registration E9 MOG in the sale.