1985 Morgan Plus 8

PLUS 8 Convertible

3.5 Liter V-8

Manual

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Clear

Gasoline

Morgan PLUS 8 3.5 Liter V-8 5-Speed Roadster True “Preservation” Car Original---Original---Original---including the Original Paint The Muscle of an American Muscle Car in a light weight Elegant and Classic Styled British Sports Car. Factory Built by Morgan Motor Company Excellent Investment – very few PLUS 8’s made as compared to the Plus 4’s. PLUS 8’S are valued at approx. $25K higher than a Plus 4 produced in the same time-frame. Although Rover's attempts to acquire Morgan in 1966 had proved fruitless, it nevertheless granted the sports car manufacturer access to its newly acquired, ex-Buick lightweight aluminum 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. Built along familiar Morgan lines, its ladder frame chassis was equipped with independent 'sliding pillar' front suspension, a leaf-sprung rear axle, and disc/drum brakes. Supported by an ash frame, its swooping bodywork looked as traditional as ever but gave no clues as to the new model's extraordinary performance potential. Backed by a four-speed Moss gearbox (Rover's own engineers had only experimented with automatic transmission up to that point), the 3.5-litre unit was credited with some 160.5bhp and 190lbft of torque. In a car weighing comfortably less than 900kg, 'Autocar' magazine found that these outputs translated into 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds and 124mph. Known for their handling, traction and braking on smooth surfaces, it was not long before PLUS 8’s started to appear in motor racing. The introduction of the PLUS 8 elevated Morgan into the real performance league and the joy of driving a V-8 in a British Sports Car needs to be experienced. The PLUS 8’s are able to out-drag some Ferraris. The Plus 8 offers elemental motoring at its best. That means a stiff-riding sports car, but one with super-responsive handling and an old-time driving feel no modern car can duplicate. It also means resolutely 1930s styling -- Morgans were "retro" decades ago -- plus patient handwork by virtuoso artists in wood, metal, and leather. The five speed manual transmission, vs a four speed transmission, helps tame the powerful V-8 engine making it a much smoother and more comfortable drive; especially at high speeds. Road & Track described the Plus 8 as being all about "romance -- young love, moonlit motoring on winding blacktop roads and coffee stops in unlikely places. A car for F. Scott Fitzgerald heroes and heroines, yet surely as appealing to the pot generation. . . ." That's still true, thank goodness. We'd all be poorer without this defiantly individual new-old car. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The 1985 Morgan PLUS 8 offered here is finished in Royal Ivory with a rich looking dark red interior trim. The speedometer only shows 30,000 miles in the hands of two owners. It's the later 5-speed manual transmission model in very ORIGINAL condition and it’s obvious it’s been well loved and cared for. As stated above, this car is very Original, thus it’s a True “Preservation” car. Over the past several years the classic car community has seen prices paid for Preservation cars that would have astonished people in the recent past. The classic car hobby is headed in the direction of fine art and the antique furniture markets, where a premium is placed on originality and where refinishing or altering a well-preserved example can have a negative effect on value. Preservation Classes are now being added to concours shows nationwide to showcase well preserved and mostly unrestored, un-refinished, and unaltered cars like this Morgan PLUS 8.This Morgan PLUS 8 employs a Custom Stainless-Steel Exhaust system which further amplifies the powerful roar of its V-8 engine. Originally a propane car, this car was converted to a petro fuel system as it was challenging finding propane stations. This vehicle also sports an AM/FM radio. It’s professionally mounted underneath the dash as not to affect the classic / vintage appearance of the interior but yet accessible for your favorite tunes while driving down those winding country roads. I am selling this Morgan PLUS 8 for a friend of mine’s widow whose husband Dale owned and cherished this car for many years; he just passed away a few weeks ago. As seen by the photos the vehicle is a very solid original car and runs as good as it looks. It’s ready to be enjoyed by the next person who owns it day one. Dale, who was a master at creating elegant wooden sculptures out of rare exotic wood, handcrafted the beautiful custom Fiddleback English Walnut Dash and a custom luggage rack. This adds a personal touch of class not seen on other Morgan’s; further elevating its graceful English styling. Dale also fitted the Morgan with a beautiful Wooden Steering Wheel to compliment the custom wooden dash, along with a wooden shift knob with inlayed ivory. Ivory is also seen on the steering wheel and glove box handle. The original steering wheel and shift know comes with the car. And I believe the leather racing strap across the front bonnet was also added by Dale; it gives it some attitude as well as functionality. It looks very cool. The leather bonnet strap, and dual petrol tanks, are features desirable for racing----or for that race-car appearance. Dale’s wife hopes the Buyer of Dale’s Morgan will appreciate the Morgan Plus 8 as much as she and Dale have over the 17 years or more that they owned it. It’s a beautiful piece of art meant to be driven, shown, and enjoyed. CAR DESCRIPTION:· VIN #: R 9532· MILEAGE: 30,000 miles· TRANSMISSION: Manual 5 Speed· COLOR: Royal Ivory Exterior / Dark Red Leather Interior· ENGINE: 3.5 Liter V8 UPGRADES· PETROL CONVERSION from a Propane system· CUSTOM STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST SYSTEM· CUSTOM FIDDLEBACK ENGLISH WALNUT DASH – a true touch of class· BEAUTIFUL WOODEN STEERING WHEEL with PIECES OF IVORY used on the steering wheel , gear shift, and glove box pull · CUSTOM BUILT WOOD LUGGAGE RACK· LEATHER BONNET STRAP· DUNLOP SP SPORT 5000 HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES· RADIO EXTRAS· ORIGINAL HEAD RESTS· EXTRA TONNEAU COVER· CAR JACK · ORIGINAL STEERING WHEEL· ANTIQUE LUGGAGE to mount on the luggage rack· PICNIC BASKET to mount on the luggage rack CONDITION IS AS FOLLOWS (Rated 1-5, 5 being perfect). I myself don't know Morgan’s well but I've been collecting and restoring classic Jaguars for 40 years so understand something about the condition of a car. My personal website will show you the caliber of my collection; some of them are national concours winners. My personal website is wix.com/seepictures/genesgarage. The point being is that as you can see by my own cars (and comments people make about me in the Guestbook on my website) I’m very picky and understand the difference between a nice vehicle from one that needs a lot of attention/$$$$ before you can show and drive it. EXTERIOR --- 3 --- The paint is original and does have some crazing in a few areas. So if you’re looking for a high level show car the paint would need to be re-sprayed. INTERIOR --- 3 --- Nice interior, leather seats show some wear but it looks cool (GREAT patina). The fiddleback English wooden dash is exceptional – a true touch of class. As is the beautiful wooden steering wheel ENGINE BAY --- 3.5 --- Clean WHEELS/TIRES --- 4 --- The aluminum wheels are in great shape and Dunlop SP Sport 5000 tires are in excellent condition; the spare has never been used. TOP --- 4.5 --- Excellent condition TONNEAU COVER --- 4.5 --- Excellent Condition SECOND TONNEAU COVER (with pockets for head rests) --- 4.5 --- Excellent Condition BOOT COVER --- 4.5 --- Excellent Condition SIDE CURTAINS --- 4 --- Shows some wear but they are in great condition CHROME --- 3.5 --- Good Condition FUNCTIONALITY --- 4 --- All the lights and gauges work, and car runs and stops well. Serious get-up and go. VALUE - I've done research on the car's value, including data from the internet and the various price guides. I also obtained input from a fellow here in Mpls who knows Morgans well and has owned them in the past. As you know PLUS 8's are very rare and are valued at approx. $20-25K more than the typical 4 cylinder Morgan’s as outlined in the NADA Price Guide. As seen below or on the internet (http://www.nadaguides.com/Classic-Cars/1985/Morgan/Plus-8/2-Door-Roadster/Values) NADA Price Guide values a 1985 Morgan PLUS 8 AT $81k on the High side and $57.9K for an Average car. I think you'll agree that this car is at minimum an Average car. If the paint weren't crazed it would be valued much higher than Average. NADA PRICE GUIDE Original MSRP Low Retail Average Retail High Retail Base Price $28,245 $28,800 $57,900 $81,000 Total Price $28,245 $28,800 $57,900 $81,000 Note: the “High Retail column does not represent a “100 Point” or #1 vehicle. A “100 Point” or “# 1” vehicle is not driven. It would generally be in a museum or transported in an enclosed trailer to concours judging and car shows.My objective is to get a fair price for Dale’s wife, as well as giving the Buyer a fair deal. It must be a win:win in the end. To accomplish this I don’t need to obtain top value for the vehicle so MY RESERVE IS SET WELL BELOW the NADA Average Value of $57.9K. Someone will get a very solid driver and have a lot of fun--------not to mention the great investment involving a PLUS 8 over the Plus 4’s. Any questions about this car can be addressed through Ebay or you can call me directly. My number is 612-298-5648. I will do my best to answer any questions you may have. Also, as people ask questions, and/or as I think of more information regarding the Morgan, I’ll post this information DAILY so keep an eye on my ad throughout the auction. This information will be posted under the “QUESTION / ANSWER SECTION” of the eBay Ad, or AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE AD.Below is a link to a short video of the Morgan to show you it does run. I apologize about the quality of the sound; I was hoping you could hear the roar of the big V-8 engine and the sweet sound of the custom Stainless-Steel Exhaust pipes that Dale recently put on the car. https://youtu.be/FJFjWoJrMA8I welcome any vehicle inspections prior to the end of the auction. I reserve the right to end this listing at anytime should the vehicle no longer be available for sale. If I don’t sell the vehicle prior to the end of the auction I may post a “Buy It Now”; at this time the vehicle may sell quickly. So don’t hesitate to call me if your mind is set on purchasing this car.Spring is coming soon; this Morgan will be your ticket to having a lot of fun and giving your buddies a challenge in keeping up with your British Muscle Car.GOOD LUCK BIDDING ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TERMS OF SALE OVERVIEW Payment: Upon placing a bid you agree to the following Terms: if you are the winning bid you agree to pay a $2,000.00 USD down-payment within 24 hours of auction close (i.e. PayPal), and balance in full within 3 days of the close of the auction via Wire Transfer. All financial transactions must be completed before the vehicle is shipped. A copy of a clear title will be sent to the Buyer (as proof of clear title) upon the payment of the down-payment, and Buyer sending Seller Buyer’s contact information. The original title will be sent to the Buyer within 5 Business Days upon Buyer paying for the vehicle in full. Disclaimer: YOUR BID IS A BINDING CONTRACT PLEASE ONLY BID IF YOU INTEND TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THE TRANSACTION! You’re bidding to own this car, not the right to look at the car. This vehicle is sold AS-IS WHERE-IS. This vehicle is an old classic car and is not being represented as a new car; but rather a beautiful classic car. Once the Auction has ended, and the Reserve has been met the high/winning bidder is responsible for payment and for arranging shipping. Payment Methods: $2,000.00 USD down-payment within 24 hours of auction close (i.e. PayPal), and remaining balance by Wire Transfer only within 3 days. Fees and Taxes: Out of state buyers are responsible for all state, county, city taxes and fees, as well as title/registration fees in the state that the vehicle will be registered. Shipping: The Buyer is responsible for arranging for shipping and responsible for all related costs. The Seller will see to it that the car is available for pick-up at a time that best meets both the Buyer’s and Seller’s schedule. On Dec-18-17 at 17:12:21 PST, seller added the following information: MONDAY, 12/18/17 POST ---- I've been asked if this is the same Morgan PLUS 8 as was in Hemmings MotorNews 3-4 months ago. Yes Dale, who's widow I am selling the car for, did post this car in Hemmings recently prior to his passing away. Due to his failing health he wasn't able to respond to any calls he received.At this time, as I mentioned in my eBay Ad above, my objective is to see to it that this sale ends in a WIN:WIN for both the Seller and the Buyer-------thus MY RESERVE PRICE IS WELL BELOW both the car's NADA Book Value as well as what Dale posted as a price in the Hemmings Ad. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like to make an offer. There's a good chance that the car will sell prior to the end of the 10 day auction. On Dec-19-17 at 19:13:00 PST, seller added the following information: TUESDAY, 12/19/17 POST ---- I learned more about the Morgan PLUS 8 today. The vehicle has a Rack and Pinion Steering System; not a Steering Box as found on some Morgans which I was told is older technology and not as desirable as the Rack and Pinion Steering System.I also learned that the Morgan PLUS 8 has the Optional Factory High Performance Header, and a Gear Reduction Starter.As I mentioned the car has a AM / FM Radio which does turn on but there are no speakers. The radio is wired for dual speakers but the speakers were removed; all it would take if someone desired sound would be to buy a couple speakers and plug them in. The speaker harness runs along the transmission tunnel and comes out behind the passenger seat.Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like to make an offer. There's a good chance that the car will sell prior to the end of the 10 day auction. On Dec-20-17 at 19:16:39 PST, seller added the following information: Wednesday, 12/20/17 POST ---- I lowered the RESERVE PRICE today in an effort to sell the car. As stated in the Ad the Reserve Price is well below the NADA Book Value. As I looked again for other PLUS 8 that are either on the market or have recently sold I was only able to find one and it's well above the Reserve Price I have on this Plus 8. Due to the rarity of PLUS 8's 99% of the Morgans on the market are Plus 4's which in a totally different league than a PLUS 8.Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like to make an offer. There's a good chance that the car will sell prior to the end of the 10 day auction. I appreciate your interest, and good luck bidding.On Dec-23-17 at 14:03:46 PST, seller added the following information: Saturday, 12/23/17 POST ---- I lowered the RESERVE PRICE again today in an effort to sell the car. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, or would like to make an offer. There's a good chance that the car will sell prior to the end of the 10 day auction. I appreciate your interest, and good luck bidding.On Dec-24-17 at 07:21:52 PST, seller added the following information: SUNDAY, 12/24/17 POST ---- I lowered the RESERVE PRICE again today AND I PUT A "BUY-IT-NOW" PRICE ON THE CAR. THE BIDDING IS GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THE RESERVE PRICE, AND THE BIDDING IS ALSO GETTING CLOSE TO THE BUY-IT-NOW PRICE.If you would like to make an offer on the Morgan PLUS 8, or have any questions I haven't answered, feel free to contact me. I appreciate your interest, and good luck bidding.