1925 Morgan Aero Three-Wheeler
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RESERVE LOWERED
Highlights
・Very early and desirable example
・12 volt conversion
・New clutch
・1100cc engine
・1100cc engine
THE BACKGROUND
A small Malvern garage in 1909, the Morgan Motor Company was formed by Henry Fredrick Stanley Morgan (HFS) and it all started with three wheels. In 1908, Henry Morgan designed and built a car for his own use. The three wheeler used his own design independent front suspension and was powered by a 7 bhp Peugeot twin cylinder engine left over from an abandoned motorcycle project.
A year later, with some financial help from his father and wife, the Runabout was put into production at the Pickersleigh Road premises, ready to be exhibited at the 1910 motor Show at Olympia in London. With a huge amount of initial interest, just a few orders were taken for the single-seated Runabout. Not deterred by this, Morgan decided that the way forward would be a two-seat model. In 1911, the two-seat Runabout model was displayed at the Olympia Motor Exhibition.
1912, and Morgan set out to win The Light Car & Cyclecar trophy for the greatest distance covered in one hour, at Brooklands. The single-seater Runabout covered 55 miles which was narrowly beaten by another British car manufacturer, GWK. Morgan attempted it again later in the same year and won it by reaching nearly 60 miles in one hour.
In 1913, Morgan won the Cyclecar Grand Prix at Amiens in France with an average speed of 42 mph for the 163 mile distance. This established the company name and reputation in the world of competition and the car became the basis for the Grand Prix model from 1913 to 1926. This evolved into the model we have here today, the Aero.
THE HISTORY
The seller of this 1925 Morgan Aero has owned the classic since 2007. He purchased the Morgan from another enthusiast, Tony Bletsoe, who is well known in the Morgan circles and had owned the car for ten years prior.
The Aero has been repainted at some point which is thought to be as close to the original colour as possible. There are a few areas that could be tidied up on the paint side, but the seller admits he never bought the Morgan to have it as a polished ornament. Instead, he would rather make sure it was well maintained and have the option to jump in and use it at every given opportunity.
Meticulously maintained, the Aero was fitted with a new bonded cone clutch and drive chains in 2018. The brakes have been checked over giving the new owner peace of mind for many miles to come.
THE PAPERWORK
The V5 is present and shows the Morgan Aero has had 1 previous keeper, although the seller is quite sure it's more. The DVLA cleared unregistered vehicles in the 1960’s from the database and it is thought that this may have happened to the Morgan. It was reregistered when it was restored by Tony Bletsoe. The Morgan owners club have verified the car to be authentic and genuine.
There is no real paperwork with the vehicle apart from a very handy “Hints on running a Morgan” book which is dated 1st February 1925. This is full of tips and tricks to get the best out of your Morgan.
The Morgan last held an MOT certificate which expired on 19th November 2012, and is now MOT exempt. Not used during covid, the seller has put the Morgan on a SORN certificate.
THE INTERIOR
Inside the Morgan is clean and tidy. The bench seat has been replaced at some point for a vinyl covered item which the seller says is comfy enough for quite a few miles. The steering wheel is in a tidy original condition with levers for the accelerator, choke, advance and retard fitted and working as they should. On the dashboard the Cooper Stewart odometer is present showing 92,151 but this is not working. To the left is the Lucas Ampere gauge and switches which are working as they should. Pride of place in the center is the original Morgan Motor company plaque. In the lower part of the footwell are the brake and clutch pedals, with the handbrake to the centre, and gear lever to the right with a fire extinguisher, better to be safe than sorry!
THE EXTERIOR
The outside of the 1925 Morgan, as mentioned previously, has been repainted at some point, and is in a well presented condition. Starting at the front, the first thing you notice is the Jap (dog ear) engine (more on that shortly). To the left and right are the suspension arms and springs, all of which look in good condition . The Lucas King of the Road headlights are free from cracks. There are a couple of small dents to the brass bezel, but these don't affect them in any way. The Morgan Aero badge is present and just behind there is the water fill point for the radiator. Onto the bonnet, and the oil and petrol caps are present with the bonnet fitting nice and even all the way around.
Around to the sides, and the mud guards are nice and straight with just a few chips to the edges. There is a wooden box fitted to the driver’s side that holds the battery and just above is the hand operated horn, there is also a klaxon fitted. On the opposite side is a petrol can (just in case you get caught short).The rear half of the body curves around and is free from any noticeable dents. There is a tonneau cover that fits over the interior. This also zips in half to enable you to keep the passenger side covered up. Fitted to the top is a small luggage rack that holds the picnic hamper, which is included. To the rear is the Duco divers helmet style light and also below the number plate is another brake light. The wheels on the Aero are in a nice tidy condition with no corrosion that we could see. These have been fitted with new tyres approximately six years ago, which still have plenty of tread left on them.
THE MECHANICS
The engine fitted to this 1925 Morgan Aero is the 1100cc LTOW Jap, also known as the Dog Ear engine which is water cooled. The seller has fitted an electric fan to help keep the Aero cool should you get stuck in any traffic and this is operated by a switch inside. The Morgan has been fitted with a Dynostart which does need the cranking handle to be turned to help it start. The dynamo side of the unit has not worked for a number of years, but the seller has fitted a 12 volt Alton generator to supply the now upgraded 12 Volt electrics to the car.
The Aero is run on Castrol R, which is enough to keep you following it for miles just to breathe in the unique aroma from the racing oil. A swift turn of the starting handle and the Morgan comes to life and sounds just as it should. The exhausts have been slightly extended, just to put the sound that bit further away, making it much easier on your ears on a long run.
As mentioned earlier, a new bonded cone clutch was fitted in 2018 along with new drive chains, and since then the car hasn't had a great deal of use. The seller reports that the car changes between the 2 gears nice and smooth and pulls well and comes to a halt just as it should.
Included with the sale are a set of spare barrels measured at +.030, and along with this are some spare cam followers. The seller is also including a trailer to carry the Morgan which has a hand winch mounted to pull the car up, but you will need a light board for this.
THE APPEAL
This is your chance to own a well maintained piece of British motoring history from 1925. With an 1100 cc engine, it will certainly move you along very spritely and probably as fast as you dare to go.
A little Sunday afternoon outing around the countryside with the picnic basket full, or maybe off to a local classic car rally, there are plenty of enjoyable miles to be had driving this classic. You will be sure to grab the attention of many people wherever you go in the Morgan Aero.
Don't forget, the Morgan does come with a trailer included but you will need a light board. The seller will even deliver it, mileage dependent.
Notice to bidders
Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
As is normal for most auctions, this vehicle is sold as seen, and therefore the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. All bids are legally binding once placed. Any winning bidder who withdraws from a sale, is subject to our bidders fee charge. Please see our FAQs and T&C's for further information. Viewings of vehicles are encouraged, but entirely at the sellers discretion.
Vehicle specification
- Year 1925
- Make Morgan
- Model Aero
- Colour Green
- Odometer 92,151 Miles
- Engine size 980
Auction Details
- Seller Type Private
- Location Lancashire
- Country United Kingdom
20
bids
- ed•••• £35,000 24/05/21
- ma•••• £34,000 24/05/21
- ed•••• £33,000 22/05/21
- ma•••• £32,000 22/05/21
- ed•••• £30,000 22/05/21
- ro•••• £27,000 21/05/21
- ed•••• £26,000 21/05/21
- ma•••• £25,000 21/05/21
- ed•••• £24,000 21/05/21
- ed•••• £23,000 21/05/21
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