At $23,500, Would You Hail Britannia In This 1973 Morgan Plus 8?

Morgan has been building essentially the same car since the company's founding in the late Cenozoic era. That means that today's Nice Price or No Dice Plus 8 could have come from the 1960s or 2000s. Being a '73 means that, even in California, no one will ever need to "smog the Mog." Let's see if its price is an additional enticement.

The late, great Jim Croce famously sang a warning about a mythical pool shark: "You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind, you don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and you don't mess around with Jim." That all sounds like sage advice for staying out of trouble, but is awfully specific. 

Based on the comments that arose around the manual-swapped 2003 Audi RS6 we looked at on Thursday, we can add to Croce's warnings the advice to "never buy an old Audi." Friends don't let friends... and all that. At $12,500, our old Audi was quite the temptation, but as many of you pointed out, that asking price could be just the tip of the financial iceberg–a factor that resulted in the car earning a 70% 'No Dice' loss.

Call me weird, but I think the sexiest phrase in the automotive lexicon is "sliding pillar suspension." Ooh, it gives me the shivers just writing that. Invented in the 1870s, the sliding-pillar independent suspension was popularized in the 20th Century by companies such as Italy's Lancia and Britain's Morgan. The latter company adopted a modified version of the sliding-pillar front suspension for its cyclecars in the 1910s and continued its use on its four-wheelers well into this century.

Today's 1973 Morgan Plus 8 proudly wears its sliding-pillar front suspension behind its handsome alloy wheels, an iconic element of the V8-powered models. Morgan introduced the Plus 8 in 1968, adopting–as did pretty much every small cottage car maker–the Rover V8 originally developed by General Motors for Buick. Based on the Triumph-powered Plus 4, the Plus 8 became an instant hit for Morgan and, for a time, was the fastest-accelerating car built in Britain. 

In this model, the alloy V8 displaces 3.5 liters and is fed by a pair of canted SU HIFS6 side-draught carburetors. Power output for the model was in the neighborhood of 150 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque, plenty to move the Morgan's meager one-ton weight. A four-speed Moss manual gearbox and limited-slip rear end complete the drivetrain picture.

According to the ad, this Plus 8 had been in storage for a decade following its owner's passing. The present owner claims they have gone through the hydraulics and have unstuck the clutch, which had become a little too chummy with the pressure plate during its long idle time. Being as simple as a pimple, they say it "roared into life" once a new battery was installed, and now runs without any smoking and with good oil pressure. Considering there's no sound insulation between the engine bay and the cockpit, it probably sounds awesome, too.

Per the seller, the tires were new when the car was stored, making them over a decade old, so they'll need to be replaced despite having lots of tread depth left. It should be noted that, while this is a U.S. market car, as evidenced by the presence of front and rear side-marker lights and the under-bonnet plaque, it is right-hand drive. Morgan was not big on making concessions back in the day.

Regardless of which side the driver sits, there's something joyful about driving an English roadster with cut-down doors. According to the seller, this Morgan almost had no door on the driver's side as the screws for the hinges had worn out their mounting holes in the ash frame (yes, Morgans are made partially of wood). The seller says they fixed the issue with some dowels, glue, and new screws. 

Other fixes include a new stainless-steel fuel tank and a third brake light. While not looking bad in the ad's pictures, the seller describes the car's paint as "frankly horrible," stating that it's a "20-footer at best." Other issues include splitting of the vinyl on the door tops and dash cap, and suspiciously different-colored upholstery on the seats.

On the plus side, the car comes with a clean title, current registration tags meaning no back fees, and 106,000 miles on the clock. There's also no rust, nor any obvious evidence of termites or carpenter bees in the ash frame. The seller says the top and side curtains are in decent condition as well.

It's a rare occurrence to see any Morgan at all show up on the common folk classifieds here in the U.S. Finding a Plus 8, even one in somewhat rough shape like this one, is even more of a surprise. We'll now need to decide whether or not its $23,500 asking price is just as surprising.

Now, before we get into that debate, we should note that a car like this is like a hair shirt in that it's not for everybody. These are loud, fairly uncomfortable, and pretty basic cars, but that's part of the reward of owning them. Some people just like that. I, in fact, have a Plus 4 in my family, and it's a hoot and a half to drive.

Okay, getting that out of the way, what's your take on this Plus 8 and that $23,500 price tag? Does that seem fair given the car's rarity and somewhat scruffy condition? Or for that much, would you rather it just went back and took another nap?

You decide!

Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

Help me out with Nice Price or No Dice. Hit me up at robemslie@gmail.com and send a fixed-price tip. Remember to include your commenter handle.