Page 44 - Nov 2022

Br it ish Car s & Cof f ee show c ases

a 1998 Mor gan Pl us 8

i
They say you should "Never Mess wt h a
Moving Machine " or put anot her way, when

you've designed t he per f ect body st yle f or

a car , why change it ?

believe that the owner had added a variety of
upgrade features, like dual stalks for functions
mounted on the steering column, and instruments
that show contemporary markings, but first
impressions are deceiving. Ken is the second owner
of this Plus 8 and it is now, right down to it deep
green and creme leather interior with very firm seats,
exactly as it was when its first owners, a couple from
New Jersey, ordered it to their specifications from the
factory.

For those not familiar with the interesting way that the
Morgan company operates, they're still making cars
that look almost exactly as they looked 50 years ago.
They still carry the sobriquet "coach built", meaning
that the frame is a wooden one and when you need a
new frame, they'll build one for you, no matter the
age of your Morgan. Even with current upgrades
inside, all Morgans remain hand -built, period
looking, cars. Morgan found a perfect styling and
stuck with it. Those "new" bits and bobs are installed
in and on the car in such a way as to be as
unobtrusive as possible. When you pull up behind or
next to a Morgan like Ken's, you could be forgiven for
thinking you're looking at an antique LBC in perfectly
You never know for sure what car Ken Gaidos will bring to restored condition.
Cars and Coffee. It could be a vintage Jaguar, an AH 3000, a You'd think that until someone like Ken puts his foot
modern Jaguar sedan, or it could be this, a 1998 Morgan on the gas pedal of the plus 8. That's when the
plus 8. The designation means that this very British roadster Morgan shows what 8 cylinders with a light frame can
is packing a surprise under its bonnet, an original V-8 do. "I came over here this morning on the freeway and
engine made by Land Rover. never got below 70 mph," Ken said with a smile, as he

A peek inside the car would make the unsuspecting looker talked about accelerating away from newer model
autos." It's a fast car!" (And with its svelte lines, a
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modern classic, too.)