Dear all:
Some of you may remember I posted some inquiries into the prospects of
picking up a nearly completely disassembled flat rad (and again, NO, the
car is not in California). I'd pretty much put it aside (in favor of
spending my time repairing the house and devoting endless hours to cutting
the grass), but the car has 'resurfaced' and might be available for a deep
dish price.
Here's a bits and pieces (so to speak) description of the car:
1951 twin-spare flat-rad +4 roadster
professionally rebuilt TR2 engine, with _NO_ miles
Moss box (assumed to be in good condition... do they ever break?)
frame either painted or ready to paint
front end new/rebuilt and ready to attach to frame
new rear wheel well metal
new inner front wheel well metal
new bonnet
new Avons on either 16 or 17 inch disk wheels (I don't remember which)
new wood (but needs final assembly... lots of time needed on this part)
car appears to be complete, except for: doors, windshield, seats
car has NO title
some rust on front outer fenders, including a few holes (I'm not clear on
details here)
re-cored radiator, but not attached to chrome
The reasons for selling the car are pretty benign; the owner's son (who was
handling the project) has been transferred to Europe, and the owner himself
is also moving out of state and has decided he doesn't have time to take up
where his kid left off. He sold the car to an LBC mechanic that I know
well and trust thoroughly. The trick is, so my 'deep throat' reports, he
sold it to the mechanic for an absurdly low price, and the mechanic is now
in a position to sell, as is, for a slightly less absurd price (and profit
the difference) in a quick-time turn around, OR, spend hours on the dang
thing and get it closer to being a recognizable auto, for some less
hallucinatory buyer (than myself?).
So, here are my questions:
1. This car _should_ have the Vanguard engine. Doubtless it is much faster
with the TR2 (with twin 1.75 inch SUs) than it would have been with the
Vanguard (I'm not complaining about that), but does the absence of the
"correct" engine influence its potential value when restored? (It's my
feeling, increasingly, that "proper" engine in a Mog is much less of a
matter than it might be in another lbc).
2. As much as I aspire to purity and holiness, I still live in the material
world: what would this car be worth when restored to a high level (by that
I mean a level that would be competitive in regional shows if not at the
national level)... NOT a trailer queen, but a snappy, clean driver? I ask
this not because I'd get into it just to sell it, but I _DO_ ask it to
determine what the margins are and for potential ammunition in the expected
'debate' with the spousal unit (who also lives in the material world, much
to my regret).
3. Are the doors the same on this Mog as on my '67 4/4? Recollect this car
has _NO_ doors, so a template would be a much desired thing. If I got into
this mess I would likely keep the 4/4 for an additional year or two while a
large proportion of the +4 gathered spider webs in the barn.
4. Would it be heresy to vintage race a car like this? Would I get into
"touble" with the incorrect engine?
5. Lastly, but by no means leastly... its likely to be this or a very
early (62) e-type coupe, if I'm going to 'shot the wad' on any project. No
disloyalty intended to the Morgan marque; If I got into the e-type it would
NOT be at the expense of me 4/4 (Morgan-less? Whaaaat?). Or, is it all
much simpler: Am I just completely insane?
You don't have to bother answering that last question...
Cheers,
Will "there he goes again" Zehring
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