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Really Old Morgans

To: Morgan Mailing List <Morgans@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Really Old Morgans
From: "Arlo J. Levisen" <alevisen@gdhscats.org>
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1998 11:27:28 +0300
DFLer's:  Yesterday (Saturday, August 22, 1998) we again took in the 
kickoff of the New London to New Brighton Antique Car Run, this one the 
12th Annual.  This event occurs in Minnesota and New London is a small 
town about 100 miles away from where we live.  To quote their motto: 
"turn of the century cars traveling through 120 miles of beautiful 
Minnesota countryside". 

Their rules are: any 1908 or earlier car and/or any 1-2 cylinder car up 
to 1915.  This year there were 99 cars attempting to participate with 
the oldest being 1903 - of which there were 4 examples: 2 curved-dash 
Oldsmobiles, a Winton and a Knox.

Of course, what is being replicated is the British London to Brighton 
Run that started in 1896 and the event has a decidedly British theme 
with a bobby, a grenadier, a British toll gate and the mayor dressed in 
British formal morning attire.  Bagpipes are also a part of the 
activities.  If you are so fortunate at to finish the Run, you receive a 
very nice brass medallion.

  The kickoff is usually at 7:00 am, but this year it was pouring rain 
and that kept up until about 8:00 am.  A few cars got too wet to even 
run.

Over the years there have been very few British cars involved in this 
event and never a Morgan.  Last year a woman from this area now living 
in England brought over a 1911 Kelsey, which was a three-wheeled car.  
It was chain-driven and looked much like a horseless carriage from the 
previous decade.  It was a brass car, however, but rather crude in 
construction compared to almost any 1911-12 American car.  It also did 
not finish the run and it didn't come back this year.

In looking at the Morgan Registry, I see the oldest Morgan listed is a 
1928.  I think I can tell from my reference books that there were no 
"brass" Morgans, but does anyone know of any really early Morgans 
residing in this country?  Certainly from the pictures a 1911 Morgan is 
much more sophisticated looking than a 1911 Kelsey and I think it would 
be fun to have someone "campaigning" such a car in these Runs.

There even is a "London to Brighton" Illinois Run that is held.  I don't 
know much more about that one, however.

I might add here that, in our local car club of which I am the 
president, we have a 1909 Maytag and it has so participated about a 
half-dozen times.  It's owner's health is such that he wasn't able to go 
again this year.  The Maytag family, of course, gave up on cars and then 
decided to get into wash machines.  They did make a good car!

That's your history lesson for the day.  I would be curious if anyone 
out there knows of any really old Morgans in existence.

Thanks,

Arlo Levisen, Revillo, South Dakota  '87 Plus 8

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