Words: Alistair Suttie
Photographs: Bonhams
There is more than a hint of the Goldilocks story to the creation of the Morgan Plus 8. In its search for a new engine to replace the ageing Triumph TR4 2.2-litre unit, Morgan deemed Triumph’s straight-six was too long. The Ford V6 was too heavy and the Lotus twin-cam was ruled out for being too frenetic. The Triumph 3.0-litre V8 was an option, which Morgan fortuitously turned down given its reliability woes. That left the Rover V8 as just the right engine for the job.
Rover had expressed an interest in buying Morgan to have its own sporting brand, but company boss Peter Morgan politely declined. Not one to give up, Rover’s Peter Wilks reasoned that if he couldn’t own Morgan, the next best thing was to become their engine supplier. It was the first time Rover had ever offered its engines to an outside firm, which subsequently became a lucrative revenue stream for Rover as so many small sports car firms made the most of the all-alloy V8.
The engine itself had been designed in the US as a Buick engine, hence the ‘B’ in Rover’s P5B that was the first UK model to use it. The 3.5-litre engine was light enough not to upset the Morgan’s handling while also being sufficiently compact so it would fit within the tight confines of the Malvern-made roadster’s under-bonnet space. Work started in 1967 to install the V8 into the Morgan’s chassis, which used a strengthened Plus 4 frame, and modifications were made to the steering column, carburettors, and cooling fan to make it fit.
Early Plus 8s stuck with the four-speed Moss gearbox, but later cars swapped to Rover’s five-speed unit which took up a bit more space in the footwells but was sturdier. Improved brakes were added to the Plus 8 specification with discs at the front, bigger calipers, and servo assistance for the first time in a Morgan. The other big mechanical change was the addition of a limited slip differential to deal with the V8’s healthy 168bhp and 210lb ft of torque.
A larger fuel tank kept the driving range reasonable despite the V8’s greater thirst and the prototype’s wire wheels were changed for alloys on production cars. Prior to production cars emerging from the factory, Morgan also widened the Plus 8’s track by 2-inches from 47- to 49-inches to allow for the wider wheels needed to deal with the increase in power, and the wheelbase was lengthened slightly.
The result of Morgan’s move to the Rover V8 engine was a car that looked outwardly the same as before but could cover 0-60mph in 6.7 seconds and hit 125mph flat out. It was also very firm over the bumps, but the immediacy of the performance and handling meant the Plus 8 was instantly a strong seller. There were gradual updates to the Plus 8 over time, as well as an alloy-body option from late 1969 that saved around 50kg on the already low kerb weight. In 1973, the car’s track was further widened by 2-inches, while 1977 saw the introduction of the Rover SD1’s five-speed manual transmission. Fuel injection arrived for the engine in 1984, heralding a power hike to 190bhp for 0-60mph in 5.6 seconds. Stricter emissions controls meant Rover increased the engine’s capacity 3.9-litres in 1990 with a small drop in power to 185bhp, and the Plus 8 followed suit.
From 1996, Morgan adopted the Rover V8 in its later 4.6-litre form with 220bhp as an option for the Plus 8. The extra grunt led to 0-60mph in 5.1 seconds and top speed raised to 131mph, making this the fastest version right up until the last Plus 8 left the factory in 2004. Morgan revived the name with a BMW V8 engine under the bonnet, but we’ll focus on the Rover-propelled model here.
What’s a Plus 8 like to drive?
It will come as no surprise the driving experience of the Morgan Plus 8 is dominated by the engine. The Rover V8 has its own distinctive exhaust beat that suits the Morgan to a tee. It goes from a gentle burr at low revs to something much harder edged as it approaches the red line on the rev counter, and it will get to that red line very quickly in lower gears. And while you can use all of the revs whenever the mood suits you, there is always an abundance of muscular shove from the torque the engine produces so you can stay in a higher gear and ride that crest of power.
Make full use of the Plus 8’s engine and acceleration is vivid in any version. The 4.6s are the quickest but all Plus 8s are rapid and you do need to meter out the power using the throttle rather than just burying the pedal when you want full steam ahead. Do that and the Plus 8 will spin the back wheels with glee, which is the last thing you want mid-corner.
Another reason to feed the power in with a sensitive right foot is the Plus 8 has firm suspension, bordering on the harsh if you’re not used to Morgans. It means the car is more upset by small undulations and rips in the road surface than, say, a Caterham Seven or MGB GT V8. The combination of sliding pillar front suspension and light weight adds up to a car that does jiggle about, but you will learn to let the car have its way while guiding it along via the direct steering. Later cars gained telescopic rear dampers from early 1991 and they help smooth the ride and handling. Don’t think the Plus 8 is an unruly beast, however, as it can cover large distance in reasonable comfort. It’s simply a much rawer approach to dynamics that has the feel of a much older car than one from the 1960s onwards.
Accept that and the rest of the Plus 8’s driving manners are in keeping. The brakes are strong and progressive, while the steering is accurate and quick. However, you will find the steering needs a bit of muscle to turn at parking speeds. The Moss gearbox is not difficult to master and just needs a slower hand when shifted gears, while the later Rover-supplied ‘boxes are easy and light.
Lastly, driving the Morgan with the roof down is all part of the fun of Plus 8 ownership and perhaps explains why you so many being driven sans roof even when it’s raining. Roof up, the visibility for the Plus 8 driver is not great, so we’d stick on the sidescreens and leave the hood stashed behind you unless the rain becomes truly biblical.
How much does a Plus 8 cost?
If you don’t mind taking on a project, you might find a rough but running Morgan Plus 8 for around £12,500. However, we’d recommend looking at cars costing from £22,000 for something in much better condition that you can use and improve, or enjoy as is without worrying about where you park it.
For a car in show-worthy shape with plenty of gloss to the paint and a very smart interior, you’ll need to spend up to £37,000. That sum will bag you a very good car and few exceed this value unless you want the very best original or restored example that is likely to have a price of around £52,500. There’s no great premium put on early or late models, or those with the larger engines, so it’s mostly down to condition and the quality of any restoration that has been carried out.
What goes wrong and what should you look for when buying a Plus 8?
The Morgan Plus 8, along with all Morgans of the same era, are simple cars to work on and almost everything can be replaced. Pretty much every part is also available, so even cars in very poor shape can be brought back to life.
First place to start is the chassis. Cars up to 1986 had minimal rust-proofing applied to the frame, so check the entire length of the main rails and crossmembers, plus all of the bracketry and suspension mounts. While you’re under the car, look for signs of wear in the suspension and steering. The sliding pillar front suspension design requires routine oil changes and the suspension bushes also wear more than in most sports cars of the same period. Reckon on a full suspension refresh every 25,000 miles to maintain a Morgan’s pin sharp manners. Also look for any leaks from the steering, though the later rack-and-pinion set-up from 1986 is more reliable and trouble-free.
All Plus 9s retained the traditional ash frame with metal panels for the bodywork. It might be old fashioned but it works very well and is strong when in solid condition. Look behind the trim to see the wood and press it with your fingernail. If there’s any give, the wood is probably due to be replaced. You should also check the floor boards, which were wooden in most Plus 8s – early cars has steel floors in a bid to strengthen the frame but they just rust instead of getting damp like the wooden ones. Sagging doors should be obvious to the eye or when they are tricky to close with a gentle push. This is another indication the wooden body frame is past its best.
There’s also wood for the dashboard, which is simple enough to re-veneer if it’s started to crack. Make sure all of the instruments work and the car’s leather seats are supple and free from splits. Carpets tend to get a bit wet if the car is used in all weathers, so reckon on replacing these if they look scruffy. The hood is not the quickest to erect or the most watertight, but it should fit snugly and not flap in the wind. Lastly, the Rover V8 engine is capable of very high mileages so long as it’s been maintained correctly. That means checking the electric cooling fan cuts in when it’s supposed to and the coolant in the engine has been replaced regularly. The engine’s main weak spot is the cylinder heads on those engines with fewer head bolts that came form the Rover SD1. It could result in warped heads and other engine problems. From 1994, Morgan used the later V8 shared with Land Rover models that resolved this problem. Finally, be sure the engine has had regular oil changes to keep it in fine fettle as otherwise the camshaft can wear and lead to poor running.
Which is the right Plus 8 for you?
The later the car, the easier the Morgan Plus 8 is to live with. Fuel injected cars from 1984-onwards offer added power and ease of starting, but some will prefer the simplicity of carburettors and the slightly cleaner lines of the earlier models. If you really want the full thunder experience, the last of the line 4.6-litre models will keep pace with almost anything on the road and, like all Plus 8s, do it with one of the best exhaust sounds in the business.
For our money, the sweet spot is either a very early Morgan Plus 8 for its purity and first of the line appeal, or a 3.9-litre model with the Rover Vitesse spec 190bhp engine. Whichever Plus 8 you choose, all will hold their value when maintained as there is a devoted community for these cars and they can be used for everything from a Sunday run to continental touring, and classic car shows to competition – and using the same car for all of it.
