Throughout the 20th century, the UK’s automotive industry was riddled with specialty manufactures. At a certain point, the British boasted with over 100 specialist brands. Though the little island now prides itself with just 8 major carmakers, only a few of those specialty marques survived the hardships of time.
If you’re not familiar with that name, Morgan was founded in 1910 and it’s a family-owned company even to this day. Based in Malvern Link, Worcestershire and employing just over 160 people, the brand makes under 1,000 vehicles per year and the waiting list for one is 12 months maximum.
Customers have to wait a heck of a long time even for a basic 4/4 or Roadster ‘cos you’ve guessed it - the Morgan Motor Company still builds cars the old-fashioned way. Morgans have always been built around an ash frame and a steel or aluminum chassis.
Even the decidedly retro futuristic Aero Coupe in the photo above has a hand carved wooden frame
This old man’s way of making a vehicle gives Morgan models unique strength and flexibility. Surprisingly, Morgan says research showed that the wooden frame makes its cars safer than conventional steel frames on impact tests. Did you ever wonder just how hard it is to shape a piece of wood into a Morgan frame?
Filmed at the automaker’s Pickersleigh Road assembly complex, the 8-minute clip below condenses a manufacturing process that takes at least 4 weeks. This behind the scenes look at how Morgans are made by the craftsmen and women is truly fascinating for both carving enthusiasts and petrolheads.
From cutting the first intricate pieces of the ash wood for the car's frame through to the final road test and PDI (pre-delivery inspection), this video guides you through the unique production process. Enjoy!
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News