Ed Herman <edherman@concentric.net> writes
> Remember that the British regulation on head light high was
>responsible for the change from the style of the Flat Rad Mog to the
>style we all love today.
My understanding of the change from flat rad to cowled car was that
separate headlights were being phased out of the industry, so the
availability was reducing and the cost was rising. Morgan have always
been price sensitive for line-build parts, so a redesign was made, to
meet this need and to modernise the look of the car, (futuristic 1950s
remember!).
The interim cowled model has a flattish grill with a badge on the
crescent moon at the top and low mounted headlights in what look like
bean tins. (December 1953-June 1954, 19 cars made). 2 interim cowl cars
are known to still exist, Pat Kennetts and John Smiths.
In 1954 this was revised to the 'high cowl' to meet the new lighting
regulations and tidy up the look of the car. This is the +4 look until
the Supersports low cowl, standardised on all +4s in December 1966.
Reference, Original Morgan, John Worrall and Liz Turner, ISBN 1 870979
29 X
> BTW all these cars pre date the MG. As far as car design the MG has
>noting new. It was design in the pop fashion of the day to promote
>sales. Even the famous MG A is a copy of the earlier Jaguar 120, and
>150.
I think that a MG fan would say that the MGA owed its lines to the 1954
EX.179 record breaking car with the TF's XPEG 1500cc engine and the LE
Mans cars rather than Jaguar. Syd Enever, the Chief Designer at MG was
asked to turn the EX.175 into a production car, the prototype being know
as EX.182, then being renamed the MGA. Launched mid 1955.
Car design does follow fashion and the XK120 came out in 1948(?).
Reference MG by McComb, ISBN 185532 831 3
--
Jeremy Edwards
1792 Morgan 4/4 2 str
Melton Mowbray, England
|