Got behind a Morgan three wheeler yesterday going through town. At a red light I slipped into a parking space on the curb and said "Nice car!". He replied that it was a hoot to drive, it has a 106 cube Harley engine up front. It was nicely done, black powder coated wheels, diamond pleated material covered the tunnel.
Looks like fun.
Dan
Edit: I just noticed he has a small motorcycle plate and not the larger car plate. Would you be required to wear a helmet?
Many states have cycle-car helmet exemptions. NY does.
It must be the weather - all the garage queens are out and about. I was out riding yesterday after work and saw an older couple in dark shades driving a beautifully restored white Triumph Stag with the top down and antique plates.
I have never seen one of those painted all the same color, never mind moving under it's own power and damn if it's not the prettiest Triumph of that era. Sounds great too.
Weird....I just saw one in the wild last week as well.
Saw this one sitting along side the road in Damascus, VA. About an hour later and miles down the road, I'm eating lunch at a diner and it rips around the corner.
Cool sound and just a beautiful machine. Complete with UK tags.
This also had a new S&S engine on the front.
The cool thing about the Morgan is that you can hop it up with Screamin' Eagle parts (as long as you bought them before the lawsuit) or swap in an S&S motor. I think it would be great to pull into a Harley dealer wearing a tweed jacket, lace-back gloves and a woolen cap and head to the parts department.
"Good day old chap, I wonder if you might direct me to your Screaming Eagle camshaft offerings? I fancy a bit more pep in the old girl you know."
"You lost or sumpin'?"
I still want to build/buy a cyclecar.
For whatever reason, I've seen a lot more cyclecar manufacturers at the various car shows in the past few years.
pinchvalve wrote: The cool thing about the Morgan is that you can hop it up with Screamin' Eagle parts (as long as you bought them before the lawsuit) or swap in an S&S motor. I think it would be great to pull into a Harley dealer wearing a tweed jacket, lace-back gloves and a woolen cap and head to the parts department.
You haven't been in a Harley dealership in a while, have you? The variety of teas and espressos is quite impressive. They may even have Screamin' Eagle performance tweed jackets.
In reply to Huckleberry:
In that case hit up the independent H-D shops. I've been to a few, NOT frequented by the dentist/make believe group.
I think the new ones come with s and s stock. There is a guy on a forum somewhere who built his own.
In reply to bearmtnmartin:
I've researched to the ends of the interwebs on DIY Morgan 3 wheeler clones. There's a guy that built one from scratch with a lot of Goldwing parts. Back in the day there were Moto Guzzi and 2CV based 3 wheeler "kits" to make your own Morgan-ish clone.
I search craigslist a few times a month for cheap 1200 & 1400 Moto Guzzies, to help make my own dream of a Morgan-esque 3 wheeler a bit more tangible. Even in good shape you can get an entire bike cheaper than a new S&S engine.
its and S&S that comes on it factory. bolted somehow to a miata 5 speed trans iirc.
bigdaddylee82 wrote: In reply to bearmtnmartin: I've researched to the ends of the interwebs on DIY Morgan 3 wheeler clones. There's a guy that built one from scratch with a lot of Goldwing parts. Back in the day there were Moto Guzzi and 2CV based 3 wheeler "kits" to make your own Morgan-ish clone. I search craigslist a few times a month for cheap 1200 & 1400 Moto Guzzies, to help make my own dream of a Morgan-esque 3 wheeler a bit more tangible. Even in good shape you can get an entire bike cheaper than a new S&S engine. Homebuilt Goldwing Morgan Replica
These are 1 wheel from being really cool. Add or lose one... but as-is it's a motorcycle that doesn't lean or a car that doesn't handle. If it weren't for some loophole in the rules for 3 wheeled motos... why would anyone do that?
Still, the Morgan is very cool looking, I could probably enjoy toodling around in one without caring about the performance just because it's not even a consideration when making one. It's much better than those gawdawful Polaris Slingshot or Spyder things that they sell to people who should have just bought an ND to get their hair in the wind or for people are afraid of motorcycles but want to ride one anyway.
Sorry, but anytime I think three wheeler of any kind, the Reliant Robin comes to mind. I am sure that the reversed nature of the triangle is significant, but still, the image persist.
I want one, and I don't think anyone could convince me otherwise.
Of course I want a Caterham too. https://www.youtube.com/embed/C8-4IKUntko
Also weird, I saw my first one in the total wild two weeks ago. I was riding a hotel shuttle, and it made a few stops at other hotels before reaching mine. As we left one of the hotels, I noticed one in the parking lot with two guys chatting next to it.
It's a rash of Morgans. "in the wild" was the exact phrase I used when I was standing around it talking.
First 3 wheel Morgan I saw was years ago at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome.
Not sure the vintage but a recent visit showed it is still running there.
bigdaddylee82 wrote: I want one, and I don't think anyone could convince me otherwise. Of course I want a Caterham too. https://www.youtube.com/embed/C8-4IKUntko
I must agree. It's just something super cool to tool around in. Plus painting or wrapping them totally changes the look and perceived personality of the car.
This Morgan 3 Wheeler-esque thing has intrigued me since I first saw the pictures long ago. I never found out for sure, but looks like a bespoke radial fashioned from BMW R series engine bits. I don't know its history, or who built it, I've just seen it pop up in a few similar forums over the years.
I'm about >< close to taking apart the CX500 I just bought and combining it's parts with a sidecar body and some atv front suspension parts to build a 3/5 scale single seat Morgan inspired trike.
Former employer and euro car dealer drives around in one with his standard poodle in the passenger seat. Got a photo around somehwere.
I see one in the wild all the time. The mayor of my city drives it around. I also think a fourth wheel would be an improvement.
oldopelguy wrote: I'm about >< close to taking apart the CX500 I just bought and combining it's parts with a sidecar body and some atv front suspension parts to build a 3/5 scale single seat Morgan inspired trike.
oldopelguy wrote: I'm about >< close to taking apart the CX500 I just bought and combining it's parts with a sidecar body and some atv front suspension parts to build a 3/5 scale single seat Morgan inspired trike.
I expect a build thread to start this weekend!
How's the power on the 500? I know the current Three Wheelers use the 2.0L S&S X Wedge. I've focused on the liter+ engines for my delusions. I know in the early days Morgan used everything from 450cc to 2 liter engines, mostly JAP V-Twins. Villard's Three Wheeler of similar vintage started out at 350cc. I'd imagine a modern-ish 500 would outperform any vintage Morgan handily.
When I get to thinking about weird power plant options like that homemade radial above, I usually wind up researching other "airplane" engines, like say a 5.0l V twin using Pratt & Whitney 1340 Jugs. 
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