Morgan Milestones

Jill and I were married 32 years ago today at the Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul at Stoke Lacy in England's border county of Herefordshire. It was not what you'd call an old car wedding; the bride rode to the church in a Peugeot 304 and we made our getaway in a year-old Triumph Toledo. Serendipity was at work, however, the full significance of which became apparent as the years passed.

Stoke Lacy was the seat of the Morgan family, whose scion, Henry Frederick Stanley, founded the Morgan Motor Company, makers of three- and four-wheel cars. The Reverend Prebendary Henry George Morgan, HFS's father, was rector of Stoke Lacy for 50 years, and his grandfather, the Rev'd Henry Morgan, for 16 years before that. Jill grew up just down the lane from the church, at Stoke House, built for HFS's sister Dorothy, an enthusiastic Morgan driver herself (seen here chauffeuring her father in a "coal scuttle" Morgan). One of Jill's jobs as a teenager was to tend the Morgan family plot in the churchyard

After the Morgan factory at Malvern Link in neighboring Worcestershire, the church and Old Rectory at Stoke Lacy are the most popular Morgan shrines, Morgan owners the world over including them on their pilgrimages. It was appropriate then, after Peter Morgan, HFS's son and successor in the business, died in October 2003 that he be laid to rest in the family plot. Seeking a more prominent memorial, the Morgan Sports Car Club commissioned a memorial window for the church porch. Dedicated on September 17, 2005, the stained glass window is a trefoil design with a bust of PM, as he was fondly known, above an image of the Malvern Hills, which overlook the factory. Below the hills are PM's own Plus 8, known by its registration as AB 16, and a view of the works. The window compliments an earlier one in the opposite wall, remembering Morgan three-wheeler enthusiasts from California.

I've never owned a Morgan, and Jill hasn't either. Serendipity is at work there, too. Her Aunt Cicely (at right) often rode in her Uncle Sam's Morgan car, and Cicely's daughter Alison and husband John Smitheram bought a Plus 8 more recently to celebrate John's retirement. Until 1995 I had not even sat in a Morgan, but serendipity - being in the right place at the right time - allowed me to spend an afternoon at the helm of PM's own AB 16.

Windows SD

Sedan Delivery Edition, that is. Fred Summers, the CarPort's redoubtable St. Louis Bureau Chief, liked the issue on sedan deliveries. He believes he's gone us one better, however, with this 1950 Pontiac sedan delivery with rear side windows. He spied it at a Kruse auction in his city some years ago, and was told it had been used by a florist who catered to the carriage trade. Indeed it may have, but its origins are in the "professional trade," as auto enthusiasts call the hearse and ambulance brigade.

The clue is on the front fender. If one looks carefully, one can see the name "Barnette" in script above the trim strip. Guy Barnette and Company was a Memphis, Tennessee, builder of funeral cars and ambulances, one of several such outfits in that city. Gregg Merksamer, the CarPort's Professional Car Consultant, says in his book Professional Cars (Krause Publications, 2004) that "the 1949 debut of an inexpensive Streamliner sedan delivery ...insured that Pontiac would remain the industry's most popular platform for low-cost professional cars." The Barnette Pontiac at the St. Louis auction perhaps began life like this Pontiac ambulance used by the Forestville Volunteer Fire Department in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Some Pontiac sedan delivery conversions were made for "combination" hearse-and-ambulance purposes, like this eight-cylinder model, carrying both the funereal landau irons and white cross window insignia. Due to its window placement and lack of Barnette script, Gregg thinks this is from another conversion company, probably Memphis neighbors Weller Brothers, although Economy Coach (later Memphis Coach Company) also did Pontiac conversions.

Barnette did long-wheelbase conversions, too, like this 1951 Pontiac combination coach that Gregg snapped at Hershey in 2004. The seller was asking $8,500, and Gregg remarked that the "illuminated Indian chief hood ornament was a nice little add-on for the price."

I remarked in the earlier sedan delivery episode that vans from Ford, Chevy and Dodge ultimately did in the truck-based panel deliveries. In like manner, commercial versions of minivans, like this Dodge Caravan Cargo Van, took over from the sedan delivery. Minivans, too, have lapped up the small-hearse market, witness this Chrysler from Royal Coachworks. One thing we should notice about Fred's Barnette Pontiac is that the rear windows go down. In the days before Pontiac offered air conditioning, it was important that a patient-in-transport got some fresh air.

The CarPort also thanks Ed Defort, publisher and editorial director of American Funeral Director, and Steve Lichtman for use of illustrations. Fanciers of Barnette combination and funeral coaches will gravitate to the Professional Car Society; does any PCS member have one?

Stella by Stellite

After gloomy, wet skies on Saturday, the Greenwich Concours d'Elegance was brightened on Sunday by occasional sun and a bright little star, the Stellite car. Built by a subsidiary of Vickers for Wolseley, the Stellite was produced from 1913 to 1919. This 1914 Stellite, one of a handful to survive, was owned by Scott Isquick's father in the 1940s. Scott, in searching for "a car like Dad's," found the exact car on a farm in England, bought and restored it. Complete with umbrella, dickey seat and 1,100 cc F-head four-cylinder engine, the Stellite easily won its class. Although the Stellite was contemporary with Elwood Haynes' discovery of the cobalt-chromium alloy of that name, there's no apparent connection in use of the name.

With drier skies, entrants set about polishing their cars, Dennis and Ann Marie Nash grooming their Mark VI Bentley. Bugattis included Types Type 44 and 73C, and Amilcar, the quintessential French sports car, contrasted a 1924 CGS3 Kellner-bodied boattail with a Pegase roadster eleven years newer. Black beauties included the superbly-proportioned Talbot-Lago T-150 coupe and striking Maserati 450S Costin-Zagato. Enigmatic among Maseratis was the 5000 GT, its comely coupe body by Touring contrasting with an odd porcine snout. In coordinated dark crimson were the sultry Bentley R-Type Continental and martial Mercedes 300 "Adenauer" convertible. Much sportier was the Abarth 207A spider, and from another planet the 1936 Austin "Low Loader" London taxi. Rare fare at a concours was the Saab 93B sedan, and perhaps contesting the Concours d'Marine section for vintage yachts was the outrageous Amphicar, secured from rising tides by mushroom anchor. Soulmate for the Amphicar was a Tupolev N007, an air-powered boat for retrieving Russian cosmonauts.

With a drier field, drive-by awards were possible, and videographers captured chairman Bruce Wennerstrom presenting Malcolm and Natalie Pray an award for their BMW 507 sports car. Sunday's Concours Europa repeated Saturday's black-on-black theme, awarding Best of Show to the H6B Hispano-Suiza owned by Frank and Milli Richiardelli.

Greenwich Concours d'Elegance benefits disaster relief agency Americares. The 13th Concours will take place on June 2nd and 3rd, 2007. Bruce and Genia have ordered perfect weather.

Family Circle

The Greenwich Concours d'Elegance is all about circles. Cars are arranged in circles of their peers on the picturesque waterfront of Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich, Connecticut. This past Saturday opened the twelfth edition of the Nutmeg State's premier car event, the brainchild of Bruce and Genia Wennerstrom.

With six duPont cars on the field, belonging to several members of the duPont family, it was fitting to put them together in a DuPont Circle. The duPont, a low production luxury car, was built at Wilmington, Delaware, from 1919 to 1931. Interestingly, although five of the Greenwich duPonts were 1929 Model Gs, no two were alike. The speedster at the top of the page shared its bull nose with the four-place speedster. The convertible coupe and tourer had similar radiators but dissimilar ornaments. The sedan had yet another style radiator and a regal rooster ornament by Lalique. This contrasted with the gun on the speedster, and the roadster had another outlook entirely. Rounding out the circle of duPonts was the solitary Model H extant and two "Baby duPonts" built for children in 1930.

This was the second year for a Christie's auction at Greenwich, featuring cars from the collection of the late renowned tenor Sergio Franchi. Among Sergio's cars were a magnificent 1930 Castagna-bodied Isotta Fraschini boattail convertible ($666,200 including buyer's premium) and an enticing unrestored 1925 Murphy-bodied Mercedes (unsold). His 1958 Mercedes 190SL, which the Brits would say needed a "bit of tidying," went for $17,625. Among non-Franchi cars were a cute 1922 Renault Model NN town car ($21,120) and Earl Johnson's "Janie," a 1978 Checker that was the last of the breed in taxi service in New York City ($9,400).

Several carless exhibitors were on hand; one of them would teach you how to make fenders with an English wheel.

Some of my favorite concours cars were the 1937 right-hand-drive Oldsmobile with Redfern body by Maltby, and the timeless 1952 Chrysler Ghia Special, a car that looks as contemporary today as it did when new. The 1947 Plymouth station wagon of Henri David took Best Woodie. Best of Show for Saturday was the stealthy 1929 supercharged Lancefield-bodied Stutz owned by Skip and Judy Barber.

Foreboding weather forecasts kept many entrants at home, but it was midday before rain began in earnest. Cars donned raincoats and the spectators raised their umbrellas. Despite the precipitation, everyone had a good time, and hoped for a brighter day on Sunday.

Why I Like Model A's

It's probably a combination of heredity and environment. On May 9, 1930, my father Philip Foster, whose 96th birthday would be today, bought a new Model A Ford Standard Roadster from William T. Swackamer, of Long Valley, New Jersey. He explained to me once that he went out of town, rather than buying from the dealer in Morristown where he lived, because Mr. Swackhamer let him finance the car despite the fact that he was only 19 years old. He paid it off within nine months. The total delivered price, including a spare tire cover, spring covers and a "lever starter," was $544.82.

The lever starter, which I've never seen on another Model A, operated the starting motor with a pull of the left hand, as opposed to pushing a toadstool on the floor with one's right foot. Is this the "Upstarter" that I've seen mentioned in Model A circles?

Everyone knows the Model A story. "Henry's Lady" made her debut on December 2, 1927, bringing Model T technology up to date and adding Lincoln style. A myriad of body styles became available, "Tudor" and "Fordor" sedans, roadsters and coupes, with and without rumble seats. For 1930, the design was freshened with a taller radiator and smaller wheels. A station wagon (first offered in 1929) was in the catalog, as was a Cabriolet with roll-up windows. Two of my favorite body styles are the two-door Deluxe Phaeton and the 400A Convertible Sedan. One of the least known is the 1931 Deluxe Pickup, with only 293 built. You don't hear much about Model As in competition, but the Brits have been known to rally them.

Model A's were simple technology. Fuel feed was by gravity feed from cowl-mounted tank that also served as the dashboard. The 200 cubic-inch engine had torque and spunk; my friend Gene and I collected a whole bunch of Model A's in the days when $25 would buy a driveable car and became so familiar that we could fix them in our sleep. Alas, I don't think any pictures survive from that Model A period of my life.

Dad's Model A, however, was never available for experimentation. In the late 1930s he converted the rumble seat to a pickup box for his woodworking business (this picture is a rare view - in my memory it was never left out in the weather). It was the first car I knew, and the first I drove - sitting on Dad's lap while he worked the pedals.

From the early fifties it mostly slumbered. Brought out in the early sixties for a stillborn restoration, it returned to the barn as I went off the college. In 1980 I took possession and moved it to my own garage. My parents got a chance to drive it in 1984, but by that time I had neither the money nor the time to complete a restoration. It slumbers still, straight, solid and dry. I will awaken it one day. Until then, each time I hear a Model A my heartbeat falls into its familiar rhythm.