Detour Pit Stop #86: The Morgan Motor Company, Malvern, UK
There’s no better place to witness traditional coachbuilding craftsmanship than at the Morgan factory.
At Pickersleigh Road many things have been done the same way for more than 110 years and, during a two-hour tour of the factory, you’ll still see men with hammers and saws, piecing together the ash wood frames and sculpting the aluminium body panels that make Morgan motor cars unique.
Although the methods of the past will always be of primary importance to the way Morgan makes cars, these techniques and materials co-exist with the latest technology. Today’s Morgans use superformed aluminium chassis, powerful and efficient engines from BMW and Ford, everything put together by hand by artisans.
Walking through the plant under the guidance of a former employee or enthusiastic owner, you’ll get to see every stage of production and chat to Morgan’s master craftsmen and women. It’s wonderful access-all-areas experience and no wonder that it attracts 30,000 visitors a year.
On site there’s also a cafe and museum that are open six days a week and a number of options to ride or drive a Morgan from a 15-minute taster to a two-week hire.
Discover it all at the Morgan Experience Centre.
Words Nik Berg Twitter | Instagram
Photography Barry Hayden