In early fall of 1977, Bill Benet received a telephone call from his wife Desi while he was traveling on business in Washington, D.C. Desi told him that she had a surprise for him when he returned home in a few days’ time. When he returned to Rochester, he stepped off of the plane dressed in a full suit because, as Bill says, “that’s how we traveled back then.” He headed for the airport pick-up lane, and pushed through the glass airport entry doors and went out into the torrential downpour that would have been no surprise to anybody who has ever lived in Rochester, NY. He began looking for his wife's bright yellow 1975 MGB with clunky rubber bumpers. Instead, Desi waved enthusiastically from the driver’s seat of a blue 1966 Morgan 4/4 Series V Competition convertible roadster. Her sleek new car had no convertible top. She drove them home through the powerful rainstorm while his suit soaked up the elements. It would not be the last time the two of them enjoyed the lively roadster in poor weather.
Desi Benet's 1966 Morgan 4/4 Series V Competition Roadster; the three badges along the front represent (left to right) the Western New York Morgan Owners Group, the Morgan Sports Car Club of Canada, and the Western New York MG Car Club; photo by Michael Lempert, July 2022
In the cool September days prior to surprising her husband, Desi had been driving around, casually running errands in the South Wedge of Rochester (the neighborhood bordered by Clinton Avenue, the Genesee River and Highland Park). She had spotted the blue Morgan roadster in the showroom of what used to be (now defunct) CarTech at 742 South Clinton Avenue. Desi and Bill knew several other Morgan owners from their participation in the MG Car Club (Bill owned a Midget around that time), and they had developed a strong attraction to the agile, lightweight, beautifully styled Morgan roadsters. Even to the present day the company has maintained the same basic form and construction techniques, as well as a reputation for high quality and handmade assembly. Desi fell in love with the car at first sight, and despite the Morgan having no roof at the time, she traded in her MGB plus a little cash (in total, a value of approximately $7,500) and drove her new Morgan home with only 1,200 miles on the odometer. She decided that she would purchase the roof at a later date – she would probably have the convertible top down most of the time anyways. Bill confirms that over the life of the car, the top was rarely used.
Bill (left) and Desi (right) beside their newly purchased Morgan roadster, circa 1977 - note the additional driving light mounted in front of the grille; photo courtesy of Bill Benet
Records available from the Morgan factory indicate that Morgan 4/4 chassis #B1184Z (with body #437456) was built in the later months of 1965, and sold as a 1966 model. Although production numbers vary depending on the source, it is thought that less than 270 examples were built of the 4/4 Series V Competition roadster, and some sources claim less than a few dozen remain [1]. Like almost all Morgan cars, the body shell is framed in wood in order to reduce the weight of the car, and for all her travels, this one has held up extremely well. The Series V Competition features a 65hp variant of the 1.5L Ford motor sourced from the Cortina, topped by a Weber 2-bbl carb and paired with a 4-speed Ford manual transmission. The heart of this example bears the engine casting number 120E-6015 on the driver’s side of the block.
The 1.5L inline four-cylinder Ford engine nestled in the narrow space at the very front of the long engine compartment; photo by Michael Lempert, July 2022
The Competition models also sported additional louvers across the top and sides of the long butterfly-hinged hood to improve engine cooling, and also to distinguish from the less-motorsport-oriented models.
Series-V Competition models uniquely sported louvered hoods for improved cooling and for a more sporty appearance; photo by Michael Lempert, July 2022
Morgan #B1184Z originally hailed from England, but was first purchased at Fergus Motors in New York City before being brought to Rochester, NY. A Fergus Motors ID plate on the driver’s side of the cowl notes this car as stock number 23886.
Cowl-mounted identification plate from the
NYC importer; photo by Michael Lempert
Although there is no trace of the original paint since it was stripped during a restoration, the original color per Morgan factory records was a shade of Royal Blue. At some point after being dispatched, it was reported to have been changed to a classy but restrained two-tone: a light brown body flanked by dark brown fenders. Morgan cars were often painted custom colors at the direction of the owners, and it is rare to find two that are alike. Despite being only 11 years old in 1977 at the time of Desi’s purchase, the Competition-spec car had already been subjected to a challenging life, although to date it has never been formally campaigned as a racing car.
From the rear it is easy to see how low this car really is - the 4/4 sits closest to the ground and weighs the least of all of the four-wheeled Morgan models; photo by Michael Lempert, July 2022
It is assumed that the first owner was a spirited driver, because although Rochester is a mostly flat area with but a few gentle hills along the glacial moraine that gives the city its most distinct geologic features, the first owner allegedly managed to crash the Morgan in the twisting low-speed Highland Park area of the City of Rochester in the early 1970’s, not far from where Desi found it freshly restored in the CarTech showroom. The extent of the damage is not known, but since the car is thought to retain its entire original drivetrain, it is likely the damage was mostly cosmetic and superficial – it is not an area where high speeds can be achieved easily, and the Morgan is not a particularly speedy car.
The wood theme of the car is even more clear in the very tight cabin, where the gauges and switches are framed in a wood dashboard behind a wood steering wheel, which flexes slightly under pressure - the floors and seats are also constructed out of wood beneath the finish surfaces, where finishes are required, or simply painted where finishes are not required; photo by Michael Lempert
Regardless, following the accident, the first owner sold the damaged Morgan to an employee of the Xerox Corporation, who performed a thorough restoration, and then re-painted the car in a single-color 1971-spec Jaguar shade named “Azure Blue” [2], which is close to the original factory blue. After completing the restoration, Xerox relocated Owner #2’s position to Brazil, and he was forced to part with the car he had just so meticulously restored. He consigned it through Cartech on South Clinton before departing the United States, and the Morgan was placed in the showroom where Desi casually passed by in the following weeks.
Desi's Morgan beside a similar car (possibly another Morgan, but with extra vents visible on the hood) at the Watkins Glen center field, circa 1980; photo courtesy of Bill Benet
In the hands of Desi Benet, Morgan #B1184Z has racked up over 40,000 miles since 1977. If there ever were a car that can be said to have been thoroughly enjoyed, it is this Morgan. Desi and Bill drove this car all over the Northeast – including multiple trips to Canada. It has participated in countless driving tours and car shows, including annual trips to the Watkins Glen Vintage Races (a favorite of the Benets). Bill estimated 3-4 shows per year with the Western New York British-themed car organizations, and another 3-4 events per year with their Canadian counterparts – and he noted that 5-6 events per year was a conservative estimate of the minimum number of seasonal obligations; it was often many more.
Desi (driving) and Bill (passenger) in the Morgan at the Watkins Glen Vintage Grand Prix festival, circa 2010; photo courtesy of Bill Benet
Desi, who was sometimes affectionately known as “the Morgan Lady,” served as the events chair, and then later the club chair of the WNY MG Car Club, where Bill served at the emcee for the annual summer club festival and car show. Bill recalls the Morgan was present for every single show from 1977 until Desi’s tragic passing in December of 2018 after an extended battle with cancer. Desi was also a founding member of the Western New York Morgan Owners Group [3].
Close-up of the WNY Morgan Owners Group badge proudly displayed on the front bumper - Desi was one of the founding members of the organization shortly after acquiring her Morgan; photo by Michael Lempert
In addition to car shows and jaunts to Canada, the Benets also fielded the Morgan in several SCCA autocross events over the years, pushing the car to perform as intended by its maker. Over the years since the 1977 purchase, the car has remained largely the same, save for routine maintenance and repairs, and some casual wear from frequent enjoyment. The engine and transmission are believed to be original, although a 1600cc engine and transmission are on standby in the garage as a possible upgrade, if the opportunity/need ever arises. The Weber 2-bbl carb is mounted beneath a custom air cleaner, and the original 60-spoke wheels were replaced with powder-coated 72-spoke wire knock offs, giving the car a little more subtle modern flair to accompany probably the most significant upgrade since the cars construction: the fancy luggage rack across the back deck, designed to hold the removable top and side sections of the car and stow them safely while traveling.
The double-level chrome luggage rack is one of the only deviations from factory specifications found on this car, and it is a useful addition on a vehicle with limited storage space to begin with - it is designed to hold the side windows neatly packed into the lower tray, allowing for other luggage to be strapped to the upper tray; photo by Michael Lempert, July 2022
Bill lined up and ready to jump off the line at a SCCA Autocross event, circa 1980-1985 - note the orange and blue license plates, and the early wire wheels; photo courtesy of Bill Benet
For almost the entire duration of the Benet’s ownership, the car has been serviced by the Riter family, beginning with Warren Riter of Riter & Sons (the famed automotive historian and mechanic responsible for restoring the Cannonball Challenger, among other significant vehicles) and continuing with Warren’s son Scott, who transitioned to Horsepower Motorworks in Victor following Warren’s retirement and subsequent passing. The engine was rebuilt sometime in the 1980s, and since then has not required any major overhauls. Bill recalls that Warren Riter adored Desi; he suspects that although the senior Riter would not have done work for free, it is likely that he went out of his way to accommodate Desi over the years in order to retain her as a customer. This turned out to be a wise business decision, as they began replacing one major system each year beginning in the mid-2010s (brakes one winter, steering the next, frame repairs followed as required, and so on) in order to keep the car in excellent driving condition for the summer months.
Desi and her Morgan, circa 2012; photo courtesy of Bill Benet
My first encounter with this Morgan was also at my very first car show, the 2006 Western New York MG Car Club summer festival. I came across it at many other MG Car Club events over the years, and it remains the only old-world Morgan I have ever seen on the road. As a teenager I adored this car, and took a photograph of the Morgan script across the back deck to remember it by. I never expected that, as fate would have it, this very same Morgan would end up in my own garage, in my care. On the day that I drove it home from a final inspection prior to preparing it for sale, I made it almost all of the way home only to be caught in a brief rainstorm as I entered my neighborhood and raced towards the garage for cover. It occurred to me that everything had come full circle – I had experienced the same poor weather introduction to topless motoring as its immediate past owner, also on my first drive.
The very first photograph I took of Desi's Morgan at the MG Car Club Summer Festival circa 2010 - note the luggage rack had not been installed yet, and the deck is covered in raindrops, one of the many days the car ventured out for festivities despite unfavorable conditions; photo by Michael Lempert
The Morgan Lady in the driver's seat, circa 2012; photo courtesy of Bill Benet
As it sits today, this Morgan has not been completely restored since the mid-1970s, and it proudly presents as a peppy and responsive car with some cosmetic wear, ready at a moment’s notice for laps around Watkins Glen (rather than waiting out the years polished in a garage). This car takes home the smiles of everyone it encounters as its most notable trophies. Although Bill regrets having to part with the car despite Desi’s hopes, it simply ought to be driven and enjoyed out on the open road, and the tiny driving quarters and very low and tight ingress and egress pose some of the many challenges of continued use by Bill as he ages. As of this writing, Bill has made the difficult decision to part with the car. His final responsibility is to oversee the transition of this treasured car to a new owner, who is able to adventure out (sometimes even in the pouring rain) for no reason whatsoever except to drive the machine built exclusively to be driven with spirit and enthusiasm - that is perhaps the best way to honor both the car, and the spirit of it's beloved former owner.
Michael Lempert | The Anachronist
Rochester, NY
2022.07.05
P.S.: This Morgan was offered via Bring a Trailer Auctions thru Monday, 14 November 2022 at 5:35 PM, however it did not meet the required reserve. The listing will remain public as a valuable resource for additional photos and a detailed physical description of the car as of the fall of 2022: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1966-morgan-4-4-series-v-gt/
In December of 2022, the Morgan was successfully sold and we personally delivered it to rural Wisconsin to an enthusiastic new owner with a sprawling collection of unusual mostly European vehicles.
Photo by Michael Lempert, July 2022
Photo by Bailey Delelys, August 2022
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