The Trials of Owning a Classic Exotic Sports Car

cosworth-bda-classic-exotic-sports-carI love my Morgan 4/4. It has a Cosworth BDA motor pushing 200 horse power on a 1200 pound car. The thing gets up and goes. It has style that is rare in modern cars and it is a real head turner.

I like to describe it as a go-cart in a tuxedo. The car is a blast to drive. No matter how stressed I am, angry I am, depressed I am, It all goes away when I am tearing down a straight away in my Morgan.

People can’t help but compliment my Morgan. The tell my how nice it is, the ask what year it is, they ask about the motor, the horse power, where it was made (I moved to Florida last year, and I think I have the only Morgan within 100 miles.) Now, you have to understand that I am a 6’4” tall, and built broad. I am a very intimidating guy to look at. When I am not in my Morgan, people go out of their way to avoid me. Mothers grab their kids and cross the street to stay out of my path. I scare people. But when I am in my Morgan, they don’t see that. They see the car. Mothers will bring their kids over to show them the car while I am pumping gas. Dads and sons will tell me about their classic back in the garage they are building together. People no longer look at me as a big scary guy, they look at me as the owner of the cool classic exotic sports car.

The Problem with a Classic Exotic Sports Car

classic-exotic-sports-car-morgan-1966This is the 21st century. My daily driver has a 10 year warranty, and all scheduled maintenance included. I put the key in, start the car, and go. If there is a problem, the dealer fixes it. That is not how classic exotic sports cars work. These cars were made for people who liked to tinker with their cars on the weekend. Adjust the carbs, check the plugs, change the oil. Hell, most of them even came with tool kits. You don’t own a classic exotic sports car, keep it in a garage, and only drive every couple months and expect it to still run well.

This is a lesson that I was reminded of today. I have been going through some tough personal times, and I have neglected my Morgan. I knew I had to take it out because I hadn’t driven it in about a month. I tried to start it a few days ago, and the battery wasn’t that strong. I connected my trickle charger to the battery and let it sit overnight. This fixed the battery problem, and she started right up. I didn’t think about making other adjustments. I took the Morgan for a drive down by the river, over the causeway and back up along the coast. She ran great. I enjoyed the drive, and for the first time in a while, I really enjoyed myself. That is until I stopped for gas.

I saw a gas station that had ethanol free gas. This is important when you have a classic exotic sports car that you don’t drive much. You see, fuels with ethanol added, if you let them sit for a while, separates. So unless you are driving your car a lot, you should use non ethanol gas, or buy some fuel stabilizer additive. Well, as per usual, the cashier in the gas station completed my Morgan. And while I was pumping the gas a few other patrons complemented the car. But when I got in to drive away… she wouldn’t start. It was flooded. So, I sat at the gas station for a while and every customer that came by told me how nice my car was to which I replied “yeah, when she runs…”I tried starting her up a handful of times, and it would almost go, then not. Eventually I called a friend and we were able to pop the clutch and get her going again. But not before my constant attempts to start her drained my battery. So now she is back in the garage with the trickle charger on her, and I am getting ready to do some reading up on the Weber Carbs…

So remember, If a classic exotic sports car is what you want, be prepared to play with her on a regular basis. Because much like a woman, these cars will be a pain in your ass if you don’t give them the attention they deserve.