Brian V M Jenkins & +4 SS AWP 77B


I began competing in auto-tests, rallies and speed events in a variety of sports cars, including Swallow-Doretti, Berkeley and Aston Martin DB2.

I then decided that I must 'go racing' and thought that the newly introduced 'low-line' TR4 Super Sports Plus Four would be competitive in Marque Sports Car races without further modification. Also I had wanted a Morgan since I was twelve, then no doubt influenced by one of my first names!

The Super Sports was ordered in September 1963 and collected from the factory inMarch 1964, when Peter Morgan apologised for the delay! The total invoiced amount was œ1,212 12/10d.

After a few speed events, including at Shelsley just beating Ray Meredith's time in XOV 555,1 began entering Marque races - being placed at Landow and with two firsts at Castle Combe.

In 19651 entered AWP in the BARC Marque Sports Car Championship - best result, seventh at Castle Combe. I continued racing and entered over 60 races - gaining four wins at Llandow and places at the BDC Morgan races at Silverstone, coming 3rd behind Robert Eva's 4/4 Twin Cam and Jim Tucker's +4 in 1966, and 2nd in 1968.

Other Morgan drivers at this time included Robin Browrie, Mike and Andy Duncan, Brian Haslam, Alan House, John Macdonald, John Maclay, Ray Meredith, Harvey Posthlethwaite and Peter Morgan in the Plus Four Plus prototype.

After a crash at Llandow in late 1970 (trying to outpace a lightweight E type!) the rebuild took some time and by then the Prodsports and Modsports regs were in force, making AWP uncompetitive. So, after a few local hillclimbs in the early seventies, I gave up competing.

I retained AWP until late 1980, then selling it to Colin Clement who rebuilt the car, sadly losing its originality and patina in the process. Colin Clement sold AWP to John Worrall in the late eighties, who restored it so expertly to the original specification that it is now quite well known as one of the most original Super Sports.

After the family wholesaling business was sold in 1989 I had the time and means to compete again and, attracted to VSCC events, bought a 1938 Alvis 12/70 Special. I sold it in 1994 in order to look out for a Morgan again.

Last year I bought a 1963 Plus Four USA import (No. 5278) modified by Lew Spencer in Los Angeles to Super Sports mechanical spec. The rebuild is now virtually complete after nearly a year.

I hope to be able to compete later on in the season in some Morgan Challenge events - that is if the car and I prove to be speedy enough!

(c) Brian Jenkins 1996