Used 1961 Morgan Plus 4 for sale in Stratford, CT

Morgan began making a splash in Cyclecar Racing in 1912, and their 3-wheeled race cars would continue to dominate the sport until their focus fell on 4-wheeled motor cars. The 4/4, named for its 4-cylinder engine and 4-wheel design, sat on an ash and aluminum frame and was powered by several engines, most notably a Coventry Climax OHV. The lightweight vehicle became an instant success on and off the race circuit. In 1937, Morgan made its debut at Le Mans with a team of Coventry Climax-powered 4-4 race cars. The number 40 car, piloted by Prudence Fawcett and Geoff White, finished 13th overall, qualified for the Biennial Cup, and reinforced Morgan's reputation for building excellent performance cars. In 1962 Morgan would race at Le Mans again, but this race would become a defining moment in Morgan motorsports history.

After 24 grueling hours, a 1961 Morgan +4 Super Sports prepared by the factory in conjunction with Lawrence Tune crossed the finish line and won the 2 Litre class, again finishing 13th overall. Piloted by Chris Lawrence (of Lawrence Tune) and Richard Shepherd-Baron, the number 29 car covered over 2,255 miles with an average running speed of 93.97 miles per hour. Chris Lawrence was already a well-respected racing driver and was well known for his ownership of a 1956 Morgan +4, chassis code 3464, then registered TOK 258. True to form, the Lawrence Tune team had done a fantastic job against strong odds to bring 4840 home up front.

In 1961, Lawrence and Shepherd-Baron entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans with chassis 3464, a car that had seen excellent racing success around Europe, but it was refused entry. The scrutineers noted that the car was little more than a pre-war vehicle with disc brakes and, as a result, was not eligible to race Le Mans. Instead, Lawrence had Peter Morgan build a new chassis: 4840. The new car, a Morgan +4, was constructed with more aerodynamic, aluminum, "Low Line" 4/4 bodywork. Lawrence then installed one of his Lawrence Tune racing engines, based on a Triumph 2.0L inline-4 to power the new chassis. This configuration would become the official Morgan +4 Super Sports package with the factory Morgan team's cooperation. Once 4840's preparation was complete, Lawrence's "proven lucky" registration tag, TOK 258, was transferred to 4840 for the trip to Le Mans.

Next is the stuff of motorsports legend; a small racing team, with the limited but spirited support of the Morgan factory, won its class at Le Mans among a field of factory-prepared Porsches, Ferraris, and many other champions of speed. The victory solidified Morgan as a producer of competitive, reliable sports cars, and their popularity grew overnight.