PLUS POINTS

This fabled Lawrence Tune Morgan Plus 4 has been competing in top-flight events for six decades. Julian Balme unravels its incredible history

- Julian Balme

The 26th RAC Tourist Trophy Race at Goodwood, for the racing cognoscenti at least, was a slightly disappointing affair. Far from international, the 29-car field of 1961 lacked 'named' competitors from outside the sceptred isle and failed to sport an example of the UK's new flagship sports car, the Jaguar E-type. It did, however, boast the cream of UK talent, such British Racing Drivers' Club luminaries as Stirling Moss, Mike Parkes, Roy Salvadori, Innes Ireland, Jim Clark and Graham Hill, with a supporting cast of John Whitmore, Peter Lumsden, Les Leston, Peter Jopp and Chris Lawrence.

The latter was making a name for himself with his tuning business and his exploits with a Morgan Plus 4, registered TOK 258. Partnering him in the quasi-works Morgan team and lined up alongside him for the Le Mans start that August day was Richard Shepherd-Barron in another famous Moggie, XRX 1. No slouches, they lapped at exactly the same speed (83.24mph) on the first day of practice in their hotted-up (if aged) sports cars. Yet they weren't the only ones to be flying the flag for the Malvern marque that day. Further down the timing sheet was a third Morgan, registered PGP 123, driven by one Peter Marten. It's the car you see here.

Marten had motorsport in his blood: his father raced an MG Midget before the war at Brooklands. When barely 24 years old, Peter spent most of 1960 competing in an early Ford-powered Lotus 7; his sister Shelley took up the sport, too, her weapon of choice being a Turner. This wasn't Peter Marten's first Morgan; he'd owned a Series II 4/4, and spannered for a work colleague who raced one. In 1960 he saw the early cowled-front Plus 4 on a London forecourt, and was no doubt encouraged by the aforementioned Shepherd-Barron, whom he'd met via Shelley.