Frank Ashley
Sir, I am sorry to have to inform your reader Mr. Michael Elmer that his car is not one of the two surviving Morris Ten-Six Cunard Specials, since the photograph on p. 1289 clearly shows his car to be a Morris-bodied version of which some eight other examples are known. The enclosed photograph of Ian Harris driving his Cunard Special in the Endurance Run shows up the differences between the Morris and Cunard bodies and, if published, may serve to remove some of the confusion which has recently existed over these cars in the literature and advertisements.
“The Morris Ten-Six Special International Type by Cunard” CO give it its full, if rather verbose, title consisted of a 4-seater aluminimum on ash tourer body, designed and built by the Cunard Coachbuilding Company (later part of Stewart and Ardern) on a Morris Ten-Six Special chassis, and selling for £249 10s 0d, some £19 10s 0d dearer than the Morris-bodied version. While having a sporting appearance, its performance figures were not terribly impressive, although contemporary road testers wrote enthusiastically about its qualities. It was at one time described, perhaps rather unkindly, as “the ideal car for gay daughters of rich men”, certainly an advertisement for the car by Stewart and Ardern in the July 1934 issue of the Morris Owner uses head and shoulder photographs of six of the film lovelies of the thirties to promote the car.
Until last year, I owned the other surviving “Cunard Special” when domestic considerations caused it to take up residence with its fellow survivor in the Ian Harris stable, to await restoration to its former glory.
To close, Mr. Elmer is correct in saying that these cars were produced in 1934-35; the 1936 figure being a PR error. Also the statement sent out at the time omitted to say that we received very generous sponsorship from Morris Garages Ltd., David Groom Ltd. and Mrs. Rosemary Burke, as well as British Leyland.
FRANK ASHLEY
Competitions Secretary, Morris Register. [We thank the wide-awake Morris Register for these letters which close this correspondence—ED].