Morgans Over America II, 1995
www.morgansoveramerica.co.uk

"Incredible Journey - Morgans Motor To Earth's Hottest Spot" - Daily Post Weekender Section - Saturday, 15th July 1995 - Page 19
www.dailypost.co.uk

Luscious Lilac drives on the road to hell

It takes an eccentric Briton to wear a lilac-coloured wig while driving a lilac-coloured car through Death Valley, the hottest spot on Earth.

Jeremy Harrison will be leading a wagon-train of spirited little hand-built Morgan cars, their owners, wives, husbands, offspring and friends.

 
The gang of 1995.

Next week, Jeremy and his beloved Morgan — Luscious Lilac — leave for the first stage of a motoring trip of a lifetime. They will aim to conquer a 6,000 mile long landscape stretching from California through to Canada down to the scorching heats of the USA’s Death Valley itself.

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There is a sign there which reads: Motorists, Caution, beware of melting tyres.

It is one of the great American landmarks and it was the idea of driving by that sign which tempted 50-year-old Jeremy to leave his south Liverpool chiropodists practice for the Big Heat.

He explains: "I want to have a photograph of the car by that sign. Our last trip to the States was a coast-to-coast drive which had to take in the road which passes through the Giant Sequoia tree. I’ve always wanted to drive through that tree and I did. Now it’s Death Valley, where the temperatures can reach 160F."

Thirteen British cars and one from South Africa were being shipped this week to the USA at a total cost of £32,000.

Jeremy and his friends may dress funny, but they are deadly serious. There they will be joined by 56 American and 30 Canadian cars — all Morgans — plus approximately 150 people and a back-up bus.

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The convoy journey begins in San Francisco. As part of their dream holiday of a lifetime Jeremy, his wife, Gill (also a chiropodist), their youngest daughter Lucy and her schoolfriend Kelly McHugh will fly Concorde out to the States where the lilac Morgan awaits.

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When Jeremy began serious motor touring everyone else rather earnestly sported the standard red or British Racing Green. "I wanted to choose something that no-one else had. I went through hundreds of colour clips. Then I found this lovely, vibrant lilac. Morgan sprayed it on for me and promised they would never do another car like it.”
 

Jeremy and daughter Lucy in the rain at Lake Louise, Canada, 1995. There is only one colour!

Although Jeremy calls his car Luscious Lilac, his friends refer to it as Putrid Puce and the Yanks have named it Violent Violet. Often while driving, Jeremy wears a violent Tina Turner wig with black highlights and regalia to match. He and Gill once won a £50 bet in Paris that they wore complementary lilac underwear. "Lilac goes very well with cerise," says Jeremy. "They are Ken and Barbie colours."

The hand-built Morgan show car has travelled 32,000 miles since it was handed over to Jeremy in 1990. "Unlike most show cars, it is used most of the time," he explains.

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The father of four has worked for 30 years as a chiropodist in Liverpool. His father was a GP in Aigburth and his eldest son, also a chiropodist, will be taking over the business while Dad is away.

As Tourmaster and organiser in chief, part of Jeremy's role is to make regular reports to the convoy, which he does wearing the lilac wig.

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It's fun and games all the way - Jeremy and his friends will be well armed with water cannon and water pistols for use on each other.

Starting in California, the 6,000 mile route takes them through Monterey, Washington State, Oregon, Mount St. Helens (a 350 mile detour which Jeremy insisted upon), Vancouver, Jasper, Calgary, Yellowstone Park, Colarado and the Rocky Mountains through to the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Yosemite National Park and back to San Francisco.

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The Morgan factory in Britain has given the group £10,000 worth of free spares.

Jeremy and Luscious Lilac hope they won’t be needed.

The Morgan Wings Logo is used with the kind permission of Charles Morgan, MD of the Morgan Motor Company Ltd.