Morgan, the delightfully eccentric British automaker, has been slowly, but steadily churning out a series of sports cars that have changed very little throughout the years. Formerly known for their 3-wheeled vehicles, Morgan decided to burst onto the 4-wheel/4-door scene with their 4/4, which was one-upped a tad by the Plus 4 in 1950, only to be outdone by the Plus 8 introduced in 1968.

In the name Plus 8, 8 refers to the amount of cylinders found in the Rover alloy block 215 cu in (3.5 l) V8 power plant. Always one to resist the idea of modernization (until forced), Morgan is known for their classical appearance of pre-war sports cars, but maybe even more known for their consistent old-fashioned technology including, but not limited to ladder chassis, ash wood-frame bodies, and sliding pillar and live axle suspensions. But hey, who are we to judge? As it turns out, people buy Morgans because their anti-aerodynamic looks and rough driving experience are somehow intriguing.

So, why not go ahead and add some extra power to that vintage beast of a chassis? After all, the more dated they look and the scarier they are to drive, the more attractive they become. We can only assume that’s why Jay Leno’s pal, Jason Len of XKs Unlimited, decided to turn his Plus 8 into a hot rod meant to tear it up on the track (as much as a racecar with a ladder chassis and a roll bar can tear it up on the track, anyways).

In the video, Len admits that the softer chassis makes for a different racing experience than most drivers are used to. But we have a feeling that the open cockpit enabling one to experience the raw engine noise and rush of air through the nose hairs makes it all worthwhile!