Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) 4/4 vs plus four

Im thinking of getting a '95 4/4,with the 1800 zetec,and the dealer, I feel, is a little disparaging of the 4/4 in favour of the more pricey plus four.
- As a six-footer, will the 4/4/ fit me?
- Is the performance that much poorer than \ plus four?

I'm 6' 2" and my '86 4/4 fits me fine. Dunno about the performance, not had a +4 but would like a bit more torque in mine. That said it would be easy to travel at illegal speeds if I was that way inclined - which I'm not - honest.

I'm 6'3'' and 17stones and I run a 4/4/ Zetec without any problems ( although I did take the wooden spacers from under the seats because I wanted to sit lower in the car and ge a bit more windcreen protection)

You can up the performance on the 4/4 without much of a problem. A good 4 -branch exhaust and straight through silencer will give you a nice power increase which can be improved even further by dropping down from the standard 400 cell catalyst to a 200 cell. On a '95 car, the Zetec will almost certainly be a 'silvertop' so Rob Wells' Librands system won't suit but you can get exactly the same result by getting someone like Powerflow or perhaps RPi to make one for you

What the +4 DOES have is greater torque and if you feel that will suit your driving style better, then that might be the better option.

HTH
G

Yes the 4/4 will fit you. The doors on a post late '97 are 2 inches longer though, so entry/egress is easier on a later car.
Which model of +4? (engine)

Cheers,

2 litreduratec....

thanks-thats encouraging...I like the exhaust suggestion-it makes a noticeable difference?

Have had a brief dalliance with a LM 62 4/4 which would not pull the skin off a rice pudding and was a very poor car in many other respects ..avoid like the plague.
Now have a Plus Four with a 2 litre Duratec which is a far superior vehicle.
Advice would be to try 4/4 and Plus Four and let your head or heart make the decision.
Good luck

I couldn't- and wouldn't want to- comment on the LM62 4/4 but if it was as bas as that then it wasn't typical. The 'problem' with the Zetec is that they deliver most of their power at the high end of the rev range, so need to be driven hard and using the upper end of the performance band ( To give a silly example- you don't short shift this engine)

On the other hand, the +4 with the 2 litre Duratec is better, but it certainly isn't marvellous. There IS extra torque and the engine ( in standard Morgan form) is a LITTLE less strangled but let's face it, when compared to what Caterham do with the same engine, it's all relative

As you say, it's heads and hearts but at the bottom of it all in both cases you have a Ford 4-cylinder with all the good and bad points those engines have
G

PS as a matter of interest, did you ever put the LM 62 on a dyno/ rolling road?

This is very much a 'hobbyist- engineer's' response and probably other more expert posters such as Cereal, Sprinty or Jim Mountain will give you better info but just by changing the manifold, cat, exhaust/ silencer and fitting a bettr air filter ( an ITG in my case)I got about 20% extra on a rolling road reading
This is the way we worked the exhaust and the reduced cell cat( because it is a silvertop Zetec and the exhaust pipe doesn't cross the body but comes straight back, we've had to 'hide' the manifold pipe for No 4 cylinder a little lower but it doesn't seem to affect the flow characteristics or the figures:


G

I have to defend the comments regarding the LM62 (as Registrar of the Le Mans 62 Register it is my duty after all!!)

The LM62 4/4 is after all based on a 2002 1800 4/4 (Black top Zetec R engine) with the only factory modification of a 'Sports Exhaust'.

The Zetec engine will respond well to some 'fettling' and I have heard very good reports from TalkMorganeers and LM62 owners that the Librand 4 branch manifold and Sport CAT (200 cell) and box makes a significant difference (no connection!).

The other area for improvement,as GLLHG states, is in the 'air department'. I have recently completed a project and fitted a K & N (in my case) filter in the standard airbox and replumbed the ducting to create an 'induced' cold feed and this has made a significant difference (no hard data but certainly pulls and breaths better). (Specific post will follow on this Project)

When I can afford it I will go the exhaust route (or perhaps even a sport Cat replacing the standard one that are available for around £ 300 from fast Ford specialists).

Certainly a 2.0L Duratec will give more power and with 'fettling' of course more but at a significant cost increase. If you are feeling really plush then you could do what a Danish owner of a LM62 4/4 and transplant a Supercharged 2.0L Duratec into his car. Boxed new 2.0 Duratec full engines and ancillaries are available from specialists for around £ 700!



I agree that it is the 'cruisability' of the larger cars that are more attractive but watching the 4/4 and latest 1.6 4/4 Sports thrash around at Bentley Drivers day yesterday (that late already!) they are certainly loads of fun!

'You pays your money and makes your choice!!'

BUT ENJOY WHAT YOU HAVE!