Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Photo Gallery Spring Cleaning a Plus 8

1999 Morgan Plus 8 4.6
I have just given my Morgan a good spring clean, so here are the results. I have owned the car for six years now and just realised that I had never polished or waxed it, although I had always carefully washed it. So I surfed the web to see what products were being used now. Quite an eye opener with so many new products, many from America.
It got the full treatment - first it was washed with Autoglym Bodywork Shampoo Conditioner. Then the whole car was 'clayed' using Meguiar's Smooth Surface clay Kit, very impressive stuff . Next came a 3 step process using Meguiar's Deep Crystal system - Paint Cleaner - Polish - Carnauba Wax. Also I used in-between the polish and wax Autoglym Super Resin Polish as it contains a slight amount of abrasive quality to reduce the slight paint surface abrasions. The chrome wire wheels are normally very labour intensive but now there is a spray-on wheel cleaner that is safe to use on chrome and stainless steel - Autoglym Custom Wheel Cleaner , works really well. Not forgetting the leather interior, this was treated with Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Aloe Cleaner step 1 and Conditioner step 2. One thing I've not done yet are the tyres ! any suggestions ?
All the best for the coming season and thanks for a great forum - Keith

Hi Tim,

Rather thought it was you- mine was the red4/4 which was next but one to you as we gave our clutches a hammering driving through the streets of LM
Greetings from sunny (!) Gwent

Regards,
G

PS never a bad time to show off- what better than to grow ( relatively) older disgracefully g

Keith,

One thing I have noticed is that you dont have any door handles. I know it is an extra, but have never noticed a car before without them.

G, I do remeber your car - you are quite right the clutches had a hammering that day, and my friend and I got a hammering from the rain on the way back without a windscreen and a roof on the Monday. Do not know where in Gwent you are - my brother lives in Abergavenny, and have thought about joining the run you do this year that is advertised in Miscellany. best Tim

Stunning job. Keith, hats off to you.

when cleaning Morgan's , short legs help

Hi,
Very nice car. Looks better than a new one.
Congratulations.
Daniel.

How about White-wall tyres, they were very popular in the 60's and would look nice on a Morgan?
There is a company over here that come to you car, and attach a machine that expertly scuffs the wall of the tyre, (any size that you choose) and then the machine applies the rubberised paint and it looks terrific! In fact I think that one can have any colour you like.
Henry Ford would have been most disappointed, because he could not use his famous saying
Peter

Peter,
I like the idea and as you say, it would give a great period feel- but have this niggling thought in the back of my mind:
1. what about the argument that the process might, in theory at least, weaken the sidewall?
2. Even if it didn't, wouldn't it be just like some VoSA tester or traffic policeman to argue that it did and a whole 'can of worms' gets set free.

I had a similar VoSA problem with my car after I fitted a 100 cell catalyst- so much so that I've now gone up to a 200 cell!

Best wishes,
G

Cast your mind back Gerwyn, to 1980..............
Every secondhand car seller had whitewalls done this way. My 1980 MGB had then and they looked really good, but after a long run the heat & flexing cracked the white paint, so in my concours days I had to carry a white touch up stick to use when I got there.
I don't think the abrasive action of fitting will do any serious damage. Those halo whitewalls which fit over the top against the rims look a lot more dodgy to me.........

Dave,
Ah, Nostalgia!
We had a local 'entrepreneur' who used to have a penchant for the 'american lookalikes with fins': Vauxhall Cresta, Ford Zodiac etc and they always had whitewalls.

There also was a very dodgy used car place in Newport and the owner used to make up his own advertising jingles such as. "They come from near, they come from far to buy a bargain from Ken the Car"

He was big into the whitewall bit, but he used to paint 'em on with a brush and a tin of Dulux emulsion!

Cheers
G

PS he was also the 'remould king'

Sounds like good exercise too!!

Don't worry about the rain...with that much wax, it'll just bead up and roll off, won't get near the paint!

That reminds me....I've got one to do as well, better get started...before the sun comes out!