I have recently fitted the Empire Steering Geometry Correction Kit to my M3W and now I have done a few miles thought I would report on it. PaulJ says I am the “Customer” kit self installation guinea pig, his car being the original prototype. As can be seen from the photos, all the components are made to a high standard, as you would expect from a company like this. The installation was all fairly straight forward with only a few small problems, mainly from the variable tolerances of the Morgan chassis and the close tolerances of the Empire supplied items, the odd shim may be required where the two meet. The camber and caster angles are adjustable on the wishbone rod ends but it is a bit fiddly and it probably pays to spend a bit of time getting it right on fitment rather than just close and then adjusting again later. Once it’s all installed, bouncing the suspension up and down results in just that, with no toe or camber angle changes, as it should be.
I chose to fit the Empire Kit rather than the Morgan Comfort Kit as, from a suspension geometry point, it addressed most of the faults in the original set up, rather than just enough to make it tolerable. I have not driven a car with the “comfort kit” yet and I understand it is a big improvement from what people say but the Empire kit transforms the steering and handling. Gone is the need hang onto the steering wheel with a vice like grip, finger light steering now. I have fitted a slim Brooklands wheel rather than the chunky original, something I would never have risked before. The cornering is much improved with none of the mid corner corrections as the suspension loads now. It is (almost) a joy to drive on the patched and potholed roads of Lincolnshire and watch the suspension go up and down with the steering wheel unaffected.
This is the car we should have had in the first place, a shame it took so much time and money to get it. It will be interesting to see if the front tyre life is improved, it should be without the variable toe angle. For all those waiting for their Empire Kits, it is worth the wait. JVS, your combined Empire Kit and Suplex shockers should be the ultimate combination, I just have the standard Spax at the moment. I would like to hear what you think of it when it’s all done. Many thanks to Paul and Bill for producing the kit and sorting everything.
P.S. Nice to meet you at the factory last week Jays.
For those who like nice machined bits of metal.....
