Interesting stuff. I have had my old Morgan on track and of course on the road, and some very rough roads too while touring. During my little bit of sport with one of Porsches finest, I did wonder if the lack of travel in the Mogs front suspension played a part in terms of a quick recovery to steerage after a yump or bump given the shockers may not play as much of a part as on other vehicles, perhaps more so if the other vehicles have logically longer travel and more springing and thus have more dependence on their shockers that could be showing their age to some degree..the light weight of my alloy clothed Morgan also playing it`s part in terms of G force reduction in the grand scheme of things..? When younger the occasional jar per miles travelled in my Mog was FAR less of an issue for me than today, but I can at least still get in and out of it without too much difficulty...Just (-:
Howard that which you typed re your Lotus experience, brought to back to a failing memory a day some years back when on the track with my then 82 911 SC, chasing down and passing a D Type Jag, though in my case it seemed to be more about the advantage of the 911`s brakes than the outright acceleration...I suspect the Jag driver might have rightly been inclined to be a tad more precious about his much more valuable machine...... a memorable day indeed.
I think it was agreed in car marketing circles that the idea of winning on the track on Sunday equated to increasing sales on the Monday, and who here does not take a measure of pride in the competition history where Morgans have endured and scored well over many a year, the Paris to Peking adventurers, legend of TOK at LeMans .... while the Aero 8`s performance at the same venue may perhaps be conveniently forgotten to some degree..? I suspect that the TRAD has over many years created a very marketable history.... Perhaps just that those who value that history may be having more difficulty in remembering it with the passage of time... myself included....(-:
With the ageing process of man playing it`s part, it does indeed seem logical that the balance in priorities of the.... err...mature Morganeer might shift towards the sort of comfort options I never before imagined as being any part of the requirements of a died in the wool Morganeer..? It also seems logical to consider those younger folk who might place some degree of value for the history of the motor car, enough to attract them to the flowing lines of a Morgan which left the drawing board to become a reality all those years ago, and which can be so very different from the latest sports car designs... Consider if you will that even the water cooled Porsche 911 derivatives today are as large if not getting larger than the 928 which the 911 enthusiasts roundly rejected as being more suited to mostly cursing in comfort, than the original 911 concept of a sporting icon..?
Thus it seems to my logic that both young and mature who can still get behind the wheel, will either be in search of modernity relative to easing the unwelcome effects of the ageing process, which a long time Morganeer may have to some degree become unwittingly more accustomed to relative to time spent in their mundane-mobiles over the years in the way of creature comforts..? It also seems logical that younger folk EXPECT every bell and whistle as STANDARD in all forms of four wheeled transport.... Thus it again it seems logical for the trad to give way and for it to be time for MMC to take the next step in their evolutionary process....? As for the amount of wood in newer Morgans, never forget the power of marketing the links to HERITAGE which will ever have a considerable effect around any BRAND...?
It seems to me that the M3W has taken up the slack in providing a sense of adventure for those folk who still have a need of exposure to the elements and the degree of risk that goes with it, and which the TRAD once provided in spades, or at least more than enough adventure for me when I bought into the idea of giving up on m/cycling yet not quite ready to settle into the arm chair, and at that time a vintage driving experience was sought as an adventure substitute without the reality of the costs involved in maintaining a truly vintage car capable of anything like the performance which my old +8 can and has provided over many a year..
Truth be told, like a few here I have noted a decline in my ability to enjoy my Morgan as I once did, it spends the majority of it`s time in the garage, perhaps more than it should due to my reduction in ability to enjoy it as I once did, the cold being more of an issue than before for me, even with thermals and the likes. I really do not like driving with the hood or side-screens in place and have had thoughts of returning to Porsche ownership....Hmm..? Even though I spend hardly any time in the garage these days, when I do and see the Mog sitting there, I just have problems thinking that any vehicle perhaps more convenient relative to the ageing process might ever fill the void if I let my Morgan go... hmm..?
While engaged in that line of thought.... Hats off to you Mr Button...
