The rebound spring doesn't affect the ride height.
Unfortunately in some Morgans the rebound spring is under compression which is not good as, contradictory as it may seem, it adds to the stiffness of the main spring resulting in extremely stiff front suspension. As GoMog has suggested, a simple improvement can be effected by shortening the rebound spring so that it is not compressed under static conditions.
I'm going to look into this on my recently acquired Plus 8 as a first step.
There will be numerous opinions on improving the rear suspension and I'd be surprised if a consensus will be found on this forum ! Generally speaking, using leaf springs as a suspension medium and as the ONLY means to locate a live axle is not good practice, unless for modest power outputs.
I envy MGB owners, they have numerous upgrades available to them. From fibreglass or parabolic springs to every location device under the sun all available off the shelf from the MG club or various independent specialists.
I'd recommend the book " How to Improve your MGB, MGC and MGB V8" by Roger Williams, it has so much useful and informative information that could also be applied to Morgans, particularly the V8.
Having spent years under MGBs and Midgets, I can confirm that poor quaility MG leaf springs abounded, even as far back as the 1980s. I bought my first leaf springs from the main dealer back in 1971. They were around £5 each. They had interleaving, and the keeps were complex two piece pressings secured to each other using bent over tabs, but also having nylon 'gaskets' which went around the spring first. Location was by a metal blob on the spring. Before long the interleaving vanished and so did those keeps. They were replaced by crude single rivet strips of steel which were hammered around and over the spring. They were rubbish and quickly sagged. The parabolics quickly got a reputation for sagging and going S shaped, especially with V8 power. Maybe that's improved now.
I was fortunate in the eighties to audit a Sheffield spring maker who had huge contracts with major companies for valve springs and so on. I was able to discuss MG springs and they produced the drawings of the original spec springs under contract to MG/Austin Morris/BMC or whatever. The steel specification was absolutely specific and therein lies the rub. A steel leaf spring can't be judged by appearance. Morgan springs are the same. When I replaced my Roadster springs I went for a reputable supplier, but there was no interleaving and the keeps were still the crude MGB variety. On recommendation I stripped the springs down and removed the lumps and bumps. I then added Tribo Tape, greased between and reassembled, then added leather gaiters in the best vintage tradition. Ride height, even with 4 seater springs is marginally lower than the six leaf originals but the ride was transformed. I had the same experience after changing the rear springs on my 2012, which DID have the rubbish quality rear springs. It was chalk and cheese. But the modern marketing approach is to keep prices down and in doing that you won't get lasting quality. That's the mistake that Morgan made in 2010/11.
