Yes Lorne, I remember how Peter bodged on some front shocks to placate the masses, evidently he got tired of explaining to customers. That might explain why we still have shock mounts failing at the front end as frankly they were only just about tidied up from the bodge! Peter's favourite was to allow a customer to drive his car that had no shock absorbers fitted, just the lever arm Armstrongs at the back! Like the morris minor has! What am I talking about you'd have to be 55 at least to know that. But as we all now know he relented in the end! As a nipper I can remember asking my dad to get new front shocks when he set me to cleaning up the front end (That bloody oiler!)for my pocket money. You could push them in and out like a.... well let's not go there! "Nothing wrong with them" he said and relayed the Peter story to me! Do you know what..... they are still as weak and as they ever were and as you said, all they can possibly do is damp harmonics. It's the springs folks that do all the work! never mind fancy front end make overs! If it could have been improved I'm sure that in the last 75 years it would have been. So let's all take the time to service and understand sliding pillar suspension.
Actually, It was very nearly improved upon and Montegue has the evidence.... double wishbones, am I jealous, of course I am. Think there were only 5 cars that ever had it fitted, I believe by mulberry fabrications but don't quote me! Such a shame that Morgan didn't pick up on it and finish the trad's time using that system.
I think we are in danger of entering the rabbit hole again... or perhaps we are still stuck down there! There are those who are looking for the grail and spend endless sums trying to find it and others who really only need to return to the H.S.F. philosophy of fix and service it on the drive. If you don't you soon won't be able to find anyone who can do it for you...... watch a new mechanic trying to find the OBD2 port, yes he' stuffed unless the computer says do this! And as 1986 was ancient history to him he doesn't believe this shiny bright car doesn't have one.
