Talk Morgan Forums Community Welcome Forum The Morgan I grew up in, now a daunting task...

Ken

What a fascinating project - and terrific photos! Really looking forward to reading lots more progress reports. The very best of luck with this: reckon it may be more than a one-bottle-of-muc-off challenge

Ken,

Welcome to the forum. This is a brilliant intro and a great project for you. There are people who love getting stuck into these massive 'labours of love' but I think yours' has that special element that cannot be bought - your history with the car and the memories it has for you. Loved the bit about you in the foot-well. What an opportunity to bring it back to what it was. Great photos and we'll all watch your progress with eager support (even if, as in my limited Morgan knowledge case, that's just to watch and enjoy!)

Cheers.

Hi Ken, This really is an exciting project which has a huge incentive behind it to see through. Good luck!

Welcome Ken,

Stories like yours are priceless. You will find lots of support on here and there are many experts on here and elsewhere that will be only too happy to help (as I have found with my car).

Look forward to update and hearing about your first drive!

Please keep us updated!

R.

You cant put a price on owning a Morgan that your father owned when you were a small child.

I know a guy that was taken home from the hospital a few days after he was born in a Mercedes 300SL Roadster in the early sixties. He now owns that car, what a feeling that must be.

Best of luck with the restoration.

Hello Ken,
Your car looks very much as my 42 year old Plus 4 Four seater did two years ago. Long ignored, neglected, baffed engine, tired electricals tired or rusted mechanicals faded or missing paint...but everything seems to be there...

Do not be discouraged. When you get it to bare chassis everything improves day by day until you look at the work and wonder how you ever got through it..

Then it is time to take the car for a drive in the country again hear the engine growl and give him his "wings" again!

You will probably end up giving him, an affectionately appropriate name if you have not already...Mine got several names during the refurbishment several unprintable here, but we both got through it and everything is a whole lot better when you reach the other side.

I met a guy at a car show in Canada at the British car show at Bronte Creek last year who had taken 26 years to get through his project. He did not do his own work but the car was gorgeous.
It took me 2 years. At times I thought I'd never get through it.
for a complete (are these cars ever complete?) bare chasis overhaul of everything including new paint.

Take lots of pictures of everything and log them somewhere safe to use when you start reassmbly. Lots of labels, lots of margarine pots and cardboard boxes...

Do you do your own work?

If it is any help I did mine over in sections. I did not want to be overwhelmed or lost in the process (I have a short attention span). Doing it this way made each section manageable and organized. I could actually see the sections develope and enjoy actually proceeding in a visual way. It is satisfying to actually see progress.

There are loads of resources for these cars. Several mentioned in other posts already. There are a superb group of interested, dedicated people who treasure these cars old and new. I probably spent a month noodling every aspect of these strange cars before I took anything apart. I had never owned or driven a Morgan, actually rarely even seen or noticed one..so you have several advantages already having grown up with yours. Wonderful "legend" to have with such a car. If you have pictures of the "old days" with the car and your fam keep them in a book...

Some people in the group are obsessed about keeping everything original, others less so. I see no motivation of making something 40 years old AGAIN, once was bad enough. These cars were built to be driven. In some respects those old classic Morgans were not well suited for our modern open highways, insafe in many respects, so some improvements definitely make sense. Seatbelts for one, if nothing else..

There are lots of improvements one can make on these cars to make them safer (dual circuit brakes) improvements to the steering to minimize the "Morgan wobblies", Tube shocks at the rear, electrical improvements etc without altering the appearance of the car at all.

Please tell us about you adventure.

All encouragement to you in your journey.
david

[img][IMG]http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q793/alryals/MorganatRAFWoodbridge1974_zps336b03f1.jpg[/img][/img]


Your story about riding on the floorboards when you were a child really touched me and brought back some wonderful memories of my son and me doing the same thing--except my son was on the floor. This photo was taken at RAF Woodbridge about 1974. My son is now 41 years old--that's him under the tonneau.

I still have the car.

Allen
'69 4/4

Welcome! I'm a newbie here also. I have seen worse starting points Ken,...your personal connection to the car will be invaluable in staying committed and in helping to maintain the high level of enthusiasm necessary to achieve the project's successful completion. Will you be actively participating in the project in a "hands- on, hands-dirty and bleeding manner?" Best of luck, lots of help and goodwill will be available here and at various other sites and venues to guide and encourage you along the way,.... you will need it. Been there, done that. (several times) Excellent photos!

Bert & B1800

Allen

Great picture of your Son hiding away or maybe just enjoying a special time with Dad. Thanks for sharing it.

Great story Ken, good luck with the rebuild.