Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Morgan SP1 - New Rear Suspension

Looks very interesting!

"right now I am struggling to think of another car maker who still uses a rigig driven rear axle. They all seem to have gone irs or front wheel drive or both."

Funny you should mention that, I have a 3 year old, modern vehicle with a solid back axle on cart springs - my Toyota HiLux pickup, Mitsubishi L200 also uses a solid rear axle, and possibly Ford on the Ranger and VW on their new pickup may have a solid back end. It's all a matter of lateral thinking.

Very interesting to see the CAD design Brian and good to know that the factory, aided very much by you, by the sound of it, are thinking about a modern version of an old problem.

The racing V8 Commodores used a Watt's link system and sometimes very sophisticated variations.

Rigid rear axles are quite common on 4x4 type vehicles and also on light (and heavy) commercials, especially in developing countries. Morgan axles, as far as I am aware, are made in Australia by a factory owned by Dana - a large US parts supplier. They incidentally also now own the factory in Birmingham where the GKN axles were made. They also have plants in USA, Mexico, Brazil, you name it.

These axles are relatively easy to adapt to different customer requirements - the lengths of the axle arms and half shafts are simple to make to the required size to get the track you want. Spring brackets and other bits and pieces can be welded on as needed.

Rigid axles will be around for a long time yet!

So, there are now two versions of removable (i.e. return to standard) 5 point rear suspension systems.
Waiting for full info. to appear on the other system...

Although the CAD drawings are shown in a static position Adrian, on the computer the axle can move through its full arc and thus I think your concerns have been allowed for.


Although I had the Suplex suspension and the Rutherford AVO's fitted to my Roadster, the 'mule' was running standard Morgan front suspension as regards springs, and with the rear end secure the front also seemed to be less of an issue.

As regards the provenance of the rear axle, I'm sure someone mentioned that it was manufactured in Malaysia, though at whose OE instigation I don't know. Maybe it is off a baccy, next time I'm in the factory I'll ask them Paul?

Seems like we will have to wait for an in depth report on the rear suspension but if it works how it appears to and is available at a reasonable cost as an retro fit I think there will be a significant number of takers, including me.
There may shortly be many trad owners thanking Brian for specifying the SP1 rear suspension in the way it has been.

When the SP1 drives by- not sure that people will really be talking about its axle?

Let's just look at it again!!

I maybe wrong but doesn't the fastest accelerating production car have a live axle?

Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 2010!

From Wikipedia "A drag racer took his completely stock car and recorded a 0-60 of 1.52 seconds and a 0-100 of 3.26 seconds, and made a 1/4 mile pass of 7.848 seconds @ 174.4 mph, crowning the Mustang Cobra Jet as the world's fastest production car, smashing the Bugatti Veyron and Ariel Atom V8 by nearly a full second in both categories."

I have driven the mule and would have put the new suspension on my roadster rather than the suspension upgrades I fitted to my Roadster.

IMO designing an IRS system would need a different chassis as the strongest part of the chassis would need secure the diff or require adding so much weight to a trad chassis it would negate any benefit.