Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) The Whizzer's Conversion.

Note the capital C because a capital job has been done on her.
However, this is jumping way beyond the chase. The film starts with a chunk of flashback.

Why do it at all?
For quite a while I had been thinking about beefing up the Whizzer’s acceleration. Due the noise, buffeting & vibration, trying for a higher top speed was too painful. I live in a country where autoroute speed is limited to 130kmh/81.25mph. and I just wanted to get up there more quickly.
Apparently the only sensible way to do this is to increase engine size but I didn’t want to replace the Whizzer with a new 4/4 or a Plus 4. When I bought her from the Duncans in 2001, Ben Duncan was already whispering in my ear about the big CVH conversion they were proposing. At the time, I didn’t know Morgans at all and wanted to get settled in before deciding whether or not to get it modified.
Last winter or thereabouts, Tim Harris and Paul Crighton road tested Kevin Vernon’s conversion, in which he replaced the 1.6 Ford by a 1.8 Vauxhall. They liked it a lot.
The antennae started twitching, so I looked around at the various methods. There are several companies proposing replacements and their offers fall into two categories, which one might entitle the Ancient and the Modern.

The Methods.
The Ancient method consisted of replacing the 1.6 CVH by a 1.9 CVH, with the associated upgrading of brakes, etc. It was a carburetted installation with no catalytic converter or any other ‘modern’ equipment, apart from the obvious. The intake noise was ‘to die for’, according to Ben Duncan and I believe him, sight unheard!
The Modern approach was to replace the old technology in the CVH by a modern motor, all-electronic, catalysed, European norm output, etc., with appropriate brake upgrading, etc.
The first had three suppliers, Mike Duncan, Chas. Windridge and S & E Engineering. Scouting around for opinions, I came to the entirely personal conclusion that the first two were going to be slow and the third even slower, the latter largely due to sub-standard service and equipment.
The second approach had only one proponent, but I knew someone who had actually had the work done by him and had been bowled over, figuratively, by the difference the conversion made both to the performance and, if one chose to make the effort, to the fuel economy.

The Choice.
I chose Kevin Vernon’s proposition for several reasons. Firstly because of what was provided by Tim Harris on and off groups and after driving Hamwich, although when this happened I was already convinced and the drive only set my decision in stone! Secondly, as I live in France, I had to have firm dates and have them respected, because of the inconvenience that changing them would cause. When I asked him, Kevin said that two weeks were too short, three were fine and four were paradise. We settled on three weeks and he never wavered.
When I contacted KV in the spring, it was in the hope of having the job done for the summer. At home, we then worked the cost of our summer in Sweden & Denmark and I rang KV back to postpone the work! This suited him, as he was going to call me to postpone it as well, as he didn’t want to handle an ‘overseas’ car so early in the series.

The Deal.
The holidays came and went and the bank balance slowly came back to normal.
I delivered the car to him on Monday Nov. 10th. and collected it on Saturday Nov. 29th., which is slightly under 3 weeks. We were in touch both by email, with photos and by phone throughout the conversion. His ‘offer’ is the replacement of the engine and its ancillaries, the radiator with fan and the upgrading of the front brakes.
To this I added:
The replacement of the gearbox
I had asked for a longer first gear to be fitted, to allow for the greater torque and low-speed acceleration. The price seemed relatively high. He proposed changing the gearbox. This cost twice the price of the replacement gear but brought the advantage of my now having an engine & a gearbox of the same mileage and a gearbox perhaps better able to absorb the increased torque being put through it. I agreed
Supplying and fitting a Panhard rod
The pals suggested this was going to be essential. I agreed. What are pals for?
Removing the alarm system.
I had inherited a Cobra Alarm and had never used it. As the car had been standing for 7/8 years before I purchased it, I had no idea what the alarm would do once it was switched on. KV also removed the mare’s nest of wiring which was cluttering up the area behind the dashboard.
Cleaning up the paint round the panel under the rear seat.
I asked him that while he had the panel up to install the fuel pump, to clean up the panel and repaint it.
I had a red cutout switch on the dashboard.
This was no longer going to be used so I asked him to remove it and mount an engine start button in its place. Looks rather good and saves leaving a large hole in the dashboard.
Working on the brakes.
While checking out the brakes he found that the rear seals were leaking and the master cylinder was clagged up. He said it was ‘clean or replace’. Given the extra demands which would be made on the brakes, I asked him to replace them.
The windscreen had a large crack in it.
He replaced it.
All of the above certainly cost money, but he did all the jobs within the time allocated for the I might be naïve but I was pleased that he asked me, because if he had simply limited himself to doing what was written at the outset, the job would still have been done and probably just as well done, but he went outside the envelope and we both ended up with a job which was done better and more completely than the simple contract allowed for. Voila!

A Remark.
One standard feature of Kevin’s work is cleanliness. He takes advantage of having an empty engine bay to strip it of the paint and powder-coating and repaint it. He removed all that could be removed, such as the header tank, the wiper motor, the heater cover et al. before repainting and the effect was pretty well stunning, to the point that it all looks new.
Who said “But it is new” at the back?

(Before) & After.
So there I was, hopping over to Birmingham International Airport and a warm welcome from one of the South Midlands’ lesser known dog clubs. Barely rested and it was off to Market Drayton on a cold, clammy, foggy Saturday morning.
First sight of the Whizzer and it is an impressive piece of work. The repainted engine bay looked brand new, even the nuts and bolts appeared to have been cleaned up. The alarm had gone, the wires, too. There is a new header tank and the engine, . . . .aaaahh! A very neat fit, very tidy. The K&N conical air filter is situated transversely, just above and aft of the radiator, in the cool air flow.
One thing that is noticeable wherever you look is the cleanliness. The premises, like the car, are impeccable. When KV takes the engine out, he strips and repaints the engine bay, ‘tidying up’, he calls it. Now, some of the nuts and bolts visible on the bulkhead might be new but there are others which I swear I had never noticed, probably due to overpainting and accumulated crud. That’s quality work, believe me.

With bonnet closed, the only external change is the exhaust pipe, which is no longer directly below the fuel filler, but on the right hand side, apparently because of the curve which have been necessary were he to have kept it running down the LH side. Some have expressed
doubts as to the effect of cutting a hole in a chassis member – time will tell.


On the Road.
Into the car, key in the lock and press the button. The engine starts after a couple of seconds (the electronics, you know) and the revs surge to 2000 or thereabouts. They drop back to just below 900, idling speed. It has a rumble to it, no longer the bark of the CVH. Into first gear – the box is still notchy but will smooth down over the miles. Engage the clutch out and the right foot twitch – 1500rpm with the CVH – sends us up to 2500. Nasty. It’s pretty obvious that the accelerator is very delicate, particularly when the engine is cold. We draw away very carefully…
The bonnet locks are siliconed now, so one source of rattles has been eliminated, and many more besides I think.

Out onto the road with KV as co-pilot and drawing away remains a preoccupation, due to my rather heavy right foot and a throttle which is very delicate when the engine is cold. However, once moving, the gearchanges are clean and easy and the engine starts showing itself. It wasn’t a time for trying anything – greasy road, near-zero temperatures although light traffic but nonetheless, gently does it. Which did not stop one trying it on when the conditions allowed…

I could return to the subject later but I’ll say it now. It might be a bit easy, but all my road home was motorway/autoroute and she champs at the bit at 70, feels a lot happier at 80 and will leap away even from this speed, which is not at all the way the CVH behaved. I feel that I’m going to have a lot of fun with this one.

First Blood.
One did have a moment, driving away from Kevin’s. The usual trick, coming out of a roundabout, greasy road, too much accelerator and ziiipppp away went the back end. Clipped the kerb but managed to get things under control ‘without outside assistance’. I had done the same thing shortly after I bought the Whizzer, with old hard tyres and the same kind of road and situation. It’s a good lesson and serves to set things up for the future.
So, home we did go, in fog and rain. Nothing to contradict what I’ve said above.

An Instant’s Hesitation.
Did have a moment’s hesitation, though. I stopped to fill the tank in Calais at about 18.45 (Sunday evening). Turned the key and pressed the button. The engine turned over but I could not get it to catch. Tried calling KV, no reply. Called the pal I had been staying with who suggested some things but no dice there. He called Tim and he came up with the answer – a blown fuse. I found Kevin’s fusebox and the fuse and yup, it was blown. I took one from the main fusebox and replaced the blown one and Bingo! The car started. It appears that Kevin respecced the wiring loom and his fuses had all been uprated but the installation checklist hadn’t been updated. He’s sending some fuses and I’ll do it myself – 350 miles to get some fuses changed would have been a bit much. And so I got home, kept the motor running and unloaded the car of its shopping (digestive biscuits, PG Tips, etc.) in double quick time before driving the Whizzer to the garage and switching off.

Tailpiece?
Only then did I discover the extent of the Midlands’ legendary hospitality, fixed to the rear bumper!

So, should you or shouldn’t you?
The obvious answer is that you’re paying for it, so you have to decide for yourself, but I do not regret having had the conversion done, not one bit I don’t.


Postscript.. What did he do?
Here’s a summary of the work Kevin did on the Whizzer:
 Replace engine, fan, exhaust and upgraded front brakes
 Replace Gearbox
 Fit Panhard rod
 Remove alarm system and associate (redundant) wiring
 Fit relay and Engine Start button
 Clean off and repaint rear support panel (under rear seats)
 Fit new rear wheel cylinders
 Dismantle and clean master cylinder


Christopher All and questions will probably be treated with the respect they deserve.

how much would it be without gearbox.. my car is the same age and type so would be interesting to hear.. pm me if you wish

Bonjour flyfisher,

and I quote

"Brakes; Draining down the system, repositioning the brake light switch and l/h front brake pipe, fitting four pot billet aluminuim front brake calipers (replacing aged Girling two pots) stainless braided brake hoses and brake reaction bars if possible. Checking condition and adjustment of rear brake assemblies. Checking condition of mastercylinder, refilling and bleeding the system.

Cooling; the entire system is replaced , including aluminium radiator, aluminium header tank thermostatically controlled electric fan and hoses.

Engine; A new Euro 4 compliant General Motors Z18 XER engine is fitted to replace the aged Ford 1.6 CVH unit, this includes new starter motor and alternator, all necessary brackets, mountings, covers etc.

Electrical; The engine is controlled by an electronic control unit and electronic throttle pedal, the new units are linked to the car by professionally manufactured bespoke wiring harness through a new fuse box/relay board.

Transmission; The gearbox remains in the car, but is fitted with an adapter bellhousing, this is driven through a new clutch, pressure plate and bearing kit. The clutch control cable is re-used but with an adapter.

Exhaust; A complete new stainless steel sports exhaust system is fitted to the right hand side of the car mating up to the catalytic converter on the left hand side. (The pipe crosses over below the sump.

Fuel; The fuel tank is adapted to take an in-tank high pressure fuel pump, fuel is delivered via existing fuel lines.

No visual change occurs to the instruments or external appearance of the car except that the exhaust runs down the opposite side.

The conversion is covered by a 12 month unlimited mileage guarantee. Although this does not include international breakdown cover.

The cost of the above works being £5750+V.A.T. "


and that's what he invoiced me.

Christopher.

Excellent write-up Christopher and a very enjoyable read.

As you said, conversion are tricky to rationalise and it really does come down to individual tastes, budgets and aspirations. From the sound of it, you're happy with your choice and after reading your summary, I can thoroughly understand why.



Congratulations.

Bonjour Simon,

Remaining on the realistic level, I've just calculated I came out with 36mpg on the first trip - 390 miles back to France of which 80+ percent were on motorway and autoroute. The last trips with the CVH were also on motorway/autoroute and returned 29mpg at 70mph & 25-26mpg at 80mph.

Christopher.

I have followed your report with great interest as it was an earlier consideration of mine. It sounds though like it was an exciting process and you have now got a powerful, modern heart in your old Whizzer.
Happier Morganeering

Glad to see you have given new life to your mog. I hope the grins keep coming

John +4,

She wasn't flagging yet but the change was definitely for the better. Which is the best reason for changing, according to me!
Bon weekend,
Christopher.