Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Advice needed on a 4/4 Sport - thinking caps on!

Might be worth a look at 4 seaters as the scuttle is higher and they have often wide bodies, the rear seating will give room for more fore and aft adjustment, my 1999 zetec is spacious compared to most Morgans.

My local dealer Berrybrook has the most beautiful almost new 4 seater with V6 motor an absolute gem also a very nice 1999 car rather similar to mine.

The 4/4 sport is a good deal for a new car though so hard to come up with anything new as cheap or as good as a drivers car. I enjoyed a trip out tremendously in one but have to say prefer an engine that pulls in low revs I loved the new plus 4 very much.

Best of luck in your search.

Christopher

I have a 1952 Flat Rad which for me as the driver is a little cramped. Passengers behind me have loads of room so I've had RTCC cut away a section of the seat runner and re-weld it at a different angle to still give the strength but allow the seat to go back another 2 inches. That and a slightly smaller diameter steering wheel has made a dramatic amount of difference.

My Series 4 is at the factory at the moment. It would seem that they made a number of changes to the seats, doors and pedals to accommodate height challenged folk compared to my series 3. So, I'm having the pedals repositioned a la series 3 and the drivers seat foam re done the same as the series 3, The doors I'm stuck with because the change also prevents the possibilty of damage to the body which apparently occurred on some series 3's.

While I realise the 4 seater is a practical solution for many, aesthetically it simply doesn't do it for me. The compact size and simplicity of the 4/4 sport are some of its main appeal. The antiquity of the design is something that both Morgan and Caterham struggle with - they were both designed in an era when people were smaller than they are now and when the norm was for most cars to be cramped. I had a Land Rover 90 and that had no space for the driver despite its overall size.

If you've driven a modern small sports car, Exige/Elise, Barchetta, Atom, they all have very different proportions to the morgan/caterham design with stubby bonnets and short overhangs but lots of interior space. Ingress and egress are hard in the Exige but at well over 6 foot I had the seat forward a notch for my ideal position.

I'm hoping that some changes can be made but I'm not going to compromise comfort for marque enthusiasm.

My Alfa SZ (the six headlight one known as Il Mostro - the monster - if you remember it) had a classic Italian driving position and was short on headroom but required arms six inches longer than mine to be comfortable. In my year of ownership I only did 2000 miles because although it was a great drive, the driving position was too flawed to really enjoy.

I'll let you all know how I get on at the factory.

Well, just back from Malvern which was charming and just a little bit scarily disorganised as always. Much head scratching and a general admission that in a RHD car where clutch knee wheel and transmission tunnel all have a detrimental effect on one another , there is little that can be done to liberate more space. The pedals can't be changed because the pivot point can't be moved.

The steering wheel is in its upmost position anyway and the seat, even with slimmed down foam doesn't give much extra space. Little benefit in mounting the seat solidly on the floor as it still sits on the rear spring hanger. No real way forward for me becuase it will always be too compromised. So until my old age when I start to shrink as all men do, I won't be a Morgan owner any time soon.

Andy

Andy that is sorry news indeed. Could they not talk you into a recent Aero 8?

Sad news indeed

have you spoken to Mike and Ben Duncan of The Hartlebury Garage, Kidderminster.

Both Mike and Ben are well over 6' 2" (not sure exactly) They would have some ideas. Also very nice people to.

01299 250025

Not one to give up easily (I must be the only person in Britain actively trying to buy a car if the papers are to be believed!) I spoke with the charming Steve Simmonds today who has the definite view that everything is possible its just a question of time and money...

He has a quick release mechanism for his new steering wheel which will make it much easier to get in and out plus he has different seats/mounting points and has modified dash and trim for people considerably bigger than me so it must be possible. He is building a completely bespoke car at the moment so if I get chance to go down to see him (wish I'd thought of it when I was at the factory this week) I'll pop in and see him. Still amazes me that Morgan don't see this opportunity which Bentley Mulliner and Aston Works Service make a fortune exploiting.

Not given up yet!!
Andy

Pleased to hear that you found Steve a useful contact Andy, he has a really 'can do' mentality so I'm sure he'll sort something out for you.

The car he is doing is a Series I with cut-away doors, etc, a la Trad, he wanted to do this with my Series I in 2002, but I baulked at the idea (going back to sidescreens on an Aero is not really an option ). I'm not sure that there is a huge market for such a conversion, as I'm sure that Series I prices have bottomed out and good ones must now start being collectable.

Andy,

a fellow tall morgan driver here. a friend of mine had similar problems to you as he's 6" 5 and size 13 shoes so was unable to work the pedals in his +8 but had the floor beneath the pedals removed and replaced with the modification that essentially he had a dip put in the floor (it looks like its been scooped out) so that the toes of his feet touch the pedals and he has some room. not sure who did the work for him but it certainly works.