Wales
by Joske Vermeule, September 1
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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Jun 2013
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Has a lot to Say!
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OP
Has a lot to Say!
Joined: Jun 2013
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I drove back from Toulouse on Friday in blazing heat. I should have put the hood up - I now have burned wrists.
Today, having raised the tyre pressures to 1.9 bar (about 27.5psi) I went for a drive on my standard mountain route, which takes about an hour and a quarter.
The tyre pressure change worked very well. On the factory-recommended settings, the car was fine on the autoroute but felt sluggish and indecisive on B-roads.
It is amazing how much one can do (to make things better or worse) just by fiddling with tyre pressures. I think the Contis are OK but I look forward to wearing them out and replacing them with Vredesteins. I am not sure that there will be much difference in grip except on wet roads (which is not generally my problem) but I think there should be more feel.
I enjoyed the drive today. The car was fun, easier on that demanding route than the M3W had been, but of course quite a lot more difficult than a modern car like my Honda Civic.
So far I think there is a good chance that I have got exactly what I was looking for - a sort of vintage driving experience combined with modern reliability.
The only negative points are things I already knew about. It is impossible to do "heel-and-toe" gearchanges; the pedals on the M3W are far superior in this respect. There is nowhere to rest the clutch foot comfortably, but in this the 4/4 is better than the M3W. The steering is rather weird, especially in tight turns at low speeds, though overall the handling is surprisingly good - far better than the Morgans I drove 30 or 40 years ago.
Oh, and I keep looking for the RECIRC button when I find myself behind a smoky diesel.
By the way, who needs doors? With sidescreens removed, I find it is easier to get in and out without using them, as in a single-seater racing car or the M3W.
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Joined: Jul 2007
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JohnV6
2022 CX Plus Four
2025 Renault Scenic Alpine etech "Yvette"
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Joined: May 2014
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Black Rat Charter Member
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Black Rat Charter Member
Joined: May 2014
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Continue to have fun but be wary of putting so much air in the Contis especially if it rains. I would have thought 22-24 is a good compromise.
Keith
2013 narrow bodied + 4 Ruby.
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Joined: Jan 2012
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Keep smiling and enjoying.
Richard
1976 4/4 4 Seater
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All you need to do now Peter, is strip off that windscreen and fit a pair of aero screens!
Jays
Former Morgan owner. Gone but hopefully not forgotten!
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Joined: Oct 2011
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Talk Morgan Addict
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Talk Morgan Addict
Joined: Oct 2011
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"I now have burned wrists."
I seem to recall you had the same problem when you picked up the Three Wheeler didn't you Peter?
I had the same problem trying to heel and toe with my Plus 4 and found the brake pedal too low when depressed, so as a temporary solution I screwed a larger pedal cover on the accelerator, so that I can at least get the edge of my foot on it, but I need to raise the pressure point on the brake or lower the accelerator somehow.
Nice first impressions, I wonder how long you will be able to hold off on some upgrades?
Paul
[At last, I have a car I can polish]
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Has a lot to Say!
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Re the wrists, yes, I should have learned from last year. The journey started off pleasantly overcast, ideal top-down driving conditions and around Montpellier (almost halfway) there was even some light rain. Then I was a bit late in responding when the sun came out and did not realize until too late that I was being grilled to a crisp.
For my drive this morning, with the temperature in the high 20s Celsius, I wore a lightweight long-sleeved polo neck and gloves and a cap. It was hot but I was not burned.
Which upgrades do you suggest, Paul?
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Joined: Sep 2011
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To each their own of course, and you have different tyres to mine, but you might find 1.7 bar gives you a better compromise between feel and ride. 1.9 bar would, I think, give a fairly harsh ride.
I agree that the car does feel squirmy with the factory recommended 1.5 bar.
Regarding steering: if it feels a bit weird you may need to get toe-in and camber checked. There are several opinions on what this should be on a 4 wheeled Morgan. I have had two knowledgeable people suggest 0º toe-in, and one suggest 0º camber and the other 1º camber.
Peter ![[Linked Image]](http://bradley.it/public_images/drive.jpg)
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 149
L - Learner Plates On
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L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 149 |
Glad you're enjoying the new 4/4. 22 psi works well for me and I'd recommend the addition of brake reaction bars as an inexpensive way of 'firming up' the front end. Wait 'til the engine frees up a bit too and you can make more enjoyable progress.
Norfolk Phil
2014 Sport Blue 4/4
1959 Frogeye Sprite
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Has a lot to Say!
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Has a lot to Say!
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Posts: 1,461 |
I have the brake reaction bars and Suplex front-end kit, also the Panhard rod.
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