Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Morgan Development

The other day I drove from Seattle to Ashland, Oregon over 500 miles (7+ hours) in My Jeep SUV which is very well appointed (Leather seats etc.) I notice by the time I arrived I was just as tired as if I had driven My +8. I must admit, My +8 has some features that are a bit improved. Such as Roadster seats which give better support and more leg room. Suplex Kit (but I must admit I run with no front dampers (don't ask, it works just fine). This is a motorway experience, very boring. Speed limit is 65MPH. I can fudge to 70 but not more. But as the speed is low I can relax. While in Ashland I drove My friends Porshe Boxter. I liked it, but don't think it would have been any more comfortable than My +8. It was more agile however.

Button

Until the late 20th century Morgans attitude to development was "Oh! that supplier has stopped making that bit , we'll have to see where we can get something to replace it ( ie the move from lever arm rear shocks to telescopic is a fine example)

Then there was the dreaded EEC legislation , which in my humble opinion may have improved road safety but was primarily designed to generate business .I like to believe in the old maxim " If it aint broke, don't fix it"As someone has already stated Traditional Morgans Evolve

I find it very hard to understand why Morgan Owners/Enthusiasts would compare a Morgan with a Modern Porsche , Jaguar, or any other car which is at the forefront of technology , if that's what you want why buy a Morgan?
Please follow this link from a 1995 Independent newspaper article , I think this guy nails it INDEPENDANT ( HARVEY JONES HA HA HA )

Over the span of 26 years of Morgan Ownership I think the 3 most important things the factory has introduced to the Traditional Car build is
1. Cuprinolling the frame
2. Galvanizing the Chassis
3. Making the scuttle out of stainless steel

All these things prolong the rebuild , because Morgans don't die they get rebuilt .

Finally while the thought of an aluminum chassis initially appealed to me , I now think it would be too rigid, there's nowt better than a car that bends around the corner at speed.

Two of the most important developments you mention are being replaced by something which is a debatable improvement.
Scuttle to be made from Aluminium and Galv chassis to be discontinued.

Peter

The scuttle remains stainless....it's only alloy on the ARP4

That is brilliant news for the future. A stainless scuttle is virtually bomb proof (from a corrosion perspective). If I was lucky enough to have an ARP4 I would keep a very close eye on the base of scuttle where it is joined to the steel chassis and is exposed to road spray.

In a small car lightweight assists in many ways but a steel chassis is more resilient as well as cheaper, I would tend to stay with that. The after market leads the way just as Morgan were inspired by the Simmonds hood as we have seen and the Suplex suspension is clearly superior despite using the trad arrangement.

Of all the needs of the trad the rear suspension is the most in need of improvement, my 4 seater is really not very good, I have now added a panhard rod and spacer blocks to move the axle back a smidgen, anti tramps bars are possible and I like the idea of the Norwegian air suspension so Morgan can upgrade the back end it would improve the car and lose nothing of the appeal.

The other issue is accessibility of the battery and the ability to fuel more easily, in fact on the 4 seater even the new ones lose the opportunity to have more rear knee room because the filler pipe is in the way so a bit more evolution required methinks.