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

I'll grab a mini bottle of bubblebath from the hotel we are staying at so we are ready for the next downpour - perhaps it will shampoo the carpets at the same time?!

Next conversion - add scuppers and a bilge pump. A keel and radar would have been handy as well.

I would imagine that the Simmonds hoods are designed to replace the old style hood, and cannot be mounted on a car with fittings for the new version?

The "new-style" Morgan hood looks and performs very well. However, owing to the design, it is impossible to keep it looking good when finished in mohair. If the roof is kept down for long periods the fabric is damaged by chafing against the hood frame and against itself, producing whiteish marks. When the roof is up, the front edge catches the worst of the road spray which eventually discolours the fabric (no doubt this would happen to a Simmonds hood as well).

The bonnet-style catches used to retain the rear of the roof are also poorly thought out. They are greased at service time which transfers to the tonneau as it hooks around the catches. When the tonneau is folded for storage the grease transfers to the top of the tonneau leaving black marks.

Simmonds are developing after-market over-centre catches to replace the bonnet-style catches whilst retaining the original Morgan hood.

Personally, I think the absence of a rigid frame to the edge of roof on the Simmonds frame must make access to the car a lot more comfortable as I'm constantly catching my head on the Morgan frame. Despite this, there's no way I'd pay to replace the factory hood with a Simmonds one, although I wouldn't specify mohair on the factory hood.

A watch point on the Simmonds over centre catches is that they intrude into the luggage space quite a lot (or more accurately, opening / closing them is tricky when the rear-shelf is full)

We were in the same Monsoon as Paul having just raised our 2007 model mohair hood in less than a minute and smart it does look when its up.

The only thing to spring a slight leak that day, was the heater?? Switched off as well. a sympathy leak.

Well I'll stick up for Steve Simmonds, my car was new to him without the hood and it was fitted then, at the mog noggin on Monday night I was with a group who all opinion that the Simmonds hood is still better than the factory version, for a 4 seater that is surely true, pays 'yer money takes 'yer choice!

Chris444

With reference to Paul above I would suggest that contact with the landy crowd be made, given the rainfall we have had this er - rainy/monsoon season then a snorkel might come in handy and in order to see whilst submerged a periscope as well, replace radar sensors with sonar and we might have a Morgan adapted to the weather, any attempt to seal the car is simply doomed to failure Simmonds hood or not.

Chris I take it that you arranged with the factory to supply your car without a hood. This is my plan if I decide upon a Simmonds and if it's possible to do it.

I have to admit that I'm impressed with the video presentations of the hood and tonneau on the Simmonds web site. The general appearance of the hood and fittings looks to be of very good quality.

As the car will be a belated 60th birthday present to myself I'm prepared to pay for extra quality. The car will have to last me a good few years, probably until I'm a doddery menace on the roads.

No, not me, first owner did so - according to Steve Simmonds and I suppose he should know, car was new in 1999. Hood has worked well in 10 yrs but steve says he makes them better these days but that is to be expected after 10 yrs of production, hood is black mohair, I have a Librands rack and steve recently made a cover for american tourista suitcase and a boat bag - special oval shape trimmed green piping all looks well together

Chris

PS happy 60th and please be a fast doddery menace in case I come up behind!

Good point. Not much good if you want to use Hillsalive purpose-made luggage. I also see from the videos that the tonneau is used over a hood envelope which will extend the time to get the roof up in the event of a sudden shower.