Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Will I fit?

I've got a strong desire for a 4/4 Sport for low mileage daily use (10,000 km pa) but am 6'5" 17.5 stone and not sure if I'll fit and be able to drive with comfort? I know the obvious answer is try but I'm a long way from a dealer although do hope to take a test drive later this month.

Whilst it might seem like sacrilege I'm also keen to know whether I will fit with the roof up as where I live the weather is pretty poor.

Finally, what are your thoughts on the old style roof on the 4/4 Sport vs the newer 'Easyfit' types, how long does the 4/4's roof take to put up?

Thanks for your help.

Let's hope you do Mark!

I am sure some of our trad experts will be able to advise.

As a five foot-eight shorta*rse, I'm not well qualified to answer the 'will I fit' question. Having said that if you can fit an MGB Roadster, you'll probably be OK. Footwell length is good, but if your body is long you'll be looking at (or over) the top of the screen. You'll find it better with the seat well reclined. Getting in and out with the hood up is far from elegant even at my height.........

I'm a big fan of the latest hood, over the original, and I think it looks better when down, because it's still there if you understand what I mean. Late spec 4/4's prior to the Sport have the easyfit hood, and a handful also had the Sigma engine as far as I recall.

You really need to try one for size. Which is your nearest dealer?

if you are nor near a dealer, why not gatecrash a local noggin, I'm sure someone would let you try for size

Mark,
We've been kicking this 'tall drivers' thing about in a jokey way recently see the :
Re: Door Mirrors - Round or Rectangular? thread and some of the discussions there.

I'm only a 6'3" short*rse and I don't have any real problem.

I have dropped the seat in my 4/4 by removing the blocks under the runners This wasn't a leg room thing, merely to decrease wind buffeting over the top of the screen, although it has, of course, improved headroom with the hood up which is a useful because my part of the world can be pretty wet at times too.

If you do want re-assurance you might want to take a look at this:
http://www.morgans4sale.co.uk/md54fram.htm

and click on 'Roadster'
The guys in the photo are Mike and Ben Duncan and as other people on this site will testify they are both about 6.5" and manage perfectly well.

I don't know where you're located but if you are anywhere near the Midlands, go along to their place ( Hartlebury, nr Worcester/Kidderminster) and get some re-assurance

Just to clarify, my only link with Mike and Ben is as a satisfied customer. I'm sure most other dealers would be similarly helpful ( if not as tall!)
Regards
G
PS . On a first drive, you might find the closeness of the pedals more off-putting than anything else. Don't worry, it soon becomes natural ( ish)

Mark,
at a 5 ft 11 in I can't comment on the height. You can get a 4 seater windscreen which is taller.

However I am well built (too much liquid bread as they say in Bavaria) so I have a Mota Lita steering wheel with a shorter bottom spoke which gives gut clearance.

If you are near Bucks you are welcome to sit in mine
John

GLLHG has done a superb job of answering the question.

I too am 6'3" and while I don't own a classic Morgan (yet!), I have sat in a 4/4 Sport and had the pleasure of an outing in Easter's Sport. My head sat a little proud of the screen and I'd be inclined to drop the seat to decrease buffeting (again, as per GLLHG's comments).

As for you weight, I'd 15 stone and while I found the cabin more snug than the Aero, it wasn't uncomfortable and would merely necessitate a slightly altered driving style (elbow out the top of the door!)

Are you geographically close to any dealers?

Hello Mark,
I own a 4/4 Sports since a few weeks. I don't think your stature will be much of a problem. But than, you anyway want to test drive the car before you decide to buy it.

Even so I am just shy of 6 feet, I have rather long legs. I find the leg room in the 4/4 comfortable enough, but the steering wheel (the standard type ex-works) has to in the upper-most position to avoid permanent contact to my knees.

Mark,
Wilhelm and John +4 make an excellent point about the standard steering wheel.
I replaced my standard item with a thinner- rimmed wooden wheel from Moto-Lita but another very popular solution is to fit an offset wheel- Quite a lot of TMers have done this.

Steve Simmonds offers these as do several other specialists ( Moto-Lita as John says)

I can only echo John +4's offer- if you're anywhere near South Wales then you're welcome to sit in mine ( 2000, 4/4 lowline)- you can even dig away the very large pile of snow in front of my garage if you like!!

regards,
G

Thanks for the replies. I'm in Poland so nearest dealers are in Germany. I'll be travelling to the UK at the end of the month, landing in to Luton most likely, and plan a test drive at Allon White. Thereafter I'll be heading up to East Yorkshire (Beverley area) and then to Cumbria (Keswick). If anyone is in those areas it'd be good to meet or I could swing by the Midlands.

It would be great to hire a Morgan for the trip as at the end I'd surely know whether I could live with one but the cost seems prohibitive.

I've had a chat with John at Allon White and he thought they could gain an inch or so through lowering the seat and using thinner padding. He also mentioned its possible to move the rear bulkhead back a couple of inches but this costs ca GBP 900. Why don't Morgan think to do this to the stock car and widen their customer base?