Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) how real world useable is an old style plus 8

My '69 +8 is great fun on a tour. It's more comfortable than many things I've done and storage space is adequate for the spare parts required for a week long trip. Weather protection is excellent unless it rains. So just do it.

As to being past the age of roughing it, I'll have to wait and see on that, I'm only 65.

allow me to throw in my 2 penneth, although ive only owned Boris for 2 years,ive clocked up 20k in the warmer climes of Dubai, drive it in the "cooler" months Otober to May so similar temps to southern European summer. I have a 2010 3.0l Roadster which is a superb car for the type of driving your talking about Im 6' 3" plenty of room and an absolute delight to drive. I drove the 3,7 Roadster, didn't like it at all, felt a lot heavier, less room due to the size of transmission tunnel and truly awful dash layout ang OMG power steering!!!
If you can find a 3.0l try it.

have fun

My wife says the Plus 8 is comfortable! That must be a good recommendation.
Certainly on a long French trip recently I heard no complaints from her. And that included a couple of days driving in torrential rain and coping with more limited luggage space than usual.
Mid twenties mpg is typical on longer jaunts too.
Servicing is easy, as you seem to be aware of.
That V8 sound is hard to beat.
All in all I'm very sad that I don't have room to hang on to mine!

Love your sense of humour!

I'm with SBM on this! You'll find it difficult to get in and out, uncomfortable ride, crude handling....particularly compared to your crop of cars and draughty and wet. You'll enjoy the engine and lack of modern ECUs.

It would be great though to stand in the bar in Much Markle with our cars lined up outside and buy you a pint!

Better book a room for that night Howard!!

Howard

I have now covered 54,000 miles in our 1999 +8. All of them have been thoroughly enjoyable , it is a car that will always bring a smile to your face every time you use it.

That V8 soundtrack is incomparable, the instant torque will give you the thump in the back whenever you need it, and it is incredibly relaxing to cruise in all day long.

I have an Allon White Speedifit hood which cured most of the wet issues, everything else is just as per any Morgan, quirky, sometimes slightly frustrating, but always incredibly rewarding.

It can be a handful to drive ON THE LIMIT , especially in the wet, but unless you are on a track that doesn't normally apply. It is really quite docile at normal road speeds in the UK , or even in Germany on unrestricted roads. A Suplex 5L rear end treatment will certainly help tame the rear end IF you are concerned about rear end breakaway in extreme circumstances.

I would advise a long door car with 14CUX fuel injection. The later Lucas SAGEM (or GEMS) cars are more complex and tricky with greater electronics. If you really want analogue then go back a few years to carbs , but be prepared to accept much higher fuel consumption.

I bet Howard is not a Mog-man.
He will stick with Fezzas, Porkers or similar stuff.

Howard, if you buy a Morgan, keep it for a year and put more than 4,000 miles on it I'll buy you a pint of cider whenever we meet in perpetuity!

Well that's it the gauntlet is down now Tim ..

I'm pretty sure Hannes has it sussed out though .