7 members (nick w, MogOnTheMove, petebishop, High Hamster, Dek, Sloany, AlyMatt),
301
guests, and
38
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums34
Topics48,341
Posts812,996
Members9,208
|
Most Online1,046 Aug 24th, 2023
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 114
L - Learner Plates On
|
OP
L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 114 |
My missus asked me why the endurance-rally-prepared Maxi and Morris 1800 we saw at teh weekend had big rubber flaps sticking out from the front bumper. I didn't know - do any of you chaps?
Neil 1988 Morgan 4/4 4 Seater, black 1996 LR Defender 110, white 2009 Honda Deauville, black
|
|
|
|
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 453
Learner Plates Off!
|
Learner Plates Off!
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 453 |
H3
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 114
L - Learner Plates On
|
OP
L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 114 |
Well yeah - they look like mud flaps - but mud flaps are usually to stop mud (and stones) flicking backwards up onto the bodywork under forward motion. It seems that these flaps would catch any flying debris and direct it up towards the lights! They don't seem to protect what I would consider to be fragile - lights and radiator - or the sump or steering.
Neil 1988 Morgan 4/4 4 Seater, black 1996 LR Defender 110, white 2009 Honda Deauville, black
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363
Talk Morgan Guru
|
Talk Morgan Guru
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363 |
These sort of flaps are quite common on rally cars in Africa, as many of the laterite soil (murram in East Africa) roads are comprised on a mixture of graded earth and sand with, an often generous, mixture of small stones. Radiators are normally protected with an additional mesh, but headlights and especially windscreens are especially vulnerable, especially when two cars pass. If not regularly graded the roads develop a washboard surface, but that is another story. Time to head off for a sundowner now...
Brian
1970 Morgan Plus 8 - Moss Box (Indigo Blue) 2014 Morgan SP1 (Rocket Red) 2015 Morgan Plus 8 (Rocket Blue)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 290
Learner Plates Off!
|
Learner Plates Off!
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 290 |
wouldn't protect the rad as it's positioned along the inner wing like a Mini
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 851
Talk Morgan Regular
|
Talk Morgan Regular
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 851 |
The simple answer to the problem is :
They serve to act as conventional mud flaps when going in REVERSE.
so simple really?
Usually found on Italian rally cars I believe as rumour has it!
If you are doing nothing, how do you know when you are finished?
|
|
|
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 39
Just Getting Started
|
Just Getting Started
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 39 |
Almost correct Rubymorgan, I used to do rally driving (in my previous life) and recall we had to put these "front mud guards" on, mainly for the high speed mudroads. You might have noticed that when driving at high speed through a mud pool, the mud splashes as much to the front as to the back (actually to all directions). The mudflaps kept the lights clear of mud. And btw not only on Italian rally cars;
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363
Talk Morgan Guru
|
Talk Morgan Guru
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 7,363 |
And btw not only on Italian rally cars; I think that Ruby may have been referring to the 1-forward and 4-reverse gears that certain camouflaged vehicles in Italy were reputed to have!
Brian
1970 Morgan Plus 8 - Moss Box (Indigo Blue) 2014 Morgan SP1 (Rocket Red) 2015 Morgan Plus 8 (Rocket Blue)
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,190
South Wales Correspondent Talk Morgan Expert
|
South Wales Correspondent Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,190 |
And btw not only on Italian rally cars; I'd go with that- also quite useful on some well known Welsh rally stages G
GLLHG
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 114
L - Learner Plates On
|
OP
L - Learner Plates On
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 114 |
I like Midas' explanation - it makes sense. And I should have thought it about really from the mess I make of my Land Rover when I tackle the mud runs:
Neil 1988 Morgan 4/4 4 Seater, black 1996 LR Defender 110, white 2009 Honda Deauville, black
|
|
|
|
|