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

Hi all,
I'm in the process of deciding how to spec a new Plus4 and am in doubt whether to choose the aircon or not.
The search function on here gives some results, but these vary from people happy with it (after some modification) and statements that it's no use in a morgan.

I intend to do some touring in France in summer, but will mostly use it in cooler conditions. Most of the time I'll be driving it open, but in The Netherlands it rains as frequently as in th UK, so closed driving will also be the case every now and then.
I haven't bought a car without aircon since 1995. Feels strange to buy new without it.

Any tips about usefullness of the Morgan aircon are welcome.

Best regards,
Thomas

I cant comment on a Morgan since I dont have one. But on the Lotus I found the aircon very useful, mostly in wet weather with the hood up. A small confined cockpit meant that if you got into the car with rain on your clothes the windows steamed up dreadfully and the aircon was needed to clear it.

The other use was in really hot weather when it became unpleasant to drive with the roof off. Then it was roof on and aircon.

Aircon is good in the summer if you intend to drive with the hood up shielding from the sun. Otherwise you don't need it because you drive with the hood down.

Aircon is equally good in the winter if you drive with the hood up, keeping the screen/rear/sidescreens clear. If you are a winter hood down person then you don't need it.

I have Aircon on both my morgans as it came as standard, however if I was buying a new plus 4 I wouldn't bother.

Thumbs up from me, aircon is great in a two seater, my smart Roadster suffers misting even in the summer when the aircon is kaput, especially when you get the very humid thunderous weather.

Fortunately the Roadster I have has the heated windscreen

I had AC on my 3.7 Roadster and found it useful with the hood up in the summer. For short intervals it worked fine but was lacking cooling power for constant use. The AC on the Plus 8 has much more sustainable cooling power by comparison.

I have it on my Plus 8...
Reasons for:
1. It is a powerful de-mister and dehumidifier when the hood is up.
2. It keeps feet and legs cool in summer.

Reasons against:
1. It isn't climate control, so not really controllable, it is either on or off.
2. MMC charge a lot for it.

Tend to agree with Martin (Deano), but it all depends on how much wet spring/summer/autumn driving you will do hood up.

I'd have it on an Aero (significant engine heat soak through bulkhead and transmission tunnel, so useful to cool cabin) but I'd not bother on a trad (where the front screen has heated elements for de-misting, which is why you would otherwise need it in UK-like weather).

Of course, if you intend to tour in Southern Europe, then I would have it.

got very hot driving the Italian road near the lakes last summer in the Roadster but it was 38c.
Otherwise I can't imagine needing it.
Yes it mists up in the wet with the hood up but the heated screen solves that.

The heater and heated screen work fine for me here in the UK. On a run last month it was about 5 degrees and windy. Hood up and heater on moderate was great... was happy! The ultimate decider! Never had hot weather issues yet so not tried hood and no sidescreens test.
I wouldn't pay the ££££ for aircon in the Morgan as our weather extremes are not bad enough.

We have aircon on the Plus 4 and would not be without it. In the heat of summer we use it even with the hood down but when the sun gets really too hot we put the hood up. The air intake needs to be better isolated from engine heat but this is a job you could insist that the dealer or the factory does as part of the deal. I can send you photos of what I have done.

Order it and you won't regret it.