Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Plea for help - 4/4 measuring assistance

I have a small request to make, chaps.

For reasons best known to MMC, when they built my car back in 1986 they cut the wings extraordinarily tight to the body - so much so that the tyres actually stick out further than the wings at the rear. Only by a few mm, but it's annoyed me for the last 17 years or so.

I'm currently planning to replace the wings, so now's my chance to get it right. Could I therefore possibly ask any of you trad owners to have a look at your cars and tell me how much your rear wings overhang the tyres?

The easiest way to take the mreasurement is to hang a length of weighted string from the top centre of the wing, and then just use a ruler to measure the distance from the string to the fattest part of the tyre. I don't mind if you use imperial or metric units. I don't think it will matter what width tyres you have, it's not the overall wing width I'm interested, just the overhang.

I reckon it should be around 12 - 18mm or so. I want to get the wings far enough out to reduce spray in heavy rain, but not so far as the tyres look lost in the arches. I reckon if I take the average of all your measurements I'll be about right.

TIA

Tim,
I had a quick look at the rear wings on my Plus 4 and the tyres fill the available space with no real discernible over hang. Perhaps it is different on a 4/4 but they look just fine.
Sorry, this is of no real help to you.

Au contraire, mon ami! We now have our first data point - an overhang of Zero.

It might well be that I'm expecting the overhang to be larger than it is or needs to be, but as mine are around -5mm I want it to be at least zero or positive!

Many thanks

Not a lot on my narrow body +4 about 1/8" at rear and 3/8" at front Tim

Legally you are allowed 40 mm outside of the wing but no more than 25 mm should be tread.

On my 1986 4/4 still has original rear wings I placed a yard stick stuck fast against the tyre and ground about 12mm give or take a mm. ( both sides )

Using a plumbline as suggested, the gap to the sidewall (185/70) is 3mm all round, except that the rear nearside is 4mm. It actually looks less than that but my string is furry.

Also when sticking the tape measure over the tyre, the distance between the inner wing panel (wood), and the outer edge of the rear wing, is 206.3mm (10&3/8") Offside, and 206mm (10&1/4") nearside.
However, the 1986 inner wings may be different because the body tub dimensions changed in 1997, when it was made wider.

Wheel arches reduced by 25mm in 1997.

I wonder if Tim's car has a "bit" of 1996 and 1997.....???

Totally flush on my Plus4 Gdi. Looks just right in my humble opinion.

Tim
On my 4/4 it's 5mm at the back and 7mm at the front.