Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 RedThree Bites the Dust

Just spotted this, I’m feeling heart sorry for you Calum, but you’ve also been very fortunate, it could have been much worse, so glad you’re okay.
Ironic that after all the twisty, bumpy and blind roads we both use, you manage to chuck it off the black bit on what should be, the safest of all our roads, another good reason to avoid motorways.

You’re welcome to borrow my tractor lawnmower, it’s not as fast as red3, but the grip on the grass is awesome!

Very good to read you were not injured.

This might cheer you up, Saturday was a scorcher in Peterhead, while you were spinning in the rain I had a barbecue.
When I said “ it could have been so much worse” you could have come to my barbecue, now that really was life threatening.
This is the actual appliance in action, needless to say, my culinary skills are somewhat lacking!

WOW, glad you're ok Calum. I'm sure Red 3 will rise again in due course.

On your recommendation I fitted the Michelin Cross Climate to the rear over winter and at the Curborough taster day during the morning wet sessions the rear grip was very good but it just showed up how poor the Blockleys are in the wet.

I had very little or no steering at all at times.

Being able to find the limits in a safe environment was priceless.

I am now super cautious in the wet.

Hope you get back on the road very soon.

A friend of mine fitted Blockleys on his Jaguar XK140. He took them off after only a few miles.

His two issues were high noise levels and poor wet weather grip. He found the car would suddenly "let go"
He now has Michelins fitted.

I'm sure there will be other contradictory findings, but I'm reporting what I know.

Bad weather for Mtw in this spring Time
Expected you can go quickly on the road again

I would agree with the pull on the car.

I nearly had the mother of all accidents in our M3W. Much deeper than expected puddle on the kerbside at the bottom of a dip in the road. Oncoming lorry meant that where I would normally go around the puddle I had to go through it, and the car pulled round in one hit. Straight up and onto the verge, opposite lock and managed to bring it back. How I didn't hit the fence, hedge/roots or over correct and spear across the road I have no idea. A bit of skill and an awful lot of luck. I certainly wouldn't fancy my chances if it happened again. This was on the factory Avons with good tread.

I certainly take even greater care with standing water & the M3W than I used to, and I was already careful to start with.

Just seen this and very happy to hear you survived without injury Calum

I know from my experience of trying to race or hillclimb in the wet, and at times very wet conditions, just how scary these M3W’s can be. They just want to go sideways whenever you tickle the accelerator and braking can be a heart in the mouth experience. Thankfully I’ve never aquaplaned and hope I never do.

I do have Spax adjustables fitted and have found that backing the rear shocks off to the softest setting really helps with traction in the wet. It feels ok in the dry too, so maybe a good setting for general road use for those folk who have them fitted

+1 Austin

Lauren’s asked about my tires and their condition when my incident occurred. The fronts were Excelsior and were fairly new, the pattern is very similar to Blockleys.
I feel the rear tire was the real issue. It was a Michelin and was on the last half of it’s useful life. It just could not deal with that volume of water. I currently run a
Pirellie (sp) which is highly rated for non-aqua planning.
Our speed was probably about 60 mph. We were behind a semi tractor trailer truck which was throwing up huge clouds of spray and I pulled out to pass the truck. In retrospect, there was probably less water in the road way behind the truck but with a wheel in the middle of the track, who knows?
I think I was ahead of the truck when we spun out but I really have no clue. I do know that it is likely no one saw us because no-one stopped to check on us. We stood under a tree in the rain until a AAA tow truck with a long cable pulled us back onto the road.
When we spun, my thought was “trip over”!