Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) +8 power

Can any one give me some idea to the difference in power between +8 and +4 is it really worth me changing just for the extra speed

If you are looking purely in terms of power and torque then it is a no-brainer.

The +8 is a Vee8 which in its largest capacity version was 4.6 litres and according to at least one source developed 218bhp and 300 ft/lb of torque.

The +4 ( unless I've lost the plot and you are referring to the 'old' TR engined car or the more recent but now discontinued Rover -engined versions?) is a four cylinder, two litre Ford Duratec engine which in its Morgan version is claimed to give out 145 Bhp @ 6000 rpm with max torque being 162 Nm (119lb/ft) @ 4600 rpm

(MMC have stated that the limited edition Supersport version +4 will develop in the region of 200BHP but it is still by the very nature and size of its powerplant not going to give the torque of the 'eight'

A much better comparison with the +8 is that of the Vee6 engined Roadster, for which MMC claim (223 Bhp @ 6250rpm with max torque being 187 Nm (140lb/ft) @ 4500 rpm

HTH
G
PS There is also the small- but important -issue that it's a Vee 8, so it's the DBs as far as sound is concerned!! The downside is that at the moment, the prices being asked for any halfway decent car are, to my way of thinking at least, OTT and a lot of sellers really do seem to have an inflated view of what very ordinary examples will command.

Just try one booty and you'll understand. The Rover V8 can run smoothly at 750rpm in top gear, and pull all the way from there.
That was my party trick in my MGBV8. It drives like an auto.
But as G has said - prices are barmy at present.

they do seem barmy, but a well looked after one will surely only increase. I see an Aeromax with less than 3,000 miles for sale in the Sunday Times for sub £100K. Is that a first? Tim

Cheltenham? Where thee be?
I'm in Hatherley...

V8 - beaut of an engine (though I had a habit of removing them from my Land Rovers and fitting a large Jap diesel... )

Cheers,

DaveW: do you mean barmy as in expensive or cheap?

As in expensive, Peter.
However, right now, there appear to be one or two at more reasonable levels...

-and of course, having parked next to Tim's car at St Saturnin a couple of years ago, I can confirm that it is one of the best ones I have seen- and certainly has the loudest exhaust!!

Regards,
G

There are conflicting trends afoot as we speak. Plus8 prices firmed up in the run up to the Centenary, no doubt about that, my spreadsheet shows the trends. And whereas from 2004 there were usually around ten for sale at any time, post Centenary this dwindled to only one or two. I speculate that owners were hanging on as an investment, and the lack of cars for sale increased asking prices, so the trend generally has been upwards. There are two for sale at present at over £40k, one at Lifes which is just over, and the Pistonheads car at £49500. There is also a couple of very early cars at circ £50k, but early cars fall outside mainstream trends. Plus 8's rarely drop below £25k, and there is little doubt that prices will stay strong, simply because the Plus8 may be described (by some) as the definitive Morgan. At the same time, some Aero8 prices have fallen into the £30+k zone, so overlap top end Plus8 prices - but with different customer appeal. At the bottom end the 4/4 Sport offers a great alternative to an older Plus8 for a similar price, and there are many who would prefer a new or newer car.......... And so on.

There's no sense in any of this, and thankfully we all seek different things from our Morgans, so if you have between £25k and £50k to spend, you can buy pretty much any Morgan, trading age against "performance". The only Mogs out of reach is the AeroIII/IV, Max and SS in that price band.

Bloody hell Dave, I thought my lawyer's mind was organised and that I'd covered every angle re +8 prices but I now feel totally defeated. Spreadsheets, huh?
I've got no chance!
Regards,
G