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

I have a 2002 car with the Gems system. Very occasional engine light on and my OBD meter showed random intermittent misfire in the early days.General checks on plugs, leads, connections and all looked OK. The OBD was used to reset and remove the fault. I tried V-Power fuel and it has so far kept the fault away. I put the fuel in every couple of tank fills. It was bought with 28k miles and now on 66k.
I do 7k+ a year (except last year with <3k). This year will be back up.
Condition and maintenance are the key watch points.

Neil C............I have PM’d you.

I am rather interested in these expert +8 assessments, currently in two minds whether to sell mine or not, I have a stiffening knee on my clutch leg which I expect may not improve with the passage of time, but currently I can still get in and out of the Mog.

My old Mog is of mid 80`s vintage thus a 3.5 and fortunately for me carb fed and simple mechanicals, so none of that digital complication.. it has 33k miles on the clock and I am it`s 3rd owner I was told first owner bought it and after little use left it in storage where it lay for many years as he went to work abroad. In the late 90`s it was dragged out of storage by a renown Morgan restorer and subjected to a strip down and rebuild using stainless steel fixtures and fittings where ever possible. I have a series of pics of the rebuild procedures including stripping and repainting parts like the chassis, petrol tank, bulkhead, and all the bodywork in a colour change process, in two pack lacquer. The restorer used it for a while even did a trip to France and in his ownership was featured in an article in the Classic press on variations of the +8 over the years. He also made a fibreglass case to fit the rack and painted it to match the bodywork I bought it in 2002, with 8k (ish) miles on the clock... I was neither impressed nor put off by mileage, but as the restorer of many a sports car wreck, I knew quality work when I saw it. I never had sat in a Morgan before that point in time, and did not even wish to drive it till I had paid for it...But I knew I wanted it..(-:

First foreign trip in it was to France for LM 2002 and a bit of touring around Brittany and Normandy... then a year or so later, drove down to Southern Spain and on the return trip took in a bit of Portugal, a year or so later drove down into Italy as far as the Amalfi coast so suspect much of the mileage was done on rather lengthy trips, though not all of it as it has been out in the rain and snow here in Scotland, however such was the knowledge and care put into it`s rebuild in the late 90`s to ensure it`s longevity that it has suffered no real issues relative to corrosion, other than a few dots and spots of bulbing under the paint on it`s alloy bodywork. Strange as it may seem, I prefer the hand-built wings to Superform relative to my vintage craftsmanship ideals... Each to their own.. (-:

I laid it up myself when I started out on an epic extension rebuild, followed by updating all of the existing house and serious landscaping works, thus it languished in an unheated garage for a number of years, even though initially I kept it taxed and MOT`d just in case... but never used it thus eventually logic determined I just SORN the old thing, though during quiet spells in the build I fitted new king pins and bushes new tyres all round including the spare due to age, even though they had plenty of tread and showed no age related issues..... Having recently finished the build (as much as a self build might ever be finished) I put the old thing through an MOT, and have covered circa 200 miles as a shakedown process having changed all the fluids and cleaned and checked over the brake system, greased everything replaced exhaust rubber mountings, wipers and a couple of switches to get it road ready ...

Thus it would be indeed interesting to get a rough idea of whether you guys might think it had potential for fun or would be best avoided given it`s low mileage.... Oh and I forgot to mention when in 2002 I was taken out for the test drive by the then owner/restorer, second gear showed reluctance to engage quickly when dropping down from third.... did not bother me then and still does not bother me now, a bit of heel and toe to match the revs and in she goes.... One of it`s little ...err...foibles.... I have also gathered up spares over the years too, alternator, rear brake cyls, clutch cyl, and various odds`n sods just in case I needed them while touring..

Will try to past a pic or two to assist assessment, an honest opinion could be helpful.... Thanks in advance for any who care to comment.

In my opinion, avoiding miles is only an option if you want to sell her soon. Avoiding miles and keeping the car makes little sense to me. I think your story tells of a long-standing relationship with a car that you have always cared for and that you obviously love. If I were you I would drive the car now where everything is technically super ok. The added value of small miles has to be counted against the experiences you can have with the car. It is your decision. I would drive it as long as you can and as long as you are allowed to. Do not safe her for the next owner.

My last statement also refers to the fact that saving (in the sense of not driving her) does not pay off if the increase in value is counteracted by newer reasons. This is because it is perhaps no longer simply or cheaply allowed to drive in the future, at least not every days.. So, take her now, I would say and this way going, enjoy her.

And yes, as Richard writes below, I have somewhat overlooked the fact that you may not be able to enjoy driving for too many years. That's why I would enjoy it all the more as long as you can.

Luddite,

Firstly I am saddened to hear that you feel your Morgan days are drawing to a close on a medical basis. That in itself to me suggests that now is the very time that you should be enjoying as many miles in her as you can before that date arrives that you feel you have to part company.

This is a situation we will all have to face someday but until then enjoy your miles

Looking forward to the pictures of your car.

Many thanks for taking the time to reply chaps, much appreciated. I have no intention of not using my Morgan in order to avoid adding to it`s low mileage, the mileage is only low as the result of not having the time to use it given my much needed commitment to the building works while keeping the then day job going too...

It is very true that we have a lot of memories of Morgan adventures through Southern Europe and here at home thus it has earned it`s place in my garage, I guess that is why I kept the old thing rather than turning it into much needed cash when I started the building project all those years ago... hmm..?

On our last trip down to LM Classic and touring around a bit of France, the English part of the journey was horrendous I was very pleased we opted for my good lady wife`s car with auto transmission and air-con... given all the hold ups, road closures and diversions, England`s North to South road infrastructure was an overcrowded frustration....I suspect it would have been too hard going in the old Mog for me these days.. hmm..?

Will try to post some pics of my Mog... I have hundreds...

You will here a lot of nonsense about mileage. Many car components deteriorate with time rather than use. Others deteriorate with use and in particular with starts from cold, so a 10k miles car with 1000 starts will be more worn in some areas than a 40k mile car with 250 starts. ( I once knackered an engine of a car I had in store for 20 years by starting it up every month or two, but not driving it. ) Then there are bits that are mileage dependant like brakes and shocks.

In short, condition is everything in terms of future problem free use. But mileage does affect price

Howard, too true, CONDITION IS ALL, but people seem to be conditioned too.. (-: Whether folk wish to be in the low mileage is good camp, or high mileage is better camp is perhaps more about their willingness to adopt a specific sense of values.... ?

I suspect each vehicle has to be judged on it`s own merits, thus to be "reasonably confident" of buying a good one one has to educate one`s self as to all the possible...err...foibles of the marque over the years of production that may be considered... ie are cats thought to be an advantage or disadvantage, likewise the advantages or disadvantages of EFI or digitaly controlled systems etc... Acquiring education as to the Marque, model and your desires/requirements of it would seem to have potential to avoid disappointment..?

Richard, sorry seem to be failing to manage to post pics today using the same process as I did for the LM ones a day or so ago.... But then I am a Luddite after all so my digital capability is somewhat limited...

I agree re age related issues. So many Morgans are several years old so are “old” cars. Rubber/ wiring etc deteriorates with age irrespective of mileage. On my 1993 I went through the fuel system when replacing the pump that was failing. It was a decision to do a fuller job due to the car age, flushing tank, replacing flexible pipes, extra fitter to protect the new pump, new engine-side filter, flush with cleaning additives in petrol for 1k miles.
On my current car, 2002Plus8, I have checked the front under wing wiring. Corroded bullet connectors replaced with spades and sealed. The insulation on the wires looked good (no brittleness or cracking). The area is a harsh one due to water off the tyres.
I am about to replace the front discs so other tidying up/jobs will be added. New fluid, possible braided pipes, general clean up. I use EBC Greenstuff pads and bought two sets last time I changed them in readiness (saved on postage!).

Interestingly I had similar issues with the rear lighting on my 02 +8 with a couple of rear light problems. A combination of my own tendency to overthink stuff and my late Dad's adage of "There is no such thing as unreliability, if something fails once that does not make it unreliable, if it fails twice that means that you did not fix it properly the first time". Led me to look into alternatives ranging from wiring in the lights directly, to chosing better connectors. For the latter I came to the conclusion that Superseals fitted with boots would be the best solution albeit rather bulky. I told the chap who looks after my Morgan that I was going to spend a few weeks doing this and he looked at me as if I was insane. Why don't you just clean them and cover with dialectic grease* says he. Which I did and have had no issues since. Which reminds me that I need to do this again this year but I will treat myself to the correct bullet connector separator this time.

Apologies to Neil or thread drift.

*I actually used the Land Rover owners second best friend Corrosion Block