Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing A Better Afternoon

Yesterday I posted a thread about what a disappointing morning I’d had trying to fit my luggage rack.

I spent some time looking at the responses and in particular whether the spare wheel had slipped down, and that in any event some fettling will be needed to make the rack fit.

I looked at the spare wheel and it hadn’t moved BUT I did notice that there is quite a big gap between the Cobra light and the spare. Plus the wheel was not central in the hole, it was much nearer at the bottom than the top. It was however correctly located in the spindle.

Checked out other photos and definitely other cars spare wheels are sat higher and nearer to the Cobra light than mine.

Removed the wheel and noticed that the bracket the spindle attaches to/located the wheel had slotted holes and more importantly the lower slots had the ability to slide up about half an inch, but the top slot was at the other end of its travel which would prevent the bracket being slid upwards thus locating the spare wheel nearer the Cobra light.

So I took the bracket off and after 30 or so minutes with a file I’d enlarged the top hole enough to enable the bracket to be moved upwards by a good half an inch.

I then attached the rack to the spindle, loosely, so I could then slide the bottom brackets onto the rack and hopefully attach them to the over riders.

One bracket obviously fitted easily but there was no way the second side would fit - although it was not so far adrift as it was yesterday. A bit of head scratching and I swapped the bottom locating brackets over, and low and behold, a small amount of springing into place and the rack was on

I then slackened off all the adjustable bits so it could settle into the best/most natural position, tightened everything up and hooray the rack was on! How easy it will be to get back on if I need to get to the spare I don’t know, I might check that out some time but not today.

Overall yesterday’s gloom has lifted - although I’m still not 100% certain that my car did actually have a father!


So sincere thanks to all who have helped, the totality of the answers gave me the confidence to keep going!

Well done you.

So often these problems are a lot easier to solve than we first think.

That’s the beauty of TM - even more effective than a hot drink and a good think.

+1
Perseverance paid off.
Very sensible move to finally slacken everything off to let it “find its feet” before finishing up.
I notice also that your second-hand rack was of the better design with the central bent finger, which allows the sidescreen bag to sit with the Morgan logo level. Not all racks were made like that. So a good buy.

Just spotted this thread.....I have the identical style rack on my Plus8. The “pin mounts” for the overrider fixing points are slightly different but similar.
The central bar is hinged to help sidescreen storage.
Beware!
The end screw can work loose and could drop out and get lost.
There is a hole in it to use a tommy bar to tighten it.
Do regular checks on it..a simple tweek with your fingers will spot it coming loose.
I have put Loctite on mine as there is enough room to drop the side screen bag down from the top, parallel to the spare with a small wiggling without removing this central bar.
I first noticed the screw loose when searching for a rattle in the back.
Stainless nylocs torqued enough to secure the pivot points with slight resistance makes sure less chance of loosening but allowing easy hinging to get at the spare.

Well done
Top job
Nothing is straight forward on a Morgan
The number of times I’ve thought ‘I’ll just just do this quick job while I’ve got half an hour’

Then 4 hours later and a trip out to a supplier to get some bits!!

Any addition usually requires an amount of fettling...

Good tips from all - I’ve not tackled much on the car but it’s never been as simple as I think it should be.

A bit like when working with a Haynes manual where the exploded view in the book looks nothing like the pile of bits that fell out on the floor...

Haynes manual? Models of clarity. When i was 20 I bought a worn out Lotus Elan, with no tools, money or knowledge, and needing it running every morning it was a daft thing to do. I did lash out and buy the Lotus workshop manual for it. Step 1 on changing the water pump I recall was "remove cylinder heard and sump"

I think my worst experience of Haynes manual was when I was 17 and helping a mate rebuild his Fantic moped engine. We removed a circlip in the transmission, and everything kind of flew out across the shed as the clip was holding some spring loaded components in.. we didn’t have many bits left over when we put it back together

Sounds familiar(but wasn't a Fantic Motor)