Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Storage during Coronvirus

Thinking about it Dave, if it’s raining I wont bother, management can take her own car.

I have cancelled all my work as it’s not a job you can do from home so I’m pretty much under house arrest or can be found self isolating in the garage..

My good lady is a locum pharmacist so she is working and drives her tin top to work. We live on the edge of the Forest of Dean so dog walking is easy.

So my opportunities to take any car out Morgan or otherwise are limited, possibly a grocery run and then only when really needed, but if you really do have to make an essential journey, and it genuinely is essential and not just an excuse for a pleasure drive, then I see no reason not to use the Morgan as you would any other car? Any use is better than a lay up.

I have signed up to be an NHS volunteer to deliver food and pharmaceuticals to those at risk. I chose this option as my daily ride is a pick up truck, that and the Duchess are not conducive with transporting older folk both due to height but in opposite directions. However if and when the call comes to assist those most at risk I will definitely be using the Duchess as much as possible, you all know how much pleasure folk get from seeing a Morgan so why stop?

I don't have a garage, so can't store, and want to use the car as normal transport. I've done all my homework, and can go to work Monday (to create more homework). My dilemma is do I take the motorway (36 mins/28 miles) or the country roads (42 mins/27.1 miles)?
I think I just answered my own question

All my Moggies go to bed around the end of October and wake up around the 2nd week of April, an average 72 inches of snow will do that!! I carry out all my full services and any other projects on them during that time, we have quite a bit of snow in April so it can be a crap shoot as to when the weather breaks, then it gets hot and the open road calls. They are on dollies that stop the flat spots, full tanks, trickle chargers, hand brakes off and out of gear - never had any issues on first start ups.

Popping the hood up when stored is an idea incase it shrinks ( neverflex type) I guess.


Craig has a point - why not use the Morgan? - its a car after all and well upto the job of collecting shopping - my only reservation is the reaction some people may have over the coming weeks as the pier pressure mounts for us all to do our bit - rightly so. Nothing wrong in using a classic car/Morgan but will people not incorrectly assume your just out for a pleasure drive, ignoring all the safety advice and putting people and the NHS at risk? I'm conflicted on it - as a drive out, even for local shopping, in the Morgan would be a tremendous boost - just not sure how socially acceptable it would seem at this very time.
Perhaps I'm being too cautious - on a knife edge balance I've sorn'd to help deter my deep desire to go out for a drive.

Really looking forward to the day when restrictions ease and life gets " more normal". Time to start planning adventures me thinks.....

Don't be conflicted, my reasons for volunteering are real & genuine my parents lived and fought through WW2 as 18 - 21 yr old and did not ask what or why. One was a land girl and the other a radar operator in RAF over in Burma. They just did! I'm no doctor, or in an at-risk group, so nothing is stopping me from doing something locally to make a difference. How I do that or whatever vehicle I use is irrelevant be bold be different and rejoice in owning a Morgan. The big difference doing is if you can then doing something that benefits the community is all that matters, it's as simple as that.

Given the horrendous situation that is Corona, none of us knows if we will get over it if infected, but I bet you won't forget the silver Morgan that delivered your groceries and medicine. And if your contribution is just doing the weekly shop then do it in your morgan, and you will be amazed at the joy you bring to others as the sight will bring momentary relief, and that is what matters.

We layed up Val's Mitsubishi for 18 months whilst cruising. Just disconnected battery and covered with dust sheets in garage. When we returned, just charged battery, reconnected and it started almost instantly. No issues driving either.

I have reservations on the wear and tear caused by very slowly warming up cold engine oil, which will still be cool even when engine coolant up to temperature. I would also be concerned of sooting up plugs on earlier engines.

When I run up my narrowboat diesel engine during winter layup, I put a load on the engine via alternators (250 amp total). A 2kW heater fed by invertor/batteries simulates a prop load, obviously not possible with a car though.

My Morgan gets locked away for the winter at the end of September and normally do all of the usual things, as well as starting it up regularly, and cleaning it. I've managed to do the bolts on the rubber treads, they do get rusted.
4 of my other cars are all so taken of the road for the winter, and it's this time of the year I start getting them back on the road, carrying out the service of the 4 cars before taxing them on the 1st April, but this year none of them are getting taxed this year, (nowhere to go) I've now removed the 4 batteries and keep them charged up.
Now that we are in lockdown I will be taking 1 car at a time and work on them , stripping brakes and checking the brake lines, checking fuel lines, suspension, drive shaft cv boots, in a word checking and replace parts if needed.
The Morgan will go for its service at the dealership when all the restrictions are lifted

Using the Morgan for the volunteering is fine, with a few drawbacks. If you're fine with that, then that's all good. Taking such a car onto social housing estates and leaving it unattended risks envy damage or being spat on, as it represents wealth. It's only a novelty to some, there are those that see it as a challenge. Sad, but true.