Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Need reassurance

Hi,
I have a 1995 +4 4 seater so know them well.. given it has had new tyres I expect you can rule out that.

A more likely suspect for the hard ride is the front shocks being in need of replacement. This is something that would not be visible in a service as they may not be leaking.

When I was looking for a +4 I looked at a 1991 4 seater in Brighton that hadn’t been used much. On the test drive the ride was exceptionally hard so much so I had a look at the front suspension as I thought it might of been a seized king pin or something. Given he used Brand Hatch Morgan’s I told him to take it there and ask them to look at it as something was amiss. A new pair of front shocks sorted it instantly, so much so he decided to keep the car!

Would recommend Avos on the front like the others. I bought my +4 from AW as a trade sale, the first thing I did was new front shocks as it was still on the factory original ones from 1995 and a new set of tyres.

Good luck.
Will

Hi

I have a 1994 +4 which I bought from a reputable Morgan dealer some 4 years or so ago.

The car was fully serviced and had new king pins fitted - it also had new front shock absorbers.

On a concrete dual carriageway, on my way home from Curborough,, I found that the ride was horrendous, with the front of the car bouncing so much that it felt as if the front tyres were leaving the road. Keeping it in a straight line was tricky too.

I eventually found that the problem was a very loose front suspension near-side cross frame stay (or crosshead) tie rod.

I adjusted this correctly and have since travelled may thousands of happy bounce free miles in it. Check out GoMog's crossframe stay adjustment.

I hope this may help you.

Good luck.
Geoff

The petrol filler pipe can be easily missed during a service as it needs the spare removing to check it properly (at least on my 4/4 2 seater). My recent purchase (like you took delivery just before lockdown so not driven apart from the trip back from Bristol!) was serviced before I took delivery but I found the fuel filler to be well perished. The dealer is replacing it but is closed at the moment so I hope it doesn't get forgotten about!

Without wishing to repeat all the good advice I can say that our experience with a Morgan that had very little use is consistent with your findings with the exception of the fumes. Our car did 200 miles in the preceding year that we bought it and loosened up considerably as we clocked up the miles and regularly greased the kingpins. I also sprayed silicone lube on the rear springs which has made a difference too. As for the vague steering, I had read about this before we bought and felt it on the test drive and so was prepared. From advice on this forum I have relaxed my approach to this and find that, to a good extent, the car finds it's own way over the undulations and bumps.

As a further observation, I was very sensitive to the comments from the passenger seat and so went about eliminating the rattles and crashes that emanated from the hood and rear seat belts - we have a four seater. I now secure the hood down with velcro straps to stop it jumping about and have fitted leather strips where the rear seat belt clips rest on their panel. This last effort was the key, the seat belt clips really made a sharp and surprisingly loud CLACK over even the slightest bump. Driving without widescreens also helps in this regard as four of them also make a significant contribution.

I hope this is helpful and also hope that you are able to find a good balance and remain in the fold.

Agreed!

Took a while, but making sure all the dashboard screws were tight, extra silicon to stop sidescreens rattling, adjusting and greasing door lock/hinges, new bonnet tape and neoprene edging, tweaking bonnet locks and a lovely Morgan blanket amongst other things, made the driving experience more pleasing for both of us.

Definitely check the the pressures. When I replaced my tyres last year the fitter had put them up to 36 psi on the front. The steering was VERY light! Another fitter had set the rears to 22 psi but not passed it on to his mate! Only a 2 mile trip home so no issues.
Remember.......a Morgan of the age of your car is still “old school” with the ladder chassis, sliding pillar and leaf-spring set up.
The low mileage in recent years could also contribute to what you feel. I had a 1993 4/4 with similar low usage and it certainly improved with use, both from freeing up and me adjusting to it. Modern cars insulate the driver from feel sensations so a jump back to old school is significant.

Do you mean the pipe that goes from top of tank back into the neck of the filler pipe, or is there another breather somewhere ?

Some later models have a separate breather pipe on the fuel filler. My 1972 doesn't have one, and looking at the replacement fuel filler for 1994 Models, they appear not to have one either. I'm sure an owner will clarify.

Looking at Melvyn Rutter parts lists, the breathers didn't appear until 1997.

UPDATE:

Firstly, thank you to everyone who contributed and offered tips and reassurances. There does seem to be a common thread throughout which is that the car needs to be used regularly and I will just have to suffer some harsh rides to get the mileage under my belt and hope to see some improvement. I will fit some AVO adjustable shocks to the front as a starter and take it from there, although I am looking to improve the ride for comfort rather than track use.

Today I managed to contact my dealer and explain the situation. Phil at Allon Whites , who is just back from furlough, was very understanding and again offered tips to try and improve the situation. With regard to the fuel smell I have examined the filler pipe and sent photos to Phil to study, if need be replacement parts will be sent under warranty and I will fit them as the workshop is still closed. They are being very decent with regard to the warranty, understanding that the car has not moved since purchase. I will post as I progress and maybe it will help others.