Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Plus Four road test

Richard that sounds an interesting swap, you have the gearbox ratio/engine mismatch sorted then I guess, is it a straight swap or literally internals?

Don't know if it's possible John as cannot find on the net anyone that's bothered to do it. Cannot see why not though assuming casing is the same. It would provide a more usable first gear (even MMC suggest starting in second) and the same fifth gear ratio. Sixth would be a little higher still but have to change down at present to overtake efficiently on motorways so no further hardship and possibility of marginally better mpg.

It's sounding like you maybe the one to break the water first Richard, it sounds far more usable from your explanation.
Presumably this ratio mismatch comes about with the differing weights of Mustang to Roadster as John seemed happy enough with his Mustang in USA last year.

Richard & the one I drove was the baby 4 cylinder turbo. It was a very competent soft top car with great pose value on Route 66. But at the Grand Canyon it was a bit outclassed.



Richard W that does sound an interesting idea. Have driven a 3.7l Roadster I know why you would like the idea.

Memory fade here John, that Vette looks menacing I'll bet they only fit the V8 to them so far ...

Wow Richard, 1st gear on the 3.7 looks so low - to be a waste of time! The swap to V8 internals would make sense, however, if you get the chance to purchase individual gears, I would only swap out the first gear from the V8.....the rest are quite well grouped and 6th could become so high (like the new PlusFour) to be redundant on many A roads?

Richard, Mark,

First gear on our S2 Roadster was so low as to be pointless in most situations, especially with the slow change and heavy clutch. It was the gearbox, more than anything else, that motivated a change to the Plus 8.

The Plus 8 Rations differ little between Manual and Auto, in the first 4 gears, but 5th and 6th are very different.
In sport mode the car starts in 1st and doesn't use 6th, in drive it starts in 2nd and gets to 6th as soon as it can.
Differential ratio is the same, 3.07 on both cars.

Gear. Manual. Auto
1st. 4.05 4.17
2nd. 2.40. 2.43
3rd. 1.58. 1.52
4th. 1.19. 1.14
5th. 1.00. 0.87
6th. 0.87. 0.69

I drove Alistirs Manual Aero S2 and found the box to be not the easiest in the world. The Auto in his Supersport was perfect and convinced me that for the way I drive, it was the way to go.
Driving the Plus Four will be interesting.

John, Richard, Mark. The 3.7 V6 Mustang gearbox ratio's are identical to those on 2.3 Ecoboost that replaces it. MMC I guess just took the matching engine/gearbox package that Ford offered straight from the 3.7 V6 Mustang. Not sure if Ford would have been flexible enough to offer that engine with the V8 gearbox or if it was even investigated at the time, which is a shame as it would have better suited the Roadster given its final drive ratio. Swapping just first gear makes sense but would be tempted to change second as well to match.

Peter thanks for heads up on the S2 Roadster. I didn't realise that also had ridiculously low first since I'd heard nothing to the contrary.

ETA: I remember KH having a spare Roadster gearbox hanging around in their workshop. I wonder???

Now my post is three hours to late, anyway.
The idea with the first gear wheel makes sense if it is easy to change. Whether the whole gearbox can be changed as one piece of the V8 so easily you have to check first, Richard.
Just as an example, that you have to look carefully. I would like to change my 4/4 to an MX5 NC 3.5 six-speed transmission. But the release fork has been changed at MMC for the 4/4 from bottom left to top center. There it is directly connected hydraulically. For this purpose an extra new opening was milled into the upper front transmission housing. Maybe the 3.7 Roadster has similar modifications on the gearbox, maybe not.

Have you seen that on the plus four?

Nice view...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyNsfBRPHrE