Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) to morgan or not to morgan

hello to you all, I am thinking of getting my first morgan. but a few things keep putting me off making that move.
I am looking at the classic, aero 8,s just leave me cold and for me i am looking for a self maintain car, I have had all the german rockits, old e types and stags and always liked the look, that timeless look of the classic morgan.
So whats putting me off. Well I plan to use it for touring, and understand that the ride is hard and bad due to the cart spring suspension, engines underpowered and weather gear useless.
I don,t wish to waste anyones time test driving cars that i will never buy. so to press i have never even been in a morgan. so please tale me are these cars able to tour two up without feeling at the end of the day that ones been on a rack. Can anything be done to improve the cars.
hope to hear from you, michael

Micheal, why not go to a dealer and have a drive, some of them will rent you a car so you could go for a weekend.

Suffice to say morgan driving is different to most other cars, but I did nearly 25k miles in my old 1988 4/4 in my first year with it, including a trip 4 up to spain and south of france. I haven't lost any fillings yet or developed a spinal compression injury. In fact I would go as far as to say it was comfortable, it is however noisy.
My car is not fast in the porsche sense of the word, but it is a huge amount of fun at relatively low speeds. I would imagine the plus 4's and roadsters are properly brisk as 150hp in a 900kg car should provide lots of fun, I don't think mine even has 100hp these days

<<So whats putting me off. Well I plan to use it for touring, and understand that the ride is hard and bad due to the cart spring suspension, engines underpowered and weather gear useless.>>

Not sure if you are buying new or used but everything is fixable.

<<ride is hard and bad due to the cart spring suspension>>

Depends what you are comparing it with. The new models ride is pretty good. Older models can be "upgraded" with more modern rear springs, dampers etc.

<<weather gear useless>>

I have no experience of modern hoods, they may well be waterproof. I replaced my old-style hood with a Simmonds hood. It does not leak at all.

<<engines underpowered>>

Depends what you are comparing it with. My chipped, decatted, exhaust enhanced +8, probably has Boxster level performance (But I suspect that I have more fun)

You REALLY need to drive one.

Welcome.......
I did 550 miles over two days last weekend plus 1, and it's less tiring than my Golf. The ride is better than my MGB's under most circumstances, and my wife loves it. We have had one full week away and luggage space with a case on the rack was more than enough. It's cosy and watertight with the hood up.

You really need to do two things.
Don't believe what you read in the motoring press, or what's said by bar room experts.
Go to your nearest dealer and take one out on test.

You won't regret it.

Welcome Michael
Recently I covered 460 miles without aches between noon and midnight, the hood did leak a little, it is the traditional studded type. The 1600 returned 48 mpg and cruised at 80.

A two up trip to Bourges on the Loire last year was the high point of 20 years driving across France in a variety of cars.

The newer cars don't need much improvement but you (and passenger) need to embrace Morganeering, if you can do that you will not find a finer car

Welcome Michael,
driving a Morgan is certainly different and the only way to understand them is to drive one (or preferably more). Whilst I've not toured widely in mine I have been on trips of several hours and find it very comfortable. The suspension is unique but that's part of the real driving experience. As far as being underpowered is concerned that will depend on the model, my 3.9 litre plus 8 is anything but underpowered and the new V6 Roadsters out accelerate it.
I don't put the hood up very often but when I need to it's watertight in anything but the most torrential rain.
With a Morgan you'll talk about smiles per gallon, not miles per gallon!

Thanks chaps, I just wanted to hear from owner drivers first before booking a test drive. I will be looking at getting an older one ie pre 2000 as i hate paying over the top road tax. and maybe a v8 as i have always loved these engines and know and understand them well.
thanks, again. michael

950kg/220hp for the v6, I've never find it underpowered.

Completed a week long 2182 mile LeJoG trek in my '76 4/4 last month.
Apart from blowing an exhaust manifold gasket (easily repaired!) and having a lot less power than the +8s on the same trip I managed to keep up with no problems (mine was the oldest and slowest in the group - not so the driver ). I expect part of that was not needing to refuel nearly as often!
I did add a firm foam pad to the seat base (the old foam in mine needs replacing), otherwise I felt better after the trip than before - partly, I suspect, something to do with the excellent company.

I like V8s, had them in a number of (Land Rover) vehicles, but with ever rising fuel costs am thankful, now, for the little 4 cylinder. And as it's a narrow bodied car I can chuck it down narrow lanes without worrying about oncoming traffic (not the case with later, wide bodied variants, as I found with the '98 +4 I had for a year).

Don't mess about - just get out there and drive a few!

Cheers,

As Graham says "Don't mess about - just get out there and drive a few! ".

I have had my 4/4 4 seater for nearly 7 years, every year I have taken it to Le Mans (sometimes twice) - at the end of the journey I feel more comfortable then in any tin top.

So drive a few, try the different types 4/4s (various engine type CVH, Zetec, etc), +4, +8, and the V6 roadster. Don't worry about road tax, mpg will balance it out, the V6 and the modern +4 are very economical.