Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 Its delayed and its serious

You know, it's likely not as simple as just substituting engines. A new weight distribution would mean different handling characteristics requiring suspension modifications. Transmission, gearing, steering, exhaust, and clutch requirements might require change, among other things. Marketing materials and pricing would need revisions, and it would be a PR nightmare. Deposits would be subject to refund. And worse, Morgan would have to eat crow. I expect that all forces at work will sell their souls, if necessary, to find a work-around in a legal sense. If all else fails, there is always the possibility that the 3W could proceed in other markets, as is... it was expected to be a U.S. market car, first and foremost, from my understanding. Maybe an emasculated version for the U.K. only?

Quite strange really, I have just been talking to one of the senior guys in MMC as my 3-wheeler is supposed to be the first customer one to be built and it is scheduled to be started in the "next couple of weeks". No mention of the other issues quoted, or new and/or replacement engines, etc, etc.

I hope to be in the Works sometime this week and will report back my findings after the visit.

What is the source of this information, please?

A letter from the dealer, dated 11th October (just arrived back from a holiday on Friday), indicating significant delay.

Called them and apparently weight issues (homologation for motorcycle) and vibration have caused major headaches. Delivery pushed back well into 2012 ( I ordered in March this year).

Looked at Mogwire, who are always on the ball, and found the Harley reference! This latter allusion is only a rumour of course

Interesting (and provking ) engine alternative but do not dream in terms of a roaring V8.. The Moto Guzzi Norge GT 8V is a air-cooled 1151cc twin with four valves per cylinder. Good for 102hp (75kW) at 7000rpm and 104Nm at 5500rpm. Gearbox/drive train setup will be a challenge.

But unfortunately it does not really work for me, maybe there is something with mixing Italy with England. Fantastic by themselves but hard to mix together to make a perfect dish The almost 2-litre S&S engine is forever planted in my picture of the M3W, I can even accept that it is not english. Please, please make it work...

As with rumours I guess there is no smoke without fire but untill I know for sure I will just relax and wait for information . But if the M3W needs to be reworked in a drastic way I guess we all have the chance to reevaluate our deposits.

Reflections:

- Some demonstrators have been delivered but I have not yet seen any dealer shouting out the great news on their website?
- Is the weight issue only in UK?
- Is the homologization (or whatever it is called) done separatly in every single country or just done once (in the country of origin and for all markets)?
- To now take away another 50 kilo late in the product development will be challenging, maybe there is 20 kilos to gain from going to a drasticly smaller engine (evil thought). The whole tubular frame probably needs to to be reconstructed, maybe using aluminum pipes/profiles and make it "work together with the sheet aluminum shell in a more load carrying and weight saving way". I have a feeling that the aluminum shell today is more covering the frame than it is utilized as a part of the construction...but I am no expert

A flat twin BMW engine would solve the vibration issues.


With regard to the weight it is interesting to compare with the Pembleton at around 300 kg. The difference up to 500 kg is almost equal to the dry weight of a complete BMW R1200RT at 229 kg!

Harald

May be so, but I think for styling reasons, it has to be a V engine.

So go Guzzi

in a years-time we'll all be happy cleaning the bugs of the engine
haven forgotten it got delivered little later than we hoped

From a concours perspective, an exposed engine is unthinkable.......whether it's a V or a flat twin.