Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Using my Classic as a daily driver

My Roadster 3.7 is no longer a virginial garage queen and I have been using it as a daily driver for the past three weeks. It's been quite an experience.

My daily driver, a Ferrari California 30HS since we handed back the Range Rover, has been in the garage undergoing some work. At the same time, my wife is working on refurbishing and opening a Chinese Restaurant in Bayswater and I have had to drive her in every day whilst I sit in the hotel opposite working and leeching of their wifi. This is a round trip on 65 miles every day. No choice but to use the Mog.

Four weeks ago my 2020 car had 1800 on the clock - it's now got just over 3000. Because my wife refuses to let me drive with the hood down when she's in the car I have had to squeeze in and out of the car in the characteristic Mog fashion - I'm 6 foot tall so this is a bit of a trial, as many of you will know. Both my side screen perspex handles have been shaken out of the window and refuse to stay in place - so I know have square holes in the side-screens where they should be.I found a loose screw in the drivers footwell - God only knows where its come from, but everything seems ok - so far. My beautiful immaculate paintwork is covered in London grime and dirty spots from heavy rain - but the car has been waxed and I can see gleaming paint work underneath. The leather interior is getting a bit stressed looking - but that's patina and I remember when you had to pay an extra £2000 for pre-stressed leather, so I call that a win. The carpets are dirty and covered in bits of God-knows-what. Coins have fallen under the seats and will be impossible to retrieve. The car has also developed new rattles, shakes and an annoying squeak behind the dashboard, caused by crashing over the rough roads near our house on the journey to and back from the Smoke. Worst of all, my wife has stuffed the passenger side pocket and glove box with her make up paraphernalia, tissues, hair brushes and assorted female junk. I still love her though But I'm being sorely tested.

Driving the car through London traffic is tiring with the heavy clutch. It's not helped by a defective gear knob which is spinning around (I've tried fixing it without succes) and has become horribly scratched in a brush with the side of my work lap top. Stuffing my lap top bag into the back parcel shelf is also hard work.

My 12v connection has also stoped working - probably a blown fuse.

However, the car garners rapturous attention in central London. Even the traffic warden has befriended me and loves the car.

This is likely to go on for another two weeks. My poor car - it's been through the mill. Although Morgans can take a lot of beating it's not ideal as a daily driver and is hard work for commuting.

When it ends she's going in for a mini-service and refresh. Looking forward to it becoming a garage queen again.

Over the years there have been a number of drivers who used their Mog as a daily drive, for considerable periods of time. The trick is to collect all the spare screws and other bits in case they are important, but they probably are not......
Consider SSL suspension upgrade and don't worry.

Does your wife own a portable hairdryer or curlers

Do you mean you still love your Garage Queen even if her passenger side pocket is filled with stuff?

More seriously I found your post interesting. For years I drove a Silvia convertible even towing a trailer to take stuff to the tip etc. so my wife could use the Octavia. Not really the best car for daily use but I did it. Since it was written off by a hail storm I bought a MGB as my fun car that is currently getting the Frontline treatment and a Skoda Rapid for my wife and I use the Octavia. We only have a two car garage so it would be handy to only have one Skoda and the MGB rather than the Rapid and Octavia with one parked outside, plus a lot cheaper to get rid of one extra registration and insurance. But even though we will both be retired about the time the MGB is done I am not sure we could just share one car unless I use the MGB probably more than I want. I know it will never buy stuff from the hardware shop or go to the tip but I don't think I want the MGB parking in supermarket carparks just because we need something.

When I lived in California and worked at the studios I used my +8 as a daily driver with a 50 mile round trip for over 6 years. The weather was mostly blistering sun sitting in the stagnate Los Angeles Freeway traffic but when it did rain it rained in torrential buckets. The +8 held up remarkably well with regular maintenance and TLC, certainly not garage queen material. I became a regular feature on the 210 Freeway and had a couple of articles written about me "the eccentric British driver in his cloth helmet and goggles" in the local newspapers. I became acquainted with Jay Leno as he used to see me pulling into the Studios, my boss Barry Meyer the CEO of Warner Bros. used to introduce me "as our one and only nutty Brit" and on quite a few occasions asked me to take some very well known people for a drive. My +8 is going strong with many more long distance rally miles added but still original.

I must admit I never thought I would go for an SSL suspension, preferring authentic handling characteristics. I'm tempted now.



Now you come to mention it..... I think what's blown it is leaving the battery charger plugged in for months at a time over the winter. It's a tick over charger which you can leave plugged in, but it's probably still a drain on the 12v fuse.




That's exactly how I feel about the Morgan. Whilst I'm not scared to use it I prefer to keep it in reserve as a special car. I also dislike driving with the hood up, which is inevitable if you use the car daily. Yes the trad hood looks very cool when it's up, but it's like driving with a tent on top of the car. I don't know if it's my imagination, but the car handles less well with the hood up and feels less nimble. It's also nosier - the engine, exhaust and any squeaks and rattles are amplified by the hood.

I'm envious that you're getting a Frontline. They do gorgeous work to MG's, totally transforming them.



That's a great story. Reminds me when I was a young man, shortly after university, and I lived in Clifton, Bristol for a couple of years. Every morning I was woken by a V8 rumble from the garages downstairs at the back of my flat. It was a chap driving his red Plus 8 out of the garage on the way to work. It was a great way to wake up. I loved Morgans before then but I thought this was incredibly cool and it cemented my love for the marque.

I must admit I never thought I would go for an SSL suspension, preferring authentic handling characteristics. I'm tempted now.


Your 3.7 should already have the factory 5 link rear (although the springs are a little harsh) so you may only need a front SSL kit

My 2003 35th anniversary +8 is used as a mostly daily, especially in London as its ulez compliant. If we have to go en famille, the old Saab wagon gets pressed into service. Just over 32000 miles when I picked it up from BHM in Feb 2019, now on 93000; Should reach 100k by next Feb. I dont have a garage, but when I do it'll be treated to a comprehensive makeover. Until then, I'll continue servicing and maintaining outside myself, and enjoying the squeaks, rattles, drips and other quirks that come with ownership. Everything is refurbishable/replaceable thankfully. SSL front upgrade has improved the steering weight, Sifab panhard rod and factory spax shocks have transformed the rear.

Chris, I don't want to hog the post or come across as one upmanship but I thought I would tell you this little ditty:

One day I pulled into the Studios car park and the security guard told me that Barry wanted me to take the Morgan and park in front of our executive offices (such an honour). I dutifully did, our offices used to be where the Stars had their apartments during the Studio ownership days, my office was part of Burt Lancaster's apartment, the Morgan was parked outside what used to be Marilyn Monroe's apartment. Anyway, Barry wanted to show a famous friend of his the +8 which he thought was a crazy car. I was in meetings and eventually got told that I could remove the +8 back to the garage, when the meeting finished I went down to drive it back as I was getting in Clint Eastwood came out of his production offices that were opposite to where I was parked. The WB Lot is very big and we used electric golf carts to get around the complex, Clint was going to get in his cart but saw me and shouted across would I take him to the costume department, I of course said yes. In climbs Clint and we start off but he says don't go directly let's have some fun, so off we go on a tour of the Lot, as we drive past the Shed (Studio) where Friends was being shot Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow were sitting by their Wagons talking. Clint tells me to pull over and he says to them something to the effect of (I can't quite remember) "Hey there you two I would take you for a ride but there isn't room", they burst out laughing and say "Later Darling". We drive all around the Studio Lot with Clint waving and cheering at everyone, at one point we passed a Lot Tour cart full of public on the WB Studio Tour, we stop and he tells the driver they can take photos. He had his photo taken in the +8 with all the people so there must be 20 or so photos out there somewhere. I eventually got him to the costume department and I was very late for my next meeting!!!!!!!

I would love to see those pictures. Great story britmog