Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Librands Stainless Roll Bar

Hi All,

Have all but purchased one but while I wait for an estimate of when it would be expected, thought I'd ask your combined opinions on Living with them and ask some questions. Particularly interested in the Long Door version for plus 4s and Roadsters.

The Roll bar allows the Hood up, but does it foul the hood going fully down? I just noticed the image on their website shows a car with it's hood not flat down.

Do the seats foul the bar at all when reclining?

I can see how there will be some loss of shelf space but doesn't look much, would I be correct?

I know the Tool Tray and Lid will need modification, my current thought is to cut them in half so that each side can be placed in separately, is this the most sensible approach?. I made an Aluminium tray and thought I'd ask before butchering it.

I have a Tonneau cover that obviously won't fit without modification, so wondered if anyone else had successfully modified one to fit round the bar.

Anything I haven't thought of?

Thanks in advance
Mark

I have a Librands one on my 2002 Plus8.
Fitted by Williams. The car has a 9 stud Everflex( vinyl) hood and no problems there for fit. It sits closely under the hood. The hood hoops clear it when the swivel pivots raise them and you lower them again to fix the hood The plywood shelf had to be modified, cut in half and cutouts to fit round the brackets that come up from the chassis and the roll bar itself is bolted to. About a 3” wide and 2” deep bracket each side.No mods to the tool tray underneath. No real space lost but the fitted luggage that was available would not then fit due to these brackets. I can still get all I need on that shelf.
One thing to keep an eye on is the seatbelt. It touches the rear direction angled section of the roll bar ( the part that braces it by triangulation). My belts have not had damage since fitting but worth checking. The roll bar is smooth so no sharp edges. The area to check is the part in that contact area when you fit them for driving as that is the most likely area of wear.
Tonneau cover.....it was modified at Williams to fit round the roll bar. Cut and shaped to go round the tubes, velcro to seal the sections back when fitted.
One other thing is the rear feels slightly stiffer as you would expect from the added structural effect. Not huge but noticeable. Not a bad thing,(opinions may vary but I am positive about it.

The short one goes under the hood but the long one (for racing etc) doesn't so you have to have both really one for the road and one for the track.

Just to add that mine came with a removable bar to allow a different seatbelt anchoring. That does block off some access . Also, I have a windblocker that no longer fits but not got round to looking to modify it.
The roll bar is fixed to the brackets either side by 8 bolts (4 each side) and can be removed easily if needed. The brackets down to the chassis are left in place.

If the roll bar is to be fitted for safety reasons, then I think that a 4 point harness is necessary for it to be totally effective, otherwise if you flip the car, you will still bang your head!

Mark,
I have one too. My Roadster has the factory easy up hood and there are no problems at all. The hood will lie flat ( well as flat as any of them do ) without causing any concern. The major job of course is fitting the supporting frame. Also, although advertised as easily removable,I found, that when I tried it just to see, it was in fact time consuming. I rarely use my hood but on the few times that I have I do like the way it looks both from inside and through the rear window. one last point: you may find that you need to reposition the rear view screen mirror. I should do so but haven't got around to it yet.

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I won't be going near a track with the car, and although I agree a 4 point harness would be best, getting the missus to wear one may be more difficult. Have not looked yet but wonder if there's a halfway house alternative, 4 point but comfortable/easy to get into/out of.

Hadn't considered the rear view mirror.

Thanks Again

MARK,
If you are wanting to feel more secure, try CG Lock

I do not think they manufacture CG lock anymore. I had two on my Elise, then moved first one and then the other to my Roadster. Both broke after a while, but were decent add-ons as long as they lasted. Last time I was looking for them I was directed to and bought another plastic/rubber gadget called Shoft, complete junk which I threw away after ten minutes of testing.
Now may I ask, why a roll bar? To actually roll a Morgan is quite an achievement, extremely unlikely to happen. I have never heard of one to this day, and if one is not tracking the car, I cannot see any real advantage exept perhaps cosmetic. Not my choice, but every man to his own. It is quite expensive and unless one mods the tonneau cover (which also will be a few quid) one loses that convenience. It must restrain access to the luggage shelf and adds wheght. And then there is the rear mirror issue that I had not thought of. As I said, every man to his own - but I think it is a good idea to make and sober analysis of pros and cons, what really comes out of it.

I believe at least one Mog driver has been hit by behind the vehicle has ridden up the rear of the car killing the driver. A roll bar could stop that apparently.