Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) So, have you driven your Morgan today?

No, but spotted this in Amboise, Loire

Just come back from a trip to the Rioja and Picos areas of N Spain - mostly fabulous windy mountain roads etc. Car behaved perfectly and ticked over 15,000 miles whilst there.
Used some of Pete Clarke's ideas from the April and May 2021 Miscellany editions for some ideas which gave us a couple of excellent drives. So thanks to Pete if he reads this forum. Can't seem to get one of the pics to rotate...frustrating..

Can't quite match the adventure in Rioja and the Picos above but had a nice drive to Needham Market on a beautiful sunny day. Passed and exchanged waves with an ivory coloured Classic/Trad going the other way along the A1120. Anyone on here?

A very enlightening visit to Thruxton skid pan with fellow morganeer, and Speedmog competitor, Jane Peck, followed by a very sunny run to Portsmouth and Southsea rail station for an afternoon of train spotting with my youngest. I thoroughly commend it to you; the skid pan that is, unless you're a modern railway enthusiast!
Regards
Phil

Yesterday. We went up to Llyn Brianne reservoir. Avoided heading towards coastal places. Took Monty with us ( dog). The route we took was over the Black Mountain from Brynamman to Llangadog then on to Llandovery. The A4069, often used for tv filming ( Top Gear etc). Stunning road and views BUT it now has a 40mph speed limit with average speed cameras. We were in a queue behind a learner driver doing 30mph. We passed cyclists on the uphill section and they caught us up on the downhill section. This week Llandovery is hosting the Urdd Eisteddfod. A version of the National but solely for children. It will be very busy all week. Campsites set up and some people arriving. Our grandchildren are competing in a couple of categories, including a cricket tournament.
Up at the reservoir all work on the hydro system appears finished and no signs of the construction work. Looks nice again. Water level looks good. Nice walk over the dam and round an access road. A lot of bikers ( motor) out and about and some cyclists. Time was going so we decided against going up the reservoir to pick up the Beulah to Abergwesyn road, another “interesting” road up the Devil’s Staircase. At the top of the reservoir turn right to Beulah or left to Tregaron. We opted for return to Llandovery. Stopped in the Royal Oak pub in Rhandir Mwyn ( the carpark sign has a Morgan ( ish) car on it for a snack but kitchen closed! Went to The Bear Hotel in Llandovery instead. Then back home via Llandeilo and Ammanford. On to Llangennech to see the granddaughters and a good luck for the Urdd Eisteddfod. Home.

Arrived back from Dumfries & Galloway yesterday, so today was a mechanical check. We did 1050 miles in 8 days, and the suspension took a hammering.

What I didn't expect to find was that the nearside damper had lost the nut, washer and both bushes, and the lower washer under the top bush. The damper was compressed and vertical, and hadn't fouled anything. Nothing had sheared. The nut had unwound totally. We heard a loud bang somewhere around Ullapool, and after that the occasional hard bottoming, but otherwise the Roadster drove perfectly.

I have no idea how that nut unwound, because normally you need an allen key in the top to prevent the shaft from turning.

We had a similar experience at the Canterbury Mog when the rear offside damper bracket sheared. Looking back we know exactly when that occurred, but we then drove back from Kent with a detached rear damper with no knocks or bangs, or any sign of a problem.

Glad you got home ok Dave. That top shock nut should be a nylock and tightened down hard against the metal spacers that leave the correct compression on rubber mounts. Even more important to use nylock on lower mounts as the rubbers can be overtightened there.



BTW the allen head at top of shock spindle, or flats in case of adjustable Spax as above, play no part in nut security. They are just there to prevent spindle turning whilst you tighten/loosen nut.

It's the weirdest thing. It was nyloc and no thread damage. But weirder still is that on the road, and up to the legal limit, it just didn't show

Similar experience Dave when the top shock mount plate broke. Didn't really suspect anything on the 50 mile journey home following a single clunk over severe bump. Fortuitous that greasing was due and noticed the break whilst on the ramp straight after.

A good advert for not using a nylock nut twice maybe although I suspect we all do at least once

A weekend to Haddenham & back for my son's wedding. A lovely event and the bride & groom drove off in Belle ahead of the wedding feast.