Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Plus Four, Supersport & Plus Six (CX & CXV Generation Vehicles) roof up roof down

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Porsche can be found on every corner ... a Morgan is a rarity. It's as simple as that for me.

I've had a few 718 models, one with the power top and the other being the Spyder with the manual roof. I have a 4/4 with the very old school style 9 stud hood. Perhaps I haven't been out in the Morgan enough but normally I get a wee bit of a warning when it's about to rain and then duck for cover whilst I put the roof on. I will agree, doing so in the Porsche with the power top was so much easier but this is assuming one is on a city street or B road where you can slow down enough to activate.

The Spyder was a different kettle of fish. I swear I had to walk around the car more than I do with the Morgan!

Your 981 is a fantastic car as is the 718. Whilst my time with Porsche was beyond memorable and one I would love to repeat, there is something quite unique in driving a Morgan and as DaveW said, well, he hit the nail on the head. A new Plus Four will not disappoint you if it's a car that you truly are attracted to.

[quote=PMP(....) So I'm not a purist and I'd be buying the automatic, but stopping to put the hood up when there's a downpour instead of slowing down and pressing a button; I don't know. I did all that with my first car, an Austin Healey Sprite back in the 60s, and what was fun as a teenager isn't as exciting in your 70s.
Morgan drivers, please tell me why I should buy one.[/quote]


My attempt at a factual answer to your question: If you have no interest in stopping in the rain and closing the top, then a Morgan is not for you.
If you can live with this, i.e. if this is not an exclusion argument for you, you have read various reasons for a Morgan above.

I live in Ireland — not a place known for a lack of rain!!!!! I have only been caught out by rain about 4 times that I can remember in the 20 years of owning 4 Morgan’s—-there’s usually a bridge or something to shelter under while putting up the roof!! Otherwise the call to “speed up” from the sat nag works and light rain just goes over above the occupants!!!!

You’ll get a lot wetter more times while camping

Cheers!!

Having had some form of cabriolet/soft top car all my driving life and where ever possible driving all year round with the roof down, I've found that I'm less inclined to appreciate being pissed upon when it rains if I'm going somewhere as opposed to heading back home. For me the worst aspect of a Morgan is driving at speed, hood up or down, in pouring rain and the side screens start to pop out and let water cascade thru the gap between the wind screen frame and the side screen.

There is nothing quite like turning up full of apologies looking like anything from a slightly wet dog to a full blown drowned rat, to a restaurant, hotel, friends etc slightly bedraggled and dripping all over the carpet or leave damp patches on their sofa. somehow the special adoration of the Morgan wains amongst all concerned .Dealing with wet clothes all day is no fun, whereas, if it rains heading home, whilst still annoying, we have only ourselves to worry about when we get there.

Our first introduction to Morgans was in the late 80's, we picked up the 4/4 on the Wednesday before Easter, then headed across to Ireland for an Easter tour, finishing up spending a few days In Clifden, it rained all the time. We finished up wearing wax cotton jackets inside to try and keep dry, tied bungees across the hood frame to keep the side screens tight to the screen frame, a leather cloth to deal with the water running down the inside of the screen. After a few days we had water running backwards and forwards along the floorboards as I accelerated or braked. It took weeks to dry the side of the car out.

Looking back on it we still smile, at the time we were not too amused, and wondered why even our most humble soft top inexpensive by comparison mass produced Midget kept us bone dry in the heaviest of storms and the hand built Morgan didn't put up much resistance to water ingress . Never seem to learn I bought 3 more Morgans.

We were coming back from Ireland on Monday evening, we were the only convertible with the roof down heading across North Wales then up the M6 into the dark, heater on full blast enjoying the benefits of a great barmy summer evening , nothing quite like it.

Totally agree with Dave.
To compare a Morgan with a Porsche seems rather pointless.
However, I do accept that the pricing of the Plus Four and Plus Six attracts buyers with different expectations.
Bud
4/4 - Stanley

Always had a bike, not always had a car, so not that bothered about rain - as the old saying goes "there's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing'.

I tend to leave my hood off for about 8 months of the year, and then put it on and leave it on from Nov to Feb. I keep mine outside all year, and the cover copes with the weather better with the hood on.

I have the Librands screen steadies which alleviate the problems with the side screen bowing out. I also have a couple of strips of rubber window seal that I put on the side of windscreen to make a good seal when the tops are on.

However, I don't gain any pleasure in getting wet, which is why I have the BGT. If there's a 75 -100% chance of rain I'll the the GT, if not, the Mog.

As much as I appreciate the technology and performance of Porsche, I have absolutely zero interest in owning anything bar a 356.

Yes, all very good DIY solutions to a pretty flawed design that could have been improved upon over the years by Morgan. Having been a biker for decades, I never got as wet on my motorbikes as I did driving the Morgan, even during the 3 weeks touring on a Harley in the USA during the then record breaking 1993 wet summer. In part due to the quality of biker wet gear.

Should have worn the bike waterproofs in the Mog!