Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Motorised hood release on early Roadsters

According to "CJB" who drew the wiring schematics for MMC, extra wiring was added to the V6 version of rear wiring loom in November 2005 as annexed in the 2006 - 2014 parts book. This to provide power for hood release motors, with two 2 pin connectors shown which presumably power a couple of solenoids. Since I've never heard mention of these before and there is no chassis loom wiring shown to match at connectors, I just wondered if any Roadsters were built with such

I've never heard of one Richard

If the electrics had been robust enough (a big ask I know ) it would have been a neat alternate to the stiff lever and cable system we still have.

I think if this had ever made the options list, someone would have noticed and mentioned it here.
However, if they went that far there may be a factory mule Roadster which was fitted out, so in theory there could be one out there.

Thanks Dave, much as I thought. The solenoid connectors are clearly shown on rear loom schematic routing to a spare pin on the multi-pin connector to chassis loom. There is also a footnote on drawing dated 13-01-05 indicating the extra wiring should be added to rear loom.

I would think the reason that it (probably) didn't make it into production, is the amount of force it would have taken -- so a solenoid the size of Texas. I was poking about in there yesterday as mine seem to have become stickier lately. I would have liked to tighten-up the nut and locknut that provide the initial tension in the system, but find they are impossible to access with normal spanners and normal-size hands, so lubrication sorted it.

Agreed Peter and it wouldn't have been practical to push down on rear of hood to ease release as you can with lever position.

Note they planned for simultaneous release of catches using individual solenoids though. It could even have worked out cheaper without lever, cable, brackets and adjuster not to mention installation time.

BTW try and get some lube into cable inner as well. There is a lot of friction as cable turns 90° through the routing tube. Also the return springs are collectively unnecessarily strong IMHO.

Not something I heard about when acting as tour guide. It was never mentioned in any of our training materials (such as they were).

I do recall Thompson and Potter the old Scottish Morgan dealer selling a 2005 +4 ex factory development car that had an electronic hood release!! Was just listed in the advert so expect it still exists but maybe the only one..

Having recently replaced a broken cable for a TM member, they are a right pain to access it took two of us a good 2 hrs to complete, it had snapped the nipple off at the pull handle end, but that was because the cable had almost seized at the bend, strangely the link cable between the catches is quite meaty, BUT the other part that takes the full pull load and bend friction is as slender as a bike brake cable

Photos to follow in the Aero section (as it was a Plus 8 Aero) in a few days