0 members (),
240
guests, and
32
robots. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
Forums34
Topics48,335
Posts812,897
Members9,203
|
Most Online1,046 Aug 24th, 2023
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,342 Likes: 91
Talk Morgan Guru
|
Talk Morgan Guru
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 7,342 Likes: 91 |
I had a very nice phone conversation with Richard Thorne as part of my research for a different final drive ratio. Craig Jezz told me that he has a buddy who has a 2014 4/4 (like me) but with a 3.9 rear axle from Richard Thorne. Richard confirmed this but he had no idea why this was the case and he hasn't seen it anywhere else. Either you are that friend of Craig's or we have now established 2 4/4 with 3.9 gearing.
'14 4/4 graphite grey
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,665 Likes: 43
Talk Morgan Addict
|
Talk Morgan Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 3,665 Likes: 43 |
I'm sorry Heinz, I don't know about the axle. The runabout had lovely rubber mats, no posh carpets or leather. I loved it for that. It also had no louvres along the top and did get rather hot when we were in France. I fitted a pair of those bonnet spacers which held the bulkhead end of the bonnet very slightly open which helped a little. The blue was very much a Bugatti blue. And it had the sidelights too. It was a sweet thing. It was also the last of the mogs with reasonable ground clearance, I don't think they'd had to lower the engine to meet pedestrian suicide rules. In the end, after a couple of new mogs in 2004 and 2012 gave me not quite so much fun, I gave in and went for a mid eighties plus 4 with the fiat engine. Modified the rear suspension and the car is brilliant. All the torque of the bigger cars but light and nimble. The fiat engine is superb and easy to tune I believe as that engine won many rallies. Worth experiencing if you can find one. Nick
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 81 Likes: 1
Just Getting Started
|
Just Getting Started
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 81 Likes: 1 |
I’m that friend of Craig.
Kevin Davies
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,790 Likes: 160
Talk Morgan Expert
|
Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,790 Likes: 160 |
Nick,
I must admit my very first Morgan a 1985 CVH 4/4 was probably my most favourite Morgan I 've had so far. Whether it was my first experience of the fun and joy of Morgans , that has stayed with me and slightly coloured my experience of subsequent cars I'm not sure. My Crossflow 4/4 4 seater was a daily driver, a little underpowered but totally reliable car and I did many memorable miles in it. It was coming across my CVH Morgan for sale a few years back, that bought me back into the brand again.
Without question my current Plus 4 sport is starting to push the CVH Morgan for being my favourite Morgan. I like the clean rear lines, the wider body and the wider tyres do give in more aggressive stance, accentuated by the red and tan colour scheme and whilst the car is not quite as nimble as the CVH 4/4 it certainly feels far more planted and the extra power and torque of the 2 litre engine by comparison makes more of the limited performance envelope. of these cars. With the Roadster whilst it had enormous reserves of power and was very quick, I always felt the chassis was the limiting factor and I couldn't enjoy it as much as the 4/4 or the Plus 4. That's just my experience, long gone are the days when I feel the need to drive very fast. if i wanted to do that I'd have kept my 911 Turbo Cabriolet.
I'm having more fun exploiting a much lower performance envelope to the full.
Last edited by JohnHarris; 23/12/24 11:57 AM.
Prev '12 Plus 4 Sport OZZY '08 Roadster FELIX '06 4/4 70th LOKI '77 4/4 SEAMUS '85 4/4 MOLLY
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,865 Likes: 167
Roadster Guru Member of the Inner Circle
|
OP
Roadster Guru Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 21,865 Likes: 167 |
The "Top Gearl" mentality has always been MORE POWER! and yet the truth is very different. For a start, the MORE POWER brigade are often ill equipped to manage it, and it really boils down to nothing more than 0-60 bragging rights and straight line bursts of speed. Even then there are some who can't manage a straight line burst.
Having had 4 Midgets, they were more fun than my MGB, and more fun than the V8 MGB. The best Midget of the 4 was the '67. They still had leather seats then, which used to tear across the main bolster. It had done over 90,000 miles, and was a bit of an old nail at 4 years old, but was utterly reliable, and so much fun. The three which followed, '70, '74 round wheel arch (unreliable) and '75 1500 were simply not as much fun. I think understanding this is part of the playbook of "getting" Morgan. It's not about absolute performance, or absolute anything else. It's about the sum of parts. It's what makes MG, Triumph, Lotus, TVR what they are, and anathema to the Top Gear thinkers.
I would say that my Roadster is way better than the BV8, and as much fun as the Midgets. My Plus 4 is equal on fun but delivered in a different way. For some reason I just prefer simple 2 archaic seaters, and always have.
DaveW '05 Red Roadster S1 '16 Yellow (Not the only) Narrow AR GDI Plus 4
|
|
|
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 952 Likes: 89
formerly known as Hugh Jorgan Talk Morgan Regular
|
formerly known as Hugh Jorgan Talk Morgan Regular
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 952 Likes: 89 |
For me, one of the things with trad Morgans is that the chassis/suspension/tyre combination limits the car's absolute performance in the real world. I accept that performance upgrades are a big part of the Morgan world but when you're working with 1930's technology you're only going to be able to go so far.......
Once you've blasted to 60 a few times....then what....? It all seems pretty pointless...... or maybe I've grown up......🤷🏻♂️😆
AFAIK..... the 1.8 duratec was only around for a couple of years, after the zetec and before the sigma..... again.....afaik...... the big difference was chain driven cams as opposed to belt, but if I'm wrong, doubtless someone will know.......
Narrow wings, skinny tyres and 'sensible' power, for me, make for more of a 'retro' driving experience, that's what I've always liked about the 4/4. The fact that, if you really want to go faster, you have to almost wring its neck, again just seems.... right...... I know that dropping a big engine in is the obvious thing to do if you must go faster, but....again.... for me it's all a bit unnecessary..........
|
|
|
|
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 81 Likes: 1
Just Getting Started
|
Just Getting Started
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 81 Likes: 1 |
Definitely more enjoyable and engaging if you need to work it a little 
Kevin Davies
|
|
|
|
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 836 Likes: 1
TM Photographer of 2008 Talk Morgan Regular
|
TM Photographer of 2008 Talk Morgan Regular
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 836 Likes: 1 |
So before I do a rewrite, I'm curious as to what some of you consider "The Ownership Experience" really is? It’s all about coping with breakdowns, whether it’s in the Lake District, the back of beyond in Spain, ascending Col du Tourmalet in France, the North Coast 500 in Scotland, the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland, the Col de Bonaigua in Spain or rear suspension failure in Sweden returning from Nordkapp. Sheer folly to ask the factory for assistance with part numbers when in a country whose language you don’t speak when all you’re provided with are Morgan Part Numbers which are meaningless to someone trying to source a Ford part. Plenty of photos of the car on the back of a breakdown vehicle. Apologies to those locations I haven’t mentioned. Thumbs up to Morgan Rescue who have been terrific. Well it's a dream come true for me, it brings me all the joy I can handle and keeps me reasonably agile on the tools and out of mischief and it looks fast standing still. Sorted.
p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. My contribution is a valid response to the question posed. Years of experience have caused me to remove the rose tinted spectacles. When I reflect on my Ownership Experience I think of the numerous breakdowns I have endured on European adventures. Although the impact of these is mitigated when travelling in convoy it is particularly unpleasant when it happens whilst travelling solo, as happened to me when driving to Amalfi in 2018. Despite these travails, the mileage I have travelled is testament to my enthusiasm for driving the car and I have no thoughts of selling it. A vile post is you referring to someone’s daughter as an ungrateful little cretin because she wasn’t happy that he had arrived in the Mog to collect her. Hypocrisy springs to mind.p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. For reference, I have not removed any posts from this thread or from any other thread - in fact, the last post that I can recall having to remove was 2021 and I only know that because it is in my holding area. Furthermore, no one has flagged up an issue with a post on this thread. [quote=+8Rich]p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. Yes I read too fast sometimes ;-)And think too slowly, if at all.
Ken
|
|
|
|
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,772 Likes: 468
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
|
Tricky Dicky Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 35,772 Likes: 468 |
So before I do a rewrite, I'm curious as to what some of you consider "The Ownership Experience" really is? It’s all about coping with breakdowns, whether it’s in the Lake District, the back of beyond in Spain, ascending Col du Tourmalet in France, the North Coast 500 in Scotland, the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland, the Col de Bonaigua in Spain or rear suspension failure in Sweden returning from Nordkapp. Sheer folly to ask the factory for assistance with part numbers when in a country whose language you don’t speak when all you’re provided with are Morgan Part Numbers which are meaningless to someone trying to source a Ford part. Plenty of photos of the car on the back of a breakdown vehicle. Apologies to those locations I haven’t mentioned. Thumbs up to Morgan Rescue who have been terrific. Well it's a dream come true for me, it brings me all the joy I can handle and keeps me reasonably agile on the tools and out of mischief and it looks fast standing still. Sorted.
p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. My contribution is a valid response to the question posed. Years of experience have caused me to remove the rose tinted spectacles. When I reflect on my Ownership Experience I think of the numerous breakdowns I have endured on European adventures. Although the impact of these is mitigated when travelling in convoy it is particularly unpleasant when it happens whilst travelling solo, as happened to me when driving to Amalfi in 2018. Despite these travails, the mileage I have travelled is testament to my enthusiasm for driving the car and I have no thoughts of selling it. A vile post is you referring to someone’s daughter as an ungrateful little cretin because she wasn’t happy that he had arrived in the Mog to collect her. Hypocrisy springs to mind.p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. For reference, I have not removed any posts from this thread or from any other thread - in fact, the last post that I can recall having to remove was 2021 and I only know that because it is in my holding area. Furthermore, no one has flagged up an issue with a post on this thread. [quote=+8Rich]p.s. I am glad someone removed that vile negative post from earlier in the day from Ken. Yes I read too fast sometimes ;-)And think too slowly, if at all. Merry Christmas old boy  Thankfully we are all entitled to an opinion and I won't share my view of your persona on here  as it is a mostly polite area with the ODD exception.....
2009 4/4 Henrietta 1999 Indigo Blue +8 2009 4/4 Sport Green prev 1993 Connaught Green +8 prev
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,790 Likes: 160
Talk Morgan Expert
|
Talk Morgan Expert
Joined: Aug 2020
Posts: 2,790 Likes: 160 |
The "Top Gearl" mentality has always been MORE POWER! and yet the truth is very different. For a start, the MORE POWER brigade are often ill equipped to manage it, and it really boils down to nothing more than 0-60 bragging rights and straight line bursts of speed. Even then there are some who can't manage a straight line burst.
Having had 4 Midgets, they were more fun than my MGB, and more fun than the V8 MGB. The best Midget of the 4 was the '67. They still had leather seats then, which used to tear across the main bolster. It had done over 90,000 miles, and was a bit of an old nail at 4 years old, but was utterly reliable, and so much fun. . In this instance I would consider increasing the power by fitting a supercharger to a 1275 Midget......looks like good fun, https://www.creativespridgets.com/supercharger. I enjoyed all my Midgets. I had a RWA and preferred the abbreviated bumpers over the earlier setup, the 1500 was a bit more top heavy, but better at the motorway journeys compared to the 1275
Prev '12 Plus 4 Sport OZZY '08 Roadster FELIX '06 4/4 70th LOKI '77 4/4 SEAMUS '85 4/4 MOLLY
|
|
|
|
|