Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Advice please!

Hello to everyone!

I've been trying to find a Morgan for the past few weeks. My quandary is do I get an older car for around £15k or something a bit newer like a 2011 Sport 4/4 for closer to £27k. It's very much a second car. The dealers are singing the praises of the 1.6 with the Mazda box but am I really going to gain a great deal? I enjoy a bit of mechanical work but not looking for anything too testing!

I have an old one and absolutely love it - and no tax or MOT to worry about. However it does take a reasonable amount of upkeep and maintenance, but nothing outside the realms of a hobbyist.

Even the newer ones need a bit of upkeep, but it really depends on how much tinkering you want to do, how much you're going to use the Morgan and what sort of usage (local/long distance, overseas etc)

Newer ones have a few more creature comforts, but the added hassle of more complex electrics/ECU etc so if they do fail it's a more time consuming fix.

In your shoes, I would test drive both - the right car will find you. So much depends on your driving style and how you will use the car, it is very difficult to offer advice on choice.

Main points are:
- A 2011 car will have a galvanised chassis, a stainless steel bulkhead and superform wings / inner wings which all became standard around 1999.
- A post 1999 car will also be a "long door" car - which makes entry and exit easier - especially with the hood up.
- Cuprinol treating of the ash frame started to be standard from around 1986 ( we used to own a 1985 car that had been Cuprinol treated as an option).
- The 1.6 Kent and CVH engined cars go really well when properly set up and can be great fun - and you can get parts easily.
- Early 1.6 Sigma engined cars had a Ford gearbox and a different rear axle ratio. I cannot remember when the Mazda gearbox came in but it was accompanied by an axle ratio change. Not everyone gets on with the Sigma/Ford gearbox combination.
- The 4/4 Sport onwards was built on the standardised chassis and offers slightly wider interior space than the earlier cars.
- If you get a 4/4 sport without a spare wheel, you may find it difficult to change the rear leaf springs - but not impossible.
- There was a period when the 1.8 engined 4/4 had the exhaust routed through a hole in the chassis rail - it is not unknown for the chassis to crack in this area - check for cracks or poor quality repairs.

I may be biased - we have owned a 2014 4/4 bespoke since it was new and find it really good. It is economical, easy to look after, and an easy drive.

TGC
Like TBM states above, I don't think you can go wrong with a Crossflow engine MOG of the 1970s. Also most have generally been rebuilt at least one, and mostly to a better standard than when it left the factory!
A couple of 1970s early 1980s MOGs have recently been for sale in Miscellany.

Absolutely this. Test drive as many as you can, you will know when you've got the right one.

Thanks for the very prompt replies! It's funny, but in these online days it seems the test drive is an outdated concept but in this instance it's clearly of huge importance. From that advice I'm gathering that each Morgan is an individual and even more so when a couple of decades apart. Budget being a constraining factor doesn't help but that's life.

In terms of usage it will probably be out at least once a week but rarely for journey of more than about twenty miles. Between myself and my wife we have two cars and if I need the other then she will need to do the school run (15 miles there and back) in the Morgan on occasion and so need to factor that in and for certain I know she would be happier with a modern drivetrain and brakes.

I'm keeping an eye on the market. Bonhams sold a very low mileage 2009 Roadster last week for £27,000 and a younger +4 stalled at £25,000. Allon White also sold a rather lovely 2011 Sport for £25,000 so I hope I'm not unrealistic in hoping to find something in budget.

TGC, re the g/box on the 2011 car. Mine is a late 2011 4/4 and has the Ford MT75 gearbox, which has just been rebuilt due a roll pin failure.

I come from the era of cross flow and CVH engined cars and both have their good points and I love them but with my head screwed on I would buy the newer car. As has previously been said my reasons would be.... galvanised chassis, stainless bulkhead and inner wings, full alloy body! You will also get better fuel consumption. You said you like working on them, but not to the extent that it could effect your driving time I think.. The newer car is just more civilised and the standardised chassis gives more seating room and is much easier to get in and out of, If that's something you might find challenging! It's called the narrow body but its really just the cross head that's narrower with more taper on the wings. Make sure you test drive them really well and look out for rev hang on the newer ford's as if it's a car that suffers with it, it will drive you crazy! There is a heritage 4/4 sport with the narrow body and that has the Ford Duratec 2.0lt engine which is a very nice car, Possibly one of the best and worth looking out for. And it has the nicest dash ever fitted in my opinion, 2006/7 if memory serves me well!

With that money you could also get a plus 8 or plus 4. I'd try several models the car will find you.

I find the 2011 Sport the best Morgan, I have had the pleasure to drive (Sigma engine + Mazda box + spare wheel) looks great, more than enough acceleration, easy to maintain.