Talk Morgan Forums Community Welcome Forum Driving in the rain -- therapy needed

I understand that many Morgan owners regularly brave the elements and venture out in the rain, some even with hood down, with or without a tonneau cover (and some, such as DaveW, seem even to relish this!). My problem is that I'm a bit, well, terrified of the interior getting wet. What happens to the leather? Won't my "caramel" interior stain from the water? How about the wooden dash and all the electronics? Can Morgan interiors really take getting a good soaking? Wisdom and advice gratefully received as at this point I'm stuck being a bit of a nervous Nelly about going out if there's anything other than blue skies and fair winds!

If it rains, stop and put the top up.

Also, driving on a wet road with top down will coat the inside of the screen and dashboard with damp crud.

And yes - your lovely interior will not be best pleased. Neither will SWMBO

Ah - thank you both. I had somehow gotten the impression that some folks choose to plough on regardless, top down, umbrellas(!) up a junctions, finding that magic speed where the rain simply blows over the top rather than down into the cabin. I couldn't quite picture that (leather replaced with wetsuit material? Electrics hermetically sealed? Drain holes in the floor?). That makes a bit more sense.

Adam, welcome and a very good question.

In 20 years of driving these glorious cars I have very rarely put the side screens on or roof up, I don't set off in the rain but if I get caught just carry on.

I once got caught in an absolute deluge around 100mls from home on an afternoon jaunt and with no options carried on and got fairly well soaked and the only way to dissipate the 2" of water in my footwell was to lift the carpets out and drill a couple of 1/2" holes in the marine ply (plugging after) with removable plugs.

I always treat the leather with a good coating of dubbin and mop the dash as you go, wearing glasses is not an asset with rain but well worth the fun of it all.

There are as many methods of using these cars as there are options on a Morgan, chose yours and drive

Adam,,as a bet I had to drive my plus 8 with the hood down for one year. I won but I’m unsure who came off worse , me or the car.
I remember having to stop on a motorway one v cold winter day and put my head in an early hot air dryer.
It was a hard year and I wouldn’t recommend it. I have a friend who bet he could wear shorts for a year and he did it but that to was challenging and restrictive.
Just don’t go out in a major downpour.
Dubbin ! Rich you make me laugh and yes I have an old tin cos as an old ex rugby player you never wanted to hang up your boots !

Best to all MM.
PS I have an old Barbour that I should have waxed but never got round to it, so the kids bought me a new one recently for a birthday, Doubt if I will wax that either………

There used to be a bit of a tradition amongst Morgan owners that one never drove with the roof up, even if the foulest of weathers. When I bought my 4/4 in 2000 I quickly realised that if one insisted on so doing, all that would happen would be that one would drive the car less often, Driving without a roof in bad weather is an extremely unpleasant experience.

I was further disillusioned one November night early in my ownership when I went to my local centre's Noggin evening. It was cold and damp, so I put the hood up and was a bit expecting to be made fun of for having the hood up even though it wasn't actually raining. When I got there however, I saw that mine was the only Morgan in the car park, everyone else had come in their tin tops.

Ever since then I have put the hood up whenever and wherever I want, and enjoy driving in both configurations.

School finishes on Friday, and I have a weeks tour of Somerset planned for next week starting Sunday. As with most years, the good weather is due to end and rain is forecast from Sunday onwards.

So, the roof will go on, and probably stay on for the week - it's such a faff that I usually can't be bothered to put it up and down everytime there's a slight change in the conditions. As Tim says, I will still enjoy driving the old girl, and have the bonus of a happy partner.

We "never " use the hood. No problems, last 15 jears ( due to rain )
Evry year i do the leather 2 times with saddle soap and saddle grease ( from questrian sports ) Therfore remains in perfect condition.


Stefan

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PludFour

I've driven opened top cars roof down for 5 decades, often in the rain and even snow, and much depends upon what speed and road/journey you are undertaking as to how wet you become. Yes you can find the right speed that the rain flows over the top of you.

However, I find in heavy rain the spray and wash from other vehicles (especially at speed and in particular with lorries) can be quite daunting to travel through roof down and can overwhelm your side screens etc as you travel thru the spray and you get drenched. But more importantly you can for a few seconds loose sight of the road ahead whilst travelling thru the spray and whilst trying to cope with all the water deposited on you, your passenger and of course your visibility thru the inside of the screen. If you do enjoy driving thru the rain make sure you have a leather chamois to hand to clean/dry the inside of your windscreen and side screens, of the water that will be deposited on them, not just by the rain but also the spray of other vehicles.

.Been there, done it and got the medal and from time to time have later wondered why as to whether what seemed a good idea at the time, wasn't that clever or as enjoyable as I thought it would be.