Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Roadsters

My 2014 4/4 is galvanised. Thank goodness.

I saw a post elsewhere (FB ?) from a specialist who had recently completed chassis repairs to rectify the results of corrosion in a later autophoretic coated chassis.

It was not model specific but was introduced at a specific date, at the time bigged up as superior to galv, which properly done is 'hot dip' and allegedly sometimes distorted the chassis which was actually at Rubery Owens' cost to straighten as they made them anyway.

The real truth is it offered a significant cost saving to drop the zinc galv, what the marketing bullshiters call 'value engineering'

Galvanising ended late 2015/early 2016. My P4 is not galvanised. In the spring of 2016 the factory had a limited number of galvanised chassis remaining. I should have ordered one, but they were then 'extras' at about £1250, which took me above what I wanted to pay.

Even galvanised chassis need attention. Gravel rash sees to that, but autophoretic is a fancy powder coating, and needs much more. Mine is in great condition because I keep on top of the rash. Galvanised go to white powder but autophoretic shows pinhead rust which admittedly so far has not attempted to lift.

Yes even in 2016 Morgan had reserves of the galvanised chassis' still in stock and buyers could specify galvanised as a preference but I think there was a cost element involved?

I seem to recall that the very first red autophoretic coated chassis were on the APR4 which were built in 2016.

Yes DeeJay that's spot on. I really wanted the cosworth engined ARP4 but for several reasons decided against it. One reason was imagining what the chassis might look like when the rust appeared!

I was also in the frame for the ARP4 and met the dealer at the Silverstone launch. Basically another missed target by MMC, because for me it was way too blingy. Had it been offered as an engine & suspension package in a standard Trad I may have gone for one. And arguably the best dashboard in any Trad. Another .'Not To Be'.

Perhaps that's why they chose red

I whole heartedly agree with your post Hertford Mog, my Morgan history mirrors yours, I think the 3.7 Roadster is the pick of the bunch for just having immense fun it certainly shocks other car users when you go flying past in something that looks like it came from the '30's but it is also very civilized for cruising around the lanes using only the top two gears and getting around 30mpg, the power to weight ratio is the same as an Audi R8V10 and it's Ford powered for parts etc.

Indeed CooperMan!

The other main stumbling block for me was that I didn't feel that the engine was special enough, it just didn't feel like it was a Cosworth. Working with Ford it certainly didn't have the..... well something special that all the Cosworth powered Ford's I'd had experience with had shown. You certainly knew you were in something special in all aspects of the car.