Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) warning lights +8 dashboard

Your’e not wrong there 😂

Far too contrived and busy….

Well unlike my warning light array, I like to think of myself as genuine and lazy
But looking at the OEM dashboard the warning light placements shown from a Plus 8, looks as though they were fitted by a 5 year old in a rather haphazard way, but it is original, I suppose

And that is the whole point.

bilibib ....that's a novel approach ... and doesn't offend me at all ... far better than the '70s looking lights and rockers (though to be fair that look suits a lot of people and I can see the point of maintaining originality if that's your thing). My views on rhis have been talked through elsewhere ... I have a personal antipathy to the majority of the '70s design ethos (entirely subjective and personal I'm the first to admit) .... however my (again personal) sweet-spot of Morgans is the crossflow narrow trad ... it hits the spot of still having tge 'pre-war' vibe but being simple and perfectly modern-traffic capable ... I like the less polished and more garage-built vibe ... all that meant my dash had to go ... to be peplace with one reflective of my favourite era of motoring ... pre-war specials .... a really long way of saying you won't hear a peep out of me regarding originality or personal taste! 😆


K

Another question: behind the steering wheel, the turn signal lever is on the right and the wiper lever is on the left. Is it possible to swap these sides, since in Germany—where we live—it is exactly the other way around on most cars?

Hi riri,

Hard to tell from what you posted. Leberfinger pretty much copied Kauffelt. Both have great work from the Leberfinger pictures on Talk Morgan.

Matthias Kauffelt, a wonderful man, started these dashes off. He works on more exotic tasks now. He was trained as a highly specialized, highly paid, engineer but always had a passion for woodworking, aside from his own Morgan Plus 8. When Gregory Flaving, owner of the famous German Morgan dealer chain, exclaimed on sight at the dash Matthias had made for himself, Matthias soon quit his career and began making dashes for primarily German Morgans. That became specialist work for lpriceless vintage Mercedes Benz and Rolls Royce..A close German Morgan friend turned me on to him. And after an accident destroyed my Plus 8 in 2002 (kindly recreated bespoke by the Works for me). https://www.mk-holztechnik.de/englisch/morgan-accessories/models-9-97---8-07/index.html He makes for all eras of trads. Leberfinger (Morgan Park and Morgan Hamburg) followed his path saving Lutz, of course, does not do this work himself. There is also an Italian artisan that makes dashes in burl. Examples of the first two appear on this forum as regularly. They are mesmerizing.

The materials used are of a higher quality. In the UK, such things are distributed by Allon White and dear Cain has some great stuff at Wolf Performance. However, a full bespoke dash like yours can cost 10 times what what you can get one of the regular burl ones from the MMC, when they sold them. Lately, I see trads selling at almost the price of one of these dashes. The difference is something else and if you opt for one of a Special"you can set up the dash as you choose. Aside you see from the images I posted, they are considerably more simply classic than the Factory originals installed during that 1990s era and you can add what guages you want for more engine info.

Yours is lovely.

I suspect yours is a Kauffelt like mine are. I believe I see a hint in your pictures something Kaufelt often did. a protective padded strip of lather at the dash bottom. I am not as familiar with Leberfinger's efforts but I understand they are similar to Kauffelts.

Welcome to Morgan trads, riri

Lorne

Another question: behind the steering wheel, the turn signal lever is on the right and the wiper lever is on the left. Is it possible to swap these sides, since in Germany—where we live—it is exactly the other way around on most cars?

Anything is possible in a Morgan - however, if you just swapped them round, the labels would be upside down and the wipers switch would work in the opposite way. You'd be best off finding a vehicle with the stalks in the correct position and grafting them on to the Morgan steering column.I think the Reliant Robin had left signal lever, and right wiper switch so they may be a direct bolt on, and a quick rewire.

So, here ist the komplete dashboard. Du you know it´s a Kaufelt or a Leberfiger?

RIRI

Morganpark and Kauffeld offer bespoke dashboards!
So it is difficult to find out who made your...

For me the whole look seems to be more Kauffeld than Morganpark.

For example Kauffeld often offered the "Jaguar-type" main light ht switch..