Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Changing Classes and Engine along with it!!!!

Being 1972 and 1984 cars they don’t need a cat.

Thanks Andrew, at this stage my collapsed cat theory is just that, a theory!

I doubt the custom long equal length primaries four into two into one manifold that Matt at Fusion Fabrications built me is the restriction, it looks very optimised to me.



However, as per my last post there's strong supporting evidence to suggest the cat is causing a flow restriction, and THB l don't really trust so-called sports cats



Of course it could possibly be the silencer that's blocked, or perhaps even a bit of both



I must say I feel rather sanguine about it all, because every modification we've made has behaved exactly as expected at low and mid rpm:

* The big-valve head improved torque
* The Phase 3 cams broadened the curve
* Idle quality remained excellent,
* The engine revs cleanly to 8,250 rpm,
* MAP stays at 100 kPa,

Fueling and ignition are also under excellent control, so the only thing that hasn't actually behaved as expected is the last 1,500–2,000 rpm of the power curve. That makes me think I'm not dealing with an engine that's fundamentally mismatched, quite the opposite in fact. I'm dealing with a single bottleneck that is only exposed when exhaust mass flow becomes very high.

Whether that's the catalyst, another part of the exhaust, or cam timing is still to be proven. My guess is is we'll cut the cat out and Monty will immediately make 200hp plus, and with some cam timing changes on the dyno to prove what the engine wants, we'll get to 213hp or there abouts. Anyway, the only way to find out is to test it, so soon Monty will go back on a different dyno that James uses regularly, and where we will run a pressure test engine side of the cat.

If we do find a restriction the sports cat will be removed, TBH I doubt it's doing much emissions cleanup work anyway. In the meantime, and with all this great weather, I'm focusing on extracting as much pleasure out of the car as I can. l love the way Monty drives and he is definitely way faster than Stage 2 Monty, so while it seems likely there's another 30hp or so to come, I'm in no particular rush to release it.



NB: This may be of interest?

https://www.talkmorgan.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/819716/re-cracking-job#Post819716

Some of the images have been lost but you'll get the idea

To close this question. I was sent the details:

105 Db static test
92 Db drive by

Snetterton 2026 - July 18th

I thought I would introduce a written report... to help make sense of the clips. Hope you all like it. One of my pit crew has written the Silverstone one I will publish next week.

After our inaugural at Cadwell Park the month earlier, we found in the inter race inspection that we’d snapped off both rear damper mounts – new brackets and a load of my best welding later – we were better than new.
The Snetterton 300 circuit is a totally different kettle of fish from Cadwell Park, it’s a huge wide, fast and long circuit that’s totally flat. Two long straights dominate proceedings with long sweeping bends and several tight hairpins to deal with.
Cadwell had given my first taste of the hustle and bustle of standing grid starts… this time it was going to be rolling starts. That’s a new experience.

We arrived on Friday night and set up in the last garage, we knew were going to be sharing but it was going to be last come last squeeze in by the looks of it. None of the luxury of a day’s orientation watching how things run, it was going to be straight into qualifying first thing Saturday morning. So we set up straight outside the pit leaving the trailer hooked up to the race van. Luckily our bunk beds arriving literally just in time to get fitted and used for this weekend. This weekend also saw a better opportunity to see how the batter power station worked out running the fridge and microwave – this weekend being highly useful for subsequent capacity calculations.
Early rise on Saturday morning, straight on with the race suit and into new drivers briefing.

Qualifying was a combination of learning the circuit whilst also getting more accustomed to the sensation of higher speeds. Also gaining more familiarity with the braking capabilities of the car. Still managed to stay ahead of one of the Roadster Lightweights but several seconds off the trio ahead of me, two Roadster Lightweight’s and a 3.9 v8 leading the class.

On the grid for race 1 I was alongside Nigel in his Blue and Silver Roadster Lightweight. The weather was looking ominous with dark cloud front nearly upon us. A bit of novice error exiting turn one, leaving too much track on the outside saw Nigel sneak past as we drove into the rain front. A couple of spin out’s happening in the next 500m of track saw two competitors having to start a fight from the back. The first tiptoe round lap gave way to dry racing as the circuit rapidly dried in the heat… and speeds along with confidence rose. My focus was clawing back the spot I’d lost to Nigel in the first bend… and after several more laps I’d reeled him in and was on his bumper. In retrospect, this was probably not the best approach to mounting an overtake but I didn’t really appreciate that at the time. As far as I was concerned, I was on his bumper and trying to find a way past. This approach didn’t give the TV sweeping past opportunity you have in your mind, the Roadsters V6 has too much torque out of the corners for the little 4Cyl to make up or with revs. So it became a sort of game of chicken into the corners… suffice to say, that’s a game the little 4/4 with it’s low weight and super brakes was going to win against a car easily 100kg heavier. With a bit of a confidence chat, I managed to shoot up the inside into the same turn 1 I’d lost the position on and out braked Nigel holding the car on the black top and getting round on tenterhooks. In the revelry moment nearly overcooking the next corner resulting in a huge (it felt huge)… drift moment with Nigel after the race noting I was maybe handing the spot back to him. However, with a bit of opposite lock and trim of the throttle, I managed to hold onto it and steadily lap by lap headed off in search of the Roadsters in front of me. Unfortunately they’d scampered too far ahead for me to catch them but it gave me confidence that I could maybe keep up with them in Race 2.

With the DNF’s and drop out’s I was ahead on the grid and this time along side Peter Cole in the Yellow and Silver Roadster. My target to hang on to. My Race 2 Grid alignment discipline let me down from the start line… handing Peter the slot ahead of me with no challenge (bottom kicking myself for next time). Nigel even managed to sneak past again, though it was only a couple of turns before he relinquished the position with the aim of getting a tow around to see if we could both keep up with our class compadre’s. The field ahead of them was a bit bunched with mid field traffic and whilst this lasted, I could hold on to them but present little challenge, the little 4/4 getting out blasted from the corners and late braking not enough to compensate for an ever widening gap. In the end, stalemate, with me now a considerable distance ahead of Nigel and myself too far back from the Roadster ahead to pose any threat. That’s where it ended despite putting everything into trying to catch the roadsters it just wasn’t going to happen today.
I don’t despair however, we were still running our initial baseline chassis setup and whilst we didn’t quite have the grunt to match, with a clear run in the corners, the car could pull the revs to hold its own close enough. We’re 24Kg’s over class 4 weight too, something we can think about for the future.

For now, it was another reliable weekend – my main observation from Cadwell and Snetterton was finishing is the most important marker of success. With mechanical DNF’s with several cars not finishing both race weekends. We’ve managed 6 sessions, plus shakedown with good reliability overall. I’ve kept out of the way of the faster drivers and had my own race objectives set out each time.
Now we pack up quickly as we’re turfed out of the pit garages for the Sunday racers to move in. Choosing to annex into the infield camping area for the night, recover before the long drive home Sunday. Already thinking of the post-race check over and setup changes ahead of Silverstone, a track I’ve driven during our shakedown.

Watch our Snetterton Race Video here: [url] [\url]

And here's the video from the busy Silverstone weekend... two bouts of qualifying and three races... two Morgan Challenge and the Techniques Cup race for 4cyl Morgans.

[video:youtube][/video]

In the Pits - Ben the volunteer

I’ve been to Silverstone many times and have been into the paddock area as a guest of a scrutineer, but I had never been in the pits.

I found myself with the opportunity to help Andrew and Aspect Racing, campaigning his 1972, 2.0-litre 4/4 Morgan, as his usual crew were otherwise engaged. With only one member of his team left and his 13-year-old son, Andrew asked if I could step in and help. Luckily, I have an engineering background and a keen interest in cars and motorbikes, and have done my fair share of tinkering on my own +4 Morgan and fixing over the years, so I felt up to the job.

We arrived at Silverstone early evening and got set up with the help of Ollie, a young motorsport student gaining experience in the real world of racing, and Andrew’s son. Once the car was out of the trailer and the paddock tent was up, it was time for microwave curries all round and then bed.

The car had been checked over before being loaded, but we double-checked it, making sure there was enough fuel for the two qualifying sessions. Andrew was entered into the two Morgan Challenge races and had also elected for the extra Techniques Cup race.
Running from the original pit straight, I had my first taste of the assembly area and being on the pit wall.

Two good qualifying sessions saw Andrew qualify 15th overall and 1st in class for the Morgan Challenge, and 2nd overall for the Techniques Cup — a great result!

Then, with 20 minutes to go before the first race, the car wouldn’t start!

I’m upside down under the dash on the passenger side while Andrew tries to start it. No luck, and no loose wires. Bonnet open, nothing obvious. Andrew suggested the starter cables, which can’t be seen under the heat protection wrap as it’s right by the exhaust.
I laid down under the car and could see a loose cable, but not where it went. The ignition/solenoid cable was off, but I could barely reach it and had no idea where it was meant to fit.
So we rush to get a jack out of the trailer — only to find someone has parked their Porsche behind it! Owner identified, car moved, jacks out and the car up in the air. Andrew had seen the connection before, so he was now under the car working out how to reconnect it.
Contact made and the starter spins!

He’s back in the car and we’re rushing (good jog for me!) over to the assembly area, just in time to get his helmet, gloves, straps and HANS device on before lining up for the race.
The first race was completed successfully, but before Race 2, it happened again! The cable had detached once more. This time we knew the deal, and efficient teamwork saw the problem fixed in minutes. The routing of the cable wasn’t ideal, so the wrapping was pushing it off. We rerouted and slightly crimped the connection to ensure a tighter fit.

It was really exciting watching from the pit wall, with lots of overtakes down the National Pit Straight, including several by Andrew. He came 2nd and 3rd in class in the Morgan Challenge races and, after some dicing with a TR250, came 3rd overall and 2nd in class in the Techniques Cup, only beaten by a car with 25 hp more.

It was a long, enjoyable day with 2 qualifying sessions, 3 races and a lot of chasing a Morgan around to the assembly area and back!
There were, of course, some chilled moments, with plenty of beautiful old cars to admire alongside the many Morgans. As it was the Bentley Drivers Club meeting, there were also lots of Bentleys, which took me back to when I was at primary school and my father rebuilt a pre-war one.

Between us, we kept the car going and topped up with fuel all day, allowing Andrew to get out and race.

I was really pleased to have helped Andrew and thoroughly enjoyed being in amongst it on a race day, when I’m so often the other side of the fence. The weekend was topped off with a visit to the Car Club Fest on the Sunday.

A thoroughly enjoyable weekend!