Wear out a Morgan gracefully

Preferring not to allow the Morgan to gather dust in the garage. Weather permitting, it's driven with enthusiasm at every opportunity, and with the hood down.

From acquisition day with less than 7,000 miles on the clock in 2011, it is now approaching 70,000 miles, but with little or no change to good performance or cosmetic good looks.

The bodywork and underlying mechanics are sound and the M.O.T. regularly passed with hardly a comment. The majority of maintenance is done by myself and I have only once suffered a breakdown when the radiator failed. The common weakness here was rectified later by fitting an all aluminium radiator.  All the fluids are regularly monitored and changed.

Particularly impressive is the way the ECU keeps the engine in tune. Starting is instantaneous and the engine has always run perfectly. This includes several trips abroad using all kinds of terrain and types of road. To get a flavour of these ventures, see elsewhere on this Blog.
As well as the radiator change I have renewed the rear brake shoes, replaced disk pads, replaced sliding pillars with hard chromed ones, sheathed the pillars in leather to keep out dirt/grit. Replaced a master cylinder, added spotlights, added triple horns, replaced washer fluid tube, added a clock and voltmeter, renewed the auxiliary ribbed belt (very simple to do), adjusted tracking, tied down all loose wiring, renewed perished parts of the cooling tubing. adjusted the handbrake cable, greased the spider universal joints to the transmission and steering. Oiled the leaf springs and hangers from time to time. Bled the brake system several times. Made a dashboard of wood and more recently a wood steering wheel and matching gear knob. Kept a log of all work carried out, together with mileage and dates on which this was done.

I have a decent hydraulic jack and axle stands for getting safely underneath.

In the garage, I normally drape a softcover dust sheet over the top.

A planned trip to Cadiz had to be postponed this year  (2019) because of a minor medical issue and lack of free time through childminding duties. However, there have been some lovely ventures and newly discovered venues closer to home in the south-west UK, including Newton Ferrers and Noss Mayo.

Irish Reflections.

The Emerald Isle is certainly quite green, but no different weather-wise, from South Devon and home. Lovers of quiet, out of the way places, us two pensioners found many friendly faces amongst the locals, and plenty of visitors doing the rounds of scenic hotspots. Some of the roads we ventured along are not to be recomended to those of a nervous disposition. Including one I would not dare attempt a second time. It's the single trackway heading across the high pass from the Sailor Bar, Kenmare and R571; not named or numbered or sign posted, but serving just the rural sparce community. Our low-slung Morgan chassis had its underside brushed by the buttercups, grass and daisies growing down the centerline of this narrow, little used country lane.

Although our hosts and all the locals showed great friendliness, there are overtly hostile signals from the troubled  recent past  that tell of bitterness towards the English. Like an omission to fly the Union-Jack alongside those of our close neighbouring countries. The prominent displays of heroic leaders that were hanged by us at the Easter Uprising, during the first world war, whose faces and eulogies appear in many a shop window, street corner or community centre.

Dramatic

Crystal clear Atlantic waters 

Good fishing to be had in these waters.

Divers fish hereabouts

Looking towards the Ring of Kerry 

The suspension of our Morgan two seater was treated to two liberal applications of the grease gun during our tour

Adding spotlights to Morgan 4/4

Having acquired a pair of spots from a friend I set about fitting them, thinking it would be a simple task, but the job becomes more involved once I discover the wiring loom colours are unavailable and the existing switch within a delicate circuit board, not to be disturbed.
A direct fused supply was taken from the battery to two separate new relays and the spots fitted and earthed onto the chassis. Berrybrook were able to sell me the stainless brackets for mounting the spots at the correct angle, sloping onto the aluminium wings.
All earthing connections are  made directly onto the chassis.
The switching power supply to the relay had to be taken from one of several sources that become live on turning the ignition key. I chose to take the relay switch feed from the sidelight circuit. The spots worked first time without blowing any fuses.

A task that takes me many hours would have cost upwards of three hundred pounds at the local garage. Now I understand why!

Three stainless fasteners drilled through alloy wings. Brackets come with washers and rubber gaskets. 

Minimal clearance between spot & overider. 

Two relays take positive feed from battery and fused close to battery. Relays fixed in engine bay onto bulkhead. 

Toggle switch.

Battery positive supply showing twin fuses.

Pre-wired fog/spot terminal showing blue/yellow-green/yellow wires. (New brown wire is sidelight feed to relay switch.  Beneath front offside wing)

The existing loom was tapped into for the switched supply to the relays and taken from the sidelight connector beneath the front offside wing. The loom behind the dashboard left unmolested. Only the switched supply required a small hole through the bulkhead beside the fusebox.

Too late, I find a terminal folded away in the front suspension bay of the offside wing that is the pre-wired one I failed to discover soon enough, nested underneath.

What other accessory could that be used for I wonder.

Morgan back on the road

What a fiddley and mucky job that was. Fully overhauled brake system with new pads, rear shoes and cylinders and master brake cylinder. Probably overkill on my part, since the one leaking cylinder could have simply been recommissioned with new rubber seals. I shall replace the seals in them and have a spare set for next time. Total cost in the region of £295 -- seal kit for refurbishing original cylinders £25 approx.
Road test indicated air not entirely purged from the brake lines/cylinders, so a second bleeding was carried out and a further road test confirms all is now well.
At least I know I can do the job myself.

Meanwhile the Volvo V70 provided effortless comfort to our winter break beside the Med. The pay as you go motorways in France are simply light years ahead of the potholed UK dodgem track. Tolls ammounted to about £70 each way but the joy of driving the clear road through the stunning French landscape is well worth the extra cost.
 A midway stop was taken at a small B&B near Le Mans but 590 miles and ten hours on the road even on a Sunday - more than enough for anyone.

 .

Mog away to Italy

Brexit vote already posted  we take the night ferry crossing from Plymouth to Roscoff  arriving at 8am into a damp blanket of low cloud. Within a mile of arrival a sobering sight greeted us. An accident victim was lying on the ground looking very bloodied, being comforted by someone, as a number of onlookers stood by. It appeared that his machine had been struck at our T junction and been thrown off the road into the field to our left. Ambulances sped to the scene as we headed away.
By the time we reached Le Mans the cloud cover and our spirits begin to lift. Then our first stop for fuel and refreshments. No sign of a fuel strike so far.
The Morgan is performing as it should, fully laden and on song.  We are escorted for several miles by a Ferrari which wafts by in gunmetal grey livery looking  good, and driven in gentle manner.  Two or three times we were hampered by heavy goods and only then did the growl of a Ferrari exhaust note tell of momentary frustration.
Our first rest stop is at Gannat and a new venue Hôtel-Logis La Coraline where the Mog is cocooned under a tarp and by early morning a clear sky dawns. Highly recommended is our finding. The charming hosts are Phillipe and Pascale.
Continuing towards Briancon, a more northerly route had to be taken due to closures. Saint Etienne, Chamberry, Valloire and the Col du Galibier gave us a splendid scenic route to Briancon.

As the mountain road ascended we were overtaken by a race-rally of some seriously quick sports machines and the Morgan enjoyed a moment of glory as we passed professional photographer; Griffopix .  Some burbled, others roared, turbo Porsches  drummed and a Lotus of some sort positively screamed by.  Now  here I had better add that the road surface was newly gritted and very dusty. Motorcyclists heading our way were riding well aware they had poor grip on lines of loose raised gravel. A sweeper truck was creating great clouds of dust and as we edged into the grass verge his high up driving cab was totally enveloped in the grey stuff.

  

Stop to admire the view

Heavy snows layered with Sahara desert sand fell this year

Going up and up

A chill wind here but soon  the descent leads into warm air

Photo  session here is halted by a sudden rain shower 

The Galibier tunnel from the south entrance

Brianson  B&B  of a rustic nature and run by a British couple.

La Vieille Ecurie served up delicious food but the greeting was a cold Basil Fawlty while Sybil seemed preoccupied strimming the lawn.  The apologetic young waitress was sweet enough, and it was left entirely to her to explain that there was a heating malfunction and no hot water for our bathroom. Helen was not best pleased  - We both left as dusty as we were on arrival.

Classic Motor Show - Dawlish

A stroll in the park with some rare motors from the past:  Dawlish could not be bettered this Sunday.
Many a proud owner was on hand to speak of adventures on the open road but by far the most impressive was the couple who had crossed the continents of both North America and South America in their lovely open top Austin Seven. And yes the book has already been written. 

Sliding Pillar on this 1920s Lancia (internal damping with oil filled reservoirs)

Lancia V4 - Rear of block has two exhaust exit ports serving two cylinders each. On either side of the one inlet port.

Lancia V4 from the nearside - Single overhead camshaft drive is vertical shaft at the front left.

Jaguar XK120

Straight six E type Jaguar

Morris Minor

Lovely Plus 4 Morgan

Wankel engined Mazda

Bristol

Volvo 1800

Another Super Morgan

M3W

Ford GT40

A beast of an engine

Pick-nick time on the Dawlish Lawn