Newbie's 1st Day

Newbie's 1st Day

Author
Discussion

Pauloamore

Original Poster:

225 posts

220 months

Saturday 9th June 2007
quotequote all
Ladies & Gents,

I picked up my 85 built 13000 mile Plus 8 and drove her 400 miles last night. Great fun. Fabulous and positive reponse from passers by and bikers etc.

Although, she's going to be a money pit.

- Corrosion behind each side light. A common problem?

- A hole in the forward piece of the exhaust. Best place to buy a replacement?

- Judder at 55 and 75 mph.

- Heater runs hot only for a while (cold last night!).

- Engine chrome handles corroded. Rechrome or buy new?

- Fuel spilt everywhere. Seems that either I have a hole in the petrol tank or if one slowly fills the tank the petrol can exit via breather pipe or something.

- Horn has stopped working.

- Forward headlights. OMG, awful! :-) Need to get those re-aligned.

- Fog lamps. Like the bat signal! An easy fix of course.

All in all, I've never had such a bad car that I'm loving so much.

I've aspired to this car for literaly 16 years. It's been in the family so i'll spend whatever it takes. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

I'm ordering a servo assisted brake package from Melvyn Rutter and will need a dust sheet and probably a left mirror. Anything else you guys think I need? I like the rear light assembly fitted to newer cars. I think I'll get one of those too.

Regards
Paulo

sdws

50 posts

211 months

Monday 11th June 2007
quotequote all
Welcome to the fold. Where in Scotland are you?

Bad news is the headlights are awful at the best of times.
Opening both filler caps makes it much easier to get the fuel in.
Does the leak appear to be top or bottom? Tank can rot through at the bottom hidden by the floor boards or possibly one of the rubber filler hoses has perished or the tank sender unit seal is leaking. The last two are easliy checked by taking the spare wheel off and having a look.
Heater? What heater?
The judder could be wheel balance or the damper blades (the flat pieces of metal between the stub axle and the chassis)

Shameless plug for local branch of MSCC www.jockmog.org.uk


g8kam

171 posts

218 months

Monday 11th June 2007
quotequote all
Hi Paulo,

Welcome, try www.hids4u.co.uk for your poor headlight output, convert conventional halogen to xenon. Turn night into day.

Cheers
KIN

Pauloamore

Original Poster:

225 posts

220 months

Wednesday 13th June 2007
quotequote all
sdws said:
Welcome to the fold. Where in Scotland are you?

Bad news is the headlights are awful at the best of times.
Opening both filler caps makes it much easier to get the fuel in.
Does the leak appear to be top or bottom? Tank can rot through at the bottom hidden by the floor boards or possibly one of the rubber filler hoses has perished or the tank sender unit seal is leaking. The last two are easliy checked by taking the spare wheel off and having a look.
Heater? What heater?
The judder could be wheel balance or the damper blades (the flat pieces of metal between the stub axle and the chassis)

Shameless plug for local branch of MSCC www.jockmog.org.uk
thanks for the info.
hope to see you around!

Pauloamore

Original Poster:

225 posts

220 months

Wednesday 13th June 2007
quotequote all
sorry, i'm in Aberdeen.

U?

sdws

50 posts

211 months

Thursday 14th June 2007
quotequote all
I'm in Carnoustie.
There are quite a few Morgans around Aberdeen a number of which will be at the Udny Arms, Udny on Friday 13th July from about 6.30. I'll not be there but if you are free you would be made very welcome by those there.

Simon

Pauloamore

Original Poster:

225 posts

220 months

Thursday 14th June 2007
quotequote all
sdws said:
I'm in Carnoustie.
There are quite a few Morgans around Aberdeen a number of which will be at the Udny Arms, Udny on Friday 13th July from about 6.30. I'll not be there but if you are free you would be made very welcome by those there.

Simon
That's appreciated. How do these things work? I don't know anyone etc. Just turn up? Must be like my first day at school!

sdws

50 posts

211 months

Thursday 14th June 2007
quotequote all
Yep just turn up and look for the loonies! Everybody is friendly, Owen is probably easiest to spot if he's there (wears glasses, loud, grey hair & beard). I can ask them to keep an eye out for you.


Bartell

35 posts

289 months

Sunday 17th June 2007
quotequote all

>I picked up my 85 built 13000 mile Plus 8 and
> drove her 400 miles last night. Great fun.
> Fabulous and positive reponse from passers by
> and bikers etc.

More of that to come. You will never get used to that.

>- Corrosion behind each side light. A common problem?

Yes. It must be cut out and and a patch welded it carefully.

However, ascertain whether you have alloy of stell wings. If alloy, check the edges of the wings. If it is alloy and you see a steel wire extruding..it is time to consider new wings. I would opt for steel. They are cheaper, always repairable and considerably longer lasting. The new Superfoprm wings have too many problems and are expensive.

>- A hole in the forward piece of the exhaust.
> Best place to buy a replacement?

Do you want a new exhaust of a replacement part? If the former, consult with Heart of England Morgans, if the later, go to Harpers or see if the problme can be patched (probably no as my guess is that it is the iceberg tip of rust..

- Judder at 55 and 75 mph.

Assuming your damper blades are not maladjusted...your front end may need new kingpins and bushes. Use hard chrome kingpins (or stainless) and bronze bushes

>- Heater runs hot only for a while (cold last night!).

There is insufficent coolant in the car..probably not reach the heater biox. Flush the car, fill to the top with a 50-50 solution and make sure you have the valve open (It is under the dash adjacent to the steering column).

>- Engine chrome handles corroded. Rechrome or buy new?

New.

>- Fuel spilt everywhere. Seems that either I have a hole in the petrol tank >or if one slowly fills the tank the petrol can exit via breather pipe or >something.

Do you have a twin or single filler tank? If a single, you must fill it VERY slowly.

>- Horn has stopped working.

Fuse

>- Forward headlights. OMG, awful! :-) Need to get those re-aligned.

Pretty ugly. I use XK150 headlamps with hologens bulbs. Smashing!

- Fog lamps. Like the bat signal! An easy fix of course.

>Treat them with respect. They are Marchals..VERY VERY rare and worth a lot.

>I'm ordering a servo assisted brake package from Melvyn Rutter

You don't need one. I have Plus 8s with and without. Morgans take so little to brake. If you want to increase your braking, you could go to 4 pots from two. The servo will not increase your braking..only make it easy to press the pedal. On the other hand, the servo and assembly only costs 220 quid new these days. You will need an adapter to harness the vacuuum for the plenum or intake manifold. There will be a spacer block with assembly.

If you want more braking, this can done with higher quality pads and shoes.

> probably a left mirror.

You will have to change your present mirror to the later telescopic type or go with mismatched lights. Non-telescopics give you no view to the rear from the driver's seat.

>I like the rear light assembly fitted to newer cars.
>I think I'll get one of those too.

A cyclops rear stop light! Not really the right thing to do..

James

Pauloamore

Original Poster:

225 posts

220 months

Thursday 21st June 2007
quotequote all
Bartell said:
>I picked up my 85 built 13000 mile Plus 8 and
> drove her 400 miles last night. Great fun.
> Fabulous and positive reponse from passers by
> and bikers etc.

More of that to come. You will never get used to that.

>- Corrosion behind each side light. A common problem?

Yes. It must be cut out and and a patch welded it carefully.

However, ascertain whether you have alloy of stell wings. If alloy, check the edges of the wings. If it is alloy and you see a steel wire extruding..it is time to consider new wings. I would opt for steel. They are cheaper, always repairable and considerably longer lasting. The new Superfoprm wings have too many problems and are expensive.

>- A hole in the forward piece of the exhaust.
> Best place to buy a replacement?

Do you want a new exhaust of a replacement part? If the former, consult with Heart of England Morgans, if the later, go to Harpers or see if the problme can be patched (probably no as my guess is that it is the iceberg tip of rust..

- Judder at 55 and 75 mph.

Assuming your damper blades are not maladjusted...your front end may need new kingpins and bushes. Use hard chrome kingpins (or stainless) and bronze bushes

>- Heater runs hot only for a while (cold last night!).

There is insufficent coolant in the car..probably not reach the heater biox. Flush the car, fill to the top with a 50-50 solution and make sure you have the valve open (It is under the dash adjacent to the steering column).

>- Engine chrome handles corroded. Rechrome or buy new?

New.

>- Fuel spilt everywhere. Seems that either I have a hole in the petrol tank >or if one slowly fills the tank the petrol can exit via breather pipe or >something.

Do you have a twin or single filler tank? If a single, you must fill it VERY slowly.

>- Horn has stopped working.

Fuse

>- Forward headlights. OMG, awful! :-) Need to get those re-aligned.

Pretty ugly. I use XK150 headlamps with hologens bulbs. Smashing!

- Fog lamps. Like the bat signal! An easy fix of course.

>Treat them with respect. They are Marchals..VERY VERY rare and worth a lot.

>I'm ordering a servo assisted brake package from Melvyn Rutter

You don't need one. I have Plus 8s with and without. Morgans take so little to brake. If you want to increase your braking, you could go to 4 pots from two. The servo will not increase your braking..only make it easy to press the pedal. On the other hand, the servo and assembly only costs 220 quid new these days. You will need an adapter to harness the vacuuum for the plenum or intake manifold. There will be a spacer block with assembly.

If you want more braking, this can done with higher quality pads and shoes.

> probably a left mirror.

You will have to change your present mirror to the later telescopic type or go with mismatched lights. Non-telescopics give you no view to the rear from the driver's seat.

>I like the rear light assembly fitted to newer cars.
>I think I'll get one of those too.

A cyclops rear stop light! Not really the right thing to do..

James
James, thanks for your reply. I'll let you know how I got on.

It turned out that the fuse was blown, a damper blade broken and the fuel hoses perished.

I think I agree on the cyclops. Best left as they were.