Yesterday a friend presented me with a gift of a Morgan book titled "Famous
Car Factories - Morgan" by Bengt Ason Holm. It is published by Motorbooks
International, produced by AB Nordbod, Gothenburg, Sweden. This edition is
dated 1991. The book is basically a coffee-table book, but the pictures are
fabulous. It even has a map to the Malvern Link factory. My friend picked
the book up this week at a show in Carlisle, Pa. My friend, Dave Renninger,
owns a Ford Model A parts business here in Lancaster, Pa., and has quite a
few vintage autos himself (all Ford, naturally), but he loves Morgans and
always finds something for me at every show he attends. I would recommend
this book on the pictures alone, and the "factory tour" that is the premise
of the book. The text is minimal, and there are quite a few typos, but the
book is otherwise beautiful to look at. It amazed my wife, among others, to
see the bare wood frames, photos of workmen hand fitting parts, etc. Close
up photos of the tools used to create a Morgan are my favorite. The
penciled-in price was $19.95, which seems good for the pleasure the book
gave me.
Next week is the famous Hershey Auto show here in Penna., which I plan to
attend. Don't know how many Morgans will be there, but you can see Cords,
Boat tail speedsters, enormous Packards, and all sorts of automobile
paraphernalia. It was ten years ago at Hershey that I bought a Morgan tie
tack, which I can finally wear.
Being a Morgan newbie (I bought my LP powered 1987 4/4 last March) I have
posted a few ignorant messages to this board... but I am learning. Both
Cantab and Isis have been great in answering questions, but like a lady
member noted a few weeks ago, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, or something
to that effect. I was attempting to tear apart a perfectly good machine for
no good reason other than (what, being an asshole?). Luckily, the car is
still like new.
Finally figured out how to adjust the clutch (three days ago). From the time
I bought the car, it shifted very rough, and I attributed this to normal
Morgan mechanics. When I finally found the lock-nut to secure the clutch
cable, the car now shifts like butter. I can't believe how stupid I was.
Should have looked there right away.
When I got the car in March, it had a little less than 5,000 miles on it. I
have added 6,000 miles since then, and loved every minute. The only problem
was state inspection. The mechanic had to pull one of the wheels off (he
chose the left rear) and ever since I found a puddle of brake fluid on my
garage floor. Plus, about every 100 miles, the brake light on the dash goes
on and I must top off the fluid. He must have broken something, which I will
attempt to fix tomorrow. My friend tells me I will have to re-run the entire
brake lines, but I feel it can be fixed at the source... the left rear
wheel. Have to read Fred's book on that topic before doing anything.
For any members interested in computer graphics, I am digitizing my Morgan
in Caligari TrueSpace. The project is about 50% complete, and when finished
will be a fully functional 4/4, with opening doors and bonnets, etc. I would
do it in 3D Studio Max, but can't afford the program. I will post the 3-D
model when complete. I did this last year with a Clark Forklift, so I know
what I am doing. The Morgan is definitely more complex that a forklift,
however. Especially the front end. But that's the only way I will learn how
it works... by drawing it and making it work in 3-D.
Here is another stupid question... has anyone ever attempted to turbo-charge
a Morgan 4-cylinder? I had an intercooled turbo Conquest back in 1985 that
accelerated like crazy. With the fall weather recently, it seems my Ford
powered 4/4 is much more frisky than it was over the summer. Could this have
something to do with the cooler air mixture?
Thanks for any input, and apologies for being so ignorant.
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