As I had to postpone two already fixed appointments at the paint & body shop for the Morgan – I now must wait a bit until they can squeeze in C6622 into their schedule. Additionally, we might have to start with some front-wing adjustments that were not planned before. The few test-drives I have done over the last couple of days were always in proximity to my garage. While the engine starts and runs nice and reliably now – there are a few things that will need to be sorted out. One of them is the steering. Well actually just trying to better center it. On right turns I have a much better and tighter radius than on left turns. And on closer examination I then noticed that the right front-wing is closer to the wheel compared to the left side.
Depending on the road situation (for example right corners or while parking) I can even sometimes feel the right wheel rubbing/touching against the front wing. It is difficult to see on the pictures – but there is just a 1cm gap on the right from wing – compared to 4 cm on the left wing. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.
My father always had 185R15 65 tires fitted as long as I can think back. He took the Morgan to track-days on the Nürburgring and said that this tire size is much better. We also did a number of auto slaloms on MCD club events back in the 1990th. While I dream of maybe doing something like the LeJog, I am not intending to really do track days or something like this. So, I might to go back to the original 165R15 80 tires someday. With slightly larger wheels, the problem with the right front wing would become even worse… Well, now I am waiting for Stephan from the body shop to discuss on how we proceed.
In the meantime, I decided to tackle the dashboard and indicator/wiper stalk topic. My car – C6622 – got one of the early Matthias Kauffelt walnut dashboards and I wasn’t sure if the stalks are still in an original from. But after a post on the TalkMorgan forum and after receiving some picture from fellow 4/4 drivers it seems to me that the Lucas stalks used on the Morgan 4/4 back in the 80th seem all to have been bend at the factory in remarkable angles. No matter what you do – start my wrapping the stalk on PVC tape or something – to minimize the damage on the plastic. I tried various methods to replicate the bend – the one that works was suggested by MikeCVH85. He wrote I need to drill a hole of the diameter of the stalk-tube in a piece for flatbar, put this in a vice and that bend around it.
I only had 3mm think alloy around but I believe this is even better. It is easy to drill into. Using a punch I marked the center at 3,5mm from the side and used a 7mm drill. After you drill the hole just wiggle the drill a bit to open the hole on the side of the flatbar. I used a file to smooth the edges. For the super tight (almost 80° bend) at the base of stalk I used 2 further flatbar to counter the pressure. If you replicate this: Go slow – give yourself a few attempts and take the time to install, test and measure the stalk in the car.
If you wonder, why I choose today’s blog title… well – due to a stupid mistake I cut the entire side off my left middle finger quite deeply. This kept me from doing much more on the Morgan this weekend. Maybe I should not be allowed to use some tools…. 🙂
I also worked on this: Mini rear brakes. Just after a year and 6000km the new cylinder was leaking. But there is also another mistake here… this is the left side. Do you spot the error? 
This is the right side. Same error… my finger indicates what to look at… 
When working on the dashboard I use two 60mm bolts to lower the steering rack. The two ugly holes in the back need to be welded close…. 
removing the stalks and/or dashboard is easier when the steering column is lowered 
Difficult to see – but I mount the indicator (right stalk) so that the plastic notch is in front of the colum. This moves the stalk approx 5mm closer to steering wheel… 
the new stainless steel cover is covered with PVC to protect it… checking the correct mounting position with the old stalks 
we always had the problem that the stalk touch the dashboard when the main beam is used 
I will alter the line of the new dashbord on this side to get more room for the stalk 
As I moved the steering column to the center – the wiper stalk also needs more bending now 
my dashboard is 15mm thick. If I would screw in the cover like it is – it will stick out 25mm. I 
with the steering wheel in place the cover can only stick out 15mm – I need to create shims on the back of the new dashboard to compensate for this 
This is way to bend the stalk. A notch in a piece of flat alloy bar. carefully press against both sides 
the two pieces here helped to counter the pressure for the second bend. not strictly needed bu 
Using the rubber of an old Mini battery cover strap for the washer bottle 
finally got this in as well. One of those small jobs that get forgotten on the long ToDo list to easily 
My father in C6622 on the Nürburgring (year between 1994 and 1999). If I am not mistaking this was the Jan Wellem Pokal
Fixing C6622 
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