The rigid rear axle is overslung on semielliptic rear springs with lever-type hydraulic dampers. Modern technology had appeared on the Plus-8 we drove in the form of telescopic rear shocks and, believe it or not, rack-and-pinion steering. The brakes too had moved into the present with 11 -in. discs in front and 9-in. drums in the rear, held up by Pirelli P205/60VRI S P6s on 63-in. cast aluminum wheels. With this fat footprint and a great deal of pedal effort, the 2270-lb Morgan stopped in an impressive 130 ft from 60 mph. Interestingly, the combination of fat tires and telescopic shocks kept the tail in on the skidpad, holding us to 0.75 g
Another interesting and unusual aspect of the current Morgans in the U.S. is that they run on propane. Once again, credit must be given to Bill Fink of Isis Imports Ltd. in San Francisco, America's largest (and only) importer of the oldest (75 years) ultra-low-volurne (400 to 500 cars per year) manufacturer in the world.
When asked about the pros and cons of using propane, the only con seemed to be availability to ordinary consumers, and this poses little problem with some thought and planning. The pros, according to Mr. Fink, are many: longer engine and plug life, quicker throttle response (dry fuel doesn't have to be vaporized), to mention just a few. Propane has about 10% less BTUs for a given quantity than gasoline, but with a little manifold work (by Offenhauser) Fink reckons his Morgans put out about the same power (160 SAE net) as their English brothers.
We decided to test the merits of propane-based muscle, and the results were impressive. Times at the dragstrip were fairly quick, registering a 15.12-sec quarter mile at 90.2 mph.
Making the engines legal is not Mr. Fink's only concern. Upon arrival in the States, the cars are partly disassembled and bracing is added in the doors and the rear compartment (the doors, quarter panels and rear deck are aluminum). Five-mph bumpers-a clever combination of VW Rabbit bumper shocks and stock Morgan bumpers-and an assortment of lights, reflectors, and other gadgets are installed to make Uncle Sam happy. This is a time consuming process requiring some 100 man-hours in the Isis garage, romantically housed in Pier 33 on the San Francisco waterfront.
Now that we know what makes this holdout from another time tick, what about driving it? On the convertible run
