The Morgan, having completed at least 8 major rallies and other long events, was deemed deserving of some further tlc (tender loving care for any of our overseas readers) apart from the routine servicing.

In the case of a Morgan this includes replacing of the kingpin bushes and reaming to size (I remember being in the office of Brands Hatch Morgans many years ago, and hearing the amazement of a would be Morgan and current Porsche owner when he was informed of this detail of “routine servicing”)


The TR engine, prepared by Mass Racing Developments (www.massracingdevelopments.co.uk) for the 2007 Peking Paris, performed brilliantly on the rally and ever since. It has required virtually no attention. A check on valve clearances before the London Casablanca rally last year resulted in minimal adjustment to only 3 – the only maintenance apart from replacement of a set of contacts. The oil, kindly supplied by Robin Longden of Millers Oils (www.millersoils-online.co.uk) was changed after the Peking Paris, but is of such quality that Robin feels that it is good for many tens of thousands of miles. As recounted elsewhere (www.londoncapetown504.com) the Driver had to deliver some engine parts to Mass for the fettling of the 2 litre engine for the 504’s trip to Cape Town in January. The opportunity was taken to put the Morgan on Chris Conoley’s rolling road for a tune up.


It was fascinating to see Chris’ very logical approach to the job. Initial inspection of the ignition HT leads, followed by checking of the distributor and its components – including the points gap. Examination of the working of the throttle linkages on the twin SU HD6 carbs followed. Only after this were the diagnostic equipment sensors attached and the engine  fired up to check on timing. Linkage settings were adjusted, and carb settings varied according to the readings on the Sun system used on Chris’ rolling road.
It soon became apparent that all was not well.


Much furrowing of brows. The Driver by this time trying to remember the condition of the spare engine in the garage. The problem appeared to be a difficulty in the key stage of setting the slow running of one of the carbs. A malfunction the slow running adjustment screw? – hardly a complex high tech item to go wrong. It was removed, minutely inspected, along with the seating, several times. A decision to strip down the offending carb was made. The problem became clear – one of the drillways had not been when the carb was first manufactured by SU. The required passage was drilled by Chris’ resident master machinist, Pete Darlow,


The carb was reassembled and operations on the rolling road recommenced. This time all proceeded smoothly, and with minimal further tuning the TR engine was producing around 90 brake at the wheels with excellent torque – eminently satisfactory since the car was built for 76 octane Mongolian petrol with a 8.5 to 1 compression ratio.


Called in on the way back to Techniques, the Morgan agent alongside the A1 at Stotfold (www.techniques.uk.com). As some readers (well a few with a technical bent) may be aware, the factory have changed the thread of the kingpin bolts from BSF to AF; thus rendering the writer’s stock of spare bolts redundant at a stroke. A spare has been carried ever since the front suspension collapsed on one of the early Rallye des Alpes (right in front of Eric Carlsson, who never let me forget it). The spare carried that day saved our presence on the rally, as indeed it saved Adrian Van der Kroft’s race at one of the Goodwood Revival meetings.

Tracy Gateson was as hospitable as ever (in addition to providing the necessary kingpin bolt), and it was good to be able to photograph her against the Techniques building with the Morgan alongside Leigh Sebba’s  well known pre-war +4