On Apr 17, 2005, at 4:19 PM, Keith Whaley wrote:
Everybody admits the ol' Morgan has a STIFF chassis!
Stiff suspension, yes. The old ladder type frames are, um, springy. ;-)
I was led to believe it referred to torsional rigidity. Articles which discussed the Morgan's handling specifically mentioned just that. Which is not particularly applicable to suspension members. The torsion of the frame, and it's response are quite different from suspension (individual wheel) actions.
They are good ladder frames, but it's very very old technology just like the sliding pillar suspension arms, etc. When you have a flexible frame, you make the suspension stiff in order to keep the geometry under control. When you have a very stiff frame, you can make nice, soft, compliant suspension without a worry about geometry.
Now, I haven't seen or driven a Morgan in about 30 years so I don't know what anything made in that period is like with regard to chassis stiffness. But anything prior to that was basically a hand-made 1930s automobile kept alive in production through the decades.
But, I guess *not* owning a 2 litre Morgan all these years must have turned my brain to mush! Tha't's realistic too, wouldn't you say? ;-)
LOL ... Driving a Morgan for 30 years or so would turn your brain (and your butt) to mush too.
They're not exactly the most compliant and forgiving car on the body... ;-)
Godfrey
