---
LMG
webmaster@gomog.com
http://www.gomog.com
Hi Phil,
The earliest UK Vitesse Plus 8's (unmodified) can match an Isis turbo-charged
propane on power and have the advantage of being much lighter. Hardcastle had
them leaving the factory with 208bph and 1888 pounds. But there are even less
of them than Bill's beauties.
If you were to reconvert a propane 8 back to petrol without prejudice to power
or the pain of failing an emissions test an Eaton Super Charger from Rimmer
Engineering in Colorado Springs (no relation with the British supply house of
the same name)would be worth looking into.
Everything you lose with the reconversion would be returned with the charger
and Rimmer has had a fine rep with Rover V8s for some time. The advantage of
using US bred expertise is that they would be familiar with your emissions
exigencies. They can do the work (if you send them the car or the engine) or
send you the kit to be installed by your expert.
Like you I have an affection for lusty Plus 8s.
Lorne
1984 Plus 8 EFI
On Fri, 10 Dec 1999 10:42:47 Phil Fisher wrote:
>Lorne,
>
>I fully concur with your observations that the propane powered Plus
>8's are definitely more potent than the stock SU or injected petrol
>versions. One of my biggest Morgan ?thrills? was in the late 70's
>when Bill Fink took me for a spin on the streets of San Francisco in
>one of his propane 8's that had been turbocharged. Talk about
>Bullitt revisited! The closest I've been to that level of thrill in
>a petrol 8 was with Jim Robinson last May in Altrincham (Manchester,
>UK) in his current Plus 8 which has been very nicely built including
>quad Weber downdrafts.
>
>My personal thing with propane has mainly to do with MOA type trips.
>We've done both MOA's so far, and as I recall the only propane
>powered Morgan that has done both trips in full is a Fiat powered +4
>that lives in Idaho. The trials and tribulations of locating propane
>sources in totally unfamiliar territory leaves a bit to be desired in
>my mind. In our part of California, most heating is done either by
>electricity or natural gas. Thus, propane tends to be regularly
>available only at those locations that cater to the recreational
>vehicle crowd. On the other hand, my in-laws live just outside
>Yosemite in the Sierras where most heating is either electric, fuel
>oil or propane. I've always thought it would be great to be able to
>drive one's Plus 8 alongside the family propane tank and give it a
>shot at heating fuel prices rather than street prices. Of course
>this might be termed tax evasion - don't know if heating propane
>smells different from street propane; wouldn't do too much good to
>add a colorant like diesel in some farming areas.
>
>One of the original purposes (at least technically??) for getting the
>Plus 8 was to be able to keep up with our Brit friends on the
>upcoming 2000 MOA trip. Again, this focused our attention on looking
>for a petrol version (very nearly bought a new one from Bill). But,
>after living with and loving Sally for the past two plus years we've
>decided the trusty 4/4 will be making the trip to New Orleans with us
>in September to start MOA III. It's really hard to give up the
>storage space available in a 4-seater!
>
>Phil Fisher
>1970 4/4 4-seater
>1992 Plus 8
>>---
>>LMG
>>webmaster@gomog.com
>>http://www.gomog.com
>>
>>Hi Phil and Rich,
>>
>>There is a discussion called "Made in the USA" of US propane models
>>off the GoMoG Plus 8 section that might help a bit.
>
>
Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com
|