HOOD SWIVEL PIVOTS
by Lorne Goldman
(Webmaster: JohnTaylor, is a Morgan owner himself and designed and produces this item. Has received a good number of recommendations from the Morgan owners' community.)
see Phoenix Design Services

A simple and effective method to help install the hood with ease without bruised fingers, broken windscreen, torn hood or expressing certain expletives. Fastening the hood all round pressing down the swivel levers and the hood is evenly tensioned with a satisfying "clunk". To fit, simply remove the existing hood frame pivots and replace with the new quality "Swivel Pivots" using the same screw holes. No need to drill extra holes or modify the frames.

The kit comprises a pair of ‘Swivel Pivots’, stainless steel fixing screws and full fitting instructions. When the hood is required simply secure the hood to all the rear fixings as normal,turn the levers to lower the hood frame and secure the hood onto the windscreen with ease. Making sure the frame is in the fully extended position,turn the levers to the over center locking position and the hood is tensioned and safely installed. A "doodle", no more pulling on the hood and risking a broken screen. Precision high-pressure brass die casting. 

A testimonial from the eMOG archives:

I've got to share this with you; erecting the hood on LULU ('93 +4, 4-4-seater) is normally one of the lesser-known Labours of Hercules - last time, working on my own, it took me 3 HOURS; a pair of engineers pliers; a book of spells; a swearing dictionary; a box of Elastoplast and a vatful of  touch-up paint to repair the skags on the rear wings when the pliers lost their grip (catapulting me into the flower bed in the process).  Normally with the Rivenhood at full stretch there is at least an 1 1/2" gap between the hood's leading edge lift-the-dot connectors and the windscreen posts -  and on cold days, it might as well be 18" (and yes, I have tried starting at the front - with identical results).  The neighbors used to invite their friends round to watch me and make cheery, helpful suggestions.  Oh how we all laughed. (sad sigh)

I was a sad little Morganeer with mangled fingers and thumbs and in consequence I had just about decided to mortgage She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed and the brats to purchase a Simmonds conversion when I saw John Taylor's advert in 'Miscellany' this month; his four-seater conversion kit consists  of a pair of nicely-finished cranked levers, a swinging latch and ALL the bits and pieces needed to do the job (thoughtfully even including drills and an Allen key).  The instructions are also comprehensible to the mechanically- bewildered (putting me in charge of an electric drill is like putting Herod in charge of a children's home).

The job took me about an hour to complete (most of the time taken up in carefully drilling out a rivet on each side of the hood frame).  No problems were encountered (apart from breaking a pilot drill bit - TIP: Remember to set the drill to NON-hammer action before you start...) and the result?  Working on my own, I can now get the roof up well within five minutes (including a full minute for smirking); connect hood to windscreen, drop the levers, a small tug over the rear turnbuckles, work the levers again to tension the hood and slide the new latch forward to lock everything in position.  Pure magic - and a small fraction of the price I was considering paying.  Give the man a medal - I'm actually looking forward to the next downpour! Simon Hartgroves, Cornwall, UK  L277 ULU

ADDENDUM: A recent note from John Taylor December 2022
Hood too tight? These swivels can also be used to compensate for the inevitable stretching /sagging of your hood material: "Recently, I drilled a further pivot hole about half an inch further up the upright hood frame and this makes all the difference. The hood being vinyl and in cold weather doesn't handle easily but repositioning one of the 3 hole positions does the trick. I then cut off the excess and filed the end of hood frame back into the original rounded shape.
 

A Leakless Hood
by André Koopmann


Translation:
How does one get the Morgan top tight and right...aka leakless. It is all about sealing above the windshield where the top and windscreen meet. I already had plans for this area for years. We proofed it at the last autumn meeting. Extreme weather and a journey of over 850 km. Whether in rain, sleet or snow, we were always dry. We tried many different sealing materials, and finally settled on a round, soft one in foam/rubber. The round affair is placed (attached) between top and windscreen frame. Admittedly that's a bit fiddly but the result is amazing. Even at higher highway speeds at least that's the area absolutely tight. This sealing cord lies with us always in the car and has us have often served well! Hopefully the pictures will help you understand it.

WEBMASTER NOTE: I am very happy for dear André Koopmann's article.  (one of a series that two of our German brethren provided us with). Many Morgans owners complain of cabin leakage in inclement weather. When I bought my first Morgan, another 1984/5 Plus 8 like André's, I too was appalled at the leakage. I had been advised to take towels with us on our first overnighter, but they were of little help and I was annoyed, while my wife was unhappy. We wanted to become long distance moggers and the leaking was an obstacle to that. I figured out that I could stop the problem by buying a roll of foam insulation and stuffing that between the top and the windscreen.

When our car was recreated by the MMC in 2002, it returned home with one of the last stock tops. At the time, after a century working to finally get it right, the MMC was transitioning to a leaky something they called the Easy-whatever that ruined the sublime line of the car by being bunched up at the rear and dripped like hell. The top I received was a revelation. Leakless. They were sewing into the front end of the top a flexible tube that made the leaking from that area stop all together.

A couple of years later we bought and restored a 1990 Plus 8s in the UK, keeping it there for ten years while we commuted between Morgans in North America and Europe. For that period we spent 6 months in Morgans traveling. The UK Plus 8 had the same flexible tube, and though it was not as trim as the later Plus 8, it did the job as well! Somewhere between 1985 and 1990 someone in the trim shop had had an epiphany!! You merely have to test various flexible water proof materials, and then either use it as needed or have it sewn into your top. Morgan uses and extra flap of the top material to cover it.
I can travel without leaking in hard rain at speeds of 90mph+ and we are both warm and dry and snuggly.

There is one other leaking area. That is at the side screens. This is because people do not know who to attach the screens properly. Look HERE.