Removing the Inner Wings
The front wings, cowl and cowl box must be detached before the inner wings are removed. The lower flanges of the inner front wings are fixed to the chassis by a series of bolts. Three bolts secure the rear end of each inner wing to the bulkhead. Within the engine bay the wings support wiring looms, brake pipes, ignition coil, ballast resistor, bonnet latches and one shot lubrication pipes (see figure 2). All of these items have to be removed before removing the inner wings. Figure 1 shows the position of the holes through which the various components are bolted. P clips are used to secure wiring looms and may be made of nylon or rubber coated metal. Copper pipe clips are used to support the one shot lubrication and brake pipes. Self tapping screws pass through the outside of the panel to fasten the pipe clips to the inside of the inner wing panels. The holes for these clips are not shown in the diagram and their position should be recorded in a note book when stripping the inner wings.
Figure 2
The upper and lower steering columns are joined by a link shaft which has universal joints at each end. These joints are clamped by pinch bolts to the splined shafts of the lower and upper column (see Figure 3). The lower universal joint is protected from road grime by a steel cover, which can also be seen in Figure 3. When the cover has been removed, the lower universal joint and steering column support bracket are exposed. The universal joint pinch bolts must be slackened and the support bracket removed. The lower end of the steering column is terminated by the steering box which is attached by bolts that pass through the chassis and inner wing. Remove the steering box and support bracket bolts. Disconnect the steering drop arm from the drag link using a suitable ball joint splitter
A thick aluminium bracket is fixed by two bolts on either side of to the chassis. The bolts also pass through the lower flanges of the inner wings. These brackets act as steering lock stops ( see Figure 1 ). They behave as rubbing pads for the tyres when full lock is applied. It may seem odd that the tyres contact these plates when the steering is on full lock. However, the M.O.T. Inspection manual for class 3, 4, 5 and 7 vehicles to 19 May 2018 section 2.2 Steering System." page 6 , Method of Inspection, D. Lock to Lock Check, part 2c requires the correct adjustment of steering lock stops. A note allows rubbing pads which come into contact with tyres on full lock. They must be properly maintained and must not cause damage to the tyres. Remove and store in a safe place. DO NOT forget to refit them during a rebuild, otherwise damage may occur to the tyres and chassis.
In front of the steering lock stop, a steel metal blade runs between the front suspension and the chassis. This is the steering damper, which is fixed to the upper flange of the chassis between two plates and a couple of shims. Remove the two bolts which pass through the lower flange of the inner wings and remove the assembly. Be careful not to lose the shims and retaining plates. On reassembly, the shims must be carefully adjusted.
Figure 3
Typical Corrosion Areas on Inner Front Wings
Figure 3 shows the off side front inner wing bolted to the bulkhead and the chassis. When it rains the front wing guides water into the joint between the inner wing and bulkhead. In 1972 no sealant was used in this joint. The result on my own car can be seen in the circled photo of Figure 4. The offside wing suffered the same fate. After cutting out the rust and MIG welding in new metal, the inner wings were restored to their former condition. When I refitted the inner wings, I used mastic between the wing and bulkhead to prevent water entering the joint. Strangely the inner wings did not corrode to the same extent as the bulkhead. Nowadays Morgan construct the bulkhead using stainless steel.
Bed the lower flange down on the chassis with mastic and coat the top of the flange wth underseal. It is also worth using stainless steel bolts when refitting the inner wings, particularly when fitting the front outer wings.
Figure 4
