The Damaged Roadster 100 Tool Tray
This Picture above may be familiar to some of you.
Others may have not noticed that this has happened to your Morgan Tool Tray?
The damage to the Original Morgan Plastic Tool Tray is caused by the Heavy Car
Jack, stored there, coming into contact with the Rear Axle Differential Housing when
the suspension 'bottoms'
The Bounce Marks on my Differential are clear to see.
Roadster 100 Owner, R. Nick Taylor designed an Aluminum Tool Tray to replace the plastic one while providing a more flexible storage area.
The manufacturer KS Aluminium Ltd. is prepared to make more trays for those Morgan owners who would like to have one for their car.
......................................................................................
My New Tool Tray For my Morgan Roadster 100.
By R. Nick Taylor.
rnt.bolton@btinternet.com
Those of you who may have already taken the Rear Carpet and Wooden Cover off of your Tool Tray may have noticed that it suffers from a few negative points.
1. It is made of a Molded Plastic with a weak 'Flocked' surface covering.
2. It is designed to take just a few specific items such as the 'Jack' and Wheel Spanner, inappropriate to Wheels such as ours with Spinners, and a Hammer.
3. If your Tray is like mine, the base has been in contact with the Rear Axle Differential and has star splits in it, now temporarily repaired with Duct Tape.
4. Without the Thick Pad of Foam I have placed between the Base and the Lid, the contents used to rattle.
Register Member, Nick Taylor from Bolton, noticed an article in Miscellany written by MSCC Concours Secretary, Dave Wellings (The Talk Morgan Roadster Guru - Their Title!) where he fabricates a replacement Aluminium Tray designed to provide Deeper areas and to fit over the Differential with Sufficient Clearance to prevent clashing with the tray.
Nicks New Tray in Situ
Here, Nick tells his own story of his route to a achieving his own Formed Aluminium Tray for his Roadster 100.
" I found that B&Q, and others selling Aluminium Sheets were all too small, making fabrication more complicated and expensive!
So I was sent to speak to Kevin at K & S at Bent St, Kearsley, Bolton, who said they would supply the sheet and fold it to shape for me. When I met him he said he would weld the ends on, and form a special cover to fit over the Differential.
The offer seemed to me to be too good to miss, and all for £75.00
(Just under £100.00 including Posting & Packing - Total cost £80 + £16.40= £96.40 ).
The Design needed to be a simple 'Drop In' aluminium tray with flanges that would fit the existing Morgan Frame. I think that the Aluminium thickness was increased to 2mm as it is easier to weld.
The Space Available is limited by the location of the Shock Absorbers, The Fuel Tank,The Axle, The Differential, The Brake Pipe, and odd Bolts and Brackets.
The Space in the current Tray also has to take the Scissor Jack length (Mounted diagonally in original tray).
As Dave Welling points out, the Axle/ Diff movement on the car is 2 inches.
In my case, 50 drawings later, I finished up with a Design using straight folds in steps to give depths of 90mm, 55mm, 35mm and 20mm.
The New Tray about to be fitted into the Car
I took view there was only one chance to get it right, hence the stepped arrangement. The Width was OK, but the Length was too tight, so Kevin had to shorten, cut and re-weld! The holes I cut to clear the frame corner bolts are probably not necessary with 960mm length.
The Nominal Gap Width for the Tray in the Morgan Roadster 100 Frame is 405mm.
Using this dimension there is enough clearance for steps. 450mm is the Max Width over the Flanges..
The Nominal Gap Length is 970 mm. This was reduced in my case to 960mm to allow clearance for the 'Weld On' End Plates and those corner Morgan Bolts.
This gives me an overall dimension, including the Flanges, of 1003 mm.
If anyone is interested, I can let you have more detail or better still, try my tray in your car, as every Morgan is probably different. This offer is no problem if you are locally located to Bolton or if you are coming to the MSCC MOG in Harrogate in August.
It should be understood what is being offered by Kevin at K&S is Folded and Welded Aluminium, made to a size that fits in the back of my Roadster 100.
Three things need to be checked:
1) Tool Tray Hole Size, for inserting the shaped part, and the Support Flange (e.g. Width x Length).
2) Check the clearances for your Tool Tray Drop, and the Four Corner Bolts.
3) The 'Width Position' needs adjustment on Assembly.
If the Tray is set too far back, the Front Flange may be Short, and if it is too far forward, there may be insufficient axle clearance. This should all be simple to do.
Basically you get the Metal Tray, Welded to your own Checked Dimensions and then you finish it off yourself.
My Main Space is a 90mm deep x 120mm Full Length Trough.
The Tray Filled With Nick's Essentials
The Tray takes: The Jack, A Small Motor Bike Tool Kit, A First Aid Kit, and Collapsible ( may make it look bigger than it is!) Compressor which fits at an angle.
Indicating the Deepest 'Trough' where the Jack sits.
I am a bit concerned if I were to Line it with neoprene as it may make the internal size even smaller.
The key is to find someone else who wants one, and see how easy or difficult it is to replicate.
If I can provide information to help, I will do and Kevin will be delighted to supply the tray."
Best regards
Nick Taylor
Tel. 01204 845109
Tool Tray For A Morgan R100.
Material Supplied, Folded and Welded by :
Kevin at:
K & S Aluminium Ltd. Fabrications The Works, Bent St, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 9DH
Tel. 01204 579340,
email : <ksaluminium@btconnect.co.uk>
More Information From Nick - Final Prototype Drawings.
Subject: Following My Meeting with Kevin of K&S Aluminium Ltd.
He has updated two drawings with 3 changes. These are mainly tidying up to match to my sample and adjust the dimensions of the flanges.
The Starting Point for these new Drawings were the ones he used to make my prototype.
Drawing 1. (Sheet 1 of 2)
Y Front to Back.
Maximum length of finished plate including flanges is 450mm.
Overall Maximum Dimension of the Inserted part of the Tray is 380 mm.
The Finished Dimensions of the Inserted Part are To Fit into the Frame Recess Hole Size / Gap of 405mm.
Please see the drawing as the Front Flange has been Increased to Eliminate need for a Spacing Batten.
Drawing 2. (Sheet 2 of 2)
X - Side to Side Dimensions of the tray are reduced to 1000mm, including the Flanges.
Excluding the Flanges, the Tray Insert measures 950 mm outside.
This is made to fit into the 972mm / 973mm Ash Frame Internal Size.
Best Wishes
Nick.
Terry Seymour
Apr 18, 2014
•
Comments off
What a cracking idea, although my tool kit is very very limited comprising of a jack, hammer for spinners and a small bit of wood to protect said spinners.
But if we are in Harrogate I will give it a try, who knows I may grow into it;-)
Terry
Reply
Philip Loring
Apr 18, 2014
•
Comments off
This looks a brilliant modification. I have puzzled over the rubbish tool tray and ways to improve this space into a more useable format since I had the car. I will be keen to try.
Reply
The New Tool Tray Before Fitting
Please Note! The address in the Advert below and the Phone
Numbers have changed.
As the photo in the original advertising flyer above, of Nicks Filled Tool Tray, indicates, there is plenty of
extra storage for those who tour and need to take extra equipment.
These Two Drawings below from Nick, give the dimensions he used for the Roadster 100.
Even though the later Roadsters and the Plus 4 use the same Chassis and Wooden Frame, Nick points out that Owners of all models should cross check theses dimensions with those of their own car.
The manufacturing MD Kevin McTighe, will tailor one to fit your needs if you speak to him about it.
The Plan
Cross Section
The New Tool Tray and the 3.7ltr Roadster
Associate Member Mike Hargreaves sold his R100 and now owns one of the New
Roadsters with the 3.7ltr Ford Mustang Engines.
However that did not deter Mike from wanting one of the R. Nick Taylor Aluminium
Tools trays.
Living close enough to where Kevin's workshop is located, Mike decided to order a
Tray and to go to Kevin to have his fitted by Kevin.
Here is what Mike had to say about the visit :
" I spoke to Kevin a week or so ago to order one and he has made quite a few with spares for his
stock.
I assumed that the back end of the 3.7 would be the same axle, petrol tank etc as the R100’s.
As I live just across the Pennines I went to collect the tray today and was able to test the fit of it,
and would you believe it, - the factory have made the 3.7 different at the back end so the result
was that the tray didn’t rest on the wooden frame like Kevin says it does on Nicks. This was due
to the tray resting on what I assume is the petrol gauge on top of the tank. It could be that the 3.7
tank etc sit higher or they may have put a different gauge in since 2009.
However, it wasn't a problem to Kevin as he got his guy to adapt the rear of the tray whilst I was
there by cutting out a section and welding in a box section to make it fit perfectly. (The petrol gauge
isn't actually in the middle of the tank, its slightly to the N/Side - UK)
I've explained to Kevin the idiosyncrasies of the way Morgan build their cars and he now thinks
that he will put the additional box cut out in all of the trays as people other than R100 are ordering
them both in the UK and abroad. This will save him the embarrassment of them not fitting all the
cars hopefully. "
Just as well because, unknown to Mike, The Morgan Motor Company have changed the
Fuel Tank on his New 3.7 Roadster Model with its Fuel Gauge Sender moved forward so
that it is now visible near to the front of the fuel tank.
The Roadster 100 Fuel Tank
The New 3.7ltr Roadster (and beautifully clean) Fuel Tank (photo from Mike)
Morgan obviously have not changed the Ash Body Frame and the Standard Roadster
/ +4 Tool Tray fits into the well.
However, with the tool tray on our R100's sitting about 6 / 8mm above the Fuel Tank,
Mikes Fuel Gauge Sender gets in the way and required a modification to allow the
Tool Tray to sit down onto the Ash Frame.
How fortunate it was that Kevin was doing the fitting for Mike and, like the practical man
that Kevin is, he set about making the small modification to the Deep Tray part to make it fit around that fuel tank obstruction.
The Modification can be clearly seen here, as the small box covering a suitably sized cut out to allow it to fit around the Fuel Gauge Sender.
(Photos by Mike Hargreaves)
The Latest Version of The Tool Tray will now be supplied for all Roadsters and Plus 4's
It can be seen clearly in this photo that the modification is relatively small
and is not reducing the available Tool Storage significantly.
Kevin and Nick have been in discussion and it looks certain that the
modification will now be built into all future tool trays.
Therefore, if you have any other friends who may have the 3.7 Roadster, who
would like to have one of Nick's Tool Trays, then please tell them that they will fit
and suggest that they give Kevin a Call.
.......................................................................................................
Owners Tool Tray Improvements
Some owners have lined their trays to reduce noise or add cushioning.
Here are some examples
My own tray fitted with Fibre Boxes to separate the contents.
Lined with Non Slip Neoprene.
Coated with Rubberised Undercoating
Coated with a rubberised coating.
I hope that this information is helpful.
Frank
This Picture above may be familiar to some of you.
Others may have not noticed that this has happened to your Morgan Tool Tray?
The damage to the Original Morgan Plastic Tool Tray is caused by the Heavy Car
Jack, stored there, coming into contact with the Rear Axle Differential Housing when
the suspension 'bottoms'
The Bounce Marks on my Differential are clear to see.
Roadster 100 Owner, R. Nick Taylor designed an Aluminum Tool Tray to replace the plastic one while providing a more flexible storage area.
The manufacturer KS Aluminium Ltd. is prepared to make more trays for those Morgan owners who would like to have one for their car.
......................................................................................
My New Tool Tray For my Morgan Roadster 100.
By R. Nick Taylor.
rnt.bolton@btinternet.com
Those of you who may have already taken the Rear Carpet and Wooden Cover off of your Tool Tray may have noticed that it suffers from a few negative points.
1. It is made of a Molded Plastic with a weak 'Flocked' surface covering.
2. It is designed to take just a few specific items such as the 'Jack' and Wheel Spanner, inappropriate to Wheels such as ours with Spinners, and a Hammer.
3. If your Tray is like mine, the base has been in contact with the Rear Axle Differential and has star splits in it, now temporarily repaired with Duct Tape.
4. Without the Thick Pad of Foam I have placed between the Base and the Lid, the contents used to rattle.
Register Member, Nick Taylor from Bolton, noticed an article in Miscellany written by MSCC Concours Secretary, Dave Wellings (The Talk Morgan Roadster Guru - Their Title!) where he fabricates a replacement Aluminium Tray designed to provide Deeper areas and to fit over the Differential with Sufficient Clearance to prevent clashing with the tray.
Nicks New Tray in Situ
Here, Nick tells his own story of his route to a achieving his own Formed Aluminium Tray for his Roadster 100.
" I found that B&Q, and others selling Aluminium Sheets were all too small, making fabrication more complicated and expensive!
So I was sent to speak to Kevin at K & S at Bent St, Kearsley, Bolton, who said they would supply the sheet and fold it to shape for me. When I met him he said he would weld the ends on, and form a special cover to fit over the Differential.
The offer seemed to me to be too good to miss, and all for £75.00
(Just under £100.00 including Posting & Packing - Total cost £80 + £16.40= £96.40 ).
The Design needed to be a simple 'Drop In' aluminium tray with flanges that would fit the existing Morgan Frame. I think that the Aluminium thickness was increased to 2mm as it is easier to weld.
The Space Available is limited by the location of the Shock Absorbers, The Fuel Tank,The Axle, The Differential, The Brake Pipe, and odd Bolts and Brackets.
The Space in the current Tray also has to take the Scissor Jack length (Mounted diagonally in original tray).
As Dave Welling points out, the Axle/ Diff movement on the car is 2 inches.
In my case, 50 drawings later, I finished up with a Design using straight folds in steps to give depths of 90mm, 55mm, 35mm and 20mm.
The New Tray about to be fitted into the Car
I took view there was only one chance to get it right, hence the stepped arrangement. The Width was OK, but the Length was too tight, so Kevin had to shorten, cut and re-weld! The holes I cut to clear the frame corner bolts are probably not necessary with 960mm length.
The Nominal Gap Width for the Tray in the Morgan Roadster 100 Frame is 405mm.
Using this dimension there is enough clearance for steps. 450mm is the Max Width over the Flanges..
The Nominal Gap Length is 970 mm. This was reduced in my case to 960mm to allow clearance for the 'Weld On' End Plates and those corner Morgan Bolts.
This gives me an overall dimension, including the Flanges, of 1003 mm.
If anyone is interested, I can let you have more detail or better still, try my tray in your car, as every Morgan is probably different. This offer is no problem if you are locally located to Bolton or if you are coming to the MSCC MOG in Harrogate in August.
It should be understood what is being offered by Kevin at K&S is Folded and Welded Aluminium, made to a size that fits in the back of my Roadster 100.
Three things need to be checked:
1) Tool Tray Hole Size, for inserting the shaped part, and the Support Flange (e.g. Width x Length).
2) Check the clearances for your Tool Tray Drop, and the Four Corner Bolts.
3) The 'Width Position' needs adjustment on Assembly.
If the Tray is set too far back, the Front Flange may be Short, and if it is too far forward, there may be insufficient axle clearance. This should all be simple to do.
Basically you get the Metal Tray, Welded to your own Checked Dimensions and then you finish it off yourself.
My Main Space is a 90mm deep x 120mm Full Length Trough.
The Tray Filled With Nick's Essentials
The Tray takes: The Jack, A Small Motor Bike Tool Kit, A First Aid Kit, and Collapsible ( may make it look bigger than it is!) Compressor which fits at an angle.
Indicating the Deepest 'Trough' where the Jack sits.
I am a bit concerned if I were to Line it with neoprene as it may make the internal size even smaller.
The key is to find someone else who wants one, and see how easy or difficult it is to replicate.
If I can provide information to help, I will do and Kevin will be delighted to supply the tray."
Best regards
Nick Taylor
Tel. 01204 845109
Tool Tray For A Morgan R100.Material Supplied, Folded and Welded by :Kevin at:
K & S Aluminium Ltd. Fabrications The Works, Bent St, Kearsley, Bolton, BL4 9DH
Tel. 01204 579340,
email : <ksaluminium@btconnect.co.uk>
More Information From Nick - Final Prototype Drawings.
Subject: Following My Meeting with Kevin of K&S Aluminium Ltd.
He has updated two drawings with 3 changes. These are mainly tidying up to match to my sample and adjust the dimensions of the flanges.
The Starting Point for these new Drawings were the ones he used to make my prototype.
Drawing 1. (Sheet 1 of 2)
Y Front to Back.
Maximum length of finished plate including flanges is 450mm.
Overall Maximum Dimension of the Inserted part of the Tray is 380 mm.
The Finished Dimensions of the Inserted Part are To Fit into the Frame Recess Hole Size / Gap of 405mm.
Please see the drawing as the Front Flange has been Increased to Eliminate need for a Spacing Batten.
Drawing 2. (Sheet 2 of 2)
X - Side to Side Dimensions of the tray are reduced to 1000mm, including the Flanges.
Excluding the Flanges, the Tray Insert measures 950 mm outside.
This is made to fit into the 972mm / 973mm Ash Frame Internal Size.
Best Wishes
Nick.
Terry Seymour
Apr 18, 2014
•
Comments off
What a cracking idea, although my tool kit is very very limited comprising of a jack, hammer for spinners and a small bit of wood to protect said spinners.
But if we are in Harrogate I will give it a try, who knows I may grow into it;-)
Terry
But if we are in Harrogate I will give it a try, who knows I may grow into it;-)
Terry
Reply
Philip Loring
Apr 18, 2014
•
Comments off
This looks a brilliant modification. I have puzzled over the rubbish tool tray and ways to improve this space into a more useable format since I had the car. I will be keen to try.
Reply
The New Tool Tray Before Fitting
Please Note! The address in the Advert below and the Phone
Numbers have changed.
As the photo in the original advertising flyer above, of Nicks Filled Tool Tray, indicates, there is plenty of
extra storage for those who tour and need to take extra equipment.
These Two Drawings below from Nick, give the dimensions he used for the Roadster 100.
Even though the later Roadsters and the Plus 4 use the same Chassis and Wooden Frame, Nick points out that Owners of all models should cross check theses dimensions with those of their own car.
The manufacturing MD Kevin McTighe, will tailor one to fit your needs if you speak to him about it.
The Plan
The Plan
Cross Section
The New Tool Tray and the 3.7ltr Roadster
Associate Member Mike Hargreaves sold his R100 and now owns one of the NewRoadsters with the 3.7ltr Ford Mustang Engines.However that did not deter Mike from wanting one of the R. Nick Taylor AluminiumTools trays.Living close enough to where Kevin's workshop is located, Mike decided to order aTray and to go to Kevin to have his fitted by Kevin.Here is what Mike had to say about the visit :" I spoke to Kevin a week or so ago to order one and he has made quite a few with spares for hisstock.I assumed that the back end of the 3.7 would be the same axle, petrol tank etc as the R100’s.As I live just across the Pennines I went to collect the tray today and was able to test the fit of it,and would you believe it, - the factory have made the 3.7 different at the back end so the resultwas that the tray didn’t rest on the wooden frame like Kevin says it does on Nicks. This was dueto the tray resting on what I assume is the petrol gauge on top of the tank. It could be that the 3.7tank etc sit higher or they may have put a different gauge in since 2009.However, it wasn't a problem to Kevin as he got his guy to adapt the rear of the tray whilst I wasthere by cutting out a section and welding in a box section to make it fit perfectly. (The petrol gaugeisn't actually in the middle of the tank, its slightly to the N/Side - UK)I've explained to Kevin the idiosyncrasies of the way Morgan build their cars and he now thinksthat he will put the additional box cut out in all of the trays as people other than R100 are orderingthem both in the UK and abroad. This will save him the embarrassment of them not fitting all thecars hopefully. "Just as well because, unknown to Mike, The Morgan Motor Company have changed theFuel Tank on his New 3.7 Roadster Model with its Fuel Gauge Sender moved forward sothat it is now visible near to the front of the fuel tank.
The Roadster 100 Fuel Tank
The New 3.7ltr Roadster (and beautifully clean) Fuel Tank (photo from Mike)Morgan obviously have not changed the Ash Body Frame and the Standard Roadster/ +4 Tool Tray fits into the well.However, with the tool tray on our R100's sitting about 6 / 8mm above the Fuel Tank,Mikes Fuel Gauge Sender gets in the way and required a modification to allow theTool Tray to sit down onto the Ash Frame.How fortunate it was that Kevin was doing the fitting for Mike and, like the practical manthat Kevin is, he set about making the small modification to the Deep Tray part to make it fit around that fuel tank obstruction.
The Modification can be clearly seen here, as the small box covering a suitably sized cut out to allow it to fit around the Fuel Gauge Sender.(Photos by Mike Hargreaves)
The Latest Version of The Tool Tray will now be supplied for all Roadsters and Plus 4's
It can be seen clearly in this photo that the modification is relatively smalland is not reducing the available Tool Storage significantly.Kevin and Nick have been in discussion and it looks certain that themodification will now be built into all future tool trays.Therefore, if you have any other friends who may have the 3.7 Roadster, whowould like to have one of Nick's Tool Trays, then please tell them that they will fitand suggest that they give Kevin a Call.
.......................................................................................................
Some owners have lined their trays to reduce noise or add cushioning.
Here are some examples
My own tray fitted with Fibre Boxes to separate the contents.
Lined with Non Slip Neoprene.
Coated with Rubberised Undercoating
Coated with a rubberised coating.
I hope that this information is helpful.
Frank
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