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 reweld! 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,
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
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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
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