That explains it.
I think Dick's spirit smiled on me yesterday. The only non MG I drove
yesterday at all was getting into the Prizm to pull it over closer to the '65
Midget in the driveway so I could get the Growler (the '79 Midget senior
member of the fleet) out of the garage and around it. I'm afraid Dick was not
on the surface of my conciousness at all. We were heading to my in-laws for
Father's day and the beautiful weather made it imperative to take the
Growler. As my MGA is in my in-laws garage, I loaded up the tools and manuals
to once again try to start the A - something it has been reluctant to do the
last couple times I was out there and tried. In fact, it hadn't started at
all since last Thanksgiving. So we headed out on the 45 mile trek sticking to
two-laners and quieter routes and avoiding the boring directness of the I294
ring.
After the greetings and giftgiving (one of those new-fangled Craftsmen
QuickWrench sets-he loved it!) I headed out to the garage. My first fresh
idea was that the gas in the tank might be the problem as it has been there a
long time and the gas today is not as stable as the petrol of old. So I
primed the fuel bowls with fresh gas. Still no start. My next plan was to
recheck the carbs - I had to replace the jets last year and don't remember if
I readjusted everything. BUT for some reason I decided to pull a plug first.
#4 looked good, just a little wet but with fuel. I checked for spark - none!
Damn - hadn't brought a test light. Coil? Points? Wiring? It looked like
another disappointing fruitless session.
I pulled the distributor cap and took a look. The points looked oiled up. I
blotted out the oil and took emery cloth to the points. Then I pulled the #1
plug and cranked again. A strong spark. I checked #2 and #3. Both looked
fine. Settled into the drivers seat and pulled the starter knob again. A
cough!-the first in months. A second pull - SHE LIVES!
A few quick twirls of the adjusting screws brought the idle back down to
where it should be. My in-laws live on the southern fringe of the Chicago
suburban belt. Just a few blocks down the main drag (after a stoplight where
the guy pulled up in the next lane asked what year it is), I was out on open
two lane country roads. It was just glorious booming along. I have just got
to build that 6 car garage at home so I don't have to miss this car for so
long at a time.
We didn't leave until fairly late. Dusk was starting to settle in as we
retraced the same two-laners back. Top still down. Spirits still up. Diane
decided she wanted some fries so we drove through a MacDonald's. As we pulled
up to the pickup window, the kid working it looked left and right before
looking down and spotting us. "Wow, that's beautiful! What kind of car is
it?" "An MG" drew a blank stare. "An MG Midget" didn't register either. Of
course the fact that the last ones came here 3 or 4 years before he was born
could be the reason. He became reanimated as he noted "Hey, there's no back
seat!" Gave us a smile the rest of the way home.
So I don't know why I veered off my planned regimen right to the actual
problem on the A. Maybe it's Dick's spirit lending assistance. Maybe it's
just the spirit of these cars and their owners and fans in general. But it
sure made for a great day.
Drive 'em!
Kim Tonry
Downers Grove, Illinois, USA
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