J.D.
You ask some very good questions at this stage of your life. Better to
ask these questions now than after you've bought the car and start to
wonder why "normal American" wrenches don't fit the nuts and bolts on a
Morgan. A decision on buying a Morgan will depend a lot of answers to
the following questions:
* how much time do I have to spend on a car, or if you are
married, how much time does your spouse think you have to spend on your
car?
* how much money do I have to spend on a car that was never built
to be used as an "appliance?" (you know, like a refrigerator: plug it is
and forget about it for 20 years)?
* do I have any mechanical skills? (you mention that you've added
oil to a car but have you ever changed the oil in an engine?)
* do you get a perverse sense of satisfaction lying underneath a
car, with water/oil/rust dribbling on your face?
* do you have a place where you can work on a car in case it
rains/snows?
* have you experienced a tendency to use, or increase the use, of
four-letter Anglo-Saxon words when you find that the laws of physics
appear to be stacked up against you?
I'm not going to mention the exhilarating of driving a Morgan or the
pride of ownership. These are "givens."
Two suggestions, one free, the other is going to cost you 50$US, I
believe:
Check out John Blair's stuff on the Net. He has a lot of good
information on fixing Morgans. The address is on the Web.
Buy Fred Sisson's book. His e-mail address is: FPS@aol.com
Hope this helps.
Chuck Vandergraaf
'52 +4, P.2473/V.345.ME
'85 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo
'86 MR2
Pinawa, Manitoba, R0E 1L0
Canada
vandergraaft@aecl.ca
> ----------
> From: J.D. Welch[SMTP:jdwelch@datawing.com]
> Sent: Saturday, February 21, 1998 1:43 AM
> To: morgans@Autox.Team.Net
> Subject: Newbie Needs Insights and Encouragements
>
> Hello. I hope I'm doing this right. Here's the background: I have a
> friend that many of you know, Scott Willoughby. I've known Scott
> since
> about 1981 and lived with him in a house in Lebanon, NJ (yes, there is
> such a place!) for a few months. During that time I came to love
> Morgans (who wouldn't with a +8 like Scott's parked in the drive?)
>
> Anyway, I digress. Now I've become a man of some means and mean to
> acquire a Morgan of my own. I've got my sights set on a 1961 +4
> that's
> about at the right level of "repair" for me.
>
> Wherein comes the rub. The most complicated thing I've ever done to a
> car is put oil into it. I'm I off my rocker to be buying a car whose
> motto is "The parts falling off of this car are of the finest English
> craftsmanship"? What "fundamentals" should I consider before plunking
> down $n,000 and driving off into the sunset? My local community
> college
> offers a course on "small engine repair". Sound like a good idea?
>
> Anyway, I've taken up enough of you good folks time. Any feedback,
> discussion, tonguelashing will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Sincerely,
> J.D. Welch
>
> end
>
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