In a message dated 98-02-21 03:04:28 EST, jdwelch@datawing.com writes:
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? >>
Let me preface my comments by telling you that I have not been a Morgan owner
long, less than 6 months, but I have been driving , owning and enjoying
Triumph TR's on and off since my first TR2 in 1964. I am not a professional
mechanic, I do not do ALL my own work. Having said that, here are some
questions and suggestions.
I think the most important thing you can do prior to purchase is to define
your motivation for having the car and your expectations in the long and short
run.
What kind of 'owner' do you think you want to be? Think of your car as a
''companion". You will do things to and with your companion and it will do
things for you. What kind of companion do you want? What do you expect of it
and how soon? How much do you want to interact with your friend? How much of
your time and resources can you actually devote to this relationship? Do you
want a 'sexy' companion to take to shows ? Do you want a friend to get to
know and spend time with enjoying each other's company, each rewarding the
other in many small ways, you with repairs and improvements, the car in many
emotional ways? A sexy companion can be had with enough money alone, a friend
takes lots more time and personal devotion, but both can be fun, and surely
you can have a mix of the two. Where do you see yourself here?
When it comes to owning and living with an old car as a friend, desire and
motivation will be more useful than skill. Becoming part of the car is more
important than the car being a possession which you "work on". Initially
read everthing you can, study parts books exploded diagrams especially, try to
understand how each mechanical system goes together, how it works, how it
serves other systems. There are lots of general books describing how an
internal combustion engine works, read one or two. If you actually have the
car, study it. Look at each part and or system as you read about it. Crawl
under it, peer into it's inner workings as best you can. Lift up its skirt
and peer into it's private parts. As you do this you should start to develop
'feelings' about the car, you'll know where it hurts and needs help and where
it's strong. Do these things before you ever pick up a wrench.
Just like any good friendship, always keep an open mind. There will always be
some things about your car you 'know' with a certainty, some things you can
guess at with a fair probability of being correct, and some things you just
don't understand about your car, but you must believe you can learn.
Don't fool yourself about the practical aspects of working on a car. You'll
need decent tools, and a fair number of them to do more than routine
maintenance. An adjustable wrench and a screwdriver can make a lot of
repairs, but experiencing the frustration too often of not having the right
tool for the job, or a reasonable place to work can sour your friendship.
Small repairs and maintenance chores can be done in the driveway, but
extensive rebuilds and major repairs will benefit from a decent working space,
inside where you can leave the parts lying about as you work on the project
and no one will disturb them or be disturbed by them. It's nice to be warm and
dry too. How many friends do you have that you stand with in a driving rain
to have a conversation?
BTW I happen NOT to subscribe to most of the semi humerous descriptions of
owning a British car. Lucas was not the "Prince of Darkness" and parts only
fall off cars that are not properly tended to. My comment is usually " It's
amazing what happens to cars after 30 some years of use and abuse". No one
should be surprised about electrical failures from 35+ year old components
unused for years then put into full time service or parts which fall off
because the attachments rusted away. You've got to take the responsibility
for the level of service you expect, don't blame the poor car.
The course might be useful, but if you are really 'hamhanded' about all things
mechanical don't expect to pick it up real fast. I'd look for compadres who
work on their cars in your area. Join a local club to find them. Morgans
would be best of course, but any British car would do, even old American Iron.
Offer to help out, you'll learn a lot just handing wrenches and providing some
muscle when needed. I helped a friend frame off restore his TR3. At the start
he could barely operate a screwdriver, at the end while he was not a full
mechanic he now makes lots of repairs needed and enjoys it too.
BTW, I would love to get into contact with your Uncle. Is he on E-Mail ? The
Morgan I bought was owned by him a few years ago. Its F376, the F2 Three
Wheeler he sold to Colin Cobb. Perhaps you remember the car ?
Only you can define your expectations and make a guess whether it's actually
reasonable for you to fulfill them. A relationship which is extremely
demanding and requires far more than you can give it will die quickly. You
will have some frustration under any circumstances, but not necessarily the
extreme frustration and disappointment of completely unfulfilled expectations.
Ultimately you might have a love affair that will last a lifetime. Hope this
helps.
Bob Paul
Corrales New Mexico
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