Michael,
In answer to your question: "is this fun?":
I spent this past Saturday with my trusty '72 Midget on our local Triumph
Club's annual Fall Leaf Tour. I left my house at 8:30 AM, to reach the
meeting point, on the opposite side of Pittsburgh. We spent a couple of
very enjoyable hours, at speed (we always travel in small groups, and my
Midget is very comfortable in-or leading- the "fast group"), on the back
roads of western PA's Laurel Highlands, followed by a visit to The Roadster
Factory, at Armagh, PA. At TRF, I picked up a passenger, whose Spitfire's
LF wheel bearings had failed, welding themselves to the spindle. After a
very enjoyable dinner at The Coventry Inn, in Indiana, PA, we headed west
for the 2 1/2 hour drive to my Spitfire friend's house. After dropping my
friend off, and meeting my wife for dinner; I arrived home at 9:30 PM.
We covered a few hundred miles, and a good bit of that was done "full bore",
using everything the Midget could deliver. Even the trip back to my
friend's house was done at between 4000 and 4500 RPM. Although the engine
would have been happier with a 190 degree thermostat installed, it still ran
very well, and impressed everyone with it's smooth, strong performance ("my
Spitfire could NEVER do this!").
I've owned this particular Midget for 26 or 27 years, now, and, on fast,
back road runs, it has become like an extension of my own body. I love it's
quick, nimble handling characteristics. The engine has been together for
almost 26 years, and, aside from an occasional head gasket replacement (head
gaskets have always given plenty of warning of impending failure), has never
required any more than normal maintenance. I would never have to think
twice about driving this car across the country & back.
So, in answer to your question, Michael: If you do it RIGHT, the best is yet
to come, and it involves a WHOLE LOT of good, reliable fun. So, stick with
it and keep sorting things out. It WILL come around, and will have been
well worth the effort.
Bud Osbourne
P.S. This weekend, I'll replace the head gasket (it's been on there for 10
years, now, and finally started to leak after all of that pounding it got on
Saturday), and install a 190 degree thermostat. I'll probably install the
spare head I had rebuilt for it, and send the one that's on it out for a
rebuild over the winter.
The water pump won't get replaced for another year or so, but it will get
replaced BEFORE it has a chance to fail.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Rowe" <mdrowe@optonline.net>
To: "Spridget Chat Group" <spridgets@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 10:45 PM
Subject: [Spridgets] First drive
> Today, I backed out of the shop, drove down the block in the rain, and
> returned - a total of two blocks. This is the first time it has been out
> since May. I can only get into first from second; reverse crunches. I
> need a new water pump. One tire won't hold air.
>
> Is this fun?
>
> Michael Rowe
> '74 Midget
> Long Island, NY
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