Well, the show was more exciting for me than most of you I'm sure.
There isn't too much about the show itself here, but a story I won't
forget for while is in here somewhere.
Normally I wouldn't have driven 5 hours to goto the Moss show, but I
wanted to heat up my TR6 engine real good before I retorque the head.
This would put about 700 miles total on my new engine. Dean Zywicki
talked me into staying over at his folks house in southern NJ friday
eve which made the trip alot nicer for the ride up. Thanks Dean! The
TR6 made the trip up there nicely (from central Maryland) making
better than 20 miles to the gallon without an overdrive. I was more
than pleased.
Saturday morning we headed to the local coffee place for some AM chow.
They didn't open till 8am, so walking back to the cars, I saw a good
bit of green stuff dumping onto the ground under my TR6. **Ack** Upon
examination, it was apparent that my water pump seal finally gave up.
(for those of you who remember, this is the pump that leaked on the
day I started the car, and then never leaked again... until now) I was
about to just continue on as if I didn't notice the leak. After all,
most leaky water pumps leak when they are not running. I was
confident that I could make the 90 minute trek up to moss - until I
remembered what my old pistons looked like. They were scored and
scratched, as if the engine had over heated at some point in its life.
I just couldn't do that to my brand new pistons and cylinders.
Actually I think that my TR6 is show shy, and didn't want to be seen
with alot of other cars better than itself. We returned the TR6 to
the Zywicki place and headed up to the show in a Pontiac. *SIGH*
The show itself was small (IMO) but that's probably because it was
raining and cold as a witch's ... well you get the idea. I think it
felt colder because most of us were expecting a sunny day in the 70s.
There were about 30 cars in the show. Mostly MGBs and migits with a
few Austin Healey 100s and 3000s (slobber), MG TDs, and some TR6s.
There were also some odd things there like a few 3 wheelers. Amazing.
I did enjoy walking through the used parts paradise (also small, but
large enough to be worthwhile), but I didn't find any of the stuff
that I was looking for. Dean checked out some of the perfect TR6
machines and informed me that 3 of the 4 he looked at had frame rot in
the rear! Seeing as Dean's TR6 and mine both have that problem too,
we decided that our cars where just as nice as everyone elses. :-)
It was getting later, and it was time to buy myself a water pump.
To the parts counter! The Moss dude promptly told me that the
computer said that they only had *one* water pump left in stock.
Instead of defending his wonderful computer he stated that it was
likely that one meant zero, and the pump was *not* in stock. Needless
to say I about had a cow right there. After my dizziness cleared, I
explained to him that I had to have this part to get home, and his
computer just had to be telling the truth! He wished me luck and I
took my order to the back of the warehouse and waited for over an hour
with the rest of the mob for parts, wondering the whole time if I
would be able to get my TR6 home. (Talk about stress!)
Conversation made the hour go by much quicker. All of us british car
owners chatting about things that go right and wrong, water pumps and
all that sort of rot. Finally I got up to the parts counter. The guy
who was in front of me didn't leave right away, as he too was curious
if I would get my water pump. (He even threatened to buy it and then
jack up the price since there was only one left. What a nice guy! :-)
So the parts guy starting searching for my pump in the goodie baggies
of parts. He was about 3/4 the way with his search (and the sweat
beaded on my brow) when he picked up a box that swayed as if it had a
hunk of iron in it. My pump just had to be in that box. Walking back
to the counter he said, "Well, your order is complete. How would you
like to pay for this?" About 15 people behind me cheered as I pulled
out my credit card. Are british car folks supportive or what!?
We got back to the Zywicki place about 5:30 and the pump was installed
by 6:00. Not a leak anywhere, and the car went wheee wheee wheee all
the way home. What a day... With all that going on, it was a great
time. Why is it that I can't take my british car anywhere without a
story coming out of the trip? It must be because british cars have
character or something...
Keep the faith!
---
million, billion... I can't conceive either of them, so what's the difference?
Scott Paisley paisley@cme.nist.gov ..!uunet!cme-durer!paisley
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