I don't know which of the "Roadster Gods" that I angered recently, but I
better make amends soon, because my car can't take much more of this.
Paul Bauman, and I were planning on going to check out a 66 in Long Beach
that was for sale, so I pull my 67.5 out of the garage to let her warm up. I
run inside to get the sun screen, and my sun glass's, and when I return the
car is at the bottom of the driveway with the rear bumper resting comfortably
against another car. It would appear that I did not pull the emergency brake
all the way to the last "click", so in my haste I didn't notice the car
creeping. Normally that alone would not have been a big deal except that a
visiting relative decided to block part of my driveway with her
car....AAARRRGGGHHH! Kiss that perfect bumper good-bye!
So Sunday rolls along, and my daughter asks me if I would take her to her
theater group in the Roadster?......Hey, it's a beautiful Southern California
day, so that's pretty much a no brainer. We get about half way there, and I
notice a fine but steady film of antifreeze is building up on the windshield.
We're only 2 off ramps away, so I limp it off of the freeway into the parking
lot, and pop the hood to have a look. It seems that engine vibration has
caused the small tube at the top of the filler neck connecting to the
radiator to crack. DOUBLE AAARRRGGGHHH! This problem is making Saturday's
bump look pretty tame. Nothing like being stranded 20 miles from home in 90
degree weather without a cell phone, and no tools. I think the culprit here
is that I used real aircraft braided lines, which are very dependable with
regard to bursting, but also very rigid. Lesson learned, flexible lines good,
rigid lines bad. I guess I now know what I will be doing with any "spare
time" that I thought I might have had.......
On a lighter note......While I was sitting at one of the lights in Long Beach
(sweating bullets over my broken car) I heard a guy about 2 cars back
yelling, "Hey I know you"....It turns out to be Bob Klemme, who lives in Long
Beach and has a pretty good Roadster stash of his own. At least I had someone
to talk Roadsters with while I waited for mine to cool down.......Good
talking to you Bob.
Next weekend I'm staying in bed.
Jon
Huntington Beach, Ca
67.5 1600 Pretty, but broken :-(
67.5 2000 Drivable, but ugly
67.5 1600 Drivable, but parts
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