I took my '66 2.5L V8 Daimler (same body as the Jag MK-II, but fitted
with the Turner Hemi V8) down to Peter's British car garage for it's
smog test. Next spring they are going to greatly increase the emissions
standards here along the front range, one estimate warned that 25% of
the existing cars will fail at the proposed levels. I wanted to get a
current emissions test so I could get a special antique license plate on
the Daimler, which will keep me from having to smog it for another 5
years.
While there, a fellow was in the office chatting with Peter. He was
really interested in the Daimler, so I gave him the keys and we took it
out for a spin. It took him a minute or two to get used to the right
hand drive, but then it clicked with him and he was fine. I couldn't
get him to really put his foot into the V-8 to make it sing, but he came
back with a big grin on his face. I gave the keys to Peter, mumbled a
short homily to St. Lucas to let it pass emissions without problems, and
started to leave to catch a bus back home. The fellow there offered me
a lift and tossed me the keys to his dark-red '86 Jaguar XJ-6 VDP. Now
I had the big grin on my face. Quiet, well balanced with all 4 paws
well planted on the ground, that car was a joy to drive compared to the
Daimler and it's 1950s suspension. The very definition of luxury.
I got home, parked it in the drive, and while the guy was checking out
the red TR-6 which Scott Paisley had left with me while he was out of
town, I went in and gave Anne a BS line about trading the Daimler for
another car and had her peek out the window at the beautiful Jaguar in
the driveway. After she got over the shock, I told her the real story
and took her out to check it out. It's all part of a quiet, continuing
propaganda campaign to determine the next toy^H^H^Hcar we get.
Between the carb rebuild I had done and the tuning session with Jean H
and Scott P a few weeks prior, the Daimler did pass emissions. Now I
just have to get some new window and door seals, and get some welding
done on the rear suspension and do some body work and that interior is
looking a little tired...
/\ Lawrence Buja Climate and Global Dynamics Division
\_][ southern@ncar.ucar.edu National Center for Atmospheric Research
\_________________________Boulder,_Colorado___80307-3000__________
|