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Re: The Wonderful Car and Bob's Clutch

To: british-cars@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: The Wonderful Car and Bob's Clutch
From: Jay Nemeth-Johannes <jayj@hpislj.lvld.hp.com>
Date: Tue, 10 May 94 15:23:06 MDT
> ------------------------------

> Date: Fri, 6 May 1994 9:26:34 -0700 (MST)
> From: "Dan Parslow, x2556" <DJP@ALPHA.SUNQUEST.COM>
> Subject: RE: The Wonderful Car

> Hmm.  Scott obviously likes LSCs (Swedish that is).  
> How about a Volvo P1800, 1800E, or the really, really neat 1800ES?

Actually, I was going to stay out of this one.  I don't believe that
Scott can possibly meet his musts, especially the $5k limit.  Now if
he went to $10k...

Remember, Scott said that it must:
  1. Be fun
  2. Be so rare that it would turn heads at Pebble Beach Concours
  3. Not be a major project
  4. Be $5k or less.

However, since you bring up LSCs and P1800s, I would humbly suggest a
Saab Sonett instead.  The best one is still under that $5k, a typical
one is $2500. They are becoming quite rare, and mine turns heads
wherever I go with it.  It's a blast pulling up at the stoplight and
looking UP at Z-car and TR6 drivers. In spite of 155/80-15 tires, the
car handles like a go cart. It is definitely tighter than a stock MGB,
about the same as a Spridget. It takes a Weber 2 bbl downdraft which
really helps breathing. 'Tis a joy to drive.

Personally, I like the Series III, but the Series II is a lot rarer
and will certainly get comments anywhere except Pebble Beach.

Probably too practical, though.  How about pushing that $5k a bit?  An
Elva Courrier coupe is just above that range.  MGB mechanicals. You
mentioned Fiats.  How about an Abarth coupe?  Probably not rare
enough, but a blast.  I might go looking for a period special.
Someone around here came up with an alfa powered late '50s sports
racer which he has street liscensed and also uses for RMVR raciing
events. It is a true go kart, with full tubular frame, semireclined
seating position, about 4 inches off the ground, removable gull wing
doors, etc. He paid $1100, but it was a project.  Has the advantage
oof being period, and unique.  New customs are abominations.  Old
customs are "Coachbuilt" or "Specials".

  Just a thought.
         Jay

>Date: Mon, 9 May 94 13:36:53 EDT
>From: bobj@meaddata.com (Robert Jones)
>Subject: Broken Clutch?

>today I was leaving a parking lot when I pushed the clutch in to
>sshift gears I got an awful grinding noise (I felt it through the
>pedal too).  The car runs fine in neutral, but when I push the clutch
>in, it grinds like mad.  I assume this means I had a catsrophic
>failure of some part of the clutch.  Do these symptoms strike a cord
>with anyone?  I have had what I would call clutch related problems
>lately, it hasn't wanted to engage fully, sometimes making it hard to
>get out of gear.  

No question about it, bad pilot bearing.  Thats the bearing that goes
between the input shaft and the flywheel.  It spins when the
transmission is in gear and the clutch is depressed.  When the tranny
is in neutral, the input shaft spins freely as it isn't connected to
the output shaft.  

To replace, you need to remove tranny and clutch.  Pilot bearing can
usually be removed with a slide hammer.  I almost always replace the
clutch plate at the same time as I realy don't want to remove the
tranny again in a month or so.

  Cheers, 

   Jay



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