Fellow velocimaniacs,
The Vitesse came off the jackstands and onto its four new Michelins
this Memorial day. Finally got all the new components, bearings,
seals, bushes (and more bushes) mounts, hydraulics, fasteners, etc.
to get the drivetrain reassembled. In 105-degree weather. Outside,
with no more shade than can be found under a Michelotti body.
Reinstalled the repainted and sealed fuel tank, and filled the
fuel line by the simple expedient of disconnecting it at the pump
and drawing on it like a soda straw...eech! They put MTBE in the
gas here during the winter months, which is when I filled this
gas can. Set the choke levers by hand since the cable is seized,
primed the pump with that cool little lever and she fired right
up. Oil pressure whipped right up to ~55 at 2000 cold...not too
bad for an engine this old. Eased the chokes back down after a
minute. Nice, even note at 800 rpm. Hopped into the temporarily
reinstalled driver's seat and drove it around the neigborhood.
Jeez it's loud in there with the interior removed and no tunnel
cover...but it really feels nice to drive. This little
convertible has a road character remarkably unlike its cousin the
Spitfire and brother the GT6. Much more sedan-like, which is to
be expected, but still without sponginess or excessive body roll.
The only bad time I had on the reassembly was when I discovered that
the yutzes who pressed in my spring eye bushes had cut away the
"excess" rubber! You need this stuff or the bush won't compress
properly and the load will be borne solely by the bolts. So that
spring is coming off again before I really start driving this thing.
But there's the body, paint and interior restoration between then
and now, so there's plenty of time to deal with that. But it's
a car now and not a lawn ornament! You can keep your picnic
baskets, I'm very happy with the way I spent my Memorial Day
weekend!
Dan Parslow
djp@alpha.sunquest.com
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