A few items:
#1 - SOL's within driving distance of Deerfield, Massachusetts may want to
enter their car (or just attend) in this Sunday's (7-17-94) car show. I'll be
there (weather permitting) with our club. It's a nice event...right on the
grounds of Historic Deerfield. LBC's will number at least 10 or 12, if it's
anything like last year.
#2 - my $.02 on garage floors. The floor under my TD is wood! Two layer of 3/4"
plywood over 2x12 joists. Much softer under foot, does not "sweat" as does
concrete in summer. Also tends to prevent damage to dropped parts or tools.
Warmer in winter too. Cardboard under the car is mandatory to prevent oil
damage to the wood. The wood floor garage was designed and built specifically
to house the TD.
#3 - tip to "T" series owners...if you forget your fancy "bonnet holders" to
hold open one or both sides of the bonnet, use a clean pair of tennis or
running shoes on top of the tool box. The soft uppers make a nice cradle for
the bottom edge of the bonnet, and the rubber soles provide a firm footing on
the tool box. Not pretty, but a nice trick if you're stuck without a holder.
#4 - prince of darkness... The TD has been running great. I've owned it
almost a year, and aside from routine care (oil & filer change, lube, carb
adjustments) no problems have arisen. Ummm....until yesterday. The wiring
harness (which is new, along with 95% of the other equipment on the car) was
hanging a bit low under the dash so, I took up a bit of the slack under one of
the clamps. Looks much better. Just to be safe, I tried out all the switches.
Headlights "ON" and, DAMN!!!, that dreadful "PPPFFFFTFTT" sound of a shorted
wire. A faint, thin trail of grey smoke wafted up from under the dash. I peered
below and found the hot wire to the instrument lamps dimmer had worked loose,
and was making earth contact. A quick tighten, an all is well. But I remain
amazed that Lucas designed a device that can be so easily shorted...(well I'm
only slightly amazed)...and what ever happened to the idea of FUSES!
I enjoy reading the many postings from my fellow SOL's, and my apology for
lurking for the past month.
Cheers.
-Doug
============================================================================
"Lethargy bordering on sloth remains the cornerstone of my restoration style"
Doug Phillips (Douglas.W.Phillips@Williams.edu)
1952 MG TD, Member, New England T Register (#11109) and Berkshire
County British Motor Car Club / Williams College, Williamstown, MA
============================================================================
|