From: haywoodone@hotmail.com
To: patrick.quinn@det.nsw.edu.au; healeys@autox.team.net
Subject: RE: [Healeys] Overdrive Deceleration
Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2010 21:31:36 -0400
Greg,
I'm with Patrick on this one. I've had the pleasure of driving a '66 Volvo
1800s for 18 yrs as my daily driver before parking it because of a broken rod
in 1990. I drove it hard and drove it long all through college in Virginia,
to Colorado for a couple years of "get my head straight" skiing, then to South
Dakota for more education, and finally back east to North Carolina. I never
changed the tranny/OD oil or checked it once. All I did was drive it until it
would delay shifting into OD for a few seconds, then get out my 1/2in
galv.pipe extention with 4-5 ft. of garden hose attached and stick it into the
fill hole, fill it till it ran over with 30 wt ND and get in and drive the
heck out of it more. Never once did it let me down. Although I am new to
Healey's (5yrs., 3 since the resto) I drive my bj8 just as hard, however I do
take a little more precaution checking the fluids since the Volvo cost $1200
in 1972 and the Healey cost, well, a little more in 2005. I will drive all
day in OD, downshift by blipping the accelerator pedal, drive hard up the
gears, flip the OD switch in 3rd with it floored (that's something the Volvo
didn't do), pass or go up a hill by using the throttle switch and accelerating
in 3rd or 4th, also let off the accelerator and motor brake down in OD. We've
driven to San diego, Kingston, Galena, and all over the NC and Va mountains
and coast and never a problem with the OD. It is tough--I don't think you
have to baby it. Drive it like you stole it. Happy Healeying!!
Take care,
George Haywood
'65 bj8
>> G'day>
> >From my experience from 39 years of Austin-Healey ownership I have found
the
> Laycock de Normanville to be an extremely robust piece of machinery
providing
> of course it is in good working order.
>
> The thought of people being delicate with the OD I find quite amusing. An
> Austin-Healey is meant to be enjoyed and driven spiritedly. Sorry but there
is
> no comparison between the style of driving called for from an Austin-Healey
to
> that of a Volvo and I don't mean any disservice to Volvo owners.
> The OD is one of the magic features of an Austin-Healey and you should all
get
> out on the open road and drive these cars as they were designed to be
driven.
>
> Patrick Quinn
> Sydney, Australia
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