>Anybody else have a good PO horror story? Please share!
Ahh, how I wish I only had one PO horror story to relate... Here's
the story of a 1971 / 1972 (To be explained) Midget in the process of a
restoration.
I think I'll start at the back of the vehicle and move forward.
First, keep in mind that the Previous-Previous-Owner could not have been
playing with a full deck. Anyway, it appears that he was either a silicon
sealant dealer or had a warehouse full of the stuff. An example: when the
rear axle half-shaft lost its retaining bolt (allowing it AND the wheel to
slide out) he used Permatex Blue to glue it back up. Ditto for the rear
axle oil seal on the other side. He used a more conventional bathtub
sealant for the less important areas, such as around trim pieces, the
windshield, repair panels, etc.
The PPO was also a remarkable innovator when it came to fasteners.
Case in point: the carpet. The plush red velour carpet was _nailed_ to the
floor. Not with regular finishing nails, mind you. With ridged nails. He
used a similar method on repair panels, along with copious amounts of
bathtub goo.
A few other observations:
-A gas pump nozzle spring (which compresses between the pump handle
and the car's gas filler tube) was found in the gas tank
-The brake warning sender switch was nowhere to be found, replaced
instead with a line to a front caliper.
-Although the car came with six wire wheels, none of the tires matched.
-The car came with a few spare parts (as a testament to the insanity
of the PPO and Lucas electrical probs) - three coils, three voltage
regulators, several generators, hundreds of crimp-connectors
-There was no thermostat. Cheap cooling problem fix? Maybe...
-The car's timing was at about 30 degrees BTDC. The miracle is, it
still ran. Perhaps the timing was the reason the PPO had the idle at
2000 RPM.
Well, that's the story. I'm sure you can imagine the inferences one
would make as to the mental health of the PPO. Oh well.
PS - The whole engine was swapped at some point. Hence the 1971/1972
birthday of the mighty Midge.
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'70-'72 MG Midget (Sky Blue (P.O.), Damask Red (P.P.O.), BRG (O.E.M))
'81 Ford Bronco (To tow the Midget, of course!)
James Byers jbyers@ids.net
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