Theo,
You put a big smiley on your message, BUT when I got my new 1952 MG-TD
is had a lot of neat features.
1. A hole in the center of the front bumper.
2. A in line hole in the chassis cross member.
3. A strange attach nut for the crank pulley.
4. A bent, heavy rod snapped to clips on the rear of my seat back.
At first I couldn't figure out what it was. Then I was told it was to
manually turn your engine, without pulling on the fan belt, to assist in
adjusting the valve clearances. It was a grand idea, and worked fine
(as this job was done often as the lifters wore. I found out later what
it's original purpose was, "All Praise Be Unto Lucas". It became a
necessity, not a tuning tool. :-(
Another:
1. A strange, round, metal closed seal cover on the back end of the
starter, facing forward. Never seen a starter with one of those.
I found out, "All Praise Be Unto Lucas", that it removed with a
tool kit pliers, revealing a square armature shaft that just so
happened to fit a Whitworth wrench. Can't tell you how many time
the starter gear got stuck in the flywheel, and needed this
procedure to free it. The British don't "give" you anything that
hasn't an evil purpose.
2. A free "gift" from the dealer, an genuine English Bumper shoot
(sold as an factory option). Sure the car leaked water on my knee
in the rain. It's British, don't you know, and they know it is
not meant to be driven in the rain, so carry NO umbrella.
However, the SU fuel pump was conveniently mounted under the hood,
"All Praise Be Unto Skinner's Union". When the "clicking"
stopped, and the motor quit, you jump out of the car, Bumper shoot
in hand, fling open the passenger's side bonnet half (if the
windshield is not down!) and give the fuel pump a good thwack.
That usually woke it up, and it was clicking again. Damned
difficult when stalled on the freeway. Picture it.
Notice in the 1954 Jaguar XK 120M I had, the fuel pump was mounted under
a quick release access plate under the passenger's carpet. Didn't even
have to get out of the car.
The English, once they have "constructed" something, tend to never
change it - unless the Prime Minister was hurt. This design is in our
64+ Tigers, and notice how convenient it is to flip the rear parcel
shelf cover open, open the "battery" cover, and thwack the SU. Your
new electronic points replacement may take that singular joy away from
us. ;-)
Don't know it Sunbeam Specialties carries them, but in England a good
Burberry Bumper shoot cost #100 (Sterling). The kind with the sword in
the handle are a bit more, and only the KGB have the kind with the
needle in the tip.
___
Steve Laifman
Editor - TigersUnited.com
Theo Smit wrote:
>So that's what it's for... When the Bendix on your starter hangs up, you
>pull the plug, and whack the bellhousing with a big hammer.
>
>:-)
>
>
>Theo
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