In message <961223205140_555063.0_EHF63-1(at)CompuServe.COM>, Jay Laifman
<JLAIFMAN(at)PNM.MHS.CompuServe.COM> writes
>On another car group I am on, there is a thread going with everyone
>introducing themselves.
Hello all, I'll try to keep it short....
I'm Jeff Howarth (36) and live around 15 miles from Manchester in the
UK. I am married to Nicola and have a son Thomas aged 5.
I work in Data Communications and am the Data Product manager for
British Gas. A popular occupation it seems. (Howard are you involved in
NETTeam ?)
I've been in and around Alpines for around 30 years.
My father had a 64 Series 4GT when I was a 8 but my mother drove it
under the back of a truck, she was OK but the Alpine is now R.I.P.
(rests in pieces :-) UK Licence AWM 406B
Next my mother had a Series V roadster and we joined the UK Sunbeam
Alpine Owners club (memb no. 147). When she tried running this on an oil
free diet the crank gave up and I was given the remains to 'learn about
cars' UK licence plate ATE 476E, colour - Jaguar Connaught Green, not
original but a great colour for an Alpine.
I rebuilt the engine and ran it for a couple of years before the dreaded
rust got too far.
Taking the bull by the horns, I stripped the car and fitted new wings,
sills, floors, valances, boot floor, door skins, most other panels in
contact with water!! Anyway, even if it did take 5 years on and off, it
all went together well in the end as I won a couple of shows with it.
In 86, I bought on of those Alpine GTI's with a V8 engine (UK licence
plate KBD 23C).
After several enjoyable years with the Series V I ended up selling it to
a Dutchman which meant I had to change it to Left hand drive. Anton are
you out there?
A couple of years ago I rebuilt a Harrington Le Mans body for a friend
of mine, he also now owns one of the D Type Harringtons (BAP 66B).
Had a great one the other day...
rebuilt the carbs on a series five to get it running after some time
off the road. The car started and i drove it around the driveway to
check the steerring etc. The brakes felt spongy and next minute there
is really thick white smoke coming out all over the place.
- the brake servo seals had failed and was leaking fluid into the
vacuum side, from there to the inlet manifold and via internal
combustion, out the exhaust.
What looked like a blown piston turned out to be a $30 servo rebuild.
Motto - don't panic !!
I've also had a few other interesting cars in the past :
MG's, Lotus Esprit, Lotus Sunbeam (some call that one a Bumseam :-)
Rabbit / Golf GTI's etc.
Anyway, thats probably bored you all enough by now.
-- Jeff Howarth
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