Blogger Fatigue

After the wash

I've been doing this for a little over a year and I think fatigue has set in.  I don't think I will continue posting every ride but instead will only post rides or events out of the ordinary.  The daily upkeep has become too much and, frankly, it is not as much fun as it once might have been.

Since I last posted, I took the MG to Gene's and it had to have the rear brakes replaced.  Some spring had broken off on the rear left drum and destroyed the pads.  No wonder the brakes were starting to feel mushy.  We took a handful of rides in the MG since I got it back last Wednesday and everything has been working great.  The repair cost for the brake job and oil change came to a little over $400.

On Friday afternoon I took a ride on the dragon with the Bullet.  Everything went well except that I took a curve to the left a little fast, fixated on the apex, and ran off the road.  Didn't dump or stall the bike but it sure gave me one hell of a scare.  The lesson, keep my eyes on the turn and avoid target fixation.  Simple but easy to forget when fear sets in.  After I got back, I washed off the dirt and everything ended up fine, no damage, and no worries.

Over the weekend we took some rides on the MG and went to the HCCP annual picnic.  We met a lot of nice folks and had a great time.

I refueled the Bullet yesterday, I put 2.36 gallons of Ultra in the tank at the Sunoco on the West Chester Pike and Strasburg.  The odo read 4470.2.  Next refuel should be at around 4620.

Read More »

The Culprit

New Bosch voltage regulator

It turns out that something happened to the voltage regulator.  I have been running with the lights on as a safety measure and either that caused the regulator to go feet up or it was on its last legs and the constant strain finally killed it.

At any rate, Harold replaced it and the fuse strip because the heat was causing it to begin to melt.  The second fuse hadn't burned out completely but the heat was getting to it.  The repairs came to $127 and change and the car was ready to be picked up on Friday afternoon at about 14:30.  We had an early day, it was Commencement, and we were done by 14:00 so I headed out to Gene's to pick it up after I got home.  I left the truck at Gene's and took the car out to get a hair cut and for a short drive.  Everything is working great except that the horn has gone out now.  I'm not taking it back for that.  I will leave it as is and when I get the inspection done in September I'll have Harold fix it.

Harold said I should get LED lights which will draw less power and put less strain on the wiring.  I'm looking into it but change will be expensive.  I think I'm going to got with first replacing the sealed beams with Hella H4 Type headlights and then see if I can find LED bulbs to plug in later.  This may not work because of space restrictions in the light bucket but I won't know until I try.  I will, however, stop running the headlights at all times, just when I need them.

New voltage regulator

New voltage regulator

  

Read More »

Carlisle... Not!

Got all packed and rolled down the road to our meeting point with Royal and Billnparts (two guys from the MGTDr forum that were also headed to Carlisle) in Denver, PA, at the Turkey Hill just off the Penna Turnpike, Exit 286.  We got there in just over an hour, at 11:00. with no problems or issues.  Pulled in the lot, talked to the guys for a couple of minutes, and then got ready to roll out.

That's when things started going down the Turkey Hill path.  The MG would not turn over.  There was some juice because the gauges would move but no cranking or anything.  So the guys proposed to give us a push, get to Carlisle, and there see if the pool of VW guys at the show could figure it out.  That sounded that a good plan to me.

They gave us the push, the MG kicked over, and we rolled of the lot to the Turnpike.  We got as far as just the other side of the toll both when the MG died on the roll.  I pulled over to the side of the road as I watch those guides sail on to the west.  Billnparts called in a few minutes and offered to turn around to come help me but that would have been a 44 mile trip all told and I did not see the sense in that.  I told him that they should go on and I would follow if I could.

Called AAA.  They put me in contact with the Turnpike Patrol which turned up in less than five minutes to guard my six and told me the tow would be there in 15 to 20 minutes.  I fooled around with what I could, mainly the fuses, and found the second from the left fuse had burned.  This is the same fuse I had problems with before.  I replaced that but that fuse but that did not do any good so it was just time to wait for the tow.

The tow got there and the driver could do no more than I did so I asked him to tow it back to Gene's.  I talked to Harold and he said he would look at it.  That's were it is now.  Harold said he had to track the problem down and he hopes to have it ready for tomorrow.

Carlisle is off the plate this year.  I will try again next year but I may tow the MG instead of trying to drive.  It's a big disappointment, I really enjoyed meeting those guys in person and was looking forward to meeting the others that would be there but there's nothing to be done.  At least the ride out Denver was nice and enjoyable.

Such is life.

Read More »

Replacement Tank - Part III - plus Hubcaps

New Tank

  This morning at 10:00, Jan from Gene's called me to say that the car was ready to be picked up.  I was going into a meeting at the time so at 11:00, when the meeting was over, I asked one of my co-workers to give me a ride to pick it up.

Harold had replaced the tank, adjusted the front and rear brakes, cleaned the oil screen, changed the oil, fixed the head lights by replacing the second fuse from the left, replaced fuel and vacuum hoses, and replaced the sending unit.  All of this plus labor and tax came to $227.77.

He had put $10.00 worth of gas in the tank so I headed out to fill it up and see if the previous leakage problem was solved.  I could have gone to a station on the West Chester Pike but I wanted a little bit of a test ride so I took Sproul up to Bryn Mawr, Darby-Paoli, and Goshen all the way up to Strasburg and 352 to the Wawa at the turn pike.

Refueling at the Wawa - 3353 miles

I stopped there for gas and while gassing up had a couple of guys come over to ask questions and chat about their sports cars.  That's one of the great things about this little car, you get to talk to a lot of people.  Now for the bad thing.  As soon as I filled the tank, gas started spilling out from under the silver cap over the sending unit.  The old tank had some black sealant gunk all over that spot but Harold had not sealed this thing.  I called Jan and she asked me to bring it back over.  On the way back, I just headed down the West Chester Pike straight to Gene's.  The brakes are working great, much stiffer than they have been and with plenty stopping power.  I got it going up to 70mph on the straightaway without any problems.

Black sealant gunk on the sending unit cap

When I got to Gene's Harold took over while I walked over to the Country Squire Diner for a little lunch.  I came back a little less than an hour later and he had sealed the sender unit cap with black gunk and taken 2.5 gallons out of the tank to give the gunk time to seal.  I will let it sit until Sunday and then I will refill it and see what happens.  Harold said to bring it back if it still leaks but I think it will be fine.

From there I headed home to get my truck because the Bullet was still at work and I did not want to have both the Bullet and the MG in the lot.  I will ride the Bullet home after work and then come back and pick up the truck later with my wife.

New MG hubcaps

Before going back to work, I took a couple of seconds to put the MG hubcaps on the MG.  I think they look rather nice.  I still like the original wire hubs that came with the car better but I like these hubcaps well enough and I think I will keep the on for now.  I know it was no big deal to make them but I'm pretty happy with the way they turned out.

Next I'm going to need to wash this thing to get all the yellow pollen off it.  I will have to do that this weekend to be ready for Carlisle.

Tank with black gunk sealant

Close up of new hubcaps

Read More »

MG Replacement Hubcaps - Part III

The final product 

This afternoon the hubcaps from So Cal Imports got delivered, the MG emblems from Moss Motors had already arrived a couple of days ago so I had all the materials needed to assemble the new hubcaps.

I needed a drill bit to cut metal and some epoxy glue so I took a ride on the Bullet over to the True Value Hardware in Newtown Square and got that stuff there.  I got an 11/32 heavy duty bit which was a little smaller that the shank on the back of the emblem because I was afraid that the 3/8 bit might make a hole that was a little too big.  In reality the 11/32 was just a hair tight so I first drilled with that than and then reamed the hole with the 3/8.  It was just a question of measuring, drilling, and attaching with epoxy.  Over all the whole process of making the hubcaps probably took less than half an hour and I think they came out pretty good.

The car is still at Gene's. I asked Harold to replace the sending unit for the gas tank as well because the gauge fluctuates erratically and I figure since we were replacing the tank we might as well replace that.  The part did not get delivered until late today so when I called Harold said he would have it ready tomorrow.  It's going to be a pain because Charlene works late tomorrow and I'll have to leave the truck there and come back to get it later but that's the breaks.  So, if everything works out, I will install the new hubcaps when I get the car.

Shrink wrapped

In the box

Emblems from Moss Motors

Before drilling

Modified

 

Read More »

Replacement Tank - Part II

Shortened spout

Last Tuesday morning I got up early and headed out to Angelo and Son's before work.  The trip had to be made because they had not returned any of my calls since I dropped off the tank at the beginning of the month and I was afraid that they hadn't done anything at all.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the shop open and that they had already cut the spout.  They hadn't finished welding it back together but they promised to have it done later that same day and although I was skeptical I was glad to see a little progress.

Much to my surprised I got a call at work a little after 14:30 saying that the tank was finished and that they would be in the shop until 16:30.  I wasted no time to head out there as soon as possible.

The job looked great and they only charged my $40.00 for it.  They recommended that I put some tank sealer around the inside of the welded joint as an extra precaution which I did this morning.

On my way form from Angelo & Son, I stopped at Gene's and made an appointment with Harold to bring in the car next Tuesday to have the tank installed, the oil changed, the headlights fixed, and get a complete check up before Carlisle.  Harold said he would keep the car for two days but that I should have it back by Wednesday afternoon.

Below I have some photos of the sealing the seam process.

Fuel Tank Repair Epoxy

Bead of epoxy compound

Sealed seam 

Shortened spout

Tank

Read More »

The Fourth Day of Christmas - The Feast of Saint Thomas à Becket

Willistown Quaker Meeting Graveyard

The Feast of Thomas à Becket broke blue and bright but still cold.  By mid morning the temp had rising to 40 and it stayed there most of the day.  At about 14:00 I stopped by Gene's to talk to Harold the mechanic about the tank on the MG.  He had not found a solution to coating the inside to prevent any further rust and suggested that I look for a kit to do this.  My answer was to replace the tank, as it is not only rusting inside but also leaking from the filling spout.  Harold said that if I could find the right tank he would install it.  

I searched the web and found this 1961-1967 tank to be the closest thing to what I have. According to the website they are on back order but the cost is not bad at around $160 plus shipping.  I would have to find someone to cut and reattach the top of the spout as the stock model would protrude from the hood of the MG.  I will have to do some further research on finding someone to do this but a cursory search on the internet has led me to Angelo & Son in Havertown who might be able to do the work.   

By the time I got home, shortly after my stop at Gene's, the temps had not gotten much better, maybe around 43, but Fortuna fortes adjuvat and I made the decision to roll out the Bullet.  The run did not last long.  

I headed up Goshen and made it as far as the Willistown Quaker Meeting House where I did a quick turn around.  The layering up worked for all my body but not having winter gloves really put the strain on my hands.  I think that by the time I had reached Providence Rd my hands were already frozen but I pushed just that little bit extra to make a good turn around.  If I want to ride in this weather, even for short distances, I have to find a glove solution.  The Meeting House is about 5 miles from my house so the whole trip was just a little over 10 miles.  I did stop at the graveyard there for a couple of pics and to rub my hands together until the circulation returned.

When I left the house the odo read 2663.6 and when I returned it was at 2675.1 

Willistown Quaker Meeting Graveyard

Willistown Quaker Meeting Graveyard

Willistown Quaker Meeting Graveyard

Read More »

A Boy and His Car

Pep Enric & Montse

The starter on the MGTDr has gone to a better place and left me stranded in the garage.  I could have probably started the car by coasting it down the hill and popping the clutch but what would have happened at the bottom of the hill if it hadn't?  So another ride on the back of a tow truck.  This time I didn't bother with AAA and called Bob & Joe's Towing, in Haverford, first.  What a difference.  I called at 07:00 and by 08:05 the car was in the back of the truck.  Mike, with whom I had spoken on the phone, came out with the truck, loaded it up, and had Montse on the way to Gene's Foreign Car Service, in Broomall, in the blink of an eye.

Gene's has been fixing VWs since the 70s and they only work on VWs, Audis, Hondas, and Acuras.  I got a recommendation for them from a friend and I want to try them out.  Hopefully they can get this thing rolling soon because I want to take advantage of the good weather.

The photo above is of my grandson enjoying Montse.  I did some changes on the badging, removing the Union Jack on the radiator grille and replacing it with a MG badge.  I also removed the Great Britain badge from the badge bar and replaced it with a Real Automóvil Club de Cataluña (RACC) antique badge that I found on eBay.  I would have liked to have found one with the writing in Catalan but those are really rare.  While in Catalunya, I looked in a couple of places and was unable to find one so I guess I will keep on hunting.  To see the rest of the Montse photos with Pep Enric, please, check out the Flickr set.

New Badges

No bike commute to work today.

Read More »