Category: Past Indiscretions (Page 9 of 25)

Valuable, if hard, lessons learned

Reproduction Part = Sad Face, Compressor Antics

October 23, 2010 / Roger

I bought a new rear exhaust hanger kit (from Moss Motors) for the GT not long ago. I moved the car today to facilitate the unloading of my new used compressor (see below), and came outside afterward to find the muffler laying on the ground, the cause being the failed rubber mount that you can see in the photo. (In case you’re not familiar with how these hangers are constructed, there is supposed to be another piece of metal bonded to the rubber where you see the rusty stains…that piece of metal is still on the car!)
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Farewell to Ferguson and Miata

October 23, 2010 / Roger

I found new homes for the Miata and the Ferguson. I had Fergie for sale (forever, so it seems) for amounts ranging from “here’s what I have into it,” to “surely it must be worth this,” to finally “OK, I guess that no one cares if it’s restored or not.”

I sold the Miata to a friend here on the island for $1,500. (I gave him a discount as he really needs a car and doesn’t have a lot of spare cash, a situation I’m all too familiar with. Saves the hassle of selling it, too.) I had the car a year, and new top aside, it didn’t need anything other than a flex hose for the rear brakes. The Miata got a consistent 30 – 31 MPG, too.

1977 Car of the Year…

October 17, 2010 / Roger

…and yet, well, see for yourself. It’s an interesting period piece, but I don’t think the car is in any danger of being called “beautiful.” Driving it home today people guessed “Peugeot” twice and “Citation” once, but mostly they didn’t guess at all.
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E-Type Engine Tear Down

September 18, 2010 / Roger

John at Autosport Seattle hosted a “tech session” for the local Jaguar club today, featuring the tear-down and examination of an XK engine. The engine chosen was the one from the infamous Rusty Heaps “imaginary car.” So this counts as, gasp, some progress on the E-Type restoration!
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Wish People Would Tell Me When They Sell My Stuff

August 11, 2010 / Roger

Spotted this ad on craigslist tonight–someone selling their Daytona…but the photos of “their” bike are straight from this website. Sad thing is that anyone in the know would recognize the slight of hand, as the bike they’re selling would have a different rear suspension than mine. *Facepalm*

On a semi-serious note, though: when looking at CL ads, it’s not all that uncommon to discover that the photos in the ad are NOT of the car or bike you end up poking at when you go to see it. My Miata was sold that way: the car shown in the ad was very clearly not the one I ended up buying. I asked the seller about it a couple of times and she insisted the photos were recent ones of my car, despite a number of major differences.

It’s not the end of the world to use a “representative sample” in an ad, just let people know. And if you’re going to grab someone’s photos, maybe ask permission?

Battle of Britain Day

August 9, 2010 / Roger

Went over to watch the Flying Heritage Collection’s Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fly on their “Battle of Britain” day last Saturday. It was just spitting (appropriate weather for the occasion), but I took the Triumph anyway, to make short work of the long summer ferry lines (motorcycles are allowed to bypass the queue). This proved to be a soggy decision when the skies opened in earnest on the ride back. (“Bah, I won’t need rain gear” was my thought before departing the house. Oops.)
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Final Ferguson?

July 20, 2010 / Roger

I have the Ferguson (reluctantly) up for sale and there seems to be some interest. I’m asking $4,400 which seems way too low given what I have into it…surprise, surprise, eh?
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Miata Update

July 17, 2010 / Roger

I have done very little to this car and it has, thus far, been very reliable. It’s fun to drive–though it’s not as personable as the MGs. I put a new $150 top on a long while ago, which was a pleasantly easy and speedy operation. It doesn’t fit as well as it might behind the door glasses–but I just used the pre-punched holes and bolted it in place without any hand fitting. It’s waterproof and folds up and down as it should, so I’m satisfied.
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Ferry Overhead

July 10, 2010 / Roger

Took the GT on a road trip today, the shot is from the upper deck of the Port Townsend ferry. Car did well, some berry-flavored, baked on bird droppings aside. Be nice to get the overdrive in, though!

On the Road Again

July 3, 2010 / Roger

Update: I went to the regular first Saturday South Whidbey Sports Car meeting, on time for once…and everyone else was late, no joke (see photo). I had to run before anyone else arrived as I was headed to the vintage races at Pacific Raceways. This has taught me a valuable lesson about timeliness: don’t bother!
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