Changing Gears III

I took the day off on Friday and met my Dad at David's again early in the morning. To start, David put together the new throwout bearing assembly. The picture shows the old one next to the new one. Notice the huge chunk missing from the former.

And here's a before and after shot of the ring gear. Notice the chunks of teeth missing from the old one. David attached the new ring gear to the flywheel. He did this buy setting the flywheel out in the snow (so it contracted) and heating the ring gear with a torch (so it expanded), then hammering them together.

Then we attached it to the back of the engine along with the clutch. We had to use a special clutch alignment tool to make sure everything was centered when bolting it on.

Next, we bolted the transmission to the engine. And attached the starter, fuel filter, and transmission mounts.

Dropping the whole shabang back into the engine bay required some finagling, but it went in easier than it came out. We connected all the necessary hoses, wires, and belts. Then back in went the radiator. From the bottom, we connected the exhaust manifold to the exhaust, the reverse lights wiring, and reinserted the driveshaft into the transmission. All these things would have been so much more difficult without David's lift which enabled us to stand and work from underneath.

Then we put in the shifter and filled everything back up with fluids. The transmission oil is actually filled via inside the car. After tearing back the carpet on the shifter tunnel, a plug is removed which gives you access to the filler nut. While we were getting the cockpit back in order, it came up that I didn't have a working cigarette lighter. Amazingly, but not surprisingly, David had one there and promptly installed it. Then as I was putting the carpet back together, I noticed one of the snaps had broken off. He had one of those too. My dad said how it's like working at Pep Boys over there. David has everything you could ever need.

It's funny. We put everything back together before starting the car...the grill, the hood, the carpet. As if we were so sure we weren't going to run into an issue and have to tear it apart again.

We held our breathe as the first turn of the key yielded no start. We realized we neglected to connect a wire going to the distributor. So we connected it and the car started like a champ. I took it for a ride. It was a little difficult to shift and second gear was particularly difficult to get into, grinding at times. But this got much better as I drove it longer. I'm confident that after the new gears get broken in, and the oil gets into all the nooks and crannies, it'll shift much better. Overall, the car sounds and feels so much more refined. First gear, thankfully, still whines. But it's a healthy sounding whine.

I couldn't imagine having done this in my own garage by myself. Maybe if it was a straight swap. But with everyhing extra that needed to be done, my garage and my mechanical knowledge wouldn't have been adquate to finish the project on my own. At the same time, I'm glad that I was more than a just a "light holder" and was able to be as big a part of it as I was.

Cool Runnings

I replaced the thermostat in the Mini today. When the Midget's broke this summer, it was overheating. Being winter now, the problem in the Mini was quite the opposite. It took a good deal of driving to get the temperature gauge even slightly above the C. This resulted in weakened performance and a need to keep the choke out much longer.

I had to try three different auto parts stores to get the thermostat and gasket I needed. The problem is, auto stores don't have a 1980s Mini listed in their computers because they weren't imported to the States during that time. So I asked them to look up a 1960s Mini thermostat/gasket. The engines differed slightly from mine, but I don't think that'd be an issue with something as universal as a thermostat. I went with a 180º thermostat which should be better for winter use than the 160º I replaced.

Changing Gears II

Since my last post, plans had changed. Despite my desire to do the job myself, my Dad convinced me to do it over at David's, my Mom's cousin. So I put everything back together on the car and the three of us tackled it this past weekend.

And to be honest, I'm very glad I ended up doing it there. He has a heated garage, a lift, and every tool you can imagine to make things easier. He's also extremely knowledgeable. The three of us working on it also sped up the process, since we could each work on different areas simultaneously.

We had some trouble getting the engine/tranny out as a unit, so we ultimately decided to detach the two before removing them. We lifted the engine with a forklift and some chains. And we dropped the tranny out the bottom.

David set up the two transmissions side by side, and pointed out that the new one was missing a reverse-light switch. I called Quantum Mechanics and he recommended swapping the neck of the new tranny with the old one. We did so. I'm guessing the tranny they sent me was from an earlier year...when reverse lights weren't required. David cleaned up some things inside and also noticed that my throwout bearing was shot and that my ring gear was quite worn. Both of these things should have been replaced, or at least certainly brought to my attention, when I had the clutch replaced by Maiden England 3 or 4 years ago. If you recall, when I picked up the car from them, a headlight and the speedometer were both also not working and I had to fix both myself. Talk about incompetence. But I digress.

So we called it a day, ate lunch, and ordered the parts. I also ordered some less significant parts that could use replacing...gaskets and bolts and such. We're planning to reconvene as soon as the parts come in to put it all back together. Also, my Ziploc organizational method was thrown out the window from the get go. I'll let you know if that was a good idea in a few days.

I'm very excited to drive it when it's all said and done. And I have increasingly frequent thoughts of getting it painted. Now that it'll be up to snuff mechanically, I want it to look as good as it'll drive.

Changing Gears I

Oh boy. My rebuilt transmission arrived today from Quantum Mechanics. It looks really nice. It's kind of a shame it'll never really be seen once it's installed.

Unlike most cars, the only way to remove the transmission is to remove the engine along with it. So the plan is to remove both at once, and separate the two afterwards. I only had a few hours this evening, so I decided to start getting things ready for the undertaking. I removed the bonnet and grill and started to remove the radiator (this must be removed so the engine clears). I think I have all the screws out (some of which I fear will be near impossible to get back in) and I just have to disconnect the hoses and drain the cooling system. Then out she comes.

But that's only one of a multitude of things that have to be removed/disconnected. I've been putting the removed screws in Ziploc bags and labeling them. I'm good at losing things so I think this is very necessary. And it'll make reassembly that much easier.

So that's it for now. The manual says it should take about 4 hours to remove the engine/transmission. Naturally, I need to quadruple that number for a realistic personal goal. I'll see how it goes and keep you posted.

"Would the owner of a..."

Despite the 40-50° temperatures we've been having‚ I've been commuting with the MG's top down. I'm not exactly sure why. But it's really quite exhilarating.

Anyway, I stopped at Lowe's on the way home this evening. After a few minutes of shopping, I heard what sounded like rain coming down on the store's roof. I convinced myself I was hearing something else since the sky on the ride over wasn't the least bit ominous. But sure enough, after a few more minutes, a voice on the loudspeaker said, "Would the owner of a small convertible with the top down please come immediately to the front of the store." Or something like that. I was RIGHT in the middle of a purchase decision, so I tried not to rush myself.

As I made my way up there, I overheard employees talking and looking around for the car's owner. When I went to checkout, I told the lady it was mine. And she told some lady by the doors. They were just kind of like, "Oh." I think they were anticipating a panicked man bolting for the doors in desperation. But it was pouring down pretty good and it's not like the car could get any wetter at this point. Not wanting to take the time to put the top back up, I drove it home that way, too. I just made sure to wipe everything down when I arrived.

I'd care more if I had leather or cloth seats, and if my carpet wasn't already on its way out. But the vinyl seats have proven to be very resilient, and my dash is almost entirely shielded from the rain.

At Its Core

As you may recall, I took the Mini's heater out of the car for the summer due to it leaking coolant. With the weather getting colder, and the Midget getting increasingly difficult to shift, I went about trying to fix the situation.

I got the heater core out of the casing and didn't see any visual damage. Dad suggested running water through it from my garden hose to see if it leaked. It did a bit. A slight amount came from the plastic side to which the hoses clamp. I was able to unscrew the end piece and there were o-rings in place for each tube. Both seemed to be in good shape. It seemed like the whole plastic piece just kind of warped over the years causing a gap between the two pieces. You can kind of see where the gap is on the above picture. I think most cores are usually made entirely of metal.

My uncle recommended taking it to a radiator shop to get it leak tested. I did and he got the same results. Since it was on a plastic piece, all he could suggest was to put some epoxy glue to seal up the bond between the two plastic pieces. I opted to have him do this ($37) rather than buy a new core ($100+). Especially considering the rest of the unit was in perfect order.

I reinstalled it yesterday and ran the car a little bit today. The heater works and it hasn't leaked so far. I'll keep an eye on it in the weeks to come.

74,000 Miles

On Saturday, the Midget's odometer turned over 74,000 miles. When I purchased the car on September 27, 2005, it had about 65,000 miles. That's only 9,000 miles in 4 years, but I loved every one of them. Thanks to Greg for noticing the milestone and for providing the photo.

Also noteworthy: I calculated 31 MPG at my last fill-up. That may be the highest I ever averaged.

Smart Sighting II

Earlier tonight, at Home Depot, Greg and I parked next to a smart fortwo with the Mini. I asked Greg to snap a photo with his phone.

Although it doesn't look it, the fortwo is about a foot shorter. But I'd argue that's a negligible difference considering the passenger capacity is doubled in the Mini. And so is the fun per gallon! Admittedly though, every time a see a smart, a small part of me still wants one.

Scooter For Sale

I drove by this the other day by my work. It's a Stella scooter made by Genuine Scooter Company. Though it looks 'vintage,' I'm guessing it's only a few years old. It's a 4-speed manual and probably a 150cc. I love it!

The sign reads $2200 firm, so it's out of the question. But one can dream.

Me, My Shelf, and I

While driving around with my parents in Richlandtown this weekend, I spotted a cool Pepsi shelving unit among other items on someone's front lawn. Pops turned the Jeep around, and sure enough, there was a FREE sign taped to it.

We disassembled it to fit it into the Jeep, and I brought up to my house. I put it back together today and cleaned it up. Due to the logo variation, it's probably from the 70s or 80s. I think it helps to spruce up the garage a bit.

Ford Festiva

Most people I know think I'm crazy, but I've been casually looking for a third car. I have full faith in my current lineup in getting me to where I need to go and I absolutely love using them as daily drivers. But I mainly worry about winter conditions. I love my cars and still want to have them in ten years without having to rip up rusted floorboards in the process. I basically want a car I don't care about to absorb the worser conditions. Also, I'd like a car smaller than my Grandmother's van, since it takes up quite a bit of space in the garage.

I've been looking at the Ford Festiva, a car that was made up until 1993. It's a subcompact with a tremendously reliable and fuel-efficient, if not a bit underpowered, engine. It's only a few inches longer than the Midget and reminds me of the awesome Yugo featured in Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. It would allow me to position the Mini and Midget at the front of my garage side by side...so I don't have to flip-flop cars if the one I'd like to drive is in the back. This is the case currently with my Grandmother's van in the mix.

I found a guy on craigslist selling a '93 down in Collegeville, so I took a trip down last weekend to take a look. It was a pretty solid car for its age. It had one small rust spot and about 160,000 miles on it. He was a nice guy and let me take it for a spin on my own. It handled quite well and shifted very smoothly - actually almost too smooth for my tastes. Shifter cars should feel like shifter cars, in my opinion.

But anyway, the guy - let's call him Andrew - was asking $2000. Kelley Blue Book suggests $775 for such a car. I offered $1200, knowing he probably wouldn't take it, and left it that. He was pretty firm with his asking price so we parted ways. I'm glad because at this point I shouldn't be spending $1200. But I'm keeping my eyes open for something more reasonably priced.

Though I don't regret selling it, I wish I still had my MINI!

E-Break

I'm an idiot and drove several miles with the e-brake on in the Midget...even with my OCD tendencies of constantly checking it.

Anyway, when I realized my mistake and took it off, the brake pedal became scarily squishy. I was down at my parents', so my dad helped me try to adjust the rear drum brakes. My manuals were at home, but we jacked up the car, took off the wheel, removed the drum and starting looking around to see how to adjust the shoes. After no luck, Dad found a tutorial on YouTube, and we discovered we didn't even have to remove anything. There's an adjustment bolt on the back of the brake which adjust the shoes in and out. So you tighten it until the wheel stops moving freely (the shoes begin rubbing against the drum) then back if off a few flats. Repeat on the other side.

It's a pretty easy procedure and it's good to know how to do now. Brakes now work great.

What Goes Down, Must Go Up

Yesterday, September 1st, I ended my topless summer. The mornings are getting chilly, and even though I have another car, I thought it was a good time to end it. All in all, I only had a few chilly nights and situations where I got rained on...but nothing super heavy.

I was also afraid if I let too much time go by without putting it up, the material would lose it's elasticity and it wouldn't go up. It went up fine though.

All this being said, I had to put it right back down today after work. It was gorgeous out.

It's Getting Hot in Here

Driving down to Coopersburg last Saturday, the Midget overheated. Greg was kind enough to run a gallon of water to where I pulled over. I nursed it back to Greg's for the night and consulted my Dad.

He was worried the extreme heat might've warped the head. So we pressure-checked each of the valves. Thankfully, all were good. We also checked the oil dipstick for any indication of water, and there was none. Then starting with the easiest/cheapest thing first, Dad suggested taking a look at the thermostat. To troubleshoot, we removed it and ran the car. To my delight, the car did not overheat. So obviously, the thermostat was the culprit. I promptly ordered a new one.

Earlier today, I received the $5 part and installed it along with a new gasket. She runs like a dream again! Much thanks to Greg and Dad for their help.

Smart Sighting

I parked next to a smart fortwo today at Staples. It's certainly a shorter car (shortest currently in production), but it's amazing how it towers over my car in terms of height.

Despite the screwy transmission, I still really like these cars. If I came across one for under ten grand, I'd seriously (and foolishly) consider it.

Condenser Conundrum Conclusion

Once in awhile, if I'm stuck on a problem, I'll ask for help over at britishcarforum.com. I had done this throughout my condenser failings. One fellow on there kept inviting anyone with a failed condenser to mail it to him for analysis. Well, I had two, so I figured why not.

Today, he posted his findings and they proved to be pretty shocking. If you have some time, and are interested, feel free to read it here. He was very thorough with his approach, and his findings have convinced me to more actively pursue an electronic ignition. The one I'd like to buy (which replaces the whole dizzy) is $250. Which is quite a lot of money for me right now.

Quakertown Community Day 2009

It just occurred to me that I didn't make a post about this. This is the third year I had the Midget at Quakertown Community Day. Dad also entered his Benz. Fantastic weather...great time with friends and family...and I would've bought a VW Bus if it'd been for sale. Oh, and Greg sourced a possible transmission candidate with whom I need to follow up.

Triumphant Twos

A few days ago I removed the heater in the Mini. I connected the inlet hose with the outlet hose, topped off the radiator with coolant, and I'm back in business. As you can see from the photos, it slims down the dash quite a bit.

I haven't opened the heater up yet to take a look as I've been quite busy with other things. I figure that will be a good fall project if I even decide to keep it in there.

Then this afternoon I replaced the condenser in the Midget yet again. When I went to start it up, it wouldn't. I was quite disheartened until I opened the dizzy back up and realized I forgot to pop the rotor back on. Woops. Put it all back together, started it up, took it for a spin, and problem solved.

I'm going to ask around for suggestions on an electronic ignition setup. There are a couple different kinds out there, and I'd rather speak to some folks with experience before purchasing one. Though it's comforting to know that a new condenser fixes the problem, it's getting annoying to have to replace it all the time. It's only a $3 part, but it's tricky getting to the one mounting screw. It usually takes me at least an hour to swap a new one in.

Terrible Twos

When things go wrong, they all go wrong at once.

The Midget has been "missing" lately. It's more noticeable at high speed/high acceleration. And though it's not as severe, it feels similar to the symptoms I experienced with the condenser fiasco a few months back (see Smooth Runnings I and II). Since they're cheap enough, I ordered another condenser and rotor and I'm preparing myself to perform the tricky condenser swap once again (without removing the distributor). However, the procedure may be moot...because I think I'm strongly considering converting to an electronic ignition system. Dad kept bringing this up and I always thought it was much more involved than it is. But basically it seems like you just remove the distributor and swap in the new unit. I won't have to deal with points or condensers again...which would be great.

Next, the Mini's heater box has just recently started to leak coolant on the interior floor. (Thanks to Greg for noticing the leak.) My dad informs me it's most likely the heater core (which I think is also called the heater matrix). This makes sense looking at where it's dripping from the casing. This is a $100+ item so I might hold off on purchasing it till the fall. In the meantime, I plan on removing the whole heater box and joining the "in" hose with the "out" hose. This will be the quickest fix so I can continue to enjoy the car throughout the summer. Hopefully I can get this done tomorrow. And hopefully I'm able to do it without draining the whole cooling system.

Always Open

Not much to report, but I thought I'd post an update. The Midget recently had some problems retaining a charge due to my negligence of not keeping the battery terminals clean. So today I went and replaced both terminals of the battery. That should do the trick. It was an easy job, and it was nice spending the evening in the garage instead of the kitchen for once.

Other than that, the Midget has been getting increasingly difficult to shift. Most apparent are first and reverse (the non-synchronized gears) and once in awhile third gives me some trouble. I'm keeping a lookout on where to get a replacement tranny. Though I'm hoping this one lasts till Fall so I'm not without the convertible during Summer.

Speaking of which, about a month ago, I started an "always open" goal with the Midget...possibly inspired by the new MINI Cabrio campaign. (Though I've had this mentality ever since I got the car.) Basically, I'm not going to put the top up for the remainder of Summer. There has really only been one day in which I encountered a substantial amount of rain. But boy was it fun!

The Mini continues to run strong. It's leaking a bit more oil than it probably should, but I haven't had the ambition to look into it any further.

All in all, I'm just trying to enjoy the summer. I definitely enjoy driving the Midget over the Mini. Much more power and much fewer stares and parking lot conversations.

Hellertown Car Show

Today was the 16th Annual British Motorcar Gathering in Hellertown. I ended up taking both of my cars...which I don't think I'll do in the future. Dad came up with David and they drove the Mini down as I followed in the Midget. It was neat seeing and hearing the Mini at a distance. I love the exhaust sound and the car looks really slick driving down the road.

The show itself was fun. The weather was perfect (though the ground was a bit soggy) and the food (hot dogs) were fantastic. We spent most of our time around the Mini group. There were probably about 8 classic Minis and 4 Binis (2 Ss, 1 Cabrio, and 1 Clubman). The guy who sold me my car was there with another one for sale. Also, the owner of the first Mini I ever drove (the right-hand driver I "test drove" to gauge the power of a 998 engine) was there. I also ran into my high school astronomy teacher who remembered me and asked about my car.

I didn't win anything, though I certainly feel that my car was in the top three of the bunch in terms of overall quality (bodywork, paint job, absence of rust) and originality (I'm not sure if there was another car there with an all-original interior).

A couple people pointed out an indentation on my passenger side door and a smaller dent on my boot lid. I never noticed either. It seemed to bother these people a lot more than it bothers me.

All in all, it was a fun day.

Brake Time

To finish the lug nut story, I went to my parent's on Wednesday and my Dad went at the lug nut cap with a pick and a hammer. Although my wheel got a little dinged up in the process, we were able to break the cap off. None of the other caps gave me trouble.

On Friday, I got off work early and went about replacing the brake pads. Starting on the front left wheel, I removed the pads and compared them with the new ones out of the box. They were hardly worn at all. The seller must've put in new pads before he sold me the car. So I ended up putting these back on. I ran out and got some quiet brake grease stuff from the auto store to put on the back of the pads. I also slipped in the anti-squeal shims I ordered. It took me a couple hours to do this on the one side, which is probably laughable to any competent mechanic.

Today, I did the same on the other side. It went much quicker. I noticed some rust on this rotor that wasn't present on the left side (as seen in the above photo.)

Regardless, I drove the car about 30 miles today and the brakes didn't make a peep. So I'm pretty happy.

Inspection

It's been awhile since my last post. Which is good. Because it means I've been enjoying my cars on the roads and not in my garage.

The Midget's inspection was up this month. Since it's my first year up in Bethlehem, I tried out a garage a couple blocks from my place of employment. Everyone seemed nice there and I got the car back the same day with no problems. The bill was $35. This seemed low even though, due to its year, the car is exempt from having to pass emissions. I guess it might seem low because I think it's the first year it passed without any problems.

The Mini, on the other hand, has been experiencing some pretty loud screeching whilst braking. I was excited to replace the brake pads because, to me, brakes are so straight forward. It's a simple mechanical job (unlike the electrical troubleshooting headaches I've been having with the Midget.) I started taking the lug nuts off the front left wheel and the one was extremely stubborn. I pulled quite hard, and it loosened, but it wouldn't come off. These nuts have caps on them (so they looked pretty) and I think I managed to strip the caps hold on the nut. So as of now, it's still on the wheel. I have to go to my parent's house tomorrow, so I think I'm going to have my Dad look at it. It looks like something for which I'll need a special tool.

That's it for now. I'll keep you updated.

Near Accident

I had quite a scare on my way home today from work.

The road I drive on once I enter my neighborhood intersects with a few other roads until I get to my house. These other roads have stop signs and I have the right of way. There was a lady sitting at one of these stop signs to my right. See diagram below.

As I approached her, she was starting to inch out. When I realized she wasn't going to bother looking my way (more or less stop), I hit the brakes and turned the wheel to the right. To the best of my recollection, below is how we ended up.

It happened very quickly, but I probably kicked the wheel to the right because I assumed she would've continued through the intersection. But she either saw me as I was braking and for some reason decided to stop. Or she crossed the intersection and backed up afterwards. All I know is that prior to my reaction she made no effort to look in my direction or to stop her car.

After all the action, I looked up and made eye contact with the innocent bystander who was doing yard work. Then I looked back and was surprised to see that she was still at the scene. She was saying something, so I rolled my window down. She said something that sounded like an apology. I said, "It's alright," very begrudgingly with some kind of hand motion. I backed up and sped off.

Now I've been in several similar situations in other cars where I had to turn and slam the brakes. And in those cases I always felt like the car was out of my control. But this car handled exceptionally. Looking at the diagram, it appears I almost did a 180 degree spin. Given the wet roads and the close proximity of everything, I think if I was in any other car I would've hit her.

Granted, the Mini isn't the safest car to be in when there IS an accident. But today it helped me avoid one altogether.

Smooth Runnings II

Ever since the new condenser, the Midget has been running fantastic. After an evening run down to Center Valley on Friday, I was even more discouraged by the jerky throttle pedal action. Although the engine was running great, I wasn't able to fully enjoy its performance. So that Friday night, I attempted to fix it. I was almost positive it was caused by the hard-to-move butterfly disc on the front carb. This was the one that broke apart (see Watching My Carbs) and was thereafter fixed by the local shop. So I took it apart and replaced the throttle shaft (the rod that holds and pivots the butterfly disc) with a shaft off one of my old carbs. After the transplant, it moved so much more easily. Below is a shot of the piece I replaced.

Unfortunately, this didn't fix the problem. I counted it as a success though. Because at least I didn't make anything worse through the process.

Since it's easy enough to do, the next morning I decided to replace the throttle cable. It looked like the wire itself was replaced by the shop, but upon closer examination, the outer sheath looked like the original. So I picked up another set from the bike shop. I swapped it in, took it for a drive, and all was better! I only wish I had done the sensible thing and tried the easy fix first.

Smooth Runnings

I spent quite a bit of time in the garage this week.

On Tuesday, the ignition coil arrived for the Midget. I spent the day removing the old one and putting in the new one. Unfortunately, there was no improvement in the car's running. Another shiny bit for the engine bay though!

The next day I stopped by the local garage and picked up a new condenser. The condenser (or capacitor) is located inside the distributor. I was determined not to remove the distributor in fear of messing up the timing and point gaps. It was really tricky, but after moving aside the heater hose and while using my handy dental mirror (that I bought when I thought I lost those carburetor bits in the engine), I was able to get the old one out and the new one in. My next tool purchase should be a magnetic screwdriver as that would've been very helpful. When I was finished, I turned the key, the car started right up, and it ran wonderfully. I took it for a short spin with no problems. I just hope it stays this way.

After the spin, I went about replacing the throttle cable on the Mini. My crappy job of taping the two brass caps on the bike cable (from last  month) was starting to give out. The inner cable was getting caught up on something, and the pedal wasn't always fully returning after depression. So I installed the cable I received from Moss. Consistent with other recent purchases from them, it didn't work well at all. After greasing it up a bit, I was able to safely drive the car. But it wasn't smooth during slow, gradual acceleration. It just wasn't right.

The next day (today), I headed back to the bike shop. It turns out they do have similar caps there. So for six bucks, I returned home with a cable, sheath, and two caps. I installed it, and it worked great. I can't believe how unbelievably smooth it is. However, the cable is much thinner than the other one. I don't know if that will be a problem or not.

So both vehicles are back up and running. Looking at the forecast, it seems like the Midget will be seeing more action these days. 58 degrees today to 86 degrees this weekend. What happened to spring?

Up and Down

The Midget's down again. Don't ask. I'll fill you in once the problem is remedied.

The Mini is great though. When I ordered the ignition coil for the Midget, I threw a new shifter knob and throttle cable into the shopping cart for the Mini. I like the knob. It's bigger.

At the grocery store today, I parked next to a MINI. Stellar parking job, eh? On my way out, I saw its owner looking in at my car with a big smile. I approached him with a "nice car" and we chatted briefly. He seemed a little taken aback by the whole situation, but he seemed like a nice guy. I guess it is possible that people who perform horrid parking jobs can actually be nice. But then why do they park so poorly?

But I don't know. I feel like the Mini is the overachieving, lovable older brother; and the Midget is the little brother who just can't seem to catch a break. Everybody's giving the Mini thumbs up and high fives at school. He's in great shape with his awesome new paint job, shiny chrome, and super cool racing stripes. And the Midget is just trying to keep up. He seeks similar approval of his classmates, but he's currently plagued with a broken electrical system while his face is breaking out in rust spots. For every step ahead, something happens to move him two steps back.

But don't worry Midget, I love you. If not as much as the Mini, at least reasonably so.

Back to the Midget

My luck with the Midget has been hit or miss lately. Mostly miss. But first, I just want to document everything that was done to the Midget in the beginning of February by the local British car shop. They:

• installed a new water pump.

• replaced the points and condenser.

• readjusted the throttle linkage, carb balance and float.

• performed a valve job and surfaced the head.

• replaced other minor hoses/parts and generally cleaned things up.

The engine bay does look significantly better. And the valve job specifically makes the car run exponentially better. That is, after some other problems were remedied.

I. For Starters

Soon after I got the Midget back from the shop, I ran into some backfiring issues one morning going to work. And thereafter, I couldn't even get it to start. So to fix the latter, I pulled the starter (which involves pulling the distributor) and had an outfit in Sellersville rebuild it. They did a great job. Painted it up all nice like too. So I put it back in the car. Although there are only two bolts holding it on, I had to get the car up on ramps to access the one bolt from underneath.

It worked well when I fired it up. I was even able to take it for a ride and the car ran great. However, as soon as I shut it down, I couldn't get it started again. I discovered the battery was shot. So I replaced that as well. Though it didn't fix the poor running.

Below is a shot of the newly rebuilt and installed starter.

II. Free of Charge

Unfortunately, after that last bop around the block, I still couldn't get the car started easily. It wasn't the starter (the engine was trying to turn over) and it wasn't the battery (I was continuing to jump the car anyway). On occasion, I got it to start, but it would run so rough that it shut down. I called up the local shop and the owner suggested swapping in a new rotor. He loaned me one from his shop and I swapped it in. Nothing doing.

So then I decided to take it back into the shop. I had to flatbed it there (I LOVE AAA) and I hung around the guys as they were working on it for 20 minutes or so. After no success, I went home. I don't think they wanted me there anyway. Later that day, they called me up to let me know it was finished. Apparently the condenser had gone bad. Since they actually replaced that during the Midget's prior stay, they didn't charge me for the recent work completed, and they apologized for the inconvenience. Yet another example of a new part from Moss not working properly.

Below is a shot of my car being towed to the shop.

III. To the Victor Belong the Coil

So all of that happened on the Friday before Easter. And that night, I drove it down to Quakertown (with the top down!) where I spent the weekend. Unfortunately, on my way to Greg's house one night, the car ran very poorly. But very sporadically, unlike before. It would run like a dream for several minutes or longer, then it would just give up. Sometimes it hung on long enough to "fix itself" before shutting down, but a couple times it did shut down. I'm now pretty good at finding places to pull over on a whim.

Some reason I was convinced it was fuel-related. A, because much of the electrical stuff had just been gone over (new condenser, points, plugs, rotor), and B, because I noticed the inline fuel filter was unnaturally full after this incident. It's old and I thought it just wasn't letting gas properly through anymore. I replaced the filter and enjoyed no improvement.

Anyway, short story long, my uncle suggested letting the car run and as soon as it began to crap out, shoot the carbs with some starter fluid. If the idle recovers, the problem is fuel starvation. If nothing happens, it's something else (probably electrical). My Dad and I did as he said. Once it began to run rough, Dad shot it with the cleaner. Nothing happened.

So it must be electrical. My Dad and I think it's the ignition coil (which boosts the voltage from the battery). From the looks of it, the coil on the car is probably the original. While brainstorming, I was messing with the connectors, pulling them on and off. We decided to let it idle again, and hit the coil with a screwdriver once it began to act up again. (Which sounds ridiculous as I write this, but was worth trying.) So we started it up, and waited and waited and waited. And it never pooped out like it did before. Somehow, at least at the moment, the problem has been solved. Maybe it was just me pulling one of the connectors on and off breaking loose a piece of dirt. Who knows. I was able to drive it back up to Bethlehem with no problems.

I do need to start keeping some extra parts in my garage. Things like hoses, clamps, throttle cables, screws, nuts and bolts. I think I might order a new ignition coil (along with some of these parts) and keep it in the trunk of the Midget. That way I'll have it if the car craps out again.

Two Cars in Every Pot

So as of today, I now have two running LBCs. I honestly can't remember if this has yet happened since I got the Mini. One of them has always been out of commission. If it did happen, it was only for 24 hours or so. So tomorrow morning I'll actually get to DECIDE which car to take to work!