Most of the stories I hear about trips in Healeys run like this: "I was
no my way to XXX and the car broke down". Rarely do I see, "I drive it
all the time and I hardly ever have a problem." This is might be
because breakdown stories are more interesting than nothing happened
stories.
So which is it?
"Nothing" never happens when you're driving the Healey. Sometimes
nothing happens to the Healey. My guess is that people who drive their
Healey a lot keep it in better running condition, are more familiar with
it's charming idiosyncrasies and experience fewer opportunities for
mechanical improvement (not "problems").
A few days ago my engine stopped because the ignition condenser failed.
In all my years of driving, this has never happened to me before. Was
this an isolated incident or should I expect these odd occurrences on a
regular basis?
Odd? Doesn't sound odd to me. Now having the clutch plate explosively
fail sending shrapnel throughout your body, that would be odd. Having
the fuel pump and the generator fail at the same time, that would be
odd. Just how old was that condenser? Sometimes new ones fail as well.
Best to carry a spare. Unless you're driving an honest-to-goodness
ground-up newly restored car you can expect it to act like a used car.
A 50-year old car, at that. If decently maintained they really are
quite reliable. The most common problems are well known and most are
pretty easy to avoid, prepare for and/or fix. It -does- require
attention, we're not talking Miata here.
Bill Moyer, BJ7
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