First things first- LBC technical content:
My MGA steering wheel moves around so I believe the felt bushings are hosed
(is this the proper technical term?). I would like to replace these
bushings but have been frightened by all the talk of shim adjustements and
special fixtures to get it aligned again. Can I just pop loos the U joint,
remove the adustable stubshaft and key, and horse the steering shaft out
from the top? Any suggestions that would make this process less painful
would be appreciated. Given what I know today, I will probably just live
with it until the moment that it bothers me so much that I can't stand it
any more and I just tear the whole car apart with a hammer and a pipe
wrench (Nancy, where's my Rytalin?)
This Christmas I lobbied for and recieved a Paddy Hopkirk gas pedal. I
know that this borders on useless ego messaging accessories (I really
wanted gold plated emblems but Moss doesn't sell them- OOPS, sorry, left
over Co**ette urges). Actually, this is fairly important for me since my
car has insulation under the carpet and I have wide feet so I often get the
accelorator and brake at the same time. Anyhow, I was reading up on the
Autocross list and I found out that this accessory will push my car from
stock to street prepared! I can't take it off because my wife will think I
am nuts (or at least feel that she has witnessed a final confirmation of
that fact). If I drive it with the pedal on the street and take it off to
race, I will get all confused. I am not looking for any advice in
particular, more of looking for sympathetic shoulders to cry upon.
Lastly, although I know that this thread should be allowed to die, I am
still going to throw a little more voltage into the circuit.
Batteries work on a reversible chemical reaction- An electron source and
electron sink that, depending on whether they are sourcing or recieving
energy, swap electrodes. Combinations of materials capable of this
reaction tend to be pretty nasty stuff- lead-acid, lithium, etc. I cannot
imagine, given the laws of physics, developing a battery that has greater
chemical potential for more efficient electric cars without going to even
more nasty stuff. This scares me.
Also, since batteries are a chemical reaction, they are temperature
dependant. Heat speeds up the reaction while cold slows it. Notice that
they are trying electric cars in California, not here in balmy Minnesota.
I have heard that some new battery technologies have to maintain
temperatures of 400F. Just what we need, vats of hot, unstable chemicals
flying down the road.
Electric cars also make sense only in heavily populated areas where commute
distances are short. In that case, they are more of a rich persons's
substitute for a bus than some transportation utopia.
Electric cars will probably still need heaters and air conditioning so I
don't buy the "no pollution at rest" argument. In fact, this makes them
even less suited for commuting since sitting in traffic will use up range
if the climate control and radio are running. Again, a fairly dry,
moderate climate may be able to avoid at least some of these issues.
Personally, I would bet on some renewable or synthetic hydrocarbon compound
as the long term solution, or possibly even straight Hydrogen.
Bill Eastman
61 MGA "zero emissions during winter unless you count the oil slick"
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