Well, the MGs ( and the odd Triumph, etc ) fairly gleamed around
Independence Square saturday. Not having seen many of the years
represented I made a number of trips around, in awe of the results of
everyone's hard work. I was, of course, very impressed by a particular
MGC/GT. Being still too much a workaholic, and somehow still lacking
the resources necessary to fund someone *else* restoring her, I lacked
the courage to subject MaggieB to scrutiny...my hat is off to those who
can understand and restore these beauties themselves.
Speaking of hats, it felt like the hottest day of the year so far, and
I have to confess I bailed at about 1:30pm, having broken down and
acquired at pre-78 cowl that I'll need to shorten by about 1/8" to use
until I can find the right one. I never did succeed at finding Bob
Allen, just that famous GT. MOWOG did take revenge. I was heading up
a hill just near home when I felt the power drop and the temp needle
rise suddenly, but not drastically. Then all seemed fairly normal the
rest of the way home. I parked, went in to get a soda, and looked out
to see what looked like smoke pouring out from under the hood. I rushed
out, grabed the fire extinguisher from behind the seat and opened the
hood. I almost got sprayed from a stream of coolant coming from a split
hose.
After washing down the coolant into the drain ( from where it was
settling underneath the car ) and letting things cool down a little, I
discovered that the air intake was soaked, but not the air filter!? And
that the hose was the result of the PO converting to a manual choke,
using a 3/8" fuel line hose - which explained why it didn't show up in
any of my manuals or catalogs. Easily replaced, but made me think that
I need to check what other non-standard hoses are under there. I do now
have a hose-splice emergency kit for that little kit in the trunk. And
have made my apoligies to MOWOG...
Barry
'78 MGB
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