Hello Ed, saw your post,
[snip]
>
>The front end wobbles and rolls and all kinds of nasty stuff. It's got
>new tires and tunnions ... The ball joints are a little loose, but I
>wouldn't think they'd merrit this kind of driving. Over 60, the little
>bugger was hopping around the road so much it was all I could do to keep
>it in my lane.
>
I didn't see anyone else mention shock absorbers (dampers)..which, if
they are really wasted, can let your fron wheels hop almost constantly,
bouncing clear off the pavement over even small bumps. When I got my
first car, a '69 Spitfire, nearly everything was worn out, and I had
the same thought as you...`What's all this talk about great handling?'
After replacing the front shocks, which were not damping off the
spring action whatever, the car was transformed.
Also, check your tie rod ends for slop; the outers, which are obvious
since they attach to the steering arm (and can get torn boots, get
rusty, and in severe cases even come loose -- very bad news) and
also the inners, inside the rubber bellows at the ends of the rack.
Check your manuals before attempting replacement of any of these,
if you have not done them before, there are certain steps, tools,
and torque specs to watch for, and they are a safety concern, for
obvious reasons...if you have ever seen a tie-rod end fail while
the car is in motion, well, it ain't pretty !
>I can't downshift into first, and second's a pain too. I have to come
>to a complete stop before I can put it into first. Does this have to do
>with the non-sych first gear? What's the point in downshifting anyway?
>Why not just dissengage the tranny and coast?
>
Yes, and yes. Brake pads are cheap, compared to trans/clutch parts.
>
>Are these the perks of an LBC? If so, you folks are nuts for driving
>them daily. But then again, I would be too.
>
>Thanks,
>Ed
>1965 Triumph Spitfire (death-mobile)
>1982 Buick Riviera (dead)
>1983 Puegot 505 S Turbo-Diesel (2.5 tons, 4 cylinders, diesel.....)
>
Perks, quirks, whatever, think of it as your very own lab cadaver, and
if you do good work, you can create FrankenSpitfire !
Good luck,
Tom Tweed
SW Ohio
'69 Spitfire (my first car, a great learning tool and cash-sucking device)
|