My BJ8 runs, in my opinion, exceptionally well. I drive it a lot. A few
years ago I shipped it to Europe and drove nearly 6000 miles in 47 days
(Alps/big cities/very hot weather/very cool weather, etc) with nary a
problem. I will admit to having the engine rebuilt before leaving and
having a Pertronix installed--which I attribute much of the smooth running
of the engine to. I drive it to a number of out-of-State car functions and
visitsto family in So. Va. I wouldn't hesitate to get in now and take off
for any place-----just not in the winter:)
Tom
> [Original Message]
> From: BJ8Healeys <sbyers@ec.rr.com>
> To: Austin-Healey List <healeys@autox.team.net>
> Date: 3/5/06 12:33:39 PM
> Subject: RE: Does Anybody's Healey Run Well All or Most of the Time
>
> Ned, I bought my BJ8 in 1984, and immediately started driving regularly on
> trips of about 350 miles each way. I once drove it 900+ miles in one day,
> from Pensacola, FL back to eastern NC. In all that time, and the total
> 80,000 miles until now, I have had the car strand me only twice: once when
> the generator bearings failed (1984), and in 2002 when Michael Oritt and I
> were running a rally and hit a pothole that ripped a front shock off its
> tower (the structure had been cracked and repaired many years before).
The
> generator problem was probably my fault because I had installed a new fan
> belt before leaving home, and got it too tight.
> I did a rolling restoration,and the car was down for an extended period
only
> in 1999 for an engine rebuild. I drove from home up to Maryland in '02
and
> joined the folks driving US 50 across the country to Lake Tahoe. That
trip
> was almost 10,000 miles roundtrip, and I didn't have so much as a flat
tire.
>
> Not that I haven't had problems occasionally on the road, but except as
> mentioned above nothing that couldn't be fixed with the spares in my boot.
>
> The experience with my BJ8 has been that it is as reliable as any other
car,
> and if something happens, a heck of a lot easier and cheaper to get it
> rolling again. I drive it all the time, and I hardly ever have a problem.
>
> Steve Byers
> HBJ8L/36666
> BJ8 Registry
> Havelock,NC USA
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-healeys@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-healeys@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Ned Smith
> Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 8:20 AM
> To: Austin-Healey List
> Subject: Does Anybody's Healey Run Well All or Most of the Time
>
>
> 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?
>
>
>
> 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?
>
>
>
> Your comments are appreciated,
>
>
>
> Ned Smith
>
> BJ8
>
> near Chattanooga, TN
>
> N34.98 W85.5
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