This is no joke. It really happened to me the other day.
I'm trying to solve some cooling system problems on my 65 Spitfire. I
noticed that the coolant recovery bottle was split, so I removed it and
sought a suitable replacement, short of getting out the catalog. I was
having no luck rummaging around the garage, so I gave my attention briefly to
removing and straightening the bottle bracket. As I was remounting the
bracket to the radiator frame, I noticed that the partly finished can of
Fosters in my left hand fit quite neatly into that bracket. I think I
remember seeing this on some Mini or other goofed up LBC. Cute, but goofy.
What the heck, I thought. Just then the phone rang. It was one of my
employees with a minor crisis. My mind shifted gears (as best it can after
working on a Fosters) and we solved the world's immediately problems in about
20 minutes.
By this time I am late to pick up some stuff a business down near the
airport. They closed at 5 o'clock. So I hurriedly checked the radiator
coolant level and slipped on the clear overflow tube. In my concern as to
the adequacy of its length, I forgot to empty the Fosters can.
So here I am, 15 minutes later, roaring down the freeway trying to beat the
worst of the rush hour traffic and I swear that the whole city smelled like
Chernoble had come to the local Schlitz plant. But then I remembered that
the old Schlitz brewery had closed down years ago. Had to be another source.
Hmmm. Then it all came together. . . . . Especially since my car is still
missing the gear shift boot.
Took days to get that smell of hot mash out of the cooling system. Seemed to
have loosened a lot of rust in that old engine block, too.
Fosters. I think I will leave it to the rugby fans.
Brian N.
79 Spitfire
65 Spitfire
63 Consul Capri
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