[Healeys] 2.6 engine rebuild

[Bob Spidell]

Instead of making my usual knee-jerk response, I thought and slept on this and finally pinpointed what really bugs me 
about Martin's posts (besides the fact he seems to twist every thread he participates in into a not-too-subtle plug for 
his products).

It's his strong implication--yes, I've re-read his last few posts and it's there--that we're all negligent because we're 
not driving 'safe' modern cars and therefore we're putting all the diligent, informed and highly-skilled other 
drivers--the ones that are so good they can shave/apply makeup, eat a burger and talk and text while they're driving--at 
risk.  The only solution, of course, is to buy a Jule chassis and install it before driving your Healey again.

I thoroughly dispute that notion.  The risk of my BJ8's chassis cracking in two is, I suspect, significantly less than a 
Toyota--driven by a member of  the 'my car is safe because it has airbags' contingent--getting a stuck accelerator pedal 
and plowing into a squad of Girl Scouts in a crosswalk.  I don't have stats, but my risk-analysis skills--comes from 
flying airplanes as well as driving unsafe older cars--tell me so.  If my BJ8's chassis does spontaneously disintegrate 
odds are it's only me and my passenger that will suffer.

Kees is right, obviously.  If your chassis is shot, you can either attempt to repair it or get an original (not likely) 
or new replacement.  For a Healey, I'd take Rich's advice (always) and get a Kilmartin, or other, that is new, has 
better metal and retains the the original appearance.

To take this a step further, we're all negligent because we haven't replaced our ancient, socially irresponsible Healey 
chassis with friction-welded titanium space frames.  All the others, Martin's included, are simply not politically correct.


Bob



On 12/31/2010 12:54 AM, Oudesluys wrote:
> I do not understand all the fuss. If you have a AH with a rotten chassis
> you have two options, may be three:
>
> <reasoned discussion of options follows>


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Bob Spidell           San Jose, CA            bspidell at comcast.net

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