The MGA With An Attitude
MGA Guru Is GOING MOBILE - (March 1 - March 15, 2019)
Friday March 1, 2019:
Sitting in Horse Cave, Kentucky today (who'd a thunk it). Re-formatted and uploaded the CMGC March newsletter to the club website. Was a long day, but good that it's done. Also revising the club web site for that ever changing schedule of driving events. Would be easy enough if someone would tell me the changes, but all I get is a new PDF file to print out, end then have to spend hours comparing every line in the file with prior issue to figure out what changed and what didn't. Lots of time down the drain for no good reason.
Saturday March 2, 2019:
Reasonable weather, and things to catch up, so we didn't go very far. Sitting in Munfordville, KY, trying to do a data backup in the background, but it goes slow on a thumb drive, didn't finish. Thought I got caught up with everything else, and the weather was going to turn bad late Sunday, so it was time to head farther south. Decent weather will be all the way down on the Gulf coast, so after some phone calls we decided to head for New Orleans, Louisiana area, as we haven't been there for a few years. So we hit the road in the evening and drove through the rest of Kentucky and right through Tennessee till about midnight, blundering into a time zone change somewhere, stopping about midnight near Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Sunday March 3, 2019:
Breakfast in Cottondale, AL, then half a day on WiFI work before the WiFI stopped working. Then headed south and kept going another four hours to land in Slidell, Louisiana in the evening. Still sitting here near midnight trying to finish the dang data backup, and still not quite done. Can't quite get the second backup data set into the thumb drive, so have to begin deleting the prior backup set, and apparently that's not going to finish before midnight. Maybe I need multiple thumb drives for successive backup data sets. I get it, we have too much data in this world to keep track of it all.
Monday March 4, 2019:
Data backup is not going well, actually not going at all, set it aside for later. Did some email and tech questions. Found a friendly garage to work in later this week, so quick ordered up a new exhaust manifold and windscreen glass from Moss for delivery to Lousiana.
Then we had an afternoon appointment with a new shop named Tartan Automotive in Kennner, LA. So head out of Slidell south and west, crossing the 10-mile bridge across the mouth of Lake Pontchartrain, and we made it in less than an hour.
 
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Another friend Allan Bradley from Harahan, LA dropped in wanting to show off his magnetic door panels for his MG ZB Magnette.
Say hello to Keith Vezina, proprieter of Tartan Automotive. Nice shop space leased in a larger building.
Keith is recently working on restoration of an MGB, just a little painting left to do before final assembly.
Then we were heading north like 28 miles across the causeway bridge, right through the middle of Lake Pontchartrain, ultimately landing in Mandeville, LA to visit Cliff Hughes. He has been making phone calls, lining up more friends working on cars needing some help. So it looks like we will be pretty busy this week. Had a nice chat that kept us past dark. Later in the evening, back to the data backup, still not going well.
Tuesday March 5, 2019:
Today we were back at Cliff Hughes' place in Mandeville for a bit of teamwork. Dean Duplantier, also from Mandeville, dropped in with an MGA project car on a trailer, and we proceeded to unload it.
 Nice electric power operated tilt trailer which works well until the battery goes flat. Fetch the jumper cables to finish the job. It was thought that the engine could turn when the car was last stored away, so we put it in 4th gear and proceeded to rock it back and forth with vigor, but it wouldn't turn. Then it was all asses and elbows for a couple of hours to pull the engine out. I recon the extra guy with grey shirt and grey hat was Colin McCormic. He has a Sunbeam Alpine somewhere, not sure if will get to see that one or not.
Engine out, we put a pry bar on the ring gear to apply a little "finesse" (try not to break the crankshaft kind of finesse), and it turned, with a lot of resistance but at least not totally frozen. Then removing the cylinder head for inspection we found a little carbon, at least one stuck valve and quite a lot of crunchy stuff in the water jacket. Otherwise, not too bad, may be able to save the valves. Big ridge in the cylinders though, so it will need a rebore and new pistons.
Off with the sump for more inspection, followed by cleaning a lot of sludge out of the pan. Not good, implying no oil change for a log time under previous owner, so maybe expect a scored crankshaft. Mechanical stuff looked to be okay, even the cam lobes seemed to be surviving. Enough for now, put it back together (loosely) and bolt it onto a roller dolly. We soon had the car back on the trailer and the engine in the back of Colin's truck to follow it back to its storage home. Enough for one day, and we were off to find a WiFI spot and dinner.
Wednesday March 6, 2019:
Late this morning we were in Madisonville, LA, north shore of the lake, several miles west of Mandeville, to visit Benny Stiegler with a couple British cars needing a bit of assistance. The AH Sprite had some minor electrical issues, while the TR Spitfire had a bad oil leak. Since the Spit was up on blocks, we would check that out first. Report was that it only leaked oil when the overdrive was being used, but not when driven without using the OD. Curious. Access to the OD unit was well obstructed by exhaust pipe and some kind of odd gearbox mounting plate. But with some persistence I managed to wipe away drippy oil to have a mostly dry unit before trying to see where it might leak.
Then we ran the engine for a while to see if it would leak while idling, which it did not do. Meanwhile another friend dropped in to chat, I recon that was Colin McCormic again (Colin left, Benny right).
After the no-drip session we switched off the Spitfire, which promptly displayed a nasty case of run-on. But this car has fuel vapor recovery and anti-run-on valve, all of which appeared to be in tact, so we took a little time to investigate that issue. Electrical tests show the oil pressure grounding switch was working, and a power jumper wire could make the ARO solenoid valve click, but activating the ARO valve when running did not kill the engine. Duh? The vacuum supply hose was connected and definitely had vacuum applied, but no vacuum getting to the carburetor float chamber. Didn't take long to find the vacuum leak. Notice the badly repaired failed hose between the carbon canister and the ARO valve. It leaked like sieve, so put that on the shopping list.
Also wondering way the power signal to operate the ARO valve was not coming on when the ignition switch was switched off. That question was followed by a two second answer, there is no ignition switch. The ignition key was missing, so the switch was removed, and a toggle switch and push button were installed to power up and start the engine. I suppose the SPST toggle switch could be changed to SPDT to power the ARO valve during shut-down, but not to bother when it was planned to get a key made and reinstall the original ignition switch. In retrospect, the leaky vacuum hose was no longer available, but within a day or two Benny managed to find a NOS part on eBay, bought it and was waiting for delivery. Then we needed to run the car in overdrive to continue the search for the oil leak, so time to get it off the blocks.
Enter the EZcarlift (USA) platform jack, operated by an electric drill. Wind it up a bit to carry the car while the rear blocks were removed, and we could run it in gear with overdrive switched on, which worked like a charm. After a few minutes running in OD we spotted the oil leak coming from the seal ring at the joint between the OD solenoid and the alloy housing. That should be a formed copper washer, but it looked like a thin rubber piece, or maybe even just a couple layers of vinyl tape. Put that seal ring on the shopping list, and we were done with that car for the day.
Then we had a look at the Sprite, first to consider why the tachometer didn't work. Looks like no electrical grounding connection between battery and body shell due to too much paint from the prior restoration work.
So get the Dremel and grind away the paint around the bolt hole, then reinstall the ground cable with an internal tooth star washer between the cable end and the sheet metal for a good electrical connection.
That done, try again, and now the tachometer was working, sort of. It would work fine with engine running above 1000 RPM, but drop out completely at slower idle speed. It also failed with headlights switched on, or when the turn signal was blinking. This looks like a low voltage issue, or maybe the electrolytic capacitor in the tach failing. Suggest trying one additional turn on the induction loop on back of the tach to see if the increased signal level might get it working normally. About that time we got a phone call and had to run off for our next task for the day, just several miles east this time.
Back at Cliff's place on Mandeville, he had moved his Magnette and MGA into the home garage space to free up the workshop space while we were pulling the friend's MGA engine the day before. Wow, that was just yesterday? Today we would have a look at Cliff's MGA which was reported to be hard starting from cold. Didn't even need to start it to find the problem.
Just checking the choke linkage first, and found the fuel jets to be very badly stuck so they could not move down at all for fuel enrichment. "How much have you driven this car in the past few years"? -- "Not much". -- Yeah, well, we all know these old cars like to be driven, and they put up all kinds of protest if left to sit too much. So we needed to pull the carbs out to fiddle with the main jets and seals underneath.
Having removed the carbs to the work bench, we took a shortcut to freeing up the main jets. Remove enough of the clevis pins to move the choke arms out of the way, get a grip on the main jet clevis head with a stout pliers, twist and pull with vigor to extract the stuck main jet. Use some 600-grit emery paper and oil to polish the brass jet clean until it shines. Then apply oil on the jet and more oil inside the gland on bottom of the carb, re-insert the jet and work it up and down repeatedly, applying more oil, until you get the internal cork seals well oiled and sliding easily with finger force only. Then reassemble the choke arms and clevis pins and the return springs on the tail end of the arms, and it should be back to normal choke action and auto-return.
Then a bit of misfortune. The carbs needed new rubber grommets for the float chamber to banjo bolt joints, but since the magic trailer was burgled two weeks ago I don't have the spare carburetor parts in hand, so reassembly will have to wait for delivery of a new parts order. Okay, end of tinkering for today, so off for dinner and WiFI work.
Thursday March 7, 2019:
Overnight we had taken the long way around the east side of Lake Pontchartrain, partly to avoid several dollars
toll on that long causeway bridge. We arrived mid morning in Netairie, LA, south shore of the lake a few miles west of the causeway bridge. We were here to visit Jack Kennedy Jr. Figured we had found the right place when there was modern Mini out front, a newer Mini Countryman wagon and a BMW Z4 in the driveway. Jack has a Morris Minor convertible restoration project in the garage, so we took a few minutes to chat about that. One recent parts problem here was a new rear brake slave cylinder that was a bit to fat so it would interfere with the rotating bearing hub.
Then we were off again ten miles east and south to visit the home of Jack's son, Jack Kennedy III in New Orleans. Jack III wasn't home today, but this is where Jack Jr keeps his MGA project car. At first glance we find incorrect boot seal, solid rectangular rubber strip, too think so the boot lid would not close flush.
The doors would not close at all until we removed the incorrect door seal, the piece showing thick rubber hose like seal on the outboard side. Once that was removed the doors would close, but then the doors sat a full quarter inch above top of the wings. This was "necessary" due to incorrect outer rocker panels that are too tall on the outside shoulder. Jack is about to tear it apart for body work and repaint anyway, so I think he is ammenable to removing the oversize rocker panels and getting new ones that will fit properly.
This is a heater delete car, but the blanking plate is not factory issue, so most likely it used to have a heater that
has since been removed (water valve is still there). Installation of the Weber DGV carburetor has the heater supply and return hose taking the long way around to get back up front. Lots of work requied here, so it will be some time before this one gets back on the road.
Then we got the anticipated phone call with notice that my Moss parts order had arrived, so gas up the car and head north across the causeway bridge (again).
Back to Cliff's place in Mandeville for space to work on my car. We have enough time left today to replace the broken exhaust manifold. Jack up, unbolt the exhaust pipe flange, then remove carburetors and heat shield and intake manifold. This was the spanking new exhaust manifold casting from Moss Motors that looked so nice three years ago, but a year ago was cracked in the same place as at least half a dozen of the 40 to 60 year old parts that have been cracking on us for many years past. I suppose they will all break eventually if the cars are driven regularly. The problem is that the castings distort slightly with heat cycling and shrink in length front to back until the end mounting holes bind on the manifold studs.
If the manifold was removed every 20,000 miles or so, you could rat-tail file to elongate the two end holes a bit to prevent binding on the studs, and I do that at pretty much every opportunity. But eventually the end flanges move together enough to bump against the second stud from each end, and then you would have to file the inside end of the flange to be free away from the second stud. For all of this the end runner legs of the manifold are then misaligned with ports in the head. When we don't keep filing the part for clearance from the studs, then eventually the shrinkage bumps into the studs, and continuing shrinkage builds up stress until the casting breaks at the crotch of the rear branch, first a crack on top, but shortly thereafter broken all the way through.
While I was installing the new pipe to manifold seal ring, I remembered this would be the golden opportunity to fix the steering U-joint that had been loose on the splines for a LONG time. Almost a year
earlier in May 2018 I tried to buy a new one from Moss, but the one they were offering at the time was a very tiny substitute part that looked like it belonged in a go kart, and there was no way I would put that in my MGA.
The factory prescribed fix is to drill a 5/16" hole in the side of the neck and elongate the slot with a hacksaw, making the pinch collar more flexible so it can tighten down more on the splines. The one still in my car had been loose so long that the splines were worn so bad that it probably
wouldn't go tight even with the modification. By pure chance, Cliff happened to have three used spares, two of which were the later model with the keyhole slots from the factory, and one of those was good enough to use after a bit of oiling and limbering up.
After installing new studs in the bottom end of the new manifold, it as cinch to install. The last chore was to re-install the carburetors (a knuckle scuffing job), and it was late evening, time to haul out for dinner and a little WiFi, and get some rest before tomorrow's larger chore.
Friday March 8, 2019:
Back at Cliff's place for windscreen glass replacement day. We knew going in it wasn't going to be easy, but having done it several times before, I consider it to be straight forward (PITA) grunt work, just git to it and "git 'er done". Three screws out of the grab handles each side, remove kick panels (9 small screws each side), pop out four snap plugs, and remove two hex bolts each side before lifting off the windscreen assembly. In retrospect, maybe I should have tried removing four screws on each side of the frame stanchions to remove the screen leaving the side posts and kick panels in place. Maybe next time.
Going to lose the club stickers (again), so snap some pics here, and maybe we can ask the clubs to send us replacement stickers.
Grab a styrofoam block to mark up to keep all of the screws in original position, figuring we will re-assemble it with most of the existing fasteners. That is a matter of simplicity, having previously adjusted every screw for proper length, flush inside the frame. Otherwise not long to disassemble, as it had been apart just three years ago.
Old glass out, one step in the center and fold it in half for disposal. Time spent cleaning the six frame pieces, lots of time unpacking the new glass, and taking pictures of all the stickers on the new glass and packaging, just in case. This one was packaged quite well. better than the last one a few years ago. No chipped corners this time, very pleased with the new Pilkington Triplex part from Moss Motors.
Now this was a huge disappointment. I had bitten the bullet and paid nearly $50 for a complete screw set for the windscreen assembly, even though I only needed a few flat head #2BA brass screws, because I recon the screws are not available individually (at least not from Moss).
As received, the package had been (obviously manually) torn open, and most of the contents was found loose inside the heavy paper bag that contained several other small parts. The paper bag appeared to be well closed, so I don't suppose anything was lost out of that bag in transit. Contents of the torn plastic bag were individual small baggies with multiples of one type fastener in each baggie, but no labels on the individual baggies. So we printed the page from my web site that details every single screw in the windscreen assembly, and proceeded to take inventory. End result was several missing packets, and particularly no brass screws at all (which was why I bought the expensive screw set in the first place).
I suppose anyone can take a wild guess how this could happen, like an earlier customer bought the screw set, tore it open to remove some parts they wanted, then returned the remains of the set (maybe, maybe, maybe). So someone at Moss put it back into inventory without checking the contents and without sealing up the package. Then when I order the screw set, someone at Moss pulled it out of inventory and placed it into my order bag, again without checking the contents and still not bothering to tape up the torn open package. So having wasted an hour identifying non-labeled screws to determine what was missing, I had no choice but to reassembly my windscreen using all of the old fasteners, including a couple of screws that had been jury rigged the last time around. So I am REALLY PISSED OFF about this, and Moss is going to catch hell over it, absolutely no excuse for it. And before anyone gets suspicious about me, Cliff Hughes was there wasting his time as well, and he is pretty pissed off about it too.
From there, two guys, four hands, four web strap clamps, soapy water, a lot of finesse with a #10 jack screw and an alignment punch, and in due time the windscreen was back together with the rubber packing razor trimmed all around. The tech pages on how to do it are long ago on my web site, so this page is not intended to be complete instructions. Installation on the car went quick enough, while re-installing the kick panels was more of a pain (even with navigator helping). By the time we finished late night we had just enough time to grab a drive up order for dinner before the place closed. I'm just glad it's done, and this is NOT going to make a funny story later, just going to waste more time reporting and dealing with Moss Motors over the royal screw-up on the screw kit.
Saturday March 9, 2019:
Short sleep. but up early for breakfast with North Shore Area of the British Motoring Club New Orleans. Had to make a phone call, because no details on their web site, but finally arrived at Abita Roasting Company in Covington, LA at 8-am. Couple minutes of hello, mostly old acquaintances by now. Then in we went, 15 guys for breakfast,and a good time was had by all (very good food too). One Spitfire with the bonnet up on the way out. No idea what they were fiddling with, but nothing terminal. More cheery-ho's and good luck, and then we were off again.
One quick stop at Harbor Freight to pick up a couple of hammers, Exacto knife set, a spring punch and a few other things intended to replace a few of the missing tools, whatever I could find with one walk through the whole store. Then 18 miles east to visit Hugh Coleman in Lacombe, LA. He has a CKD car that was originally assembled and painted in the Netherlands (I think that was it). Still the original White color. We spent come time trying to identify some of the spare parts that came with the car.
Fairly straight car, no big dents, but in need of some surgery in the body sills before repainting. Someone had painted over the rust trying to preserve it a bit longer I suppose. Maybe it looks a little better than it really is (taken with a grain of salt).
At least it is a complete car, and I think it was drivable, so a pretty good restoration project. Nice beer table. I think Hugh said it was a Lamborghini V8, and he has a number of offers but doesn't want to sell it. We had time to sit and chat for a while over an ale. Before we left he contributed a tackle box to the cause plus a number of spare taps and dies, a good vintage brake light switch, a couple of spare throttle return springs, a few of the X-LG Lucar connectors for the push-on Dynamo terminals. I tossed in a few things I just picked up at HF, so it makes a good start on another toolkit.
Then we were off to find a good WiFI spot to begin catching up with a 5 day backlog of photos and notes. By 1-am we had caught up email and BBS, and we only had 3-1/2 days left to process.
Sunday March 10, 2019:
Hello daylight savings time. Back to work on the trip log. We made a mid day call to postpone an appointment for one day, then continued on with the photos and notes. By 10-pm I had caught up with the backlog, so now in real time this is actually Sunday night. Hope you enjoy the pictures and tech stuff. We have a mid day appointment tomorrow.
Monday March 11, 2019:
Early afternoon we were back at Cliff Hughes place to do a little work on his cars today. Bad isle on his Magnette (with MGB engine, MGA carbs, and Nissan 5-speed) turned out to be just a slow idle adjustment, so that was easy.
Then we were after a mysterious light rattling noise when the car was driven over bumps, so we took it for a short drive, hitting some speed bumps at various speeds. Sounded like a light jingling noise, possibly from the rear suspension. So we jacked it up to get under, and proceeded to check leaf spring slips and exhaust hangers, and hammer on various parts with a fist. Finally figured out it was the "MG" medallions in the center of the wheel covers, held in place with a flat washer and split pin. Good for a grin and chuckle. Cliff can fix that later with a dab of RTV sealant.
Then we hung around waiting for a UPS delivery with Hughes' MGA carburetor seals, which didn't arrive until evening. After reassembling the carbs we were installing them on the MGA when we discovered that the new throttle return spring anchor bracket wouldn't fit. We had to remove the rear carb again and get it to the work bench to find the point of interference. We found a casting web in between the mounting flange and the vacuum signal port, and had to trim that away with a hacksaw. Obviously this carburetor was not original from factory production, because this was never mated to the original equipment spring bracket.
That done, not long to reinstall the carbs and get the car running and tuned up. All this because the carbs had no choke due to stuck fuel jets. Going on 8-pm we made a call to move a proposed evening appointment to the next day.
Tuesday March 12, 2019:
10-am appointment with Barrett Leibe in Covington, LA. This guy found us the day before while sitting in a WiFi spot. He has this 1980 Triumph Spitfire that he bought new, just as the factory was shutting down production. Story today is the carburetor was recently rebuilt, and it has not run well since. Difficult to start, difficult to drive slowly around the neighborhood, but runs fairly well at speed. Lots of misfiring, disconnecting HT wires one at a time doesn't seem to make much difference, but good strong spark from all four HT wires. Carboned up spark plugs, thinking fuel mixture is way too rich.
Lots of things disconnected around the engine bay stimulates discussions on crankcase ventilation, fuel vapor recovery, anti-run-on controls. Cut loose end and reconnect carb to canister vent hose. Reconnect vac hose to ARO valve. Point out and explain how to reconnect vacuum signal hose from carb to distributor. Good compression test on all four cylinders. The red jumper wire supplies power to ignition system, because the ignition switch is bad and needs to be replaced.
I finally got to use my Z-S carb mixture adjustment tool, which previously didn't work for a few other cars. Mixture adjustment helped it run better. More adjustment, better yet. I got the impression that the adjustment screw had been screwed all the way down like it was supposed to hold something in place. We backed it off about 12 turns before the engine would idle without holding a foot on the throttle pedal. Took it for a test drive, not perfect yet, misfires a bit with light throttle at low engine speed, but goes good when you hit the throttle. At least it is drivable now, just in time for upcoming better weather.
Spent the rest of the day catching up grunt work. Headed north late night, not too far, stopped just accross the line into Mississippi. This is about the time we discovered the wiper motor drive pipe was loose again (last repaired mid November), so wipers were dead, have to fix that later.
Wednesday March 13, 2019:
Late breakfast in Canton, MS. Then picked up an oil filter at NAPA (among other thing) and went looking for an oil change. First Walmart stop was a closed store with empty building. Okay. Second Walmart stop had the service manager tell us "Don't know if we have time for that one
today", and then he walked away. At the service counter inside, was told only two oil changes ahead of us, so no problem, book it in, and go inside to get and a jug of 20W50 (because they don't have this grade of oil in the shop). After waiting another half hour we were told the service manager decided they wouldn't do it, like they don't work on antique cars. Having wasted another hour we were back to square one.
Then we tried a Jiff Lube, ready to pay the piper. They claimed they didn't have an oil filter, bit I have one in hand. Then they didn't have 20W50 oil, but I have that in hand as well. Then they said no discount for our filter or oil, full price for the oil change would be $53 and change. By this time I wasn't in the mood to give them my oil and filter for free while paying full price for the service that was supposed to include this stuff, so buzz off. One more Walmart stop had the desk tech saying "No problem", but again the shop manager said, "If the car is not in our book we're not touching it". So we recon it's just "FU" in Mississippi, not sure why, but the oil change will have to wait. I will likely never understand why drain plug, spin-on filter, and refill oil is such a problem. Has me considering draining it in the grass on the roadside (did I say that?).
About that time navigator noticed the new windscreen we had installed just four days earlier has a crack in it. Bummer. Another outside surface crack, not all the way through, starting at bottom several inches from the corner, nowhere near any screws. Likely have to live with this one for a couple more years before I feel like changing the glass again.
By mid afternoon we were in Memphis, TN for late lunch and WiFi. Send email to Moss Motors explaining the opened screw set, and decided to sit out the rest of the day here. By evening heavy rain that wouldn't quit. Late night still raining, so we decided to Rain-X the windscreen so we could run without wipers. Pulled under an awning at a gas station, squeegee the glass, wipe it with dry paper towels, and begin to apply the Rain-x. Just about to be buffing it out when a bystander with good intentions reached in to squirt some dish washing soap on the glass, thinking he was going to help cleaning the windscreen. No-o-o-o-o! Too late. Have to wipe it off, wash the glass to remove the soap, and start over squeegee, wipe dry, apply Rain-X, buff it out again, and finally on our way, but not far tonight.
Thursday March 14, 2019:
During breakfast in West Memphis, Arkansas, navigator fried the power supply/charger for his computer. Looking for a replacement charger box, two Walmart stops before success, also picking up a couple of duffel bags, a large tote bin and two smaller tote boxes as replacements for things missing from the trailer last month. One of these stores did not have auto service garage. The other had 11 queued up ahead of us for oil change, like a 3-hour wait, so not here, move on. Nice day, sunny, warm, kind of windy, good driving.
About 2-pm arrival to visit Chuck Bruce in rural Myrtle, MO. We were here before in November 2015 when his 1958 MGA Coupe was in pieces for restoration. Since then the restoration was finished (with MGB 1800 5-main bearing engine), and the car has won a couple trophies for local car shows.
Had a quick peek at his car hauler trailer, all steel, kind of heavy, no-tilt, duck tail with ramps, power winch for loading a car, nice piece of equipment.
More recently the carburetors were rebuilt, but now running bad, trouble idling and hard to drive. Missing on No.2 cylinder, wet plug. Good spark, and compression test is good, so replace the plug and go on. Running very rich, could not be tuned lean enough. Checked the fuel needles, found No.5's, correct for the 1800 engine. Turned out the fuel jets were not properly centered, needles dragging badly on the jets, air pistons not dropping properly and sticking when down.
We had to R&R the carbs for access on the bottom to reset the needles and center the jets. Once running again we had it adjusted full lean, but still running a bit rich, so figure the needles and jets were badly worn and need to be replaced. Bummer, because only 500 miles on the car since the carbs were rebuilt. Now we're not sure if the needles and jets were replaced with the rebuild, or if they wore that much in 500 miles of harsh rubbing, but they will have to be replaced regardless (about $100 worth of parts). Test run was fun, drives well on the road, just a little rich at idle (to be cured with new needles and jets). Chuck is happy that it runs well and can be driven again.
Addendum March 19, 2019:
Received message saying parts came in, new jets and needles installed, jets properly centered, easy to tune up, and it is "singing a smooth song".
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As the sun was falling the temperature was dropping, so grab the sweat shirts. After dark, a quick 30 miles east to Doniphan, MO for dinner and WiFi, then another 30 miles east to Poplar Bluff, MO, followed by another 80+ miles north before overnight in Farmington, Mo.
Friday March 15, 2019:
Getting chilly as we head north, 37dF last night. Breakfast in Desloge, MO, nice enough place, and we have most of a day to kill, so we opt to stay here for a while to catch up photos and notes. Just make a motel reservation for the week end in Illinois. Heading out in the evening, no brake lights, needed to change our brake light switch. The Duralast RB401 lasted 3-yr 8-1/2 mo, 130,204 mi. Will have to cut it open later to see how it was built. Number on bottom is 21020 FAE, which is the manufacturer's name and number, known to be "Made in Spain".
Addendum August 30, 2020: Sorry it took a year and a half to get around to this, but we finally cut the Duralast switch open, and I got ta few surprises. First, the contact arrangement inside was pretty much like all other modern brake pressure switches with rubber diaphragm and a copper plate landing on fixed contacts (with a single spring this time). Second, the contacts were not notably burned, like maybe it should haave been working. And third, this is the first time I have ever found brake fluid in the contact chamber, so it most likely died from hydraulic lock preventing motion to mechanically make the electrical contact. For now I will keep this one on the "good" list, because it was the longest lasting brake switch in the past six years.
New replacement switch is Commercial Ignition which I believe is from vintage stock. The large stick-on label is "XBLS7 Brake Light Switch, INTR 51600". UPC 5 022515 006402. The smaller tag is "016062, Brake Lte Swch Early, Bin 03659 LocationWH1", which I suspect was the retailer's part number and inventory information. On the back, "Commercial Ignition, Bermuda Road, Nuneaton, CVIO 7QQ, England".
We drove another 80 miles north, past St Louis, MO for late dinner in Collinsville, Illinios, and then another hour north after midnight to Coalfield rest stop (wherever that is).
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