And the birds sing their songs of love
And the flowers serenade with their sublime fragrances
And the MGs awaken from their winter hibernation
And the whole world fell in love with spring

I hope that Avijeet Das forgives me for adding a line to his verse, but as Shakespeare said, “April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.” And youth should be forgiven its little indiscretions. So should us old farts. Or maybe you prefer Shelley, “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
Alright, enough of this cultural jabber. It is spring so let’s talk turkey. OK. It’s not Thanksgiving. With Easter/Passover coming perhaps we should talk leg of lamb or brisket. Have you got your MG out of winter storage and on the road? Or at least in good enough shape to get it over to the spring tune-up? No? Well you still have a week or two to prepare. And put the top down, unless it’s raining or you bring a GT. Don’t be a sissy.

High Performance Hardware
Forbes Aird, 1999, 195 pages, softbound
High performance and MGs usually don’t seem to go together, but if you need a replacement nut or bolt, going to Home Depot may not be your best choice. This volume talks about the theory of joints, fastener materials, causes and prevention of fastener loosening, linkage components, and much more.

Basic Automotive Measuring Tools
and How To Use Them
Peterson’s Books, 1974, 128 pages, softbound
An older book but still relevant. A micrometer is still a micrometer. Just don’t expect to find info on digital or laser tools. Chapters include micrometers, Vernier calipers, pitch and wire gauges, etc. A good companion book to the hardware book mentioned above.

~~ Bill Mennell