I had just parked my 1969 MG B GT in the garage after a drive in mid-December, when after raising the bonnet, I noticed a very small leak in the top radiator hose. If this hose needed replacing...replace the other two hoses and the two heater hoses. ——————— Sounds like a job for...the Traveling Mechanics!

I made a phone call to TM headquarters and asked head Mechanic, Dean, to stop over to inspect the damage and to check out the rental garage where the car resides. After he arrived, and was satisfied that it would be a straight-forward job, he advised me to buy theSilicone Radiator Hose Set, which I promptly ordered from Moss Motors. It arrived that week, in time for the scheduled 10:00 a.m. appointment the next Saturday. My MG (and yours truly) awaited the Traveling Mechanics...

Saturday morning broke sunny and mild for the weekend before Christmas. I waited at my garage. It turned out not to be so much the calm before the storm, but the calm before the comedy. At 10:00 a.m. sharp an unmarked white van pulled up, and the engine was turned off. After a few seconds of silence, I expected the van's rear double doors to fly open and a squad of uniformed mechanics to stream out like lemmings, SWAT style. Instead, the driver's door slowly opened, and Dean slowly got out. He walked over to me, paused, and with a serious expression on his face asked the three words that I now realize are the battle cry, if not the outright motto, of the Traveling Mechanics:

Where're the donuts?

I worked up the nerve to tell him there were none. Instead of turning around and getting back into his van - which might have been too physically demanding - he merely stood there and sighed (or maybe cried - I couldn't tell). Shortly thereafter the other half of the act, er, team showed up. Before Bill could finish getting out of his car, Dean mustered up the strength to blurt out to him, "There're NO donuts". Now I had two sighing (or crying - I couldn't tell) mechanics on my hands.

They decided to change strategy. As they were getting out their tools and preparing to do the work, they kept dropping hints, rather incessantly, about how nice it would be to have DONUTS. I realized they were trying to break me - to wear me down, ala the Chinese water torture. This perverse, er, reverse psychology of theirs didn't work. The mood was lightened, though, as they seemed to be rather impressed after seeing my 1970's-era can of Liquid Wrench. I got the opinion that this was an item that belonged on that PBS show Antiques Roadkill, er, Roadshow.

As they proceeded with draining the coolant and removing the hoses, their sulking stopped and they seemed to turn on each other with a succession of one-liners that automatically drew a comeback from the other. It was at this stage that I became aware of their pure entertainment value - and I briefly considered asking them if I could be their agent. I looked around for a table and chair to enjoy the proceedings. If I could have found them, I then would have needed a waitress to bring me drinks. Instead, I just pretended I bought a SRO ticket.

While fitting the new hoses and clamps, the onslaught continued. I remained a spectator, and there was no need for me to make my usual inane comments, as they did that themselves. (It did get rather tiring, though, having to put up with all the rather puerile "nut driver" jokes and jibes.)

They added anti-freeze and ran the engine for a few minutes to make sure all was well. Having finished with this, I asked them to adjust the choke cable, which they did. I thought this might have been a good time for the intermission - and I wondered what the second act might bring. Alas, there was no second act, and they packed up their tools. I thanked them for their good service and then decided to ask them - "Would you like to go out for donuts?"  They said, no, thanks. After I was revived - no, not really...I thanked them again, waved good-bye, and wondered if they were off to service their next MG...or if they just had another gig.
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The Club is FORTUNATE to have members such as Dean and Bill - and others from time to time - who willingly help fix our cars or help us keep them on the road. I'm grateful for the work they did on my MG.  (After they left, I even got in the spirit - by replacing the rear hatch struts and putting on stainless steel sleeves.) The Traveling Mechanics enjoy helping us, CMGC members. Don't hesitate to contact them with questions or to see if they would be willing to make a house call to help you. (Don't wait too long, though. This summer they could be all booked - in the comedy clubs.)
RS!!!!! It was another SUCCESSFUL & SPECTACULAR YEAR!!!!

~~ Doug Clark