I was going to hold off on this, but it finally hit critical mass.
Readers not wanting to hear what I have to say about b-c's becoming
a newsgroup or not & miata bashing can skip to the section starting with
CARB TROUBLES. I've consolidated several messages to save bandwidth. ;-} I
originally had a short reply, but waxed philisophical. If you're not
interested, skip ahead, I won't notice. ;-}
->As a dial-in reader, thank you Encore!, I would miss NO interaction, as
->I only get my mail once a day or so anyway. But for the rest of you,
->would that 24 hour delay matter? We could still discuss points "in real
->time"... hell, when I was working I didn't have time to review my hobby
->mail more than once a day anyway.
->
For me, the real time aspect is one of the best parts. I can send out
a RFH (Request For Help!) in the morning when I arrive, hash it over all
afternoon, and generally have a fix by the next morning. A digest would either
drag that out for several days, or result in a private mail flurry that noone
else would benefit from. And I know I've benefitted from many of the
discussions that have passed by that I've taken no part in, which I would
have been left out of if the discussion had taken place off-line. It's alot
like hanging out at the pub vs chess by mail.
And as for a newsgroup, I'll say what I say everytime the issue
comes up. There are a fair number of us who do not get news for a variety of
reasons, and not everyone has the ability/facility to set up a local news<->mail
interface. We'd loose otherwise valuable, contributing members and replace
them with the 'MY <US_BUILT_BIG_HONKIN_V8> IS BETTER' crowd that infested
rec.autos.sport about 18 months after it's inception. It may have gotten better
there, but I don't read it anymore.
Summary is that I like you folks. I know I can trust your advice. I
know you're all out to help the best you can and contribute positively. I'm
always happy to meet SOLs and buy 'em a beer. I fear for loosing that homey,
down-to-earth (even the Bentley & Jag owners ;-}) family feeling that we
generally have here.
It is important to me and has been a big part of me feeling good
about the world and befriended while stuck out here in Wisconsin for the
last 3 years, which has been a very lonely and troubled time. I've known
many of you since before arriving here, and that has really been a
big help. You'll probably see a little less of me in the next few months
as racing season starts and I move back to N.Y. though.
->I was, speaking personally now, rather upset by the flames over the ill-
->thought political comments. This group has never had flames, never had
->to remove anyone, etc. Please, please, can't we just share our brit car
->thoughts here and leave all the rest to rec.ninny.bashing?
->
My comments on the politically oriented comments were directed at the
originator by e-mail to him alone, as they should have been. I may or may
not agree with what the man had to say, and I'll always support his right
to say it, but I will admit to asking him not to say it here as it has nothing
to do with the forum oriented toward British cars. My major objection over
the whole event was that the flame war occurred here and not through a
private e-mail discussion. I can ignore the occasional indiscretion, but not
when a number of folks (admittedly small) take up an entire mail message
pointing it out, as if I didn't notice it in the first place.
-> - Dale, still the founder
^^^^^^ Shouldn't that be Fovnder? :-}
On Miata bashing.
A little good natured joshing is just fine. It lets you know your
friends love you. Don't take it too far though, it gets old.
The Miata has character. I'd love to own one, esp the one with the
Mustang V8 shoehorned in it. But, like the TC, MGA, TR4, and TR-7 were bashed
in their early days, give it time. It is a youth, it will mature, it will fall
into fields to rot or loving hands to care for. If there is a rightfull place
in this world for 57 Chrysler power-retractable-hardtops, there will be a place
for Miatas, and I'd bet even we would (will) place it close to our own.
Respect the rights of others even as they disrespect yours. You want
an exercise in enlightenment, take a TR-6 to a hot-rod show in rural
Wisconsin...They have a great deal of trouble believing that a 2.5L inline 6
cylinder will go 146Mph, but you'll also meet alot of folks who will
appreciate the time, effort and love you've put into the car. Even if it
isn't their ideal street machine. The biggest help I've recieved in the last
several months was from a guy here who used to build Pro Stock drag race
engines. Wondered how that little sewing machine was so fast. Taught me a few
tricks and learned one or two himself.
----- CARB TROUBLES -----
Last week I wrote asking about some problems I was having with the
carbs on the TR-6 and the Spitfire. Some who replied got somewhat confused
and seemed to think that the trouble was a) the same on both cars, b) only
on one car, or c) something else completely. Some who replied got it right,
and offered some very helpful suggestions that I plan on checking out this
weekend. Something about being here till > 12am every night this week has
prevented me from doing anything other than patting the cars on the fenders
as I walk through the garage every night. That and it's been raining all week.
Contrary to what Phil E. says, I am no carberettor wizard. I can set
the mix on a pair of SU's or Zeniths, but if anything more is wrong, forget it.
I don't even own the SU Tuning handbook or nuthin.
But, to recap:
Spitfire (SU's) - Gas pouring out of the carb throats, and leaking
from the bottom of the carb where the brass shaft goes into
the nut at the bottom of the carb.
Reccommendations: Check float level. Dug out Roger's SU tuning guide
and will do that this weekend.
Leaking O-ring on shaft- WHERE? I don't see an O-ring
anywhere down there!
Pitch 'em and get Weber's. Love to, but the rules won't
let me. Race car don't 'cha know.
TR-6 (Zenith's) - Car runs *way* too rich. Carbs are adjusted as lean
as they'll go.
Reccomendations: Check that the needle isn't too far up the piston.
Will check this weekend. Seem to remember doing
this a while back, but will do it again.
Pitch 'em. - Can't, same reasons as above plus
BIG $$$ for TR-6 weber set up I want. PI is
about the same dollarwise.
Question: What is allowable slop on throttle shafts? TR-6's slop, but
Gumout doesn't cause the engine to stumble...
Thanks for Noticing,
iii
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