OK, my turn for the quiz. On a GT6+, why would tachometer failure cause
steering problems? You have 30 seconds....
dooo DOOO dooo doodoo dooo DOOO dooo....
Time's up; pens are down. (Decided not to make you wait.)
This actually happened. Soon after I bought the car in 1975, the
tachometer packed up solid. [sound effects: gasps, followed by knowing
laughter] I removed the offending instrument and brought it to my local
dealer (remember them?) for shipment to Nisonger for R&R. I continued to
drive the car sans rev. counter.
Several nights later, I began to notice a binding in the steering, which
manifested itself in progressively more difficult right turns -- to a
point where might have been easier to go 270 degrees left than to go 90
degrees right, space permitting. Unfortunately, the last two turns -- my
road and my driveway -- were right turns, but I did just manage to muscle
the car into the driveway.
Next morning, when I could actually see what I was looking at, I
carefully checked out suspension -- trunnions, steering rack, ball
joints, etc. -- looking for evidence of excessive wear, seizure, lost box
wrenches inhibiting steering movement. Of course, I was looking in the
wrong place (anybody guessed yet?). [sound effects -- annoying muted
trumpet playing WAH waaaah...]
Turns out the tachometer cable end (mechanical drive from distributor, for
those of you spoilt by more modern electric tachs) had snagged on the
steering column at the adjustment point (TR4- and Herald-based car owners
know of what I speak) and eventually wrapped itself around the column
tightly enough to restrict its further movement clockwise. [gales of
laughter, then applause]
I, er, later bought a new tach cable to go with the rebuilt instrument.
[cue theme music; roll credits]
Andy *wanna buy a 215ci Buick-engined Volvo? I had it all done over at
the high school auto shop 8^)* Mace
Hoags Corners, NY
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