J.D.,
Right off the bat I'd say "go for it".
My first car was a '61 Sunbeam Alpine which I acquired with no mechanical
experience whatever, and, to make matters worse, I couldn't even drive a stick
shift. But my college buddies convinced me it was cool.
That war-weary car had one significant mechanical failure each week. First the
tie rod ends, then the clutch. In an unending sequence, the exhaust system,
distributor, transmission, solenoid, generator, water pump all failed. And
then more stuff.
At first I took the car to a mechanic, but the expense exceeded my modest
part-time, after-school salary. With the guidance of those same college
buddies (and this is a key point) I was able to fix everything myself. The car
cooperated by have the same parts fail repeatedly until I got the repair
procedures down pat. Before long I was totally unfazed by any mechanical
difficulty. I once replaced the ignition coil in the middle of the George
Washington bridge (upper deck). That bridge rises and falls an incredible
amount - you never notice when you're just driving across. The fact that I
had a spare coil with me speaks volumes about the reliability of British cars
in general.
When I went on to SCCA racing all of my mechanical skills were owed to that
Sunbeam Alpine. It taught me to not mind grease up to my elbows (Go-Jo will
get it off) and that early British cars are not rocket science.
Get the right books, good sources for parts and a few buddies for guidance and
you can learn it all on the fly. I know it's like jumping off a tall building
and trying to build wings on the way down, but if nothing else it will be a
learning experience you'll talk about for the rest of your life.
Regards,
Joe DeLuca
Sparta NJ
'62 yellow 4/4
******************************************************************************************
>> Hello. I hope I'm doing this right. Here's the background: I have a
>> friend that many of you know, Scott Willoughby. I've known Scott since
>> about 1981 and lived with him in a house in Lebanon, NJ (yes, there is
>> such a place!) for a few months. During that time I came to love
>> Morgans (who wouldn't with a +8 like Scott's parked in the drive?)
>>
>> Anyway, I digress. Now I've become a man of some means and mean to
>> acquire a Morgan of my own. I've got my sights set on a 1961 +4 that's
>> about at the right level of "repair" for me.
>>
>> Wherein comes the rub. The most complicated thing I've ever done to a
>> car is put oil into it. I'm I off my rocker to be buying a car whose
>> motto is "The parts falling off of this car are of the finest English
>> craftsmanship"? What "fundamentals" should I consider before plunking
>> down $n,000 and driving off into the sunset? My local community college
>> offers a course on "small engine repair". Sound like a good idea?
>>
>> Anyway, I've taken up enough of you good folks time. Any feedback,
>> discussion, tonguelashing will be greatly appreciated.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> J.D. Welch
>>
>> end
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