The best place to store a spare fan belt is not in the trunk,
but stretched between the pulleys on the front of the engine.
Doug Braun
'72 Spit
P.S.: I keep a second spare belt in the trunk.
At 04:24 PM 3/11/00 -0500, Terry L. Thompson wrote:
>I wake-up to a hazy cloudy day...a slow drizzle. Then I remember "I left
>the top down on the car last night". So I run out of the front door still
>pulling clothes on to get the top up before the rain really starts to come
>down. ( A wet seat never hurt anyone right?)
>
>My plans for the day- included going into the office but first to run to
>the local British parts place and pick-up a new set of points/condenser.
>(Pep Boys carrys a condenser, rotor, plug wires, dizzy cap for the
>spit..but no points!) So I head out on the 15 or so mile trip to the
>British car place after stopping by starbucks for some coffee.
>
>About 8 miles into the drive when I notice that my ignition light is red!
>The temperature needle appears to be moving like a tachometer on a formula
>one car...and immediately realize (due to a past experience) that I've lost
>my fan belt. The only problem is, I'm at a stop light in the middle of
>traffic!
>
>After about 20 seconds or so the temp gauge has almost pegged the hot mark
>and steam beggins to pour out from under the hood. (I'm in the middle of
>Route 1 here.) Abandoning all dignity, I put the car into gear and run the
>red light (I'd rather pay a ticket than buy a new engine), to get to the
>side street and turn off the car.
>
>I prop open the hood to see a fountain of hot radiator fluid pouring out of
>the over-flow bottle. The belt is in shreds hanging from the crank pulley
>literally by a thread.
>
>Luckily, I carry spare parts in the trunk...(50 to 100 fuses, several
>belts, a few quarts of oil...etc....It's a British car after all). And
>about 5 minutes worth of work and another 10 minutes of allowing the
>electric fan to do it's job...I was on the road to a nearby gas station for
>some water.
>
>Exxon cashier "Water? Try the vending machines." ...$1 for 20oz. of water?!
>Why you #@$&%! So, $2 in water and I'm on the road again.
>
>When I got to the British car place, I regailed the parts guy with my
>harrowing experience and told him "It's always best to carry a few spare
>parts....Too bad I can't fit a spare engine in the trunk!"
>
>End of story
>
>Terry L. Thompson
>'76 1500 almost Spitting Fire
>Maryland
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