When I first got Nigel, I'd had him for about a week or so-driving around,
top down-really enjoying having a Spit again, when I decided one night on my
way home to check the oil. It was low. So, I drove across the street from
work to 'le boutique Target' to get some oil. Parking under a light, I put
the oil in and then checked the level. Everything perfect-time to head home.
With a little searching in the shadow, I put the dipstick back-pushed and
*felt* like it was in all the way.
Two blocks down the road, clouds of white, puffy smoke started pouring out
of the bonnet-and even through the vent on the passenger side. (This was
after the stereo incident of a couple weeks before-so smoke and electrical
and all that was still fresh in my mind.) I pulled over and felt the
bonnet-it wasn't warm. I carefully opened it, FE in hand-nothing, but smoke.
Being late-and dark-I continued the mile home where I could see under a
light what was going on.
What was going on? The dipstick wasn't ALL the way in! You have to give it
an extra push once it feels like it's in.-(Get your minds out of the gutter,
boys!)-and the engine compartment was covered in oil. When I went to see
Dave the next day, he had a good laugh-and then he set Little David about
cleaning all that gook up! The underside is still quite gooky. And they
never let me forget "Who's the dipstick!" But I learned-to always give it
that little extra push.
Laura G. and Nigel.
Vita brevis est: rapide agite, vigore strigate!
----- Original Message -----
From: N.A. Campiglia III <spitdrvr@camalott.com>
To: Susan Hensley <susan@bearcom.com>; Spitfire List
<spitfires@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2000 8:11 AM
Subject: Re: Spitfire-related topic
>
> Here's one for you.
>
> After CAREFUL rebuild and installation of my 1500cc motor, I decided to
take
> it on it's maiden trip.. I had actually run it quite a bit doing the odd
> tuning and such so I knew the engine was in tip top shape. Anyway, as I
was
> cruising along the FM road a nice gentle man came up beside me. I was
> expecting to hear "Hey, nice car".. Instead I got "Damn things got oil
all
> over it!!" then he was gone... I slowed to the shoulder, got out and was
> horrified.... The whole side of the car was covered in OIL!!! I popped
the
> bonnet and looked around, no leaks.. In fact, with the exception of where
> the guy that was helping me spilled a "Little" oil there was nothing...
> Wait, did I say a "Little" oil?? Well that's what he told me!!! Seems he
> had spilled at least a quart, he got most of it cleaned up but he missed
all
> of it that had come to rest along the frame rails..... It made it's way
out
> along the side of my Spit with help of the air passing over it.. It's
kind
> of like blood in your mouth, a little seems like a whole lot...
>
> He has since moved...
>
> Nick
> N.A. Campiglia III
> Abilene, TX
> '67 Spitfire MKIII
> '74 Spitfire 1500
> http://camalott.com/~spitdrvr
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Susan Hensley <susan@bearcom.com>
> To: Spitfire List <spitfires@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2000 9:51 AM
> Subject: Spitfire-related topic
>
>
> >
> > Hi all!
> >
> > I'd like to hear about an experience you have had with your Spitfire
> > that not only was some sort of event (breakdowns, learned something new,
> > met someone special in an odd situation, etc.) but taught you something
> > about your Spit or Triumphs in general.
> >
> > I'll give two of mine for examples:
> >
> > I was in the process of delivering a pizza for Domino's when I lived in
> > Lake Charles, LA back in the '80's. I had just turned onto the street
> > the customer lived on when I heard an abrupt puffing hissy sound and
> > smoke just boiled out from under the bonnet and under the dash inside
> > the car (the top was down as always). I threw the car at the curb,
> > leaped out and yanked the bonnet up (I think I leaped over the bonnet to
> > get to the second latch, but I don't have much recollection of doing it
> > -- I moved FAST). There was a fire on my battery! I hadn't thought
> > about carrying a fire extinguisher, but had a handy towel (shades of
> > Hitchhiker's Guide) I beat the flames out with. It turned out that the
> > heater cable had crossed the corner of the battery and had melted
> > through into the first cell, causing the fire and the hissy noise. The
> > pizza was late and the customer made me give them the $3 for it. They
> > must not have had experience with Triumphs before. I learned to make
> > sure everything under the hood went in its proper place and to not let
> > cables and wires come near places where they might cause problems.
> >
> > Second story, also to do with fire: I was trying to get Tristan (my race
> > Spit) started in the driveway at my McKinney, TX apartment in the later
> > evening (it was almost dark) a couple of years ago. He was being really
> > cranky, and was having a hard time starting. He'd catch and backfire
> > and stall out (the timing turned out to be off). Finally, I got him to
> > catch and run a little and he gave me a huge backfire, and all of a
> > sudden these huge flames just shot up from the carburetor area. I
> > yanked the pin on my fire suppression system and slammed the knob down
> > and nothing happened. I was really freaked out and shot out of the car
> > (I still do not remember doing it or hitting the ground) and grabbed the
> > fire extinguisher out of the Jeep and gave the fire a blast. When the
> > puff of extinguisher material died down, I saw what had happened. Tris
> > has twin 1 1/2" SU's with velocity stacks, and the stacks each have
> > muffs that go over them to protect them from taking in dust and dirt. I
> > hadn't thought to remove them while trying to start a cranky car, and
> > when he backfired, it shot flame into the muffs, which were apparently
> > plastic or plastic-based, shooting flames to the sky when they caught
> > (quite vivid in the dark!). Then I had to clean up the extinguisher
> > mess and I still have mess where the plastic muffs dripped onto the
> > shock tower. Bleah. Taught me to A) remove all obstructions when
> > starting the car cold, B) keep the fire extinguisher handy, and C) learn
> > my equipment -- it turned out you have to pump the fire suppression
> > system. Probably a good thing I didn't know that then -- it would have
> > blasted the whole car, since it has outlet nozzles all over the place,
> > and I would have had one heck of a mess to clean up.
> >
> > I hope some of your experiences have been better! Pass them along!
> >
> > Keep Triumphing,
> > Susan :)
>
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