Sunday was another productive day of fixing Mickey. We got the LH front
suspension cleaned out and reassembled with a good PPP rebuilt shock. Yes,
the bronze spacer was on the fulcrum pin on this side, too. This time there
was enough left of the cork washers that we could tell that they had been
put where the bronze spacer was supposed to be. I guess we should be
grateful that the bronze spacers had not been damaged and that the cotter
pins that hold the fulcrum pin in place came out without a struggle.
We got the engine timed, replaced the oil pressure takeoff that broke the
last time, and took her out for a drive. The clutch engages pretty darn far
up the pedal and there doesn't appear to be much left of the 2nd gear
synchro, but she runs.
I drove her back to Palatine from Racine and the bolts holding the exhaust
pipe to the manifold loosened up and she got rather vociferous. Managed not
to garner too much attention from the gendarmes, but it was raining very
enthusiastically by the time I got home, so I decided to postpone that
repair until morning.
Monday morning it was still raining, so I hitched a ride to work. I came
home and fixed the exhaust as well as a couple other details that came up
and figured I was ready to drive her to work on Tuesday. Started her up
Tuesday morning, went back into the house to grab a baseball cap to keep the
sun out of my eyes, and got back just in time to hear her slow down and die.
Could not get her to re-start, so I drove my blue Idget to work instead.
Tuesday night I got back from work full of ideas. Checked the fuel pump and
sure enough, Frank's Favorite Facets had struck again. A bit of odd oil on
the outside and neither noise nor gas coming from it.
Now it is Wednesday and she decided to come to work with me. I am so glad
the fuel pump died in the driveway! A sense of timing is greatly to be
appreciated.
Brakes are working well, suspension feels pretty darn good and the engine is
at least willing. What more could I ask?
David Lieb
Team SU (Si que es)
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