So... good news, the transmission is NICE.
All three speeds, firm crisp shifts.
Bad news, it drives like a DUI simulator.
Hope fully an alignment will help... and maybe new rear springs.. maybe.
Rack and pinion was not installed correctly, horrible steering shaft angles and it binds.
Probably needs a double joint and a support bearing.
Also need to flush the PS fluid it is N A S T Y.
Piguin
Reader
1/11/25 10:40 p.m.
Sounds like some rack and pinion re-install is in your future.
Good to see it on the road, just love these cars.
Building the engine was fun.
Lots of clean... lots of new... each step was progress and everything on the stand was good to go.
Then I put it in the car, and we are back to deferred maintenance palooza.
This is brake fluid... sigh.
And the wiring... oh boy. I think I mentioned early on that I removed a pound or two of wrong, and "add on" wiring?
Well I've pretty much fixed all of that now with the next steps having been to repair the proper wiring that remained, augment what was truly missing, and route it all. With that done, I have been finding the causes of original and long forgotten ailments that likely were the reasons that "alternatives" were used.
Like here, the fuse on the right is for the illumination lights that run off of the dimmer rheostat on the headlight switch.
As old as the blown fuse was (mayby 1957) the replacement wasn't much newer.. lol. I bought a ton of old school fuses at a garage sale a few weeks ago.
Lots of things have been fixed... but there are many more to go.
For now I'll just enjoy where Im at!
Man, that's such a beautiful driver.
In reply to golfduke :
Thanks... its getting there.
In reply to a_florida_man :
If I didn't know you were in Florida I could be convinced that the tracks in the sand are in snow and what looks like a concrete pad off to the right also has a dusting of snow.
We've had snow on the ground for many weeks now, can you tell I'm going crazy?
Anyway - great work!
In reply to AxeHealey :
Snow
Four letter word.
You should hear me complain about the low 50's... lol.
I should be grateful to have 'Florida weather', but I find as I get older that when the temperature drops below my age, I go inside.
Just drove it tonight to pick up dinner.
46 degrees, and raining.
Lets just say it's still a bit coarse.
:)
26 miles round trip.
In reply to a_florida_man :
While I'll agree that rainy in the 40s is some of the worst possible weather, I was running around outside last night at 18 degrees with the windchill at 1.
At least you were driving it!
In reply to AxeHealey :
True, but I'll bet you had more confidence than I did that your car was not going to have any issues. And a better heater.
:)
28 miles into work this AM, took her up to 70. Felt good!
In reply to a_florida_man :
And a steering wheel warmer!
In reply to AxeHealey :
lol right?!?
now do it in the Healey lol...
I have driven my Healey in near freezing weather with the top down.
My ears got so cold it made me dizzy.. took hours to recover.