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Corona Virus Sanity

RAC68

Darth Vader
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Hi All,

What Lock-Down Healey projects are you planning or doing to keep mentally fit?

Concerns of the effects of the Corona Virus on our physical and financial survival have been fiercely and appropriately presented on all channels of communication. With the Lock Downs of various intensities to help stem the person-to-person propagation of the virus, many are facing Cabin Fever and searching for something to divert their attention to something positive. My Healey and sites like this are my communication God Send and my garage my sanctuary.

Since my Healey has always stimulated my creativity and desire to analyse and resolve issues, I was wondering what projects others are working or planning during this time of Lock-Down that I could consider.

Hopping everyone and their family stays safe,
Ray(64BJ8P1)
 

vette

Darth Vader
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My Healey has been one of the more consistent and reliable machines in my stable. As such I only need to do my annual spring check up, if I can only get the old Vette off the lift. Is seems the Vette has caused more headaches lately and now am replacing the heater core. But the limitations of my arthritic body are starting to take some of the fun out of it since the complete dash needs to come out of the Vette to get the heater core out.
 

vette

Darth Vader
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NutmegCT

Great Pumpkin
Gold
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Knowing the early 19th century a bit, I'd say there was hardly any boredom for most folks until after WW2.

Like I tell my visitors "Back in those days, you'd probably never hear parents say "How will we entertain the children this weekend?"

They worked!
 

RestoreThemAll

Jedi Warrior
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Grandma and grandpa were born in 1887 and lived in the country where they raised 11 children (not 26). Very close loving successful family. No electricity until around the 1930s I think. They all played musical instruments, had a veg garden/hot house, fixed the T later the A, or used the Democrat wagon. Ask me what that is. This current isolation period will allow me to work on my Healey with my son and granddaughter, and practice my guitar.
 

Gliderman8

Great Pumpkin
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I ordered steering column bushes as my TR6 steering wheel has excessive movement.
Once they arrive I’ll be doing the install. After that it will be yard work.
 

mgtf328

Jedi Hopeful
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I'm going to service the Healey first, then change the rubber parts on the front suspension when the weather warms a bit. Then I'm going to try and learn to play the Blues on the piano and do some wood carving.
A quick question, I've not serviced this car before. The overdrive and gearbox on my BJ8 each have an oil drain plug but there's only one filler hole. Why is that and do I have to drain both or will one do. If so which one? The overdrive drain seems a bit of a beast and I don't have a lift or a wrench that seems to fit, it looks like it may be difficult tighten back up laying on you back underneath.

AJ
 

Bob_Spidell

Yoda
Gold
Country flag
Online
Only one fill hole is necessary as the OD is supplied by the gearbox oil; something to keep in mind when filling an empty box is that it takes a little time for oil to flow into the OD, so put in about 3 qts, wait a couple minutes and fill a little more, check the level (rinse and repeat). There has been a discussion--don't remember if here or on the email list--that the total required is a little over 3.5 (American) qts. Overfilling can cause the front seal on the gearbox to leak into the bell housing (ask me how I know ;)).

Yes, you need to drain both the gearbox and the OD. The OD drain is indeed a female dog to R&R; special tools are available but some (many?) have been pounded on with a hammer and drift, or extra-large channel-lock pliers; it's hard to get a good seal so use a new gasket and some sealant, but not so much that some comes off and plugs the small passages in the OD. The 'good' thing about removing the large brass plug is you can inspect the magnets and the screen for bits that shouldn't be in there.
 

LarryK

Yoda
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Went to the garage yesterday to blast some parts. The blaster light seemed dim so I cleaned glass. Started to blast and something not right. Changed tip, still not right, then glove came off. Had to take glass top off to redo glove, so did thorough cleaning of glass and added some tape around opening to stop blasting material and dust from escaping. Put back together, then had to take other glove off to fasten top. Finally got it done, cleaned and working. Blasted one part, went in after 5 hrs of messing with the blaster. Seems everything needs maintennce and cleaning again. So, time well taken. (Didn't have to help clean house).
 

Jerry

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I started thinking about fuel pumps. I have used Purolator fuel pumps on my Healey and on my mini. The pumps are rated 2-4psi. see below
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/p...MIjpWVz72k6AIVnx-tBh1h9QFnEAQYAiABEgJpaPD_BwE

But in my brilliance, I thought 4psi is too high for our British cars. The Healey seems to have no problem. The mini gets flooded at low rpm. So I put in an adjustable fuel regulator. The one with the dial on top that in my opinion should barely work. Took the car for a drive and it ran better at low rpms. But went up a hill and the car stalled. Dialed in more pressure and off for some more testing. You may ask, why did i not buy a stock fuel pump. When I finished both these cars there was a lot of grumbling about the new pumps not lasting. And the purolator was half the price. Sometimes it pays to stay stock! A better regulator is on order and should arrive today so I can install it into the mini.
Jerry
 

LarryK

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There is some truth to being stock. Aftermarket parts aren't as easy to find parts for and when a stock British part decides to be tired, usually you can find a way to get home. Wereas an aftermarket part might not have the alternative to fix on the road as is the British way.
 

Michael Oritt

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I had some minor surgery on my elbow just yesterday and being house-bound and not able to drive for the next week is helping me accept the reality that many things will be different in the near future.

I do not have a garage at my home and for the last several years leased about 1500 square feet of space in a nearby warehouse park--it was a great set-up. Unfortunately I lost the lease last November and was forced to move the Healey and the Elva Courier race car, along with twenty years' worth of parts, tools, spares, etc. into a 10 x 30 U-store space. Total chaos!

I advertised in the local fish-wrap and posted notices in the food markets and post offices re my need for garage space to no avail, but two weeks ago I finally got a response and just this past weekend I took possession of a nice two-car garage about 25' square. Because I was having surgery on Tuesday I only managed to move the Healey and a couple of cartons, but once I get my arm out of the sling and medical clearance I will begin to clear all my STUFF out of the storage space and set up the new place. Oh yeah, I wound up donating the Courier to a race-based charity so I will also have space for the beater pick-up.

As to Healey projects, now that Conclave has cancelled out I have no big trips planned and I am thinking very seriously about completely rewiring the 100. Aside from the difficulty of installing a pre-made harness into an assembled car there are presently enough significant electrical departures from original to make me think about simply pulling all-new wiring. Having spent many years on board several boats I am comfortable working with 12 VDC.
 

Keoke

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I Think dale answered the question to day.

In the old days U kept busy tryin to survive.
 

HealeyRick

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I'll be working to wind down Rendezvous.

Most folks don't know how much work and planning go into putting a major Healey event together. Having to cancel all the activities, deal with refunds, broken contracts, etc is almost as much work not to mention how extremely disheartening it is to the planners who were looking forward to presenting a great time for the attendees.
 

Editor_Reid

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Most folks don't know how much work and planning go into putting a major Healey event together. Having to cancel all the activities, deal with refunds, broken contracts, etc is almost as much work not to mention how extremely disheartening it is to the planners who were looking forward to presenting a great time for the attendees.

Hear, hear. Speaking as a repeat event organizer myself it's almost like when the event itself arrives it's a relief. The hard work, the creative work, the problem-solving work has been done by the time the event kicks off. To do all that work and fit all those pieces of the puzzle together and then not get to the fun part of rolling it out for your attendees, and worse yet having to undo all that work, is a major downer.

Thanks to David Nock and John Turney and the other Golden Gate Austin-Healey Club members (for Rendezvous) and to Bill Borja and Lin Rose and the other Tampa Bay Austin-Healey Club members (Conclave) for stepping up and taking on those two large projects. You've earned the thanks and deserve the recognition even if the parties were canceled, and a whole lot of us thank you bigly for it.
 

Michael Oritt

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Amen and Amen, and I was recently involved in unwinding a local event that was cancelled. The organizers had decided to stick with a very unsophisticated system of online registration and when it came time to notify everyone they found that there was no way of doing an email blast to all registrants though all had registered via the internet. And refunding payments will be an even bigger headache.

The race organization with which I am affiliated is the Vintage Racer Group and, because leadership is comprised mainly of guys in their 40's and 50's, it is very internet-oriented. We use an outfit called "MotorsportsReg" for our registration process and every entry is automatically sliced and diced and if for whatever reason the event coordinator for a particular race wants to contact some or all registrants it is a cinch.

Though MSR is primarily race-oriented it could be used with club events even if racing were not involved. I recommend it highly.
 
Last edited:

vette

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thinking very seriously about completely rewiring the 100. Aside from the difficulty of installing a pre-made harness into an assembled car there are presently enough significant electrical departures from original to make me think about simply pulling all-new wiring. Having spent many years on board several boats I am comfortable working with 12 VDC.

Michael, i have done a lot of wiring in my day including automotive, contruction, circuit board and high voltage switching control circuits. Pulling individual wires for an assortment of function to varied locations on the vehicle is extremely tideous. Starting with an existing new harness at least gives you the main layout from the front of the car to the back and gives you the backbone for any additional circuits or circuit extensions. I would recommend not pulling individual new wires. Companies such as Ron Francis Wiring Works have made careers out of supplying new harnesses to people needing to rewire a car because they soon found that starting from scratch was not such a good idea. But enjoy it which ever way you go.
 

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