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Alfa throttle linkage?

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DrEntropy

DrEntropy

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Yesterday evening, on a return trip from meeting a client the Spider "failed to continue" just a few dozen yards away from the hovel. Engine went to idle and no throttle input made any difference. Herself and a neighbor were outside and watched as I rolled to a stop. They were getting ready to push it to the driveway, but even at 7PM it is HOT down here and I did not want to be grunting. Asked SWMBO if she would go to the garage and bring me a spool of heavy nylon string in a particular drawer. She did, I made a loop on the end, put it over the linkage between the Webers, ran it under the rear carb body and over the windshield. Lit the car up and drove it with the MacGyver'd hand throttle into the driveway. Neighbor was blown away that in two minutes the thing was "home" without effort. This Alfa has been a reliable car since 2000, not yet needing to be brought home on a hook.

"Adapt, Innovate, Overcome" !!!!

:wink: :laugh:
 
On one of our trips to Honduras, we took a minivan tour to the Mayan ruins at Copan. Wonderful day, fantastic food, etc., etc. On the way back to San Pedro Sula, the Hyundai minivan lost its accelerator linkage. We were on the fringe of spotty cell phone coverage, so the driver had a hard time contacting the home office.

I found a paper clip and did a roadside dance. Made it all the way back home.

Good thing it wasn't a "drive-by-wire" setup!
 
The problem: The link between bell-crank and firewall cross-link still has the original cheezy plastic balljoints. One split at the threaded end and the rod fell out.

Temporary solution: super glue the split, wrap the O.D. with a spring and pot it with epoxy, chase the threads.

Permanent solution: Find my collection of THESE in the pile of stuff inna garage.
Maybe I'll just order some new ones... it'd take less time. :devilgrin:
 
That dang throttle linkage clevis pin on the TR3 dropped out one night and I was 15 miles from home. Couldn't get down in there with a hot exhaust even if I had a punch or ice pick with me and I didn't have any string.

I cranked up the idle screws as far as they would go and got it to run up to about 3500. Through sheer luck and a couple of well-timed quick illegal rolling right turns I made it home without having to stop at a single light or stop sign.

Only major problem was that long hill coming out of the river bottom on the 2-lane outside of Lebanon, IL. At the crest of the hill I was going about 10mph with at least 50 cars screaming and honking behind me. Was able to pull into a large gravel lot after the hill and do some slow laps until all the traffic passed.

I made a lot of friends that night. :devilgrin:
 
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