Large Scale Central

letting the magic smoke out of the electrical stuff

Pete Thornton said:

Steve Featherkile said:

My MGA is non synchro in first and second. I have to double clutch going from third to second. I get expensive noises if I try to access first while rolling.

The A has a crank, carried behind the seat next to the two 6 volt batteries hooked in series. It is for use when the Lucas starter motor goes on vacation. It connects to the crankshaft through a hole in the front bumper.

Like I said, it’s not reliable transportation, it’s a hobby. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

A, what nostalgia. I had a 1959 MGA 1500. I think only 1st gear was unsynchronized on BMC cars, but the 2nd gear syncro tended to wear so you might not have noticed it.

One day it wouldn’t move off at a traffic light - turned out one of the 6V batteries had dropped out of the carrier behind the seat and was firmly lodged under the axle. Still connected.

I ‘fixed’ my fuel pump, but didn’t get the gap right so it stopped occasionally. When driving up to the Smoke (London) on the motorway I used to keep a small transistor radio on a dead station, so I could hear the pump ticking. When it stopped, you had about 15 seconds before the fuel ran out in the engine. So you reached behind the seat and tapped it. . .

It also started smouldering one day, and it wasn’t the wiring. We were driving to Bristol in the rain, and started to notice smoke. I felt around under/behind the dash but no hot wires. Finally, I stopped and the wife got out (in the rain) as the smoke was coming from under her seat. Lifted the cushion, and there was a 2" hole in the plywood floor, smouldering nicely around the edges. In the rain. So I wet a rag and put it out.
Turned out I had replaced the engine mounts, which lifted the exhaust system on that side of the car, which had been fitted/aligned when the engine was sagging on the duff engine mounts. Now it was too close to the floor.
When we got to Bristol, her Dad said ‘What can I get you’, and wife says “Brandy”. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-sealed.gif)

Now, let me tell you about my Sunbeam Talbot, or the Lotus Elan . . .

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Work collegue had a Talbot around '62. Had six in in it one night. Stopped at the traffic lights…Policeman on his pedal cycle pulled up alongside and the drivers door fell off the Talbot…

Overloaded vehicle…dangerous vehicle…

Court a few weeks later. £10 fine (week;s wages)!!(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Watched a duel between a Morgan and a Corvette at the Seattle International Races Raceway at, back in 1971. The 'Vette won the straightaways and the Morgan won the corners. At the finish, it was adjudged a tie. Greatest race I ever saw.

Edit: I really hate this autocorrect feature. I don’t know why these geeks think they are smarter than I. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)

THE car for cornering were reputed to be the Citroen. C7 series

These cars had the gear shift in the dashboard and the cars were, due to their wide track ,reputed to be unable to roll over!..

Built with front wheel drive in the late 30s/40’sand 50’s. Low height. Often seen in the original BBC TV series Maigret (and have turned up in later version of the programme)…

Citroën 7CV Citroën 11CV Citroën 15CV.

They were built in a few European countries and thus had different series names. (C7 Light… C7Medium… C7 Heavy)

Certainly a collectors item today.

We dodged these Citroens in '62;

Ah yes…the CV2 even the 1930s CV7 as I mentioned above, was better looking!.

The CV2 was brought out apparently as cheap transport for the French farmers to use for market going…you now…wife in front and pig in back. It was taken up by the Parisien beard and sandle crowd and the same around Europe…The original canvas seating tho’ was something to experience if you used it long journey(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

All very agricultural!..still see them bobbing around…

I once fancied a genuine ex German WW2 Kubalwagon!! although one guy I knew, had an ex Wermacht half track wagon . (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Snoopy drove a 2CV in the cartoon where Charlie Brown and the gang to to France. Mike the Aspie