How's the Weather Today?

[MiniDave]

I spent a week in Phoenix at my son's place, playing with cars in his shop. 

He has a TR3 that he just could not get to run, he'd had the head off to replace a leaking core plug that you couldn't reach with it on the engine and everything was back together but it just wouldn't go. We walked thru the basics, retorqued the head and reset the valves, it had great compression. The jets in the carbs were dead stuck but some carb cleaner and penetrating oil got them all freed up, took the domes off and cleaned the insides so the pistons moved freely, checked the timing and spark - it has a Pertronics unit in the dizzy and it made plenty of spark. Still wouldn't go. Getting plenty of fuel. The car had sat for more than ten years and they had already cleaned the tank and put fresh fuel in it.

So I said lets replace the plugs - they looked fine, black as can be from running on the stuck choke I imagine - but no wear....new plugs were $10 at O'Reilys. Boom! popped right off and after I adjusted the carbs it ran sweet as can be!

I took it down to the end of the block and back, then it was his turn - I was starting to get worried as he was gone 10 min, then 20.....turns out he was just having fun driving it and it ran perfectly. It had an electric fan that wasn't coming on - fortunately it was only 70* that day so it didn't get hot, but we went back to the auto parts store and got a $20 adjustable thermostat switch and wired it in, once set it worked perfectly.

We did a bunch of other recommissioning work, fresh fluid in the brakes and clutch, thoroughly bled everything installed new hinges on the hood - twice - turns out they're left and right handed......we had a 50% chance of getting them correct - and didn't the first time! 

We also worked on his Fiat 124 Coupe' and his wife's Honda CRV that was due for an oil change and plugs and filters. By Sunday when I left it was getting close to 100* and will be over that by this coming weekend. Too hot for me!

It's 10* here this morning! Yikes!

[BruceK]

Nice!  I have a soft spot for Fiat 124s. About 40 years ago, I drove a friend's red 124 Spyder and I was really impressed with it. Loved the twin cam and the exhaust note.

[MiniDave]

Yep, I like them too......the little 124 Coupe' is running and driving now too, it's a sweetheart. I think the Spyder is destined for the autocross tracks. On top of the 4 post lift is an X1/9 that's having an Acura 2.4L engine transplanted into it, and the black X1/9 is just getting refurbished as a daily driver.

The BMW 3 series was a daily but all of a sudden quit having oil pressure - we didn't have time to get into that unfortunately, maybe next trip. Heck of a shop tho, isn't it?

[Dan Moffet]

(snif) I remember my 1975 FIAT X1/9, bought new for about $5K Canadian! Sweet little car. Super smooth, quiet engine, though underpowered when trying to pass going uphill. It was a huge upgrade from 1968 and 1969 Minis.