Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

Actually no, another 50 miles of trouble free motoring. :p Although the idle is a bit lumpy because the carb mounts have perished and are leaking air. In fact neither car has ever failed to get me to and from my destination*, with the exception of when I destroyed the 1850's rear axle. Although car show season is now upon us, so we shall see if this trend continues... :unsure:


*Admittedly, the 1300 has limped home on three cylinders on one occasion and the head gasket completely gave out 800 yards from my house on another... It's also cut out and refused to start on numerous occasions in hot weather, had to give it 15 mins to cool down... But it's done 126,000 miles and at 60mph it's doing 3,600rpm, give it a break. ;)

3,600RPM at 60MPH? Who geared that thing?
 
I'm guessing he doesn't have an overdrive.
 
3,600RPM at 60MPH? Who geared that thing?
It's about standard for a 4-speed economy car of the era, it only has 58bhp to work with! This was an time where you could by a Honda Civic with a 1.2 50bhp engine and a 2-speed auto box! I'm guestimating as it doesn't have a rev counter and the engine isn't running in optimum fashion so I have to work it harder. You can swap out the axle for ones from other models for a higher ratio but then you end up with an even longer 0-60 time than the stock 18.8 seconds...
Of course the best bet would be a tuned 1300 with twin carbs, fast road cam and 1500 exhaust manifold coupled with the short ratio axle for acceleration and an overdrive gearbox to stop the engine screaming on longer runs. But unless you just happen to have all the bits lying around it's not really worth the effort.

It's also rather loud, here is a video of me going from a standstill to about 55mph, I am doing 60mph by about the 6.10 mark...

Top speed is a giddy 85mph (ish), as shown here in a car that has had a rev counter fitted...
Toledorestoration2July2008007.jpg

I'm guessing he doesn't have an overdrive.

Nope, 1300 never got an O/D as an option. The 1500 and 1850 did, but my 1850 doesn't have it either. Even that is spinning at 3,300rpm or so at 60mph, in top gear I think you get 18.5mph for every 1000rpm... Although it is a much quieter and more relaxed atmosphere as there is so much more torque you don't need to press it, just feather the throttle and it glides along. In the 1300 you always feel like you are pushing the car along at anything over 50-55mph, which is the speed I tend to stick to. There is also the pleasure of simply planting your foot to overtake and being practically sat in the powerband with the 1850, in the Corsa you have to change down to 3rd so the turbo kicks in and it feels far more sluggish.
 
I was wondering the same thing.
 
you know what they say about suckers and minutes.
 
Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

To whom, pray tell?

Some of the other Triumph fanboys in the UK? There's more than a few from what I see on BL forums... And they will buy some of the worst hunks of rusted out crap.
 
I just bought tires from sears...this should be interesting....
 
...

Please tell me they weren't some horrible house brand and they are properly speed and weight rated for your car.

I used the "tire finder" tool. The speed and weight rating it gave matched several sites including the tire rack.

As for the brand, you'll hate this but they're Sears Guardsman Plus tires.

Since I realistically only need one tire (but its recommended that one replace tires in pairs if its not possible to do all 4 so I'm buying 2...) I'm just replacing with something that can get me through summer and into late fall.

At that point since I'll have more income at my disposal, I'd replace all 4 tires with something a lot better from a mainstream brand.
 
I got my first motorcycle.

Now that I am on 2 wheels, I am actually beginning to experience the true insane reality of the world's most challenging traffic experience that is Los Angeles.

Trying to compare cars and bikes is fun.
 
I need a little info peeps. I am looking at getting another Roadmaster/B body and I have come across a few that are leaking coolant at the water pump(on LT1 engine). Wasn't this bad for something other than the obvious leaking coolant/ impending water pump failure?


And I want another B body because it simply fits my needs. I need to be able to tow almost 4,000 pounds and it has to be comfortable because of spinal issues. Got something else that fits the bill and doesn't ride like a truck, I am open to suggestions.
 
Random Thoughts... [Automotive Edition]

I need a little info peeps. I am looking at getting another Roadmaster/B body and I have come across a few that are leaking coolant at the water pump(on LT1 engine). Wasn't this bad for something other than the obvious leaking coolant/ impending water pump failure?


And I want another B body because it simply fits my needs. I need to be able to tow almost 4,000 pounds and it has to be comfortable because of spinal issues. Got something else that fits the bill and doesn't ride like a truck, I am open to suggestions.

The Optispark ignition module is right below the water pump weep hole. It's not cheap. Strangely, it's also not terribly water, or at least coolant, proof.
 
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I used the "tire finder" tool. The speed and weight rating it gave matched several sites including the tire rack.

As for the brand, you'll hate this but they're Sears Guardsman Plus tires.

Since I realistically only need one tire (but its recommended that one replace tires in pairs if its not possible to do all 4 so I'm buying 2...) I'm just replacing with something that can get me through summer and into late fall.

At that point since I'll have more income at my disposal, I'd replace all 4 tires with something a lot better from a mainstream brand.

Their top house brand Roadhandler lines are currently made by Hankook in South Korea and are actually acceptable. Their entry-level Guardsman Plus line is currently made by Omni United in such high quality places as China, Sri Lanka, India and Indonesia - Sears used to buy them from Cooper, who makes okay tires for commuter boxes, but they converted back in 2012.

So are these going to be 'temporary' like your Escort was, where you kept using it long, long past when it needed to go away?
 
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I need a little info peeps. I am looking at getting another Roadmaster/B body and I have come across a few that are leaking coolant at the water pump(on LT1 engine). Wasn't this bad for something other than the obvious leaking coolant/ impending water pump failure?


And I want another B body because it simply fits my needs. I need to be able to tow almost 4,000 pounds and it has to be comfortable because of spinal issues. Got something else that fits the bill and doesn't ride like a truck, I am open to suggestions.

The first thing that I thought of was a Cadillac Escalade, but that might be too truck like even with the changes GM made to the suspension.
 
The first thing that I thought of was a Cadillac Escalade, but that might be too truck like even with the changes GM made to the suspension.

Any of the Pathfinders except the current one can tow 5000 and they ride pretty well (especially as a QX4) - coil springs and IFS.
 


From the second link

While most of the items are sold on to other drivers, it is also thought that powerful LED headlamp units are used to help in the production of marijuana, where they help the plants grow more quickly.

The lights are not the correct spectrum for growing good cannabis. They might be a good supplemental source of light, but I doubt it. I think this is just police hype.
 
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