After a few years of being stored in damp sheds due to our moving around, I’m afraid my BSA will probably never be this nice again, unless I re-restore it. This photo was taken shortly after I finished the restoration.
Category: Current Liabilities (Page 17 of 18)
The current lineup of mouldering hulks
Took the ’63 MGB out today for a spin. Not much more to say other than a good early MGB is a great car to drive, and a great way to get into ye olde British cars if you haven’t already.
The ’63 MGB has yet another dead 6-volt battery, the third in six years. I think for drivability’s sake I’m going to put in a single twelve volt. I’ll considering going back to twin sixes when I get around to restoring the car. In the meantime, I have no desire to spend $100 for another sixer that will only last two or three years.
The Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts had their almost annual Whidbey Island ride today, and I took the BSA. It was very enjoyable, with beautiful weather and a great selection of people and bikes. The BSA performed well but I am increasingly frustrated over how hard this bike is to start when it’s hot. It makes it not much fun at all to ride, knowing that if you stop for a break or lunch there is a chance you’ll be kicking forever trying to get it going again. I’m going to try and tackle the carb first, and see if that helps. The mag was expensively and professionally rebuilt, but hard starting hot is notoriously a symptom of a bad magneto.
I’ve agreed to buy back my 1990 F150 pickup from my friend Brent, who bought it from me a few years ago. It’s a good truck and is the very base model F150 from that year–what they called a “work truck.” No carpets, vinyl seats, no accessories at all. But it’s in good condition and still only has 65,000 miles on it. I guess it was somewhat forgetable since before now it didn’t even make it into my list of past vehicles!
It has a canopy on it which I paid a decent amount for, so that our fostered Chocolate Lab, Flake, could ride in it. Hence the entry name. Do I even have a photo of this thing, anywhere, from my past ownership? We didn’t get a digital camera until Allie ran the Portland Marathon, and I think that may have been after we bought Moby D, the white ’98. Hmmm.
This is what a carport should look like. Reggie, Fireball, and Fergie. Old Yeller sits outside, knowing that come winter he will take the place of the two fair-weather machines. Or something like that, anyway. Bike is running OK, though the blasted carb is really a piece of junk. Time to try a different one, me thinks.
Just a photo of reggie taken today. Slightly overcast and temperature a bit cool for summer–summer 2005 summed up right there!
I brought the BSA out of slumber to get ready for annual Vashon Island shin-dig, hosted by the local Vintage Motorcycle club. (Note: The photo is from a show the bike was in a few years ago, now!)
It started right up, considering the inactivity it has had–it still only has 650 miles since it was restored. Smoked like hell for a bit, wet sumping to blame, I think. I have a list of things to do, starting with having my friend Robin take a look at the carb to my replacing the kill switch and the absolutely dreaded task of pulling apart the front end to fix the forks, which leak like there is no tomorrow.
I met a potential contractor for our new house at our property on Friday. I was lamenting that I rarely get good deals because I put out some weird “sucker” vibe or something. He said “show up to a meeting in that truck and they’ll know you don’t have any money.”
My poor truck gets no respect–and it’s a perfect disguise (not that I have any money, in any case, but still).
The PTO seal on the fergie was leaking a bit, so last week I drained the 8 gallons (!) of hydraulic fluid from the machine and changed it. I was feeling very proud of my efficient work, and only noticed at about gallon seven of the refill that the new seal was leaking like a sieve…way worse than the old one.
My short-term solution? Park the tractor on a steep hill to prevent the expensive fluid from pooring out. Today, a week later, I pulled the PTO shaft and examine my work. (I always buy two of any seal I replace on anything mechanical so I have a spare in case I screw up.) Well, it was leaking because I essentially destroyed the new seal putting it in last time. Doh!
My spare is on, installed correctly, and seems to be working fine. Took about fifteen minutes, by the way…