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Moby D

August 16, 2006 / Roger

This is just about the closest I have ever come to a new car or truck. This F150 four-wheeler was three years old when I bought it with 45,000 miles on the clock. It was a nice, comfortable truck, and when in four wheel drive was very good at dealing with snow, loose surfaces, etc.

I sold it when I realized I wasn’t using it much–it was a lot of money to leave sitting in the driveway. It was also a bit of a monster, as I don’t like full-size trucks without an eight-foot bed, and with the “supercab” that made this machine almost 22′ long. Perfect for our street-parking-only house in the city!

Riley Sprite

August 15, 2006 / Roger

I believe Riley to be one of the more interesting marques of the pre-war period and some cars are especially lovely. Witness the Sprite, current from ’36 through ’38. An example:

You can see this and many Rileys at Rob’s Riley Pictures.

Another Dead Battery

August 11, 2006 / Roger

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 Joys of “Hobby” Websites

August 1, 2006 / Roger

As many of my six regular readers know (can an irregularly published blog even have “regular readers?”), I created (and continue to maintain) XKE Data and XK Data, databases of surviving Jaguar sports cars. Overall, it’s been a positive experience–but since I have a podium here, you’re going to have to read about the pluses and minuses of this type of site.
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Whidbey Island Vintage Ride

July 16, 2006 / Roger

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.

Ferguson Refresh

June 22, 2006 / Roger

My car project this summer is going to be giving old Fergie a face-lift. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just a bit of a dress-up over her current condition, which is pretty scruffy. I have a new pair of fenders, a new wheel center, and a few bits and bobs…and a couple of cans of paint. New tires, too. The machine will still need a full restoration at some point, but for the short-term this will be great.

Junk City

June 4, 2006 / Roger

So, er, that’s my ’64 MGB. It’s a beauty, eh? This is what happens when you don’t have a garage or shop to store all of your valuable artifacts in. As an aside, humans are weird creatures, aren’t they? Any rational alien would look at something like this and probably have their brains explode just trying to comprehend why, exactly, someone would want to do this.

XJ6 Sold!

June 4, 2006 / Roger

Dave was kind enough to give me money and an old band saw for my XJ6. It was a decent car but just not my kettle of fish!

Trading…Maybe

May 28, 2006 / Roger

How the “mighty” have fallen. I’m seriously considering trading my XJ6, which I really shouldn’t have accepted in the first place, for the Ultimate Blasting Cabinet. I really dislike the little benchtop cabinet I have and I spend a LOT of time during a restoration using the bead blaster to clean things up. Plus it would be large enough to actually hold the entire cage from a Jaguar rear suspension. Hm.

Of course the reason I’m considering this is that there is essentially zero interest in this car–Chuck will be thinking “I told you so!” along with Paul, my wife, the guy who used to own it…everyone but me. Oh, well.

1964 Pile o’ Junk Finally Retreived

May 24, 2006 / Roger

My friend, neighbor and fellow weird car afficianado Paul was kind enough to help me retrieve my ’64 project this evening. We had previously absconded with the parts and tonight we were able to grab the shell. It’s now sitting in my storage bin in front of my ’63…hopefully Reggie the ’63 will be able to pass some good karma to the poor old beast.

RUSTY HEAPS