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by Anura Guruge
Related posts:
>> MGB gets Steve Barlow treatment.
>> Steve Barlow at Christmas
>> Tree lighting.
>> MGB goes to Steve Barlow
>> — Nov. 2014.
>> Green MGB — Sep. 14, 2014.
++++ Search ‘MGB’, ‘MG’, ‘Stag’, ‘Jensen’ & ‘cars’ for many other posts >>>>
Though it was rather cold today, 15° F (-9.4° C) when I went running this morning, it has been precipitation free since before Christmas. Quintessential NE bright blue winter skies, with no snow and as such no salt on the road. The roads are as dry, hard and dusty as they would be in August after a week on no rain.
The battery, out of the car per Steve Barlow’s very precise instructions, had been on, full-time, on a trickle charger (from Amazon), for three weeks in my toasty hot workroom (which houses the oil furnace). I have never really had a car in winter hibernation ever before. The MG Midget that I had, which was much, much newer and in good running order, would get used, occasionally in the winter. I had put ‘Star Tron’ gas additive in the tank, again per Steve, and wanted to make sure that it got into the system. Since Boxing Day I had been telling Devanee that we should put the battery in the car and take it for a spin. But all of my ‘spare time’, during the day time hours, got spent with Teischan and her Drone. I knew that time was running out.
So on Tuesday afternoon, around 3pm, with the temperature at 15° F (-7° C), I took a break. Devanee had already brought the battery up.
It took a fair amount of cranking for it to catch. The battery didn’t die on us. I was impressed. Once I got it started it took another 5 minutes before I could get it to idle without conking off. Eventually I got it going. I guess the engine was cold. Once it warmed up it was firing like a champ. Devanee jumped in, with her new phone (which, of course, has two cameras), and we took off. Not sure how far we were going to go. Didn’t want to push it too far home. But it did good. We got brave. Neither of us had gloves on. My hands were fine (though in my old age I now wear gloves, something I rarely did 10 years ago). The engine is running good. Sounds healthy and strong.
In the end I drove it for at least 30 minutes. Devanee got out after about 20 minutes. She was cold. It was fun. I am glad I took it out.
The horn, alas, doesn’t work on a constant basis. Steve will have to fix it again.
Not sure whether we will get another chance this winter to take it for a spin. Definitely not taking it if the roads are frozen. Today the dirt roads around here were dusty as heck. The Alton Town dump trucks were working on Prospect Mountain Road. They were kicking up Tsunamis of dust. They know me. They would stop, way back, when they saw me to let the dust settle. The drivers are very nice like that.
Well that was fun. Gave Devanee a kick. She still hasn’t driven it, though she now will move the van for me in the drive. Just a matter of time.
Happy New Year.
[All the pictures taken with Devanee’s Android phone.]