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Well, I hooked the MG to the back of my truck and headed off to the last Autocross of the season. I was all proud of the tow bar and my ability to transport all kinds of stuff to the event. Race tires, jack, stands, cooler, etc. At the event I swapped tires easily, got in line, and when the green light came on I launched. Half way around, the clutch pedal went to the floor. DNF. I had lost a clevis that holds the clutch cable. Sunday. No hardware stores around, I was getting around to loading up and going home when I spotted the hook for my tow bars safety chain. The clevis in that book was perfect. Clutch repaired, I hurry up and get in line as my session was about to end. I launch again and my door flys open. In my haste I had failed to secure the secondary latch. I had to slow and latch it as it wouldn’t stay shut otherwise. Back in line. Launch for the next run. The car hooked up and was going good until the left rear trailing link weld broke. The rear shifted and I managed to coast it off the course. Thank god for AAA. Truck came and hauled it home. I am not a happy camper.
I had the Go Pro on so I will post the link when I upload it.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Dang!
Sorry for your troubles, Bill. Let me just put this in your ear though: what if that trailing arm weld broke on turn 6 on the way up to the Pagoda?RIP
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Please, man, get a better welder than you to re-do these trailing arms. If I got my count right, that’s the third time that weld has failed in the past five years.
Bill, Really glad to hear of no permanent damage to either yourself or your car. But, if you were doing these welds yourself, well, I have to agree with Ed. Ya know? Three strikes and you’re out. I never weld anything that’s important – there are plenty of guys that are good at it.
I agree. When it comes apart, a professional will weld it back together.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Sorry about your luck.
But I’m damn glad I know what a clevis is.
I wonder what the reaction would be if I told most of my friends, “My friend Bill lost his clevis and couldn’t drive.”?
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Thought that comes to my sometimes optimistic mind: Fun and exciting!
😉And all’s well that ends well enough.🙂Run one: clutch linkage failure
http://youtu.be/ObxpFUIoeh8Run Two: door latch screwup
http://youtu.be/hvNCOIzCM88Sorry, these are lousy videos. GoPro mounted with suction cup on windshield. Still too much wind noise even with windsock mounted on camera housing.
PMOSSBERG2015-11-02 19:29:38Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Well, the track run looked fun if not for the trouble. The wide view videos sure make me nervous, can’t see those orange cones until their close. Would hate to try and drive with my vision actually like that, and bouncy too!
A few weeks ago after a car show along railroad tracks I heard a knocking sound while driving back home. At first thought it might be the fiberglass body detaching from the chassis after the rough jolts over the railroad tracks. Realized it was the passenger door not completely latched closed. I had let a couple little kids get in for a picture and didn’t think to check on that door.Thanks Roy, had read a bit of that before, although not into the link about the different type latch mechanism from what I have.
Mine is similar to house doors, just a flatter slot/tab.This is the other seen there in that message thread:I’m lucky my doors close perfectly and easily, with little force applied. Was one of the first things I noticed about this car.But I was surprised it didn’t get forced open at 70 MPH by all that wind, probably thanks to the closely fitting door seal. Maybe just lucky that time.LRH, I think you mis-read the post that I linked. The screen door type latch that I posted is very good as a SECONDARY latch. Your factory door lock is very similar if not exactly like original MGTD locks. These are notorious for their unlatching at the most inopportune times.
Many of us have installed the screen door types as a secondary protection or a safety latch. Very cheap insurance. The cost of repairing consequential damage to your door and rear fender would be very big ticket. I highly recommend you consider installing. Installed with care, they can be almost completely invisible. West Marine has very nice highly chromed ones.
Third run: Trailing arm weld breaks.
Pardon the language.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"Bill, I know that the intensity of your interest in Autocross and Hillclimb etc exceeds mine. But, I’ve been doing it longer so allow me a suggestion: I have found that if you say “S**t, S**t, S**t!!!” three times, it is highly effective. One must practice to get the cadence just right and it is important that each utterance is at a slightly higher (almost musical) tone than the previous. Additionally, a slight building in volume helps with definite finality on the final go. It is imperative that the iiiii be drawn out on the third. (In the South, it is believed that, especially on the 3rd word, it should be pronounced emphasis on the middle as in “eeeeeiiii”. But, test results are inconclusive so this is not yet proven.)
When done properly, innocent bystanders will know to stand clear for at least few seconds until the foaming stops. Practice makes perfect.
Royal2015-11-03 07:53:34
Thanks for the constructive advice. I promise to keep practicing til I get it right.
Bill Ascheman
Fiberfab Ford
Modified 5.0, 5sp., 4:11
Autocross & Hillclimb
"Drive Happy"
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