Category Archives: Uncategorized

There is perhaps no folkway, no widely accepted idea in the old car hobby that makes as little sense as attaching extreme importance to “matching numbers.” That is, the car still has its born-with engine block – the number “match” … Continue reading →

Today we got word from the Austin-Healey Owners Association of British Columbia – hosts of this year’s “Northwest Meet” – that they would be unable to present the event due to provincial government orders.  This is, of course, not surprising, … Continue reading →

Here’s a pic of one of the most seldom (is that proper English? “most seldom”?) seen parts of a Healey, the gearbox dipstick. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but accessing it requires peeling back the carpet on the gearbox tunnel cover and … Continue reading →

I’m struggling mightily to avoid commentary about this news, but perhaps it speaks for itself, although little does in the current epoch.   You can elicit the strongest knee-jerk disagreement about even the most obvious things in these times.  In any … Continue reading →

This could be one of a kind.  It appears to be a “blanking plate” covering the hole where a radio was previously mounted. How would that happen?  Let’s assume that this Right Hand Drive BN2, built 1 November 1955, was … Continue reading →

I have a history with pointy fuses, but we’re going to skip that and go right to noting that way back when, Lucas fuses had pointed ends such as those shown here. These were in the RHD BN2 that Kent … Continue reading →

I think we’re all well aware that old tires pose a safety risk, not to mention the reliability issue.   Advice varies on when you should replace your tires, but it seems that most say that tires older than 7 or … Continue reading →

I am reliably informed by John Turney, a retired chemical engineer, as follows: “The limits on ZDTP (actually the phosphorous portion of ZDTP) started with API SG oils. The use of ZDTP started about 1935. So, it [my vintage oil] … Continue reading →

So I recently acquired two cases of some apparently vintage Valvoline oil. Labeled Valvoline Racing SAE 20W-50 Motor Oil, it looks like the same stuff that we know today as Valvoline VR-1 oil.  And as you see, this stuff is … Continue reading →

Right now things may look pretty bleak for the touring season, but there are a few signs of hope.  One of those signs is a new event  intended to become a regular annual fixture on the calendar in the Portland, … Continue reading →