28th Birthday!

[CliveRothwell]

The money pit, aka C458BNF 3.4 series 3 claret auto, is 28 years old on Monday. To celebrate, I might just saw it into pieces but more likely, it will go into the local paint shop to have a new factory OSF wing fitted and painted as arranged. No doubt it will come back looking a mess / different shades of red but I guess it will be better than the rust chewed lower wing currently fitted. Probably the most annoying part of owning this car it that, no matter how much is spent on the car, it never really looks any better and invariably, needs work re-doing to get it as it should be. At some point, it will get a full bare metal respray at approx £6000 inclusive of tin work still outstanding but for now, it has to be done piece meal as I simply can't afford that kind of outlay. If I could retire, that would be great but I can't as this car is costing SO much money! If I'd simply saved the money I'd spent on the car, I could have stopped work a year ago by now..............
Anybody want a solid Jag with peeling lacquer?

[oldtimer]

I know the feeling, a cross we have to bare!

[CliveRothwell]

An update.....................

The new factory wing is in place, fits a treat and has paint that matches pretty well! Even more amazing, the car got up to it's winter hide away some 90 miles from it's summer base without missing a beat!
It's all tucked up now for winter covered in all sorts of preservative goo, battery off, new oil in, handbrake off etc etc. It'll get run up every few weeks............Storage outside won't work as it leaks water into to interior somewhere.

[piman]

Hello Clive,

I frequently hear that people who store their cars for the winter start the engine periodically. I believe this does more harm than good as the oil will not get warm enough unless the car is driven under load, the water temperature can get up to temperature but oil does not. This causes water vapour to be absorbed into the oil causing the formation of acids in the oil.

Alec

[CliveRothwell]

Thanks for the advice Alec. You are correct of course. I was hoping a running time of 30 mins would be enough the get the oil hot enough................I wonder what other members think?

[piman]

Hello Clive,

I think that one of the things that brought home to me the difference between an engine on load and off load was when I worked on Diesel generators.
These sets had exhaust gas thermometers (turbo charged engine) and ( I forget the actual figures) and as soon as the load was taken off the engine the exhaust gas temperatures dropped like a stone and the gauge read minimum in a matter of seconds.
My Triumph which has an oil temperature gauge has shown that it takes many miles of driving to see any real oil temperature, even in summer so the oil does not heat up easily.

Alec

[NATONEIL]

Clive

I have found over the years that a regular run of between 30 minutes or more is a good idea. In addition with the earlier comment about oil which I agree with, modern fuels can go jelly like if not stirred, and tires can become deformed if not rotated.

I know salt can be a problem but as long as the roads are dry I do not feel there is a problem and I can always find a good excuse to get out for run. (This weekend I shall take my SS out to get some photographs of my car with a steam train in the distance.)

[CliveRothwell]

I agree Neil, a regular run on a dry road is ideal especially if it a bonus day. For me however, that is more of a problem as the car is stored at my mother's house, nice and dry and getting there takes 2 hours / 90 miles by which time, what was a nice sunny day in Stamford turns out to be damp and miserable in Hull !

The next trip up will be to collect mother for Christmas, with an engine run up then, returning mother, another run up, and removal of the bonnet for a strip and re-paint. Nothing is ever simple...........

Apart from that, there is no heating in the car due to some idiot not spotting the main red vacuum supply pipe was disconnected AND the car leaks water through the front screen seal, so all in all, it's better in mother's garage for too many good reasons.