After a very, very slow fall we are busy again. Lisa told me this morning that we have something like 23 cars in the shop along with a small number of bench jobs.
At the doctor's office this morning a fellow in the waiting room remarked, as I walked in, "You look familiar." After I concluded my visit with the receptionist I turned to the guy and apologized for not recognizing him. Turns out he had once owned an MGC and I'd worked on the overdrive. But that was 1977 -- so it's no wonder I didn't have any hint of recognition. I got back to the shop and looked for his file but couldn't locate it. Now understand that we have files that go back to 1972 when I was trading as British Motors Service in Kalamazoo. In fact, just two weeks ago I pulled a file from that time. So it was very frustrating not to have immediately located this fellow's file. But, it might be that when he sold the car it was changed to the new owner's name.
Curt worked today on an MGA gearbox which had snapped the layshaft. Very odd! And, it was the second time that gearbox had snapped a layshaft -- the inside of the sidecover was dated 1983. We changed the main case. Later he worked on the assembly of a Midget 1500 engine. Casey had the day off -- for what reason I haven't a clue. I worked in the morning on a RHD Mini whose owner collected it about 2pm and drove home (some 40 miles distant) in a snowstorm. Later I continued to work with a Moss rear seal on a XPAG engine. I got the seal fitted and was just about to fit the timing chain when it was time to bring the cars in. Three wouldn't start tonight -- and it was sheet ice under the snow in the parking lot. Curt and I had gloves but the apprentices, the two young guys -- well -- they haven't discovered gloves yet. But with the four of us pushing, those two MGs and one Alpine got back into the shop.
Later in the afternoon we took in a Volvo P1800 to install a gearbox as a favor to RJ Blett of Coopersville. He and I shared the building on Eastern Avenue for a couple of years, 1975-1977. He does Volvos, I do MGs. But there are always exceptions.
A new owner came in today -- he's assumed his father-in-law's Triumph Spitfire and was looking for assistance in getting the restoration started.
At technical time I heard from a retired preacher from Illinois who drives his MG all the time. I also instructed a TD owner how to disassemble his windscreen and ignition switch for chroming.
You'll note that the pictures are from last week -- but it looked about the same tonight!
