San Antonio, Texas
A long day, but a very productive day. The Turner Engine was installed, wires hooked up, overdrive reinstalled, fluids added and we ran the engine long enough to open up the thermostat.
Considering the severity of the surgery, the process has gone extremely well.
Tonight is just a beautiful night in San Antonio to sit outside, with a scotch and a celebratory buzz, watching the fire take hold in the brick oven. Temps are near 70 with a light breeze.
Life is good.
Back in Texas performing major surgery on the Rover with the help of my Sponsor as well as his crew.
The bulkhead was removed and the engine pulled out in slightly less than 2 hours.
Everything was marked & pictures taken, so I’m hoping the install will go as smoothly.
You know you’ve made an impression when a motel manager assigns someone to shadow your vehicle with a scoop and a bucket of oil-dry.
I closed the hood after checking the oil level. It’s amazing how only a little amount of oil can spread across so many parts.
There was a shout from behind me: “Hey! That thing is leaking something!”
My tongue ran out in front of my brain, and I responded, “You’re kidding! My god, what was your first clue?”
I did eventually try to backtrack by adding, “Thanks. But I did notice the large puddle under the truck.”
Stating the obvious, even when done with the best intentions, is still stating the obvious.
Spring must be near, even here so close to the tundra. I recently placed an order for a slew of Rover gaskets, because: 1) Rovers leak, and 2) I really have an itch to double clutch and get passed on the Expressways.
I stopped by a friend’s place of business this afternoon, to see that he had new VW parts scattered about his desk. He’s taking on an engine rebuild, so of course, he had to show me pictures of the motor sitting on the garage floor. $322.00 in shipping charges later, he had most of the parts needed to complete (start) the job. He said, “I can’t believe you had a complete motor shipped up here. How much did that set you back?” I hated to tell him about $58, because I used a freight forwarder. At least he didn’t have to ship a cylinder head, the post office clerk still hasn’t forgiven me for that.
A Series I Land Rover, that was custom made for Winston Churchill and given to the former Prime Minister for his 80th birthday, will go on the auction block in October.
The vintage Series I was fitted with an extra wide passenger seat for Churchill’s ample… umm… load, for when he was ferried about his 300 acre Chartwell estate. I realize that the man was a heralded statesman, but making the driver sit on a “jump seat”?! I’m sorry, but that’s just wrong. But kudos to Rover for using a “spare” part from the back of the truck… very frugal after the war and all. I do love this part: 58 years later, this VIP Rover has only 12,000 miles on it. I put more than 12K on mine in the first two years of ownership. Hell, I’ve done trips in mine that were longer than that.
15 years after Churchill’s death, his family sold the old Rover for 150 pounds. The car will go under the hammer on October 20 at Cheffins auction house in Sutton, Cambs. If you’re interested, you will need at least 60,000 pounds to drive it home.
Story courtesy of MAO Inc and The Daily Mail-UK
“I, Alaska Mike, being of sound mind and frostbit legs, do hereby leaveth… Ha. I don’t think so. You’ll have to pry my cold, dead fingers from the steering wheel…”
But I digress…
Happy Winter Solstice! We will soon be gaining daylight, and as long as the firewood holds out…
There’s a copy out there of the original Series I Far Eastern Expedition Oxford? I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. I can’t tell if the copy has the roof hatch.
Where’s the Cambridge 2?
I’m currently stalling from hauling in wood for the week. What’s with this insane wind out there? We are not suppose to experience windchill in Fairbanks.
