The thing about driving a 46-year-old British car is this: you know that eventually something will go wrong. The question is, are you prepared to deal with it?
For the trip, I’ve been building a cache of tools and spare parts to get me through the more likely problems I might encounter. Here’s a (likely incomplete) list:
- Tire change kit (jack, wrench, & hammer)
- Air compressor
- Full set of socket wrenches
- Full set of box wrenches
- Two screw drivers with interchangeable bits
- Leatherman multitool
- Multimeter
- Wire cutters/strippers
- Zip ties (nylon & steel)
- Tape (duct, electrical, & silicone)
- Silicone sealant
- JB Weld
- Spark plug gap tool
- Feeler gauges
- Funnel
- Paper towels
- Shop rags
- Microfiber towels
- Flashlight
- Gloves (mechanic’s & nitrile)
- Spare tire
- Spare tubes for the tires (x4)
- One gallon of antifreeze coolant
- One quart of oil
- One bottle of zinc additive
- Distributor cap & rotor
- Spare set of points & condenser
- Spark plug wires
- Spark plugs
- Fuel pump
- Fuel filter
- Fuel line
- Fuses
- Spare wire
- Thermostat
- Assorted nuts, bolts, washers, & screws
The most likely problem I’ll encounter is a flat tire. Because of her wire wheels, Rosie still needs tubes inside the tires, which has caused some problems. In the 14 months that I’ve had the car, I’ve had 5 flats, all due to the tube being punctured by the spoke adjusting screws inside the wheel. To address this, I’ve started putting a thick PVC tape over those screws whenever I have to deal with a flat, so hopefully that problem is getting better.
Speaking of tires, you may have noticed an odd item in the tire change kit: a hammer. Rosie’s wheels are, literally, knock offs. You put the wrench over the hub and then you hit it with the hammer. It’s a great hammer, too, designed to protect knock off wheels. One side is pure copper, the other is rawhide. It’s even got great branding: Thor’s Hammer.
The next most likely problem that could strand me by the side of the road is probably some sort of engine trouble. For an engine to run, it needs three things: spark, fuel, and air. As you can see from the parts list, I have almost a complete replacement for the ignition system (spark), from the points and condenser all the way to the spark plugs. I also should be able to deal with most fuel issues, with a new pump, filter, and lines. As for air, that’s provided by the carburetors, which should only need mechanical adjustments.
Everything else is there to handle the problems I haven’t thought of. There are only two categories of problems that worry me: suspension failure and transmission failure. Both of those systems are in good working order and have been recently serviced, but if something does go wrong, it will likely require a tow truck and some time in the shop to get everything fixed.
Of course, with all this preparation, there’s a good chance that whatever ends up going wrong is something I haven’t prepared for. In that case, I just hope that I can MacGyver myself a solution to get me to the next town.
But, then again, if nothing went wrong, where’s the adventure?