Roadside repairs..

[Mike Costigan]

I suppose I can add two more incidents, although neither really involved roadside repairs.

The first was in my van, when I appeared to run a big-end whilst down near Swindon. I took a chance, bought a can of STP oil treatment and poured that in to the sump. It appeared to quieten the knocking somewhat, so I was able to drive - carefully - the 150 miles home. On dismantling the engine, the crankshaft came out in two pieces!

The second was less succesful: I had just visited Jack French down near Gloucester (he said he could recognise the sound of the Speedy cam ten minutes before I arrived!) when I had a comprehensive blow-up, resulting in a great oil slick along the A38 before I came to a halt. At that time the AA only offered recovery from a mechanical breakdown rather than a road accident, so the first question I was asked was was it an accident ... I replied I hadn't done it on purpose. Not much Speedy survived that incident 

[Alan]

In my youth, at a two day Loton Park meeting I changed the camshaft on the Saturday evening, because I thought it might be better with a slightly wider power band. I really can’t remember if it worked or not.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

My favourite story is from the Peak Trials, in the '70s.

Just before lunch there came a knocking sound, and a loose flywheel was diagnosed.

The engine came out, the flywheel was re-attached with the help of a large hammer, and I think we all had time for a quick pint before the afternoon trials started.


Otherwise, there was the time on the Fosse Way, doing my regular run from Loughborough to Taunton, when I overtook a wheel rolling down the road.

Which proved to be one of mine.

Three wheel nuts off the spare carrier later I was on my way again.

Having checked all the rest, which should be done on a regular basis.

But I still don't.

[AllAlloyCup]

My most ambitious roadside repair was when I attended the Culzean Car Rally, quite a big event, the Carpenters were there in force. This would be in the mid 1990’s?

I had my large 1937 MG VA DHC towing our Pennine Folding camper for the family weekend accommodation.

When we  were leaving the event , towing the fully loaded camper  , just at the exit gate
a halfshaft snapped. But I carried a spare and within 90 mins we were back on the road going to North Berwick. Many onlookers seemed impressed at the roadside repair but none more than myself!

This was a heavy car even though it was only 1.5 litres, hence my move
to Austin’s in my declining years!!!

Regards

Bill G

[Chris KC]

Simon's account reminds me of the ride to Beaulieu rally one year, I was crossing the New Forest at the wheel of my father's 'Chummy' with 3 passengers aboard when I was (rapidly) overtaken by the offside rear wheel, which continued straight as an arrow till it lodged in some poor chap's fence a couple of hundred yards ahead. Felt just like we'd gone down a big pothole. Soon rectified once we'd figured out how to get a jack between the axle and the road...

[Hugh Barnes]

I also lost an offisde rear wheel once. I was at some traffic lights at a T junction. The lights turned green and the rear wheel shot past me, across the main road and disappeared into a rather deep ditch the other side of the road. It took a while to find the wheel amonst all the reeds.

However, this was at 5pm the night before my wedding which was taking place the next morning, at the time, the Box was my only form of transport. The first photo in the wedding album is a picture of my best man and I repairing the rear wing that got torn as it hit the road when the wheel made its exit...

["Slack Alice" Simon]

Mine was a front wheel, and the only real damage was a flat on the bottom of the backplate.

[David Stepney]

Fortunately, I have never lost a wheel of an Austin Seven. However there is always a first time...... I'd better go and check my wheel nuts!

[Duncan Grimmond]

I was overtaken on the offside by the nearside front wheel of my newly refurbished first Beetle. It all happened so fast, there was drop, a clunk and a scraping of a flat being worn onto the drum and I was trying to work out what had happened as the wheel shot across in front of me. I was on the centre lane of the M62 and the wheel ran to the hard shoulder and up a banking before it stopped on the way back down. Tore a newly painted wing off at the rear bolts. I found 3 of the 5 studs in the hubcap and had a couple of spares in the toolbox.
For years afterwards, I would randomly stop at any untoward noise and check the wheels, despite knowing I'd tightened them all.

[Chris Garner]

A good few years back, en route to the SA7C Doune Rally in a friend's Type 65, the engine stopped with a clatter near Moffat. My friend was following some way back with his wife and two children and a small camping trailer. We pushed the car onto a slip road close to some crofters cottages and investigated. Engine out suspecting a loose flywheel but found the crank was broken, thankfully not separated. Decided not to reinstall said engine but placed on passenger seat. Car hitched up behind the camping trailer. By this time we were filthy and needing a wash we knocked on one of the crofter's door. Man appeared, allowed us to use his facilities, then noticed the car + trailer + Seven set up. In a broad Scotch accent he frowned " Ye ne going ta tow tha' wi' tha' - the polis, man, the bas..rd's ul do thee " ! We made Doune safely, passed by several " polis " cars. The great Scottish Seveners up there procured a fresh crank and rods and the engine was rebuilt by the following day allowing me to make the return trip to Nottingham without incident.