Postcards From Myself

Actually, as odd as it sounds, I really do enjoy fixing cars. Maybe it is the fact that I get to hit things with hammers. Maybe it is that working on a car, at least the old ones, is so different from the computer, database, and web work I normally do. Hey, I get the chance to get really filthy dirty! In fact, at the moment, what I am really looking to find is a 1971 to 1974 MGBGT. I love them, had one as my first car, and am anxious to get another one. So, if you know where one is close to Charleston, SC, please let me know!

The only thing I don’t like about automotive work is paying for car parts! How do all my hobbies somehow involve spending money? Yes, I am always looking for discount car parts. Oh, you can find cheap parts – you know the ones that may last you until you get to the end of the driveway, but what I really want is good sources for quality parts. And the right ones too! If you are looking for Toyota parts, you don’t want to have to “just alter it a bit.” I was told this numerous times when working on my old BMW 2002. It was even worse when I was trying to find some parts for a 1986 BMW 325e! People would say, “Oh, this part will work fine if you just reroute this wire and shave a bit of metal off here with a grinder.” Pardon me? That wasn’t the way the part or the car were designed.

Recently I have been looking for a few odds and ends for the 2001 Ford Escape that I drive. It has just reached that age, meaning out of warranty and paid off, when small things start to break. First it was the solenoid for the tailgate release. Then the heater knob. Now a vacuum connection. None of them are very large parts, but they can be hard to find and at times expensive. Other than scrounging through junk yards – which is actually great fun and I do a good bit – I find myself prowling the web for parts.

While doing that web prowling, I came across a site called Go-Part.com. They have all kinds of discount parts for everything from the aforementioned Toyota to my Ford Escape. And for those wild children who care, yes they even have Jeep parts. Now they don’t have everything but they have the most commonly needed parts, and they carry good quality brands like DEPO, Koyo, and Modine. They also carry accessories and have and toll free number to help you if you can’t figure out or find what you’re looking for.

So, give them a try, let me know if you find my elusive MGB GT, and also let me know if you find any good salvage yards that have that elusive heater knob for my Escape.

It is Friday, I have a 3 day weekend ahead, and I am feeling lighthearted. (No, not light headed! Well, maybe a little.) Anyway, because of this I thought I should just give you some jokes. The first one is from my son, the second I heard somewhere on TV I think, and the third one is something people keep telling me because I find myself the owner of two BMWs for the moment.

So, without further delay, my attempts at humor…

Joke #1

Q: Why do squirrels live up in the trees?

A: They are trying to get away from the nuts on the ground. (Groan . . .)

Joke #2

Q: Why do chicken coups have 2 doors?
A: Because if they had 4 doors they would be chicken sedans! (Get it? Maybe you have to be a car guy…)

Joke #3

Q: What is the difference between a porcupine and a BMW?

A: The porcupine has the pricks on the outside. (Hey, mine are old “classic” BMWs!)

So there you have it. Hey, I never said they were good jokes. But if you know better ones, please let us hear them. And, Happy Friday!!

After going through the holiday season trying to chauffeur too many people around in my great old 1975 BMW 2002, I came to the realization that it really was time for me to get something a little newer and more practical. So, what did I buy? A nice new Toyota or Nissan? No! A sporty new MINI or Mazda Miata? No way! A dirt cheap Hyundai or Suzuki? Absolutely not!

Being the totally sensible and level headed person that I am, I bought another old BMW! Hey, but this one is more than ten years newer than the 2002. This one is a nice shiny (OK it will be when I rub it down this weekend) 1987 BMW 325e. This is a six cylinder car in a four cylinder car’s body. Basically. It is a 5-speed and, like any good “bargain” will require me to install a radio in it. Luckily I have just such a Pioneer AM/FM CD unit sitting around that I never got to installing in the 2002.

So, other than ten years of youth thereby placing at younger than my office-mates instead of older, what does this car have that Roxy, the 2002, doesn’t? Well, for starters it has air-conditioning and heat that works. Also door locks that actually lock and unlock. Oh, and then there is the 5th gear. That actually isn’t something that I worried too much about, but when I am on the 10 or so mile run to and from work it should come in handy. That along with the “eta” engine, which was supposedly an economy version, should help me raise my gas mileage from about 21 mpg to hopefully about 27 mpg. Not a huge difference, but hopefully at least worth one or two stops at the bagel shop per week.

So anyway, that is what is going on with me and will be going on for a while. Of course the car needs some work, and I will start getting to that this weekend. First off is just a good cleaning and polishing. Then of course I will need to deal with Roxy. Unfortunately just due to space and time I will have to sell her. But before I do that I need to clean her up and take care of a few odds and ends. And hey, if you are in the market for an old BMW, just let me know!