Griffith wrecked
Discussion
As yesterday was due to be the hottest day in October on record, I thourght it would be a good idea to wash the Griff and take it out for a gentle run to make sure the chassis and running gear was fully dry before the winter lay up.
As the car was my pride and joy it never went out in the wet and was always put on axle stands in a heated garage during the off season. What a mistake to make! After bumbling through the traffic into Derbyshire I was negotiating a rarther busy island when I am sorry to say that the throttle return spring somehow became jammed (only one fitted) resulting in the car managing to hit the limiter in third with disastrous consequences.
I always thourght that the car needed respect, but never believed that the facker would try to kill me! Anyway long story short the car never made the exit of the island due to the rear just about braking traction and the front not being able to turn in at about 100mph, end result was ploughing through a pair of three meter road signs and ending up on the grass verge, needless to say the car appears to be a write off, the front near side corner is completely annihilated with damage to the body, suspension and also bent chassis. On the plus side I have managed to escape almost unhurt, apart from being stiff as a board and somehow having a black eye I seem to be OK especially as i have just had surgery for a broken shoulder!
Anyway sorry for rambling on, it all seems to be a horrible dream at the moment but also many thanks the the two guys who stopped to see I was alright, ( one with the new silver golf who recognised the car from on here) In a word GUTTED!
As the car was my pride and joy it never went out in the wet and was always put on axle stands in a heated garage during the off season. What a mistake to make! After bumbling through the traffic into Derbyshire I was negotiating a rarther busy island when I am sorry to say that the throttle return spring somehow became jammed (only one fitted) resulting in the car managing to hit the limiter in third with disastrous consequences.
I always thourght that the car needed respect, but never believed that the facker would try to kill me! Anyway long story short the car never made the exit of the island due to the rear just about braking traction and the front not being able to turn in at about 100mph, end result was ploughing through a pair of three meter road signs and ending up on the grass verge, needless to say the car appears to be a write off, the front near side corner is completely annihilated with damage to the body, suspension and also bent chassis. On the plus side I have managed to escape almost unhurt, apart from being stiff as a board and somehow having a black eye I seem to be OK especially as i have just had surgery for a broken shoulder!
Anyway sorry for rambling on, it all seems to be a horrible dream at the moment but also many thanks the the two guys who stopped to see I was alright, ( one with the new silver golf who recognised the car from on here) In a word GUTTED!
selnic said:
Thanks guys, as you say the main thing is I am still in one piece, body parts can't be replaced, cars can!
Nick
Absolutely the right attitude but I know that I would still be quaking in my boots! Terrifying story. Glad you are OK and hope you get a replacement soon, this time a non-Cato version (not now, Cato!).Nick
Onno
glad ya ok chap, coulda been v nasty indeed for you and passers by, and you have a great story to tell about it, much better than something like being rear ended at 10mph by a bus or running into someone pulling out of a junction
i once lost a good whack of cash when i stuffed my first porsche, i skidded on a fuel spillage, spun, rolled and then flipped it end over end... much better than my pal who ran out of stopping room and smashed his audi gt coupe into a bin lorry
you walked away from it with a fine story to tell, all in all it's a good crash
i once lost a good whack of cash when i stuffed my first porsche, i skidded on a fuel spillage, spun, rolled and then flipped it end over end... much better than my pal who ran out of stopping room and smashed his audi gt coupe into a bin lorry
you walked away from it with a fine story to tell, all in all it's a good crash
Sorry to hear this Selnic. Glad you are ok. Quinny, I have a two springs see pic. My single main, is connected on the outside of spindle and seems ok since 1999. Two mains can be fitted but give's a stiffer pedal and puts extra tension on the nipple connection at the pedal end and can wear and break.
Nick, let all know where you believe the spring got locked up?
Nick, let all know where you believe the spring got locked up?
Quinny said:
Sorry to hear of the loss of a Griff and glad you're ok....
Quick question.... How come only one spring was fitted?
If you look at this pic there is a spring on the cable mechanism and another spring on the butterfly bar....
Having had a look at the throttle today, it appears that the hooked end of the return spring has snapped off, allowing the body of the spring to fall into the linkage, jamming the throttle open, must be a million to one chance of it happening though, i would'nt believe it myself if i had'nt seen it,Mine had one main return spring on the forward side of the throttle assembly.Quick question.... How come only one spring was fitted?
If you look at this pic there is a spring on the cable mechanism and another spring on the butterfly bar....
Thanks Nick. Was your main spring fitted like mine or Quinny's. If fitted at end of spindle there appears to be more room for the broken spring to fall clear away and not jam the linkage. The main spring has a lot lot of tension to hook back on. A lot of plyer energy force required. Some HM grease on the hooks should help slow down wear and prevent breakage. If in doubt, chuck it out, and renew.
Mine was fitted same as Quinny's, however I have also noticed that my main spring is not uniformly coiled along it's entire length, the middle section is opened up, this is the part that as it has snagged onto the throttle bracket below thus holding the throttle open.
Please excuse the doddgy picture, as my hands ars still a little shakey!
Please excuse the doddgy picture, as my hands ars still a little shakey!
A good picture. How b....y unlucky. Million to one chance when the end hook broke, it caught on the upright edge of the throttle cable support bracket. Perhaps the spring was also opened to catch the edge. It should have bounced off and the butterfly spring would then have closed the throttle. You should be ok with the insurance. Good luck.
Many thanks for the support and kind words , its nice to know there are still a bunch of good guys on PH, actually feel like s
t at the moment mainly due to reality setting in as to what has happened and also the feeling of being of going ten rounds with Mike Tyson. Anyone for dhydrocodeine?
t at the moment mainly due to reality setting in as to what has happened and also the feeling of being of going ten rounds with Mike Tyson. Anyone for dhydrocodeine?
Sorry for your loss Selnic, but you walked away. I got soooo lucky with my last one and it could easily have been a bad one, I at least was able to get the car fixed as well, but it really does take time for it to get out of your system. Chin up, you can go car shopping at least and how good is that!
Loss, because it does sound like a write off with chassis damage as well.
I'm not even sure having 2 springs would have helped in this situation, I think there are actually 3 in the linkage, I've always kept with 2 but I know several owners who've gone to 1.
Loss, because it does sound like a write off with chassis damage as well.
I'm not even sure having 2 springs would have helped in this situation, I think there are actually 3 in the linkage, I've always kept with 2 but I know several owners who've gone to 1.
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