That's why I love my Minor.
Discussion
This morning was not a typical morning.
Firstly I had to do the school run as I'm off work for a few days and despite trying to get two kids motivated we were running late. Eldests school was due to start in 16 minutes as we walked out the door.
Get in car and turn the key - nothing but a few dash lights. Try again and a small attempt by the car at turning the engine over but nowhere near enough to start it. Blast!!
No time to jump on a bus as we'll be really late due to rush hour traffic, and walking/running wouldn't get us there any quicker.
There's only one option left - The Morris Minor.
Now normally she spends the winter tucked up safely in the garage and never ventures out in the wet, but needs must and boy is it chucking it down with rain
.
So off down the garden I go with the grass under foot squelching big time. Get in the car and of course as always she fires up first time. I love this car. Start to drive up garden (now bear in mind under the grass is a run of concrete tuff turf slabs not just soil) but it is wet and I can feel her sliding about a bit and the wall is only inches away
I reach the slope at the top onto the proper driveway and here I become stuck, absolutely no grip at all. Eldest runs down to push and I'm worried she'll get covered in mud splattering up but she stays in the middle of the car avoiding it all, phew!
Lots of huffing and puffing, wheels spinning, engine rev's of various sorts to see if anything gives me better grip and nothing, I'm stuck just a few feet from firm ground. Blast again!
One last try says eldest, and she moves forward just an inch, just enough for me to put my hand out the window and help by pulling on the wall, and it's enough - she's up and away on the driveway.
She's covered in dust and cat pawprints but who cares, a quick clean of the windscreen and off we roar to school and made it just with a minute to spare.
That's why I love my Minor!
Firstly I had to do the school run as I'm off work for a few days and despite trying to get two kids motivated we were running late. Eldests school was due to start in 16 minutes as we walked out the door.
Get in car and turn the key - nothing but a few dash lights. Try again and a small attempt by the car at turning the engine over but nowhere near enough to start it. Blast!!
No time to jump on a bus as we'll be really late due to rush hour traffic, and walking/running wouldn't get us there any quicker.
There's only one option left - The Morris Minor.
Now normally she spends the winter tucked up safely in the garage and never ventures out in the wet, but needs must and boy is it chucking it down with rain
.So off down the garden I go with the grass under foot squelching big time. Get in the car and of course as always she fires up first time. I love this car. Start to drive up garden (now bear in mind under the grass is a run of concrete tuff turf slabs not just soil) but it is wet and I can feel her sliding about a bit and the wall is only inches away
I reach the slope at the top onto the proper driveway and here I become stuck, absolutely no grip at all. Eldest runs down to push and I'm worried she'll get covered in mud splattering up but she stays in the middle of the car avoiding it all, phew!
Lots of huffing and puffing, wheels spinning, engine rev's of various sorts to see if anything gives me better grip and nothing, I'm stuck just a few feet from firm ground. Blast again!
One last try says eldest, and she moves forward just an inch, just enough for me to put my hand out the window and help by pulling on the wall, and it's enough - she's up and away on the driveway.
She's covered in dust and cat pawprints but who cares, a quick clean of the windscreen and off we roar to school and made it just with a minute to spare.
That's why I love my Minor!
uk66fastback said:
solo2 said:
Blast!!
Did you actually say that? The kids were in the car so maybe you did! HAve to love the classics ... what car was it that failed to start?Zafira failed to start, seems due to battery which went from showing no hint of a problem to dead overnight. Replacement now bought and alls well, the Minor will be tucked up back in the garage shortly and with two days of driving her battery will be nicely charged
Sounds similiar to my morning, half way to work and my wife calls me to say that the gearbox has just died on the Merc while on the school run, fortunately she coasted to a safe spot. I turn round, go back to her, give her my car to take the kids in. Reverse the Merc home (800yds)as it was the only working gear! Up to the garage, take the sheet off the old Alfa, fires up after a few turn overs. Bit dusty by defintely brightens up my commute, and probably a few other peoples. Good back up!
Sounds to me like fate is telling you to leave the Zafira in the garage and use the Minor as a daily instead!
I love it when classics step in and save modern cars; I recently had to jump start a 2008 Corsa at work with my Amazon. The owner didn’t seem too impressed when I pointed out that HE should be helping ME with my ‘unreliable old Volvo’.
I love it when classics step in and save modern cars; I recently had to jump start a 2008 Corsa at work with my Amazon. The owner didn’t seem too impressed when I pointed out that HE should be helping ME with my ‘unreliable old Volvo’.
I bought a minor van for £20 to use until I got my new Cortina. The Cortina had a VV carb which meant it hardly ever started until I replaced it with a webber. The minor first pul on the starter every time. That van became a learner car in the field for my sister, we never laid a spanner on it and even when the van body fell off. it still started first time everytime for at least the next 4 years.
dave stew said:
I have a soft spot for a Minor - first car I ever drove, my Mums 1967 ex Police 'panda' in light blue. Complete with long zip in the headlining where the blue lights were removed!
First car I ever bought. I bought one in 1988 as my firt car, mine was 30 years old then. It looked good in black from a distance.Bit of classic 70s custom Minor history here. Quite a lot, in fact.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Sorry, not very good at posting links - follow the links tho. Hope u find it interesting.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Sorry, not very good at posting links - follow the links tho. Hope u find it interesting.
Edited by quiraing on Thursday 29th November 20:36
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