John, sorry you couldn't be there, had my own ride this year!
Leigh, forgot to hunt you down to give you some parts, Bill C. has them for you.
GregB, this is probably the 3rd time I've been somewhere you didn't show up. I think you're avoiding me!
Are you scared you're gonna be bested by an R based 1.8L??
Had some fun running through the gears with the science experiment ('66) up through the rev limiter @ 6500 rpm. Some rattles and a little noisy sometimes, but was doing well. Averaged just under 30 mpg (US gallon) for the trip and was quite happy with that.
On the way home following Garth and Kathy I started having electrical problems (I think it's the electrician's fault!). Power would cut out whenever I hit a bump in the road. It was getting so bad that even when I crossed the centerline those little bumps were killing the power for a second or two....I had to stop and check it.
Try as I did with waving, flashing lights, and a couple of horn honks I couldn't get Garth's attention ahead of me before the next exit came, and I pulled off.
After checking all the electrical connections, pulling on wires, checking alternator wire, Battery, etc., I found nothing and decided I had to try for the border. The problem was lessened, and I was confident I would make it......
Got to Blaine, WA. Time to fill up the gas tank. Fill up. Get a snack, hop in and start the car. Put the brakes on and the pedal goes right to the floor.......$h!#%!! The drivers side rear cylinder puked out all the brake fluid! Now what?? The border is right there, Damnit!! I'm only 30 - 40 minutes from home!!
After about 20 text messages and a few phone calls between me and Garth/Kathy, Bea, and my brother Ron, a surprise call from Ross Mullen to see if he could help (Garth told Bill Neal, who let Ross know...), my brother volunteered to come and help (bring vice grips & other expertise).
As per Garth's idea, we put a pair of vise grips on the flex line to the rear axle, added brake fluid and I had front brakes again, tho a very soft pedal. Enough to limp the car home across the border.....Which had a lineup as far down the road as we could see.... estimated 2+ hours to cross. Not willing to stop and go for that long, with or without bad brakes, we did some grocery shopping, went for a burger, talked......@ about 10:30 pm (brakes went @ about 5pm) we could still not see the end of the border lineup! We went to a friends place in Birch Bay, had a nice chat and a beer. At 12:15 pm the computer still showed 45 - 60 minutes wait at the border but we decided it was time to go regardless, Ron had to work in the morning....
Luckily there was no lineup, I had nothing to declare, and we were on our way....Home at 1:30 am!
I'll start the repairs tomorrow. The brake system is 20+ years old, it's time to go through the whole thing ...maybe an upgrade...maybe.
See you next year! In some cases sooner....
It was a real pleasure to meet you both and to enjoy your hospitality with a great bunch, both Roadster folks and a few, fellow non-Roadster drivers. I sure hope to have my Roadster ready soon although a year might be pushing it. Either way I plan to be there with something interesting.