Getting ready for 3ma08

[Thotos]

Having had my trip to Brooklands on Saturday, I spent most of Sunday and yesterday (Bank Holiday Monday) pampering  the 131 to make sure it's ready for its marathon drive in just 9 days time for the 3ma.  I estimate my total driving for the 3ma to be 1600 miles  (2600 km  ).

I fitted the new set of headlamps which I collected on Saturday at Brooklands (thanks Mick, they look great now!)  and I spent some time trying to adjust the twin 45 DCOEs as the idling hasn't been as smooth as it could be (and the fuel economy doesn't seem good either!  ). I also fitted a new set of spark plugs and it's much better now although not perfect. I think I have a slight air leak on one of the carburettors and even though I have a spare set of inlet gaskets I don't want to remove the carburettor for further investigation this close to the 3ma. But I'll take the spare gaskets with me just in case things get worse.

I also decided to drive to the office in the 131 today to see how it handles London traffic in 23 degree weather and it behaved admirably.  In fact it's not often that I arrive at work with a smile on my face!  And if you need proof, here's the 131 in our office's not very welcoming car park.

[mick131]

Good to know they are already being used Theo 

[Thotos]

On my way back from Brooklands last Saturday, I slipped the home-made CD of the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest into my 131's Kenwood CD player and after a couple of songs I was just getting into the spirit of it and singing along  when the CD player stopped and threw out the CD  And that was the end of the CD player  it refused to play any CD after that 

So last night I decided to change the Radio CD unit in the 131 as the Kenwood unit never sounded too good and the buttons and writing were so small I couldn't read them without reading glasses on and I can't see to drive while wearing reading glasses! (all you young people out there reading this and thinking "what's he on about?" just wait and you will find out in a few years time!).

I have a few spare units most of which are radio cassette units but who listens to cassettes these days! So I decided to fit the Blaupunkt Alicante unit that I had lying around. It looks a bit too "modern" in the 131 and the blue and red lighting are definately not as nice as the plain green lighting I had with the Kenwood. But it works and quite well too (although I haven't tried playing the Eurovision Song Contest CD yet  ) plus it has the added bonus of RDS, PTY etc that come with modern units. It doesn't sound as well as I remember it when it was fitted to my daughter's Peugeot 106 and in fact the sound is on par with the Kenwood unit so I suspect the speakers are not that great. I have a few spare speaker sets lying around so might be changing those tonight. But at least I now have a working CD player and therefore my choice of sounds for the 3ma... 

[gerafiori]

the bigger issue here is
your a eurovision fan
just kidden my wife makes me look at it aswell
gerry

[sid131]

love your 131 Theo

[Thotos]

love your 131 Theo

Thanks! 

[Thotos]

 my wife makes me look at it aswell

So that's your excuse  I don't make excuses 

[curt]

My wife only EVER looks at it   
what a dissapointment 
and the eurovision of course