After 2 Months I finally drove my classic today
Discussion
With all the snow and freezing tempratures my Scimitar has been parked up for two months. Its kept outside so I was expecting the worst. Amazingly it fired up instantly without having to jump start it. A couple of issues with the rear lights were swiftly resovled by giving them a good smack. The rear drums rapidly became unseized with a bit of left foot breaking while holding the loud pedal down. I still need to dry the footwells out after bailing out the twin ponds but on the whole it appears to have survived its enforced slumber very well.
Likewise, new sprog, snow and road salt has kept mine in its garage since about late November. A small matter of a failed brake pressure switch needs doing but it's a £10 component and a 10 minute job.
Got it started too first time in over a month, it hates the cold weather, the carb dashpot oil is probably too gloopy and the choke sticks just enough to make it a b
h to keep running in cold temps.
So I was surprised when I cranked it over, the battery was fine and it ran on full choke with little to no encouragement from the throttle foot, very happy to see it off choke after only a few mins.
Job done. MOT time next month though, all the brake pads will need doing (inboard rears - fantastic!)
Got it started too first time in over a month, it hates the cold weather, the carb dashpot oil is probably too gloopy and the choke sticks just enough to make it a b
h to keep running in cold temps.So I was surprised when I cranked it over, the battery was fine and it ran on full choke with little to no encouragement from the throttle foot, very happy to see it off choke after only a few mins.
Job done. MOT time next month though, all the brake pads will need doing (inboard rears - fantastic!)
Some older cars seem to be good at reawakening after hibernation. A couple of years ago my '54 Riley RME started first time after being in the garage from October to April. That's without having to do anything other than prime the mechanical fuel pump, the battery hadn't been charged and had been connected throughout the winter.
It'll be interesting to see what needs doing to my '63 Riley 1.5 when I waken it on Saturday.
It'll be interesting to see what needs doing to my '63 Riley 1.5 when I waken it on Saturday.
I took my Singer Chamois over to Combe yesterday morning to meet with a couple of people from the circuit, furthest it's been since November and it behaved itself very well. The trouble with the twin Webers is you just want to jam the throttle down all the time to make that lovely induction roar 
.
Suspension geometry at the front is all wrong on low springs though so it's very pointy, need to dial out some of the negative camber and set the toe-in, I suspect one of the steering arms got a smack on the last trial and knocked it out a bit.
.Suspension geometry at the front is all wrong on low springs though so it's very pointy, need to dial out some of the negative camber and set the toe-in, I suspect one of the steering arms got a smack on the last trial and knocked it out a bit.
plasticpig said:
With all the snow and freezing tempratures my Scimitar has been parked up for two months. Its kept outside so I was expecting the worst. Amazingly it fired up instantly without having to jump start it. A couple of issues with the rear lights were swiftly resovled by giving them a good smack. The rear drums rapidly became unseized with a bit of left foot breaking while holding the loud pedal down. I still need to dry the footwells out after bailing out the twin ponds but on the whole it appears to have survived its enforced slumber very well.
Why don't you put a cover over it ? 
grahamw48 said:
plasticpig said:
With all the snow and freezing tempratures my Scimitar has been parked up for two months. Its kept outside so I was expecting the worst. Amazingly it fired up instantly without having to jump start it. A couple of issues with the rear lights were swiftly resovled by giving them a good smack. The rear drums rapidly became unseized with a bit of left foot breaking while holding the loud pedal down. I still need to dry the footwells out after bailing out the twin ponds but on the whole it appears to have survived its enforced slumber very well.
Why don't you put a cover over it ? Edited by plasticpig on Sunday 22 February 22:27
Never again though !
Today I thought I'd go to the garage, push out the Riley, take out the battery to charge it (no power to the garage), put it back in and awaken the car from it's winter slumber.
Not a bit of it....
I went to the garage, inserted the ignition key, pulled out the choke, turned the key, pushed the starter button and on the fourth prod, after a couple of belches, the engine fired. A few minutes later it was ticking over nicely. Within half an hour I was back from a quick whizz round the neighbourhood.
Winter is over!
Not a bit of it....
I went to the garage, inserted the ignition key, pulled out the choke, turned the key, pushed the starter button and on the fourth prod, after a couple of belches, the engine fired. A few minutes later it was ticking over nicely. Within half an hour I was back from a quick whizz round the neighbourhood.
Winter is over!
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