Featured Story

Richard’s Almanac: The art of jalopy maintenance

RICHARD LOMUSCIO PHOTO | 1970 XKE Jaguar, 1967 Austin Healy Roadster and MGTC from the late 1940s owned by Joe Hine.
RICHARD LOMUSCIO PHOTO Vintage rides at the Shelter Island Classic Car Show in June included a 1970 XKE Jaguar, 1967 Austin Healy Roadster and MGTC from the late 1940s.

I spent the past week trying to complete a project that I started  two years ago. I am almost done but not quite.

In August of 2015, I began attempting to install new brake lines in my 1956 Jaguar roadster. One of the lines to the rear brakes had rusted through so there was no choice. I ordered all the necessary parts — all the tubing and wheel cylinders — from a Jaguar specialty firm in Steubenville, Ohio. The only time before that I had heard of this Ohio town was that it was known as being the hometown of crooner Dean Martin.

The parts arrived in a timely manner, however, I was not ready for the task. I got the car situated in a dusty barn and supported the back end with jack stands. I was ready to go!

Or so I thought.

It’s worth pointing out that I grew up as a “car guy.” I got my first jalopy when I was 14. It did not run and I did not have a driver’s license. My father thought it would be a good way for me to learn about how cars work.

It was a 1947 Standard-Triumph 4-place tourer that was past its prime. It was at a junkyard in Huntington with a price tag of $30. For $5 more the owner delivered it to our house in Northport.

This was in May of 1960. My summer project was to “restore” it.

The car had no top, the leather seats were dried out from exposure to the weather, there were no side curtain windows and the floor was made of plywood. There was also extensive wood throughout the body that needed help. I couldn’t wait for school to end so I could tackle this project.

The first order of business was to get a battery (none came with the car) and a lug wrench to remove and paint the 4.00 X 16 artillery wheels with new-looking motorcycle tires from Sears.

I remember the 6-volt battery cost a little over $10 and a very sturdy four-socket lug wrench was about a dollar. But I had saved up from my allowance and paper route.

The battery turned the engine over but it would not start. I spent a great deal of time in the library pouring over automotive troubleshooting books. We did not have an auto shop where I went to school so I was at a disadvantage. I had to read and ask questions. I spent time at garages picking mechanics’ brains.

I even took the LIRR into Manhattan to the Triumph Motor Company offices in the East 50s and was able to buy an owner’s manual for the car.

I did not realize how many systems went into play to get an internal combustion engine to start. The electrics, the fuel system and the right compression would presumably get it going. It was a slow process.

I decided to get it looking good first. I painted the wheels, including the rear mounted spare, and dashboard with a cream color enamel — I used a brush. The body was shot with about five spray cans worth of dark green paint. I even learned about using body filler on a small dent in the left front fender. It did not look bad, particularly if you looked at it from about 20 feet away.

The bodywork took up most of the summer. I still was not able to get it started. That happened the following summer after cleaning the carburetor, changing the head gasket on the flathead engine and installing new spark plugs — I remember that they were 50 cents each! The car was towed in gear and it fired up. Loads of smoke, but it ran. I was ecstatic. But at the same time sad because I realized that my backyard mechanical work could never get it in shape to pass a New York State inspection. The lights did not work, the mechanical brakes  were bad, the doors were ready to fall off and there was rust on the frame — but I learned about the basics of auto repair.

As I look back on my work with the 1947, I realize that I did not mind being on my back under the car contorting in many different way to get a nut loose or free up a frozen cable. Teenage bodies handle that better than my current aging self.

I am going to finish the old Jag soon, with the help of my grandson, and we’re using that same lug wrench from many years ago to secure the brake drum nuts.