All this nostalgia about our old cars made me think of my first "real car". It was a 1954 XK 120 Jaguar roadster. It was my daily driver for the years I had it and it was incredible. Over 4000# and would cruise all day at 100mph+. And in those days there were plenty of places to do that. No power anything, just that double overhead cam straight six that had pistons as big as your leg. It's only weakness was it's water pump and I could change it out in 10 minutes. The car never failed to start, ever. Now I drive old Volvos. Currently have a '73 142E and a '82 242. They are bullet proof. There's something similar between old Volvos and Barths. First, their beauty lies in the eye of the beholder. and second they are beautifully engineered. Now note that I said old Volvos. The new ones? Ah, I'm just not a fwd guy.

[This message has been edited by humbojb (edited February 06, 2006).]

You know what? I loved my VW bus. When I drove it everything fit perfectly for me to just lean on the steering wheel. It was a bit tough when on the Simi Valley Freeway during Santa Ana wind season. But hey, this baby had AC. Yep, it was in the ceiling. When ever I switched it on it was like having an exhaust brake. I had the engine replaced once when I firt got it. It cost $500 parts and labor. That was big buck though. My house payment for my 4b 2b Simi house was a whopping $209 a month... Boy we were rich back then.

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I've got to chime in on the Lucas thing. My 66 750 Norton Matchless, or Matchless with a Norton Engine, whichever you prefer, ran a Lucas ZENER DIODE, [I didn't make this up] ignition. It was the fastest easiest handling and most fun to ride bike I ever had, but it had a habit of just shutting down every once in a while. So you wait, maybe a couple minutes, maybe a half hour, and it would decide to run again. No one I ever meant had a clue as to what a Zener diode was or what it did, not even the wrenches at the Norton shop. It either worked or it didn't, and when it did fine and when it didn't, just wait a while and it might or might not work again. My odds improved somewhat when I got my 74 HD, and after a 55 TR2 and a 72 GT6 I decided I wasn't cut out to be a Brit car lover.
Nuff ramblin', We love em all!

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Dan & Suzy Z
'81 Euro 28

Zener diodes are strange little beasties. They're calibrated to run at a fixed PIV (peak inverse voltage), making them useful as a cheapo voltage regulator (except they can only clamp max voltage). They're wired in "backwards", as they never see forward current.

I suspect the Zener was used to clamp running voltage to the coil primary, much as a ballast resistor was used on cars (bypass on starting, inline when running).

Nevertheless, I'd never before heard of them being used in that application....

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Rusty

StaRV II, '94 28' Breakaway, 6.5L TD
2 Not-spoiled Golden Retrievers.

Hey Danny
I ride a 1970 Royal Enfield 750 Interceptor. It's the last of the line before being killed off by Norton who bought out RE in 1968. It was too good to let it compete with their new 750 Commando.
This last version switched to the Norton "Road Holder" front forks, exactly the same as used on your old Norton-Matchless. I've owned 4 Series Land Rovers, 5 0r 6 Royal Enfields including a 1934 model C 350 single, 58 Constellation and 3 or 4 Interceptors.
My current daily driver truck is a 1968 Land Rover.
Just luv that British iron!
Don

quote:

Originally posted by Danny Zeeff:
I've got to chime in on the Lucas thing. My 66 750 Norton Matchless, or Matchless with a Norton Engine, whichever you prefer, ran a Lucas ZENER DIODE, [I didn't make this up] ignition. It was the fastest easiest handling and most fun to ride bike I ever had, but it had a habit of just shutting down every once in a while. So you wait, maybe a couple minutes, maybe a half hour, and it would decide to run again. No one I ever meant had a clue as to what a Zener diode was or what it did, not even the wrenches at the Norton shop. It either worked or it didn't, and when it did fine and when it didn't, just wait a while and it might or might not work again. My odds improved somewhat when I got my 74 HD, and after a 55 TR2 and a 72 GT6 I decided I wasn't cut out to be a Brit car lover.
Nuff ramblin', We love em all!

I've never been a biker, but my oldest son is. For years he was a BSA fan (British Scrap Aluminum), but since he matured he rides a BMW.

Well olroy,I must admit, my regular summer 2 wheeler is a fuel injected, cat converter, computer controlled '96 BMW. Great bike but real boring.
Heck, you can't even mess with the idle unless you have an O2 sensor and the factory computer.
Don

quote:

Originally posted by olroy:
I've never been a biker, but my oldest son is. For years he was a BSA fan (British Scrap Aluminum), but since he matured he rides a BMW.

I've seen Beemer Bikes that I can't even figure out how the handlebars are connected to the whatevers that are connected to the front wheel,[at least on one side]! But if you want to push the "s" button and cruise across the country, this ain't a bad way to go!
Don, my uncle bought a brand new 850 Commando after I smoked his Guzzi, and was he ticked when I smoked that too! Then we packed up the wives, and I still left him in the dust! Man, I wish I still had that thing!

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Dan & Suzy Z
'81 Euro 28


[This message has been edited by Danny Zeeff (edited February 07, 2006).]

Mark me down as another former Morris Garage MG owner. I repaired everything on mine and sold it promptly before something else broke. The machinist found at least 5 cracks in the head before he quit counting. The Midget was as close to a go cart as anything I've ever driven. I now work on my neighbors Jensen Healy when I have any fond recollections of English cars and that cures the illness.

Ok, Besides my current TR-4 and 59 Ford truck i have had in my past, a 59 Hillman wagon, 64&72 VW bugs, a 70 TR-6, a 67 Camero, a 68 Roadrunner, a 68 Ford Cortina,and various 2 and 4 wheel drive trucks. I bought my wife a 59 Austin Healy bugeye sprite, a 79 MGB, an 81 Alpha Romeo Spyder, a 66 Mustang convertible, a 71 VW camper van and a Fiat 124 that we only had for 2 weeks that we could not get a clear title for. Those are just the ones i can remember off the top of my head....i know we have had others that i have forgotten about.