Spring 1984
Welcome to the Spring 1984 issue of Moss Motoring. Immerse yourself in a vast range of stories that range from personal profiles, to technical advice, and more. We promise it’s a ride worth your while. Browse the articles below.
Moss Crew – The Staff at Classic Car Company
Terry Peddicord: A native of Ojai, California, Terry grew up in Santa Barbara, attending local schools. After attending SBCC, he entered a mechanical engineering program at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Terry’s father was a restorer of Model A Fords, as well as an all-around car and motorcycle buff, so Terry acquired a fascination for…
Restoration Division of Moss – Classic Car Company
Not too many parts suppliers can boast of having their own Restoration Shop as part of their operation! The Restoration Division of Moss Motors is Classic Car Company, located at 5921 Mathews St. in Goleta, about four miles from Moss headquarters. The decision to add a restoration facility was made in 1980 with a two-fold…
Moss Manager – Nels Miller
The skills required to run a Restoration Shop are quite different from those needed to run an ordinary garage. Instead of an ever-changing array of cars with a variety of ailments, the work involves a few cars which stay around for a long time. The restorer must have a strong will to resist (a) becoming…
Moss On A Roll
If you’re one of the hundreds of people who have been put on “hold” or had to be called back, you’ll know that Moss is BUSY these days! During the first Quarter of 1984, we processed a record number of orders, and April brought an even greater amount of business! Naturally, we are delighted by…
Tech Tip – Removing Ball Joint Studs
You don’t need a special tool to remove a ball-joint stud. Loosen the castellated nut several turns. Now all you need are two heavy ball-peen hammers of equal weight. Strike the support with the other hammer. Several hard blows should loosen the ball joint. Remove the castellated nut, and take the stud out of its…
Tech Tip – Distributor Breaker Points
From Moss Motoring 1984 Function: The function of the points is to make and break the electrical circuit to the coil. Each time the points open, the circuit is broken, causing the magnetic field around the ignition coil to collapse. When this field collapses, a high voltage spark is created that fires the spark plug….
Tech Tip – TR4-6 Steering Column Wobble
Does your steering column flex when you pull up or down on the wheel? If so, check the flexible rubber steering column couplings first. If these appear to be in good shape, check the lower mounting bracket for cracks. It is located below the dash where the column passes through the firewall. You may have…
Automotive Justice – Or, I Never Should Have Sold It
The 10W-40 Castrol dripping on my sweaty face added yet another dimension to the word “masochism.” I’d been under my ’65 TR-4 for 20 minutes trying to deal with the infamous canister element oil filter. Would the gasket leak? Will I have to spend another five minutes taking the securing nut off that mile-long thread?…
Quality is Important!
As a Moss Motors customer, you want to be sure that the parts you buy are the best possible quality for the price you pay. We thought you’d be interested in seeing some proof that we share your desire! The photo shows what happened to a shipment of reproduction steering wheels that were made for…
Short Story – The First Ride
From Moss Motoring 1984 l remember the day as if it was only yesterday. It seems hard to believe that it was over ten years ago. The sticker price was $4,255.35, including preparation and polish and inland freight. The TR-6 was one of two in stock. It was French blue, while the other one was…
Customer Profile – Ruth and Len Renkenberger
Ruth and Len Renkenberger recently resigned their positions with the North American MGA Register. Along with Mac Spears and John Wright, Ruth and Len established the Register in July of 1975. At that time, Len took over editing the newsletter and Ruth was secretary/treasurer. The first issues of the NAMGAR newsletter were printed in Len’s…
Tech Tip – The Difference Between Right & Left
From Moss Motoring 1984 When replacing front brake rotors on cars with wire wheels, be especially careful not to confuse the right and left side splined hubs. They are identical in appearance except for the knock-off thread rotation. A hurried job may well result in the wheel coming loose and propelling itself in advance of…
Was it that Long Ago?
From Moss Motoring 1984 I remember when the paint was bright, the tires were new, the oil clean and the odometer had just a few miles on it. It was a clear day, the top down, and I would cruise around with nothing to do but look for members of the opposite sex. One would…
The Joy of Restoration
From Moss Motoring 1984 Some of us have been bitten by the bug of answering an ad for an older foreign car and, upon seeing it, knowing that we must take it home. The owner always claims that the speedometer’s mileage reading is accurate. He will also swear on the Constitution of the United States…
Bet You Can’t Own Just One!
From Moss Motoring 1984 I received a call the other day from an MGA owner looking for used parts. He mentioned owning a couple of roadsters. Why is it, I thought to myself at that point, that most British sports car owners have more than one. It’s just like the old potato chip commercial. You…