Summer 1996
Welcome to the Summer 1996 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.
Tech Tips: Summer 1996
When my ’68 Jaguar XKE needed a new clock battery, which is a small mercury cell 1.5 volt, I was informed that the EPA had banned the sale and disposal of mercury cells in California! Determined to have a working clock in the Jag, I modified the circuit, grind two pieces of insulated wire, approximately…
Dingo Blues
I suppose any 19-year-old college student in the late ’60s sporting his favorite pair of Dingo boots would have been upset to find them unexpectedly ruined while sitting in Western Civ class. A little investigating found the culprit to be my 1964 MGB with a leaking master cylinder. Brake fluid had found its way through…
Chaput Chatter
This hobby is a cyclical one. Over the winter, when cars are safely stowed away from the cold, we go into a form of hibernation. The busy summer of the previous year has passed, Christmas flew by, and before we know it, spring once again has blossomed before our eyes. Here at Moss, right around the…
Buttercup
There she was: a 1979 MG Midget at a yard sale on the corner of Solar Road, where my fiancé Ed lived south of Montrose, Colorado. With her bright yellow paint, black top, bumpers and tires, she looked like a giant bumble bee touching down in the middle of used clothes, pots, pans, dishes, and old…
At Full Chat: Summer 1996
Lensman Dave Gooley has found himself a significant other, Susan by name. Regular readers of this column probably know that Dave does most of the photography that illustrates my articles. What makes this Susan particularly significant is that she loves to travel. Last May, she spent nearly three weeks careening through France and Italy with…
Yes, There Were MGs at Indy!
Much has been publicized in regard to MG ’96, the giant meeting of all the MG clubs to be held at Indianapolis in lute June of this year. However, how many enthusiasts know that in the early ’60s, especially in 1964 and 1965, MGs actually raced at Indianapolis in the famous May spectacular—the Indy 500?…
Under the Bonnet: Summer 1996
Our cars constantly “talk” to us, but we don’t always listen very well. New cars have very soft voices, and even when they are in great pain they prefer to talk through their computers to a diagnostic computer in a shop. Not so with our older British sports cars—they bellow and roar enough when everything…
Triumph Super Seven
When I saw the picture in the winter issue of “Moss Motoring,” I did actually recognize the little Triumph, and wondered how many of your readers had ever seen one, let alone driven one! The Super Seven was my first-ever motor car, although the one I purchased in 1950 was a single-seater hill climb version, originating…
Through the Windscreen: Summer 1996
Maybe by the time these words pass across your winter-weary retinas, we will be wending our way eastwards in the Mossmobile, on the way to the first of the great British car events scheduled for this summer’s Moss Road Show. So that you might come up and visit with us as we travel this wonderful…
The Nut Behind the Wheel: Summer 1996
I’ve been wanting to replace my original 17-inch steering wheel with a wood-rimmed one for some time. For those of us of ample build, or belonging to the “seismically stable” set, the additional clearance of a smaller wheel can make a lot of difference in driving pleasure. Yes, I know that there is just an…
The Naming of a TVR
After I bought my TVR 2500 some two years ago, I started to cast about for an appropriate name for it. Then one fateful day it acquired a name—easily! The Carlisle Import Auto Show in May is a favorite event of mine to attend. As I drove out the 132 miles from Philadelphia to Carlisle,…
The MG Olympics in 1996
Runners to your marks…get set…bang! GO! Another Olympic year is upon us. Many of us couch potatoes will more than likely be spending more time in front of the tube this summer hoping our men and women can bring home the gold. For the last 15 years or so I have been the owner of several MGs,…
MG J2
As a co-chair of GoF West ’95, I wanted to make a contribution that would make this event particularly memorable. It was agreed, therefore, that the event would feature a tribute to all pre-war MGs, and we would make every effort to encourage owners and their cars from all across the country. Pre-war MGs have…
Made in the USA
In order to keep our inventory as complete as possible, we here at Moss Motors purchase parts from many countries around the world. As you can imagine, a lot of parts that are really essential to keep our cars on the road are no longer available. Our founder, Al Moss, foresaw a need to reproduce…
In Defense of the TR7
When I received the Spring edition of “Moss Motoring,” I was delighted when I saw the article “Afterthoughts on the TR7” listed on the cover. I thought, Finally, some credit is to be given to the Wedge! My delight turned to anger and despair when I read the feature, as “Afterthoughts” turned out to be another totally unenlightened…
How to Add Hazard Flashers
Having in my classic car collection several British cars, I note that nearly all of them have one feature lacking. In spite of the accepted Lucas practice of intermittent off/on, there is no switch for hazard blinkers. While a lever is provided for (hopefully!) left or right turn trafficators, it would be nice sometimes to…