In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
I appreciate that, thanks!
In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :
I appreciate that, thanks!
In reply to TurnerX19 :
I think you're probably right about upgrades not always being fully welded. I've also thought that I could plate between the downtube and the a-pillar making it literally impossible for tech to see any section that couldn't be welded...
I took the Healey last night to pick up some take out. It wasn't getting spark when I went to start it. Hm. Nothing amiss under the hood. Maybe that extra wire that's supposed to go to the main power switch in the trunk that I was told shouldn't actually be connected because it causes problems is contacting something... Moved it away from everything, car started right up. Was that the issue? Doubt it but it's taped up now. That had slipped my mind.
Things accomplished after dinner.
Adjusted the OD throttle switch as it is still very wonky/only works sometimes. I believe I've got it to a point now where it'll come on in 3rd and 4th and not shut off when the throttle closes - which it does now.
Rebuilt the dashboard switch so that it's not backwards.
Taped up said wire.
Does your Healey still have a vacuum detector in the system that is meant ot prevent high vacuum actuation? There is a reason those are so hard to find in the swap meets. they all got smashed with a big hammer for frustrating the driver all the time. Just because the Brits loved a good rube goldberg machine, does not mean they built good ones.
I would leave it on the dash for show, but shunt around it.
Pete
In reply to NOHOME :
Nothing vacuum actuated on the car that I know of. Closest thing would be the hand-pump washer bottle that no longer resides in the car.
EDIT: well and of course the vacuum advance
It's practical.
OD is better but cuts off too quickly. That is, I can coast in OD or give about a gram of pressure on the gas and it'll stay but any sort of acceleration attempt and it cuts off. Just need to adjust the throttle switch a bit more.
My very first car was a '66 3000mk3 (which years later led to my user name mke =mark E, but I don't think anyway has ever gotten the reference). I was 15 and I'd made some money that summer painting for my grandfather pulled it out of my brother's friends mother's garage full of cat E36 M3, $300. I loved that car....eventually 
, I kept it about 10 years I guess.
Anyway, I gave up and disconnected the throttle switch...I found flipping the switch on the dash or downshifting to 3rd were both far less frustrating options and got to the point where I firmly believed there is no way that system, like several other on the car, ever work correctly when the car left the factory and were installed purely to make people who like to fiddle and adjust things insane. 
In reply to mke :
Another Big Healey guy on GRM, cool! Everyone I talk to about this switch says that they're the worst and I think you're right, anyone who wants to adjust and make things right will probably go insane. Stay tuned for my trip to insanity!
And, no, I would never have figured out your username.
Well, OD only worked once over the span of a ~40 minute drive yesterday. I'm thinking it's got something to do with the fact that there is a * considerable * amount of pedal travel before the throttle is actually affected. The arm of the throttle pedal and that clamp connection has some play. Doesn't really mess with drivability because your foot goes right through the dead spot at the beginning but I think that's the issue here.
I think I need to hold the gas pedal in the position where it's about to move the throttle on the carbs and used that as my "0".
I mean, I could also, you know, fix the slop in the system... That would be silly.
For the first time yesterday, there were times where it didn't seem happy. It was after long periods of extremely light throttle and cruising. I could feel it stumbling a bit and one time on a downshift (I usually rev match because it sounds SO damn good) there was a healthy backfire snap out of the carbs. In periods of up and down throttle / acceleration, the problem didn't happen. Carb backfire is usually lean(?) so maybe pressure just falls while cruising causing a lean condition?
Oh and I definitely need to replace the radiator cap.
In reply to AxeHealey :
Check for low carb damper oil first. Then look at the ignition. If all that is right look to see if the connection between throttles has slipped so one carb is openning earlier. Check for vacuum leaks too before adjusting the mixture.
You might want to change the fuel filter. During long dormant times stuff inevitably grows in tanks and lines and even new rubber tends to shed bits that can clog a filter.
Thanks guys, as always, for the suggestions.
Tenax.
In reply to AxeHealey :
Good on ya!
Early morning loadup made me happy I haven't taken the headlights out yet.
Crusty but trusty I suppose. FTD was 24.31 or something like that. I ran a 24.6.
I took the Healey for a ride yesterday afternoon and it was not happy. Hoping to have some time tonight to dig into it a bit.
I started simple with the Healey. Checked for loose electrical connections. Checked to see that the throttle for both carbs actuates at the same time. Looked at the points. Hm, maybe not great. Couldn't find my points file so I went inside.
Me: Wife, do you have an extra emery board? (I don't actually call her wife)
Wife: What's that?
Me: ...
Anyway, I grabbed an emery board, filed the points and gave it a go. It started right up, per usual, but I quickly realized that it was probably better to just take it for a test drive rather than have it idle forever in the garage. After three trips up and down my street with no issues, I decided to take it further. ~25 minute ride with no issues. Happy Healey again. I'm not holding my breath but it's back to normal so far. Pertronix coming Spring 2021.
Then I started into the dashboard and tonneau.
I'm going to recruit my wife to help me with this. Too great a chance I screw it up doing it by myself as there isn't much room for error.
For those of you who have done this without a template to work from, do you think it makes sense to start on the sides with the two turnbuckles?
Those tabs need to end up on the quarters, not more forward on the door, so I kind of feel that's where I need to begin and it'll just have to stretch fore and aft to make it work.
I have not done a Healey. On MGTD and Lotus Elan I start on the car center line front and rear and work towards the sides. The Lotus is particular about the ends at the door jambs, and it has always come out very snug until it sits in the sun for a few hours, post installation. I have had little success with sun heating uninstalled. Do not try to do it below 60F. Take the head rests off or fold the seats forward too.
I took the Healey out Saturday. All started well but then after about 25ish minutes it started acting up again. Brought it back, points were nasty already and I realized the gap was way tight. Like almost nonexistent. Must have slipped. Re-adjusted the gap, filed them and put it all back together. Yesterday I dragged my wife outside to help me with the tonneau and it wouldn't start. berkeley.
After about 10 minutes of poking around, I noticed something. Some hack, not me this time, in the life of this car didn't have the correct length screw for one of the screws that hold the points on. So, Hacky McHackerson just threaded a couple nuts onto the screw to have the right amount of thread. Clearly I've known this for a while but it hasn't presented an issue. This time when I reassembled everything, one of the nuts was contacting the curved arm on the points. How this hasn't accidently happened before, I couldn't tell you but I will be unhacking and getting the correct length screw. Anywho...
The hardest part of the whole thing was the dash pad. As much of this car wasn't right when I took it apart, I had no idea that the Tenax fastener on the pad is actually supposed to bolt through the cowl. That would mean removing the dashboard and that surely ain't happening. I had to get creative with the washer situation and it now doesn't sit perfectly flush but I can't see that from the driver's seat!
I gave it a quick detail and took it for a nice 25 min rip. The tonneau certainly helps the Healey live up its reputation of a toasty driving experience, perfect for fall weather but it'll be rough next summer when temps are back in the 80s.
In reply to AxeHealey :
I developed a permanent blister on my right heel using mine every day.
I'm supposed to be at Nelson Ledges for a track day today with the BMW. Last night I drained the trans and put fresh Redline MTL in. I now know that I can crawl under the BMW while it's on rollers, handy.
Ever since putting Redline MTL in the first time, there's been a periodic scream/whine from the trans that doesn't seem to have any relation to speed, gear, neutral, etc. but it does happen most often when the trans is cold - like during an out lap. Here is what the drain plug looked like last night.
Those chunks are actual chunks, yes. The thing never grinds or pops out of gear, just you know, screams every so often. I think I'll start keeping my eyes more wide open for a 5 speed.
Why am I not at the track right now? Well, we had big thunderstorms last night, are under a flash flood advisory, it hasn't stopped raining and the backyard is a mess. I have to pull the Healey out to get the BMW out and I don't feel like driving it through the mud. The part of the garage they live in exits to the back yard.
I really want some track time though, so I may take the VW.
Well, I convinced myself that it would clear up and I was just making excuses. I drove through rain all the way there and it didn't stop.
I first went out for about 10-15 minutes, came back in, did a general check and then went back out for 30-40. All was well aside from it being the most slippery surface I've ever driven on. It legitimately felt like snow in some spots. Full on four wheel drifts through 1 and a couple sideways moments in Oak Tree but in control and having a blast.
I came in and gave it a rest for probably 30 ish minutes. As I went out for my next trip the skies were brighter and it was no longer raining. My out lap was nice and the second lap felt really good. I still wasn't pushing too hard but it seemed the surface was better.
Remember those four wheel drifts coming through 1? This one turned into a spin! I held it sideways for what felt like forever but once the front tires hit the grass, it was over. The car seemed fine and I drove it off track and checked it in the pits. Although nothing seemed busted, I decided to call it a day.
What I've landed on is that my actual ability to see in that third stint tricked me into thinking the surface had improved more than it actually had.
The ride home was uneventful and, get this, sunny. Everything is packed away in the garage. The Healey goes into storage in 10 days so I'm going to focus on driving it as much as possible in that time and then once Nov 1 comes around, the E21 will be front and center in the "Tiny Garage" and will start it's reconstructive surgery.
Nothing major, just needs a kidney (grille) transplant 
Damn. I can't locate my spare kidney grill. Sucks about the off, but glad it wasn't too serious.
In reply to captainawesome :
The real bummer is that I'm pretty sure I tossed my gross extra kidney grille when I moved out of the shop earlier this year.
Well, as could probably be expected...I couldn't wait.
What I'm going to call the lower core support between the two hooks seems undamaged save the flimsy sheet metal that hangs underneath. The upper mounts for the valence are smushed but should be easy to bring back. The hood pins were bent backwards and to the passenger side which is why the hood was out of alignment. They are just bolted to sheet metal and, really, the front ones needed to be redone anyway.
There are two things that concern me but at this point I don't think are an issue. The real concern is this.
It's hard to show in pictures but the frame "rail" right between where the subframe and sway bar mount up has a bulge. The driver's side does not have this bulge. Thing is, the outside of this section (inside the wheel well) doesn't show any signs of movement and, frankly, I really can't say whether it was like that before or not. My spidey senses tell me it's been there a while because there is exposed metal on the face of the bulge that has nicely aged surface rust but I don't have a picture with the right angle to confirm or deny.
The other thing I noticed is that the radiator definitely moved.
That's the bottom where it sits in two of those cradles. You can see a ding where it shifted and hit the corner. It's mounted with rubber bushings up top and just sits in the cradles in the bottom. I'm not surprised that it moved, but it for sure did.
Maybe I'm fooling myself but I think it's OK. Who knows how much damage it has had in the past and it drove straight coming off the track. I think I've got a couple potential valences sourced that could maybe be at my place in the next week or so. I think my plan is going to be to put it all back together and then make sure it's aligned well at the beginning of next season. I haven't had it aligned in three years so that's probably a good idea anyway...
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