Did you realize that seasons move at a different pace for non-Healey owners than they do for us? Most readers of this newsletter have had more years to enjoy their cars than this humble editor, so maybe you’ve forgotten. In the pre-Healey days, a nice warm breeze sometime in March will prompt the non-Healey person to think, "That’s nice. I’ll soon be able to wear short sleeves. Hmm, guess I ought to sharpen the blades on the lawn mower." To the Healey enthusiast, though, that warm breeze sets off a chemical chain reaction in the brain. Thoughts of top-down driving creep in during critical business meetings, and you can get some pretty strange looks from your colleagues when they catch you sneaking the Victoria British catalogue out of your day planner when the meeting topic turns to depreciation rates of partially completed capitalized plants.

Ahem. Not that that’s happened to me personally, you understand.

Doug’s Drivel

We’re sorry we missed the tech session on Saturday the 13^th, but we had a family obligation. Besides, it wasn’t really Healey weather, and, since our car is now in perfect mechanical condition, we don’t really need any technical knowledge, do we? Enough excuses. I am truly sorry we were not able to be there and garner some very useful information.

We did have another really good pub night at Sullivan’s on March 8^th, though. Leonard certainly steered us to a restaurant which serves up some succulent food. And the camaraderie and conversation may have been even better than the food. When Healey people get together, what could be better than the conversation? Except maybe the driving!

Don’t forget you need to make your reservations at Grey Gables Inn if you haven’t already for the Rugby drive on April 24^th. It’s really important to let the Inn know soon if you wish to stay there when we do the drive. David Campbell has a really good weekend planned for us, so try to come if you can.

Don’t forget to clear your calendar for the Townsend British Car Show on May 1^st and 2^nd, and the May West Knoxville Driving Challenge on May 15^th. Gary Lownsdale and Amy Turner have lots of fun events scheduled for us on that weekend.

I’m really excited about the year ahead, and all the activities we have planned. ‘Til then,

Happy Healeying,

Doug

Smoke Editions

Everything I needed to know, I learned from restoring a barn bugeye.

• Sometimes you really should look a gift horse in the mouth. It’s true that there really is no such thing as a free lunch.
• Getting out of the mainstream of life for a few years can get your rustier than you might think.
• The people who make Ben Gay and Mentholatum could learn a few lessons from the makers of PB Blaster and WD-40.
• When someone tells you "It’ll be ready by February 30^th," don’t assume that they must mean March 2^nd.
• Simple decisions aren’t always simple. When you finally settle on Leaf Green, you may find out that there are 24 different shades of Leaf Green in the PPG computer.
• There’s something to be said for the direct approach. When the body guy says "Let me show you underneath the car," try not to gasp when he brings over a couple of big guys and just pushes it up on its side. Try not to look too relieved when he adds, "We don’t do this after it’s painted."
• Don’t take it for granted when things are going smoothly, in budget, and no problems in sight. That’s when the number one piston is going to get stuck in the newly-machined block and you have to order a whole new set of four pistons from England.
• Two cannot live as cheaply as one. When your spouse sees how much "fun" you’re having, they may bring home a $50.00 MG ZB Magnette to tinker with.
• Tennessee Ernie Ford was right. Just substitute "Mini Mania" where he said "company store."
• When you’re feeling overwhelmed, there’s no greater motivator than friends. They share their experience, they’re willing to get their hands dirty, they sympathize and empathize, and when it’s all said and done, they’re the ones you will remember when you finally turn the key and hear the engine hum.

Snow? What Snow?

"SU Carburetors 101" could have been the name of the tech session held March 13^th. The snow and slush kept most people away, but a few brave souls made it to the tech session and got an in-depth look at the inner workings of the SU carburetor.

Gary, Paulette, and Charlie Lownsdale hosted the session, and intrepid explorers Paul Fournier, David Campbell, and Paul and Amy Turner attended. Gary disassembled some SU carbs and explained the purpose of each component. Attendees learned the real meanings of the terms "running rich" and "running lean," the importance of selecting the proper needle size, and the various methods of adjusting dual carburetors. David Campbell brought along his carburetors, and the group concentrated on remedying a stuck float on one of them.

Because of the rotten weather, we’ll have to see if we can convince the Lownsdales to provide an encore performance sometime soon. Don’t miss the next one…unless a tornado hits!

The Rest of the Story

The rest of this issue contains announcements about local and regional events. Feel free to duplicate and distribute any that may be of interest to friends who own British cars…hint, hint!