Don't Blow Your Top

WARNING: readers with weak hearts may want to have medical assistance standing by when reading the later parts of this blog post. Somewhere along the line, I decided I needed to buy a hard top for the car. While I know I can get the soft top more weatherproofed, the hard top would be my first choice for a day I expect serious rain, or all day rain. The hard top is also quieter, and I've already noted that driving with the soft top up is a loud proposition. In the long winter months I'm likely to leave the hard top on until warmer weather appears.

Ejected From The Passenger Seat, Sliding Across The Pavement

The weather has warmed up and I've finished some projects, allowing me to enjoy some great driving. One morning recently I hopped into the car, put my bag on the seat next to me and headed off to work.  It was a little overcast and cold, so I put on one of the hats I've learned to keep in the door pocket - bright orange.  A few minutes into my drive I approached a double left turn, that I like to take "with gusto", allowing the car to relive a small amount of the glory it had when it made a splash at "LeMans" in 1955, where it was famous for its ability to handle in the corners. In reality, and especially for any blog readers out there of the law enforcement or insurance agent persuasion, this means the corner is taken a little faster than the other cars can comfortably do but still within all safe and legal limits. Not so much as a squealed tire. But hey, it livens up the commute.

MGA at LeMans in 1955. This is basically what I look like
on the way to work most mornings.

In the throws of the corner, I heard a sickening sound from just behind me to the right - not quite a bang but clearly related to the metal of the car body. I could also make out some movement - a part of the car was flying away - a softer thud, and a horrible grinding sound. I glanced to the right and found the passenger door wide open. A scene from the night before replayed in my head - I could remember my oldest getting out of the car and not fully closing the door. What a relief, the sounds were just the door overcoming the friction holding it partly closed and flying open in a centrifugal reaction to the turn.

A relief that is, until I realized fully what had happened. As I turned the corner, my computer bag with my MacBook Air and iPad hit the unlatched door and flung it open. The bag was then ejected from the passenger seat, hit the road and went sliding across the pavement. The traffic behind me sped past it, around it, and over it, hopefully not truly over it. I pulled off the side of the road and spotted the bag. I got out and ran over. A passerby waiting at the light had gotten out of the car and was picking my bag up for me. I met him in the middle of the intersection - still wearing my bright "hunter orange" hat - and thanked him for his help. Back in the car, off to work, certain I was carrying a bag of expensive broken glass.

Luckily when I got to work I found the bag had some minor "road rash" on the bottom, but the laptop and the iPad worked fine. Nothing short of miraculous. I double check the passenger door now before I leave the garage.

Gas gauge and battery - my first stranding

We decided to go out for a little night time drive around the neighborhood.  You know, to "inspect" the lighting system.  This car is even more fun to drive at night.  The lights are not as bright as modern halogens, but are a beautiful warm yellow color that just feels right.  The high beams work fine too, and definitely make it easier to see.  The high beams are the old style with a foot switch. Luckily my first car was a 1976 Dodge (before that was "vintage") and had the same type of foot switch or I would have had to google to figure out the high beams.  I wore flip flops and quickly regretted it as hot air from the engine bay streamed in and made it uncomfortable to keep my foot on the accelerator.  That's a cheap and easy fix: wear shoes from now on.