The Editor

Welcome to Issue 14!

We start with some good news on the financial position. The net balance at the end of 2011 was £870.49. Donations received so far in 2012 amount to £549.56 from individuals and £1184.22 from the sale of parts. This gives a total to date of £2604.27. The ‘hard’ copies of the magazine sent to subscribers have, including postage, been just about self financing (from subscriptions) and the cost of complimentary copies and postage has so far amounted to £236.32. This latter amount needs to be deducted from the total income to date of £2604.27, which leaves a net balance in hand of £2367.95.

My time comes free of charge and I have no expenses (for example, expenses are not claimed for journeys to source and pick up the polyurethane bushes) so the balance will, in all probability, continue to grow. Against this background I decided recently to pledge £500 to a very worthwhile Research Project which Paul Ireland, one of our ‘hard copy’ subscribers and a valued contributor to the magazine, is running with Manchester University to study the combustion process of modern fuels in older engines. Paul has worked tremendously hard to get this off the ground and he deserves all the support we can give him. A brief overview of the project is on page 18 and further reports will be published in future issues of the magazine.

Now for a little light relief! Some of us will no doubt recall that magic sound of an engine on first start up after being rebuilt. Gabriel Öhman from Sweden in his best ‘Swinglish’ sent me the following on starting his J2 after an engine rebuild:

She started nice and smoothly and as with all children at the beginning there were a lot of leaks! Oil/petrol. At last we had a use for the blxxxy birch seeds which at the moment are pestering our life. Better then sawdust!

Maybe it’s my sense of humour (which you may not share) but I had a good laugh at the picture!

The TTT 2 Tour of Rutland, advertised in the last issue and advertised again on page 12 has received wonderful support and we are currently just over two thirds full. I’ll soon need to get down to working out an entry fee, but as previously stated it will be kept as low as possible.

Every now and again I read something about our cars which strikes a particular chord. The following is an extract from an e-mail sent by Rick Waters in Vancouver to the tabc group:

So, where does the TC fit into this, you ask? Well, simply put, the simple, manual transmission TC is my way of going back to the fun times of my youth, and I’ve got a good hunch, the same holds for many in this group. I like the fact that the headlights are, well, lights, rather than some amoebic form moulded in plastic. I like the fact that form follows function in the design of the fenders; that the radiator has a real, live cap on top; and I like the thoughtful inclusion of a toolbox located right where you need it.

To me, the T series MG is a real car, it fills a need new cars just can’t, and that is the need many of us have to show that we are masters of machines, and not the other way round. Something goes wrong, I can almost always diagnose it; then, I can fix it, and be on the move again. Every time I think of getting rid of the TC, and driving a Camry or an Accord, I stop myself with the realization that I need to have that demonstration of mastery to feel that all’s well with the world.

Long live the old car hobby!

Finally, Martin Franklin, who is patiently waiting for some of the large poly bushes for the rear of his TC and encouraged by the little ditty from West Reynolds which was published a few issues back, has come up with the following:

As you scream around the hairpins
Of the mighty Stelvio
Do you think about the split pins
In the shackles down below?
Poly bushes new and shiny
They really look the part
But forget the humble split pins
And your life ain’t worth a ***t!

JOHN JAMES

DISCLAIMER BY THE EDITOR

Totally T-Type 2 is produced totally on a voluntary basis and is available on the website www.ttypes.org on a totally FREE basis. Its primary purpose is to help T-Type owners through articles of a technical nature and point them in the direction of recommended service and spares suppliers.

Articles are published in good faith but I cannot accept responsibility or legal liability and in respect of contents, liability is expressly disclaimed.