Hood Insulation Conundrum - SOLVED

I just got a fun package from W&N with hood installation. The end pieces went on nicely, with my trademark Canadian lumberjack ax ensuring a good bond at the corner of the left-side piece.

Problem is, W&N said, "there is a big pad for the center will will be placed under the central metal bar."

Well, that's not going to happen. The vertical metal bar (and I had sent them a similar photo of the hood underside) is only about 1/16" from the hood. Short of using a crowbar there's no way the pad's going to fit under that bar.

Solution - cut the pad in half, leaving room for the metal bar?  Or something I haven't thought of?

NOTE: This question was posted on BMW2002faq.com in hope of further suggestions.  A helpful guy in France said words to the effect of, "Just cut the stupid thing."

And so I did.

Snowed In

Yesterday I was scheduled to take a 60 km. drive to check out another NK, this one a 1968 2000. But Mother Nature had other ideas and now the car is stuck in the garage until such time as the season becomes more amenable to pleasant motoring.

 

Going out in my wife's car this morning, I noticed that the city had dumped salt solution on the major roads, so I'll have to wait for a good rain to wash the streets before my next excursion.  Seattle has a reputation for demolition-derby driving when there's half an inch of snow on the ground; the Transportation Department is regrettably dumping salt everywhere these days when the least bit of flurries descend from the sky.

Maybe I should call Alex and go to Tahoe.

Driving a Cabriolet in the Cook Islands

DESCENDING THE CAIRO SIDE - a novel of the traveling life
Available as an e-book on Amazon.com


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The New Year found me in Aitutaki, and I couldn't resist the opportunity to tool about in a Cabriolet.

Regrettably it wasn't a Bimmer.

1) A real cabriolet, the Nissan March

No it wasn't much good, and yes, the suspension was shot at 80,000 kms.  At least the thing got around 15 km. per liter.

 

2) Parked at the site of a marae, well inland and jungle-bound

While on the island we experienced a storm with winds in excess of 100 kms. per hour and the rain, which came down sideways in great sheets, poured through the canvas roof and drenched the car, which smelled forever more like mold until we left it at the airstrip at the end of the trip, with its key in the ignition for the owner to retrieve.

A Shiny New Brake LIght Switch

As I mentioned on the forum a few days ago, cars behind me at night had begun to flash their brights at me last week.  I finally figured out that the brake light switch was only working when I depressed the brake pedal very firmly. Therefore no brake lights, except when I actually stomped on the pedal.  A bad deal for city driving with all the inattentive, nonattentive, and attention-deficit drivers on the roads.

The next step was to determine where the switch was located.  The 2000 had two versions; a later one mounted inside the car behind the brake pedal, but of course I had the early model, a hydraulic switch on the master cylinder. 

1) The old switch

It looked fine but then the workings aren't exactly visible.

So I acquired a new one; alas the BMW version seems to be NLA.  After a moment's wrestling to loosen the nut on the old unit, the new switch went on quickly.

2) New switch

Now let's hope other drivers stop flashing their lights at me.

POSTSCRIPT:  Since the owners manual indicates that one should flush the brake fluid once a year and mine had last been changed nearly 12 months ago, I filled her up with new fluid today. Now the brakes are firm and operate like new. Best of all, the brake lights illuminate with just a tap on the pedal.

A Futile Attempt at Washing

Despite having been caught driving in the rain only once - at least in recent months - the wheel wells have collected their share of detritus from fallen leaves, conifer needles and other assorted road flotsam.  So I washed the underside of the car today.  Driving back into the garage I decided to photograph my now pristine wheel wells. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that during the brief trip across the yard even more crud had kicked its way under the car.

Cleaned Valve Cover

Having noticed this week pictures of other engines with much shinier valve covers than mine, I decided to brave the cold garage and apply some Autosol and elbow grease to the top of the motor, as well as to the oil filler cap.  A fun project with immediate gratification.

1) Before

 2) After

The Radio Wants to Talk

The radio is sending me a message - 'please please hook  up the power.'  I recently took the On/Off knob apart and cleaned it; the button now responds with a solid "click" when depressed.  Must be ready to go...