Haven't posted anything for a while, so I thought I might tell of my big road trip in the Little Beastie. I left for Dubbo where my parents live on the 23rd Dec. It was a hell of a trip in the heat. It was so hot i could only travel between 80 to 90 kph for approx 500ks to Dubbo as any faster the temp gauge would rise to where I was not wanting it to be. In fact it was easier to keep the car cooler than myself. I stopped about ten times and even resorted to pouring water over myself to keep cool as I was not used to the heat anymore (old age and living in Canberra). I stopped at Forbes and checked out McFeeters motor museum, well worth a look. Arrived there early evening and spent the next day recovering with heat exhaustion. Then on Christmas day the rain came. It was then I found out the Little Beastie did not like the humidity and the 180mm rain Dubbo had by the 27th Dec when I left. It was a bugger to start and then she stalled on me on the the busiest roundabout in western NSW, the Newell and Mitchell Highway. I aslo found out that ergonomics was not such a big thing in 1974. being originally a left hand drive car, the left foot well is bigger than the right side well. When your driving you are cramped, and sit askew, after some time your right ankle where it swivels of your leg aches and the pain goes to your groin, then your lower back aches. As a whole the car went Ok, the new gearbox will make a difference,when fitted later this month, along with the rear drums getting pads and a good checkover to sort out some minor issues that could turn bad. Although it would be nice to have a new car, where I know I won't have to put more money into it, or panic when I here a sound I have not heard before. happy New Year to all at VWWatercooled.
James