Various Cars - not interesting enough for separate threads

That is certainly a nice view and a private looking garden. Not sure about the number and height of the trees though and if the trees to the front grow any higher the view is gone.

Sometimes your best tool is a credit card.

Took Ms Triss to a mechanic for only the second time in my ownership. (The first time was to get it certified). The real reason was to get my new (to me) rims installed. This didn't happen as we need bigger nuts (Ooo matron). But, while I was at it I asked my mechanic to check the timing. The car has been OK this year and, frankly running better than previous as I was actually running it and gave it a bit of an Italian tuneup. But, it still wasn't quite right - it wasn't starting right and as it ran, while it wasn't running bad, it wasn't running great either. Certainly it didn't accelerate as well as it should.



As mentioned, when I went to get her, no new rims but, they set the timing and soooo much better. Turns out the distributer was loose and had gone a bit out - not something I would even have thought to check (never assume!). The hilarious thing is that they had to bring a timing light from home as they no longer need one in the shop. Fortunately my mechanic's son is married to a Cuban woman - so her dad has one for when he goes back to Cuba (yes I have one too before you ask.)



Sometimes you just need someone looking over your shoulder - and it sure saved time.



All this also made me think of a Klick and Klack episode (do you guys know Klick and Klack the tappet brothers?) where the person had an older car with issues - Klick says to the caller, 'you need a good mechanic.' His brother interupts and says, 'No! you need an old mechanic.' - yes my mechanic is a year older than I am.

Very pleased with the results and for the first time in literally months I had the energy and ambition to go to the shop after supper. First time in a very long time I was able to finish work and feel finished. This brings me to what I really wanted to discuss.

Have you ever thought to yourself, I don't need to label and properly file this part. I will remember what it is. In fact I will put it in a safe place, then I will remember not just what it is but where it is.

Yeah me too. 

Fortunately in my searching for the parts (part of the Viva's air vents) I found some spares - which I had forgotten I even had. All's well I suppose.

Well the saga (slightly) continues. First off, for this to make sense, the piece in question was the round 'duct' top on the air vent.

No guesses which one is the finished one.



I had managed to lose one of the round pieces - as well as the clips that hold the thing in place. As mentioned I had lost one round piece - and today I opened a bag to get an O ring and out it popped. doh! You can see the O ring installed in this pic (the original seal was beyond knackered)



And installed, at which point I also discovered it is handed - who knew?

Well today was a milestone. In 2015 I found a set of Cosmic rims for sale cheap and finally today they made it onto the car.
started out with this



moved to this



and finally this



the added bonus that they are properly balanced so the ride is that much better and it was a gorgeous driving day

This week and next Mrs JP and I are in the midst of our (mostly) annual trek to Florida. First time since Covid. We lived in Orlando from 2002 - 2006 and still have friends here. As well in 2019 we were gifted a timeshare which is on the only piece of land Walt didn't get. So we sit surrounded by Disney but not in Disney. before Covid we have come for almost 2 weeks for a number of years now. So, if anyone is interested, here goes.

We left Saturday morning and got just to North Carolina (1079km or about 600 miles). This is about an hour more than half way. Sunday we got up and had to drive about 3 hours through fairly torrential rain - a fair number of accidents and just had to drive slower. The route covers 5 different interstate highways and one section of secondary highway with a reputation for speed traps (don't ask me how I know). You end up on the I-95 at Charleston and if you know this highway you know that any accident clogs everything up as there is nowhere you can go as an alternate route. Of course there were accidents and everyone returning home from Thanksgiving travel. All of which means that we added a good three hours to the trip.

The one nice distraction was that in Daytona (at the speedway) they have a Turkey Run thanksgiving weekend - over 5000 cars. I wnet once or twice while we lived here and it is mind boggling. Almost all American iron & hot rods and to put it in perspective if you spent 30 seconds a car it would take 41 hours to see them all! And they are in random order not by club or marque. You can't possibly really see them all. Oh and it is on the infield of the Daytona Speeday which is cool, but I digress. The weather had improved and I got to see at least 100 cars travelling north from the show either driving or on trailers, they were cool to see.

Finally got to the condo, checked in and a quiet day. Some food shopping and supper with friends at Disney Springs. This is the shopping/ restaurant part of the Disney and, just to make sure we have some car content. One of the things you can do there (we didn't) is to go for a ride in an amphibicar. This was just leaving for a ride as we walked by.



Yesterday was EPCOT and another couple. We have had a Christmas tradtion for almost 15 years of going out to supper and then the Candlelight Processional (both at EPCOT) - a very lovely time. My friend is also a car guy who has an original mini as well as a new one. Epcot has a new ride from the Disney Movie Ratatouille. Outside is a Vespa as a prop which Mrs JP had to try out.

Of course it is not just cars. We had a visit with Statler and Waldorf and the rest of the Muppets.



and then we were captured by the First Order







Fortunately the Rebel Alliance freed us so all was good. Actually quite a cool ride. So all in all a great day.

Presumably not a lot of guesses required to suss out where we were today.



Fewer vehicles here of the Internal Combustian kind but, one horse power.....



Mrs. JP and I left early to connect with friends at Margaritaville.

Some might recognize the hemisphere dancer - Jimmy Buffet's plane

(lousy picture)



expensive parking - good (not great) food and tourist prices - Oh and we had gift cards that the reader couldn't read. So while it was awesome to connect with friends, the rest was mostly forgetable (at least it will be once the credit card is paid   )

While waiting for the friends to arrive we say a recreation of Hagrid's motorcycle in the Universal Studios tour

here are things I learned today. If you are going to put your car in storage on December 18 in Canada

1. Put a trickle charger on it - Oh say last month so it will actually start when you want it to (and not need another battery and a charger and starter fluid)

2. Put the top up when the weather is warm - even if it is canvas.

3. Mind the weather (Ok just a bit but if you examine the top that is snow not dandruff)

Oh and then check your route - road was closed and a pretty large detour was required - which likely stressed Mrs JP in the follow up take me home car.

But she is asleep for the winter and I can mess up the garage some more.