mac wrote:Ok chaps, I'm not really here (SWMBO will get verrrry tetchy if she catches me) but I have been keeping an eye on threads and of late I am seeing a disturbing trend. I do not intend to link to any particular thread because It would only stir things up (and at the moment I do not have the strength or inclination to join in the fun).
Fact:- the original designers of the 300 knew a lot more about them than we ever will.
Fact:- the manufacturers did (and do) things for a reason.
Fact:- there is good engineering practice and there is "the bodge".
Fact:- there a small number of people who regularly post on this forum who really know what they are talking about.
Fact:- rather than listen to them and heed their advice the tendency is to "bodge"
I do not see any of them "just cutting a bit off" because "I know a case where it worked" , or "I've got the wrong bit so I'll just cut it down and weld it" etc. etc.
My point is that there is a correct way to do things - a bodge may well "work" (under some circumstances, for some time) but it will still be a bodge!. Eventually having fixed everything on the cheap you have a bodge on four wheels.
True, I admit that aged 15 I knew everything - but having spent 40 years in the engineering trade, over 25 of them as an investigative engineer for the people who built the 300s, I now realise, in my sixties I know nothing. When I started to produce my Diff gasket kit I carefully researched materials, clamping loads, compressibility etc. - why did I bother when an old bit of cardboard would have done just as well?. My bolts - proper thread form and an increase in grade - nah! Anything lying around will do!
I'm truly sorry if I offend but I really do believe that if we are to preserve these cars then things should be done properly and if the concensus is that anything that "works" will do - then I for one want no part of it!!!.
Mac, frustrated (at my illness), frustrated twice (at bogeing in general), and very, very, grumpy.
(and to cap it all Deb has caught me posting).
+1 on that.
It does also apply for modifications and planning of modifications too, maybe even more, don't know that much, but there are most of the time more than catches the eye, there are reasons behind why one should do things certain way, but those reasons are not fairly obvious, especially for people with less experience or studying of automotive stuff, it is of course impossible to see all those aspects one should consider.
Here in this country, that is not UK of course, there are few very common question about modifications asked, one being "does xx" wheels fit to rotate with y tires?", mostly answers then are something along lines of "yes, but if you have more than 1 passenger wheels tend to scrub".
Now we get often quite large humps on our roads, because of winter frosting ground and ground then moves up and down, which of course must be lot of fun when your four wheels scrub hard on motorway with 120kph or more, but pointing out this fact is quite futile really as often people want big wheels so much that they don't see what is real issue with scrubbing, wheel can stop and there can be many kind of damage because of such, tire can even burst if there are proper conditions, dangerous at winter specially.
But it really does not bother me much if someone modifies his car and because of poor implementation or design then ends up into a ditch, what bothers me is that every one of those cases affects what regulations we get in future and it can close some doors I would fairly much like to walk at some point of time, this applies of course all life and all choices every one does make as regulation is result of people's actions and their voted law makers making adjustment to reduce negative effects of some choices and that is why there is no me or it does not matter in our worlds.
I give very little advice as I have forgotten already most and I at least try to make advices that are useful and sound, but also in many cases I think that pointing to right direction and giving food of thought is better than giving out answers straight away, as answer itself might be ignored but when person figures out correct way himself, he probably is not so easily ignoring that and might learn to see those other aspects that are needed to be taken account which then creates understanding of why and how.
Then there is time issue as good answer will then take much more time than just simply answering, so that makes things bit difficult to achieve.
I have spent week struggling with pain as I'm deteriorating faster than my cars and got tooth broken to half, ton of painkillers and no chance to go to dentist, so it might be that I'm bit grumpier than usual or confusing (at least confused), but maybe there is some point to this post, or then not.
Anyway, purpose of life is to learn, to learn more we must share what we thought we have learned, as not all things learned are right will be perfect, some things might be even false, eventually humanity will learn enough that they know how to live, but while this process is still ongoing, there will be challenges of greed and ignorant. With patience anyone can however learn and share what he learned, so greed and ignorant can find way of thinking and patience. No one can be forced, no one should be forced, so one can only share and be patient, eventually there is change.
But drop the sharing and situation will just deteriorate fast, easier bodged way lures to greed and ignorant side and proper ways are forgotten, so with even little reminders now and then we can keep those ways alive, not everyone will pick them up, but there are silent ones that you can't see nor hear, however they will get benefit from advice and might share it forward too.
Hey, I just have been taken twice the allowed dose of painkillers for few days, it is not that much...
I found pettaws videos very helpful!
