I couldn't let it lie .....

So, Bub actually arrived on Monday 23rd July, destined to sit until the end of the driving season (I have a 1912 car I've restored over 11 years) and the Veteran Car Club Scottish Event (I'm running) at the end of September but I can't leave anything alone ....

I want to know what I'm facing so the only way of finding out is to get it started, running and driving and see what drops off or breaks. Luckily insurance is £75 per year and its MOT and Tax exempt so I can fiddle, fettle and test without breaking the law. Of course, the first thing is to check it's actually safe so I'll be doing that and then putting in for an MOT to see what really needs doing.

But first ...

It drove off the transporter and then stalled ... so I put petrol in it. I drove it up and down the access road and ....it goes, turns and stops really well. This is good.

It ticked over at 100,000rpm and stank of unburnt fuel. It stuttered as I tried to rev and was not 100% happy dropping back to tickover. This is less good but initiated my first fettling session .... I'm always happiest fettling .... this time using a couple of tools, ancient memory, 33 years of experience, and Google.

First check the timing; 10mm socket to loosen the distributor clamp and turn the dizzy left and right to see how the revs are affected. A timing gun to make sure its at 10deg BTDC is traditional but I am a fettling god and have no need for such trifles. I left it where it had started because everything I did made it worse.

Next check the fuel settings; consulted Google for the correct method and settings and got to work...

• reset the idle setting on the throttle cable
• took the bypass screw out by 2 turns
• turned the volume screw in until it bottomed then turned it out by 2.5 turns
• turned the bypass screw in slowly until the revs dropped to around 750rpm
• checked it revved smoothly and cleanly and the fumes no longer reeked
• test drive to prove it now runs quite sweetly (and tested the brakes a few times)

Checked with the vendor and he told me the carb is a reconditioned one, he didn't tell me about the leak from the fuel tank!

Now the car is being left (with a drained tank) until I have more time. Apparently I have a living to earn!

(the vendor had told me he'd fitted a recondition carb but he hadn't mentioned the fuel leak!).