THE STEERING COLUMN

In order to give the lay person a feel for what it is like to drive a Brass era car, first the car must be thoroughly restored mechanically.  The body, paint and upholstery is optional but a thorough mechanical restoration is a must.  Doing an engine overhaul and new brake linings is not a restoration.  Every moving part on the car needs to be inspected, rebuilt, replaced, or restored if you are going to do serious driving. Many people drive their cars only a thousand miles or so a year and they can get away with just fixing them as they malfunction.  I prefer to restore everything right from the start.  Certainly no one is immune from having mechanical problems, but a thorough mechanical restoration greatly reduces the chances of problems. Without having restored it completely mechanically I never would have attempted the trip that we are on. Knowing that my chances of a problem are greatly reduced makes the trip much more enjoyable.   

Bear in mind that these early cars were experimental and they all had "issues". Manufacturers were constantly working out difficulties and making improvements. Every make of car in those days had their own individual weak points.  These cars are fun to drive but can also be a challenge to drive.  It helps greatly if the owner/operator has a "mechanical" mind and understands how things work.  He should always do his own restoration if he is able so that he knows his own car, if not, at least be involved closely with the restoration process and understand how things work.

In the next segment I will talk about daily maintenance.

------AND THAT MOTORING!!!!