Greg, Dave
Curious thing about soldering connections.
Aston Martin::: One of the small, but significant things you pay for when buying one of these outrageously expensive machines is/are soldered connections! Perhaps they are heading off problems with their Lucas electrics in the very wet climate of the British Isles. This is a very expensive thing to do when making a mass produced automobile, but worth it in a small volume, hand made car like an Aston Martin.
Lucas Electrics. Joe Lucas; the man who invented darkness!:p
FWIW DEPARTMENT;
I should have fled in terror at the sorry sight of an abondoned 1976 Jaguar XJS, with no wheels! Just propped up on four peices of firewood tucked under the body... Whoo Boy.
Of course it didn't run, but someone had done up the interior recently and the body was perfect and everything was there. The silver paint was completely shot as you might expect, and the huge ignition distributor was dismantled and laying in bits in the rear jump seat. another Whoo Boy here.
The guy at the thrift store where it had been donated and subsequently vandalised said that it had run at one time and they had priced it at $4000. I looked at him like he was completely out of touch with reality, but he continued and allowed as to the sorry state of affairs in front of me that he would price it at $400.
$400 ?? Say now.This would be worth $400 bucks, even if to just turn the engine into a coffee table!
Well the really odd bit about this was, that my buddy had just given me 4 wheels w/ hub caps and trim rings to dispose of for him at my place of employment, because we recylce metals.
Yeah, you guessed it- Jaguar wheels
Go figure.
Well, the coincidence was too much and the rest is history.
Why am I telling you this? Is it to explain why I am so stupid to purchase a car with Lucas electrics? With a Lucas distributor and Lucas fuel injection? and Lucas electronic ignition????
Well, as it turns out Every connection on the car had soldered connections! I couldn't believe it. And the highest quality large gauge wire I had ever seen in any car.
This caused a huge shift in my pre-conceptions about Jaguar.
Besides, everyone knows that V-12 Jags always get their engines changed for Chevys because they quit working for no apparent reason.