return to Day 4
Day 5: Wednesday (Visiting Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum)
At half past 7 we waked up in the morning.
The weather was wonderful, with a lot of sunshine and some clouds but no rain. It was a fantastic view we had from our room directly under us where all the Austins were parked, waiting for their first tour.
After having our breakfast, we had to decide which courses for dinner we would have for today.
Pat, always with a smile on her face, was sitting at the desk taking the menu orders for this evening and giving some information for the day.
Then we were free when we could start and which route (the route given by Tony or an alternative way) we should take. The first section of the route was exactly the route we took yesterday and we changed this a little bit.
After checking the car we were ready to start and we left the Hotel at half past 9. The tour, planned over nice little streets was wonderful to drive and it seems to be easy to follow the roadmap. But after a while we heard a noise from the clutch and could see some smoke coming out of the region of the clutch.
I stopped the Austin checking whats the reason for this unusual symptom and found out it must be something with the clutch. After the smoke disappeared i started the engine again and it seems as if it’s not such a big problem. Even if i press the clutch-pedal we could hear a rattle but this sound will stop if the gear is changed and the pedal was released. Knowing now that i should drive much more carefully trying to use the clutch as less as needed we could continue our tour.
Following now the given route we stuck into the next problem. After we passed Alice Lisle pub and White Hart Inn we should take the slip road for A31 but we could not match this tour point. So we drove an extra round via the A31 and again passed White Hart Inn. We varied the direction a little bit and stop on a private ground asking the Lady there for help. We had to find SP Burley and she said we should see a petrol station with a shell sign if we reached the hill. But where for the hell was the hill.
So we tried another way, passed the A31 and then i decided to activate our mobile navigation. With the help of this navi we were able to continue our tour and after a while we could see the Sammy Miller Museum on the right side.
We were not the last which arrived the museum but some cars which were at the Hotel when we started arrived earlier. But now we are here and we could visit the museum. I talked with Tony about my problem with the clutch and he would check this if we are back at the Hotel.
The museum itself was a fantastic choice which Tony did. So many motorcycles, petrol pumps, accessories and signs were collected in this museum. This is like a paradise but you can only look and can buy not any of this parts.
Only some reprints of plates were now mine and will find a place on my carport.
The lunch menu we had in the museum restaurant was excellent and the talks with some members too.
After finishing lunch i had to spend some money for buying my wife a pearl necklace in one of the shops.
Then we went out to the cars, seeing that one of our driver had a problem with a water leak. The pipe clamp doesn’t fit as it should do and i told him that i have some clamps in my rescue box at the hotel and we can fix this if we are back. He was really lucky that he could get help.
It was wonderful to see different Austins standing together in a row. Some Tens near a Six, some are Saloons some are 2-seater with a dickey or open Tourer. All of the cars were in best constitutions and the sound of the engines varies from a silent “tuck tuck” to a roaring like my Austin.
Now it was time to drive back to Lyndhurst, well knowing our problem with the clutch. We took the A35 back to Lyndhurst and turned left just before we reached Lyndhurst for reaching the Hotel from the back side of Pikes Hill. The streets to the Hotel from this junction on were very small and we could test our brakes some times, because the drivers with their modern cars do not drive really slowly through this streets. Without having an accident we reached the Hotel and parked our Austin with a loud rattle of our clutch.
After having a cappuchino at the terrace Tony was back too and he checked my problem with the clutch. The support of our technical specialist Tony Mealing was helpful and he found out which part of the clutch is responsible for this problem. The Austin 12 documentation which Tony Mealing created is a fantastic collection of all maintenance actions you can do and i will buy one if Tony has finished this manual. Also his brilliant listening of a running engine and the fine tuning of the ignition was excellent. Only 3 millimeters adjustment in turning right the ignition should run the engine a little bit smoother. Thanks both Tony’s for their help.
The water leak problem was fixed by an additional clamp out of my rescue box and at half past 6 we had our first beer for the day at the bar. And again a lot of wonderful smalltalks. So many member that you are not able to talk with all of them.
At dinner we were pleased by Tony to mix our places so that we had the chance to talk with other member as we had yesterday. After 3 courses and some coffee or tea most of the member went to bed and said Good Night.
What a wonderful day.
We will see each other tomorrow and hopefully with more sunshine.
I made a lot of photos from the museum and the collection of Austins parking in front of the entrance.
Some of them you can see here.
The museum
Smalltalk
Our Austins
Collection of Motorcycles
Some Single Motorcycles
Petrol Pumps
Austin Details
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Smalltalk |
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Our Austins |
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Collection of Motorcycles |
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Some Single Motorcycles |
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Petrol Pumps |
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Austin Details |
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