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On Sun, 22 May 2011 17:58:57 -0400, "Robert Green"
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On Sun, 22 May 2011 08:25:29 -0400, "Robert Green"
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On Sat, 21 May 2011 18:24:47 -0700 (PDT), Pavel314

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Concrete blocks are "dicey" and cinder blocks a no-no. If using
concrete blocks, put a board on top so no edge of the frame or
suspension nicks the blosk.
A cinder block can disintegrate with little provocation and no
warning.

Excellent point. They can crumble pretty easily if they have an
internal
flaw and you've positioned the block precisely the wrong way. I'd
never
put
a car up on cinder blocks, especially *stacked* blocks.

I've had sheet metal stands buckle on me, leaving me pinned under a 2
ton
Jaguar Mark X. My mother, who noticed I was no longer making noise,
came
out to the garage, saw me pinned under the car and lifted it off me.
She
was 4'10" and under 100 pounds. Amazing what adrenaline can do. (Of
course, the full weight of the car wasn't on me since only one of the
4
stands had failed, but it was enough weight across my chest that I
couldn't
free myself). Working on cars was never quite the same for me after
that
even though I went out and bought a hydraulic jack and expensive,
well-made
jack stands. Two minutes of thinking "I am going to DIE here under
this
lousy car" while struggling to breathe seems like an eternity.

That's what my former boss said about his Jaguar, too. ...except he
was
only
pinned under the repair bills.

Yeah, Britannia may have ruled the waves, but her cars can't navigate a
puddle without the engine dying. Learned all the Lucas jokes, too. "Why
do
Brits like warm beer? Because Lucas makes refrigerators."

Jags are fun if you do your own work and like to do it, but as a primary
car, not so reliable. I hear they've gotten better but I can't see it.
I
rented one the last time I was in CA and it had water in the headlight
lens
assembly. Enough to put goldfish in. Didn't matter much after I hit a
deer
on the Coast highway near Big Sur. Cops said I was lucky - deer crashes
send some cars off the road and into the ocean. Fortunately, it was one
of
the few times I bought extra collision insurance. Signed two pieces of
paper and that was that.

He did his own work. He had well into five figures in parts (and never
could
seem to get the right ones).

It's part of the fun. I learned about JC Whitney and ordering direct from
England long before anyone even dreamed of the Internet. Then I learned
about Whitworth, metric and US threads. Very educational and fun for the
whole family. Aside from pulling me out from under it, Mom helped with the
walnut refinishing. Back then, before Nannystate, you could choose to have
an all wood dashboard. Real door handles and hood ornaments, too. Having a
Jag early in life taught me the value of solid, reliable transportation.
I've driven Hondas ever since then. (-"

I wouldn't mine having an XKE in the garage, though. One of the sweetest
looking cars ever made.

Great place for one. ...and it's only possible function. They certainly
aren't worthy of the road.

Not at all true. I recall standing next to a new V-12. I couldn't figure
out why my leg was warm. Then I realized the engine was idling, but there
wasn't any noise or even perceptible vibration. I ran my Mark X over 120mph
on several occasions without catastrophe. Had giant disc brakes when most
American cars were still drum-bound. When it ran, it was remarkable. But
it was not a mass-produced item like the Chevy Nova so it suffered from the
smaller production volume on a number of fronts. It's worst aspect, as you
suggest, is that every few months it could just die for no apparent reason
and recover just as mysteriously. Or after the infusion of cash, parts,
labor and prayer.

Eventually sold it to a pediatrician specializing in mostly terminal cancer
cases because he wanted something that time and money could fix. Bought it
for $750, sold it for $5K, bought a new Honda. A twenty year old Jag was
just what the doctor ordered to keep his mind off his very grim work.
Everything has a place in the world.

--
Bobby G.