Just a small updater to say the 500 is out and about and having fun enjoying thrashing / pottering (depending whether precieved from inside or outside of the car!) it about this summer.
I did manage to be good and not use it through the winter, mostly because one of it's newer faster sibling has made it's way to my driveway.
I'd toyed with buying one for ages, and finally bit the bullet on a cheap early one when I'd taken the classic 500 of the road for winter. I was kind of expecting to keep it for a couple of months just t tory it out and move it on come spring time, but I've got to say I'm thoroughly smitten with it and it will be staying for a long time. It's basically become my daily driver, despite the practicality challenges with such a small car and a pair of toddlers, the big sensible Jag is barely making it of the drive way!
Anyway, playing with this means the 500 is still looking nice and fresh and corrosion free this spring. Well all aside from the steering drag link, which was new last year, and the cheap repair wing mirrors. At least the wing mirrors match the patina of the rest of the bight work now! haha. The steering link will get a lick of paint when I get round to it, I should also deal with the over spray on the rear suspension arms.
My time for driving for pleasure is quite limited at the moment, and often my only time to myself is later in the evening. But I do love a drive with the roof open to see the stars and the slightly cool evening air coming in the cabin, it's possibly my favourite time to drive. On quiet roads with the last hints of the sunset, it's almost meditative.
I've also taken it to watch Shelsley Walsh hill climb a couple of times, and saw a cool 500 racing one weekend, but I only managed a quick 5 min conversation with the owner before it was his turn on the track and our paths didn't cross again.
On the way home from the last round the car decided to develop a slightly wonky idle so I gave it a good once over a couple of days later.
I checked valve clearances, timing and points gap and found no issues. The spark plugs were a little dirty, but nothing I'd expect to cause a real issue, I cleaned them up none the less.
I also took the jets out of the carb, but found no signs of debris and checked the nuts holding the carb down, which were tight. Ultimately I think it was a simple as the idle mix needed a little adjustment, a 1/4 turn richer and it was idling nicely again.... well for a few minutes anyway.
I took it for a celebratory spin, and after a couple of miles it dropped on to one cylinder. I was down some tiny narrow lanes so I tried to limp towards home a bit and also to try and find somewhere safe to investigate the issue, but I didn't get far before the car fully cut out. Upon inspection the issue was clear...
... don't forget to clip your plug leads back into the rocker cover after you're had it off folks. They will sit on the exhaust and melt! Thankfully my emergency toolkit that lives by the spare wheel included a roll of electrical tape and wrapping a few layers over the damaged sections was enough to get me home. I ordered a new set of leads and I'm now back in action!
I really should get round to giving the paint a real polish... maybe I'll get to it this autumn? Time will tell!
I keep toying with doing some performance upgrades, but again I just seem to end up wanting to drive rather than taking it apart. There are also those days when I have considered selling it, normally when my mind is carried away with whatever new project idea is grabbing my attention, but so far after a drive I've always talked myself back into how much I like this car 🙂
