Getting my large frame into the
car, was a feat of its own.
Sitting on a seat right next to the floor was uncomfortable,
but when I went to put my foot on the clutch, my size 15 shoe, covered
the clutch, the brake and 1/3 of the gas pedal.
The stick shift felt as if was made of rubber, no firmness at
all, it's the first time I ever had a stick shift, attached to a
transmission by cable linkage.
After finding first gear, I headed down the street in my
purchase called "Renault."
The car was advertised as having 35-horse power, but the power
curve stopped at 10. I had a heck of a time, getting up and over the
hills of Seattle.
I kept pushing that little four banger, beyond the power curve,
so after 6 months, it died. I pulled the head off, and to my surprise,
there were steel sleeve cylinders.
I asked around, and found out, that Sear & Roebuck sold a kit
for $35.00.
With the kit, I got four steel sleeves, with the piston already
pressed in the cylinder, and connecting rods.
I dropped the pan, took the bolts off the connecting rods,
turned the crank, and pulled each piston half way out. Then I dropped
a chuck of dry ice into each cylinder, and covered the block.
Four hours later, I was able to pull the sleeves out. Once I
got everything back together, I put a For Sale sign on the car. I sold
the car for what I purchased it for, so the only thing I was out, was
the kit and my time.
What about the 50 million Frenchmen? Let them kept their Renaults.
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