The BeerSter’s first test was all that we had hoped for and more.  Originally, we had planned on going out to the California Speedway, however, that quickly changed when we found several show stopping problems. .   

 

PeeWee and I started our Sunday morning March 11 at 8:00AM doing carburetion testing. PeeWee took the Beerster around and around and around the block until neighbors were getting tired of their car alarms going off.  Additionally, we were worried about getting shot. So, the tuning session ended.  With all those round de rounds, we just couldn’t get the engine from miss-behaving. Then we noticed the tell tale signs of an electrical problem. The plug wires were wildly arcing at the distributor cap. It turned out that the wire ends were not long enough to make contact with the cap contacts which caused shorts to wherever the juice could go. Fixing that, we decided to head for Laguna Nigel and Pacific Coast Highway. Bad decision!

 

We got on the San Diego freeway and headed south. The outside temperature was about 90 degrees, so we thought the cool ocean air would be great for the engine. The carburetion was still out of whack and the engine temp was between 180 on the freeway to 220 when we went up a hill. We quickly decided to get down to the beach as fast as possible.

 

Just our luck, Pacific Coast Highway was absolutely jammed! PeeWee did the most remarkable job driving the Beerster that I have ever seen. Not only were the streets lodged, the car was hardly running. I don’t know how PeeWee avoiding backing into cars at the stoplights on the beachfront hills. I did what every good navigator does and just closed my eyes.

 

Finally, we broke loose. Back to Garden Grove we went.

 

What did we learn?

1)       We needed new plug wires with straight end at the distributor and at the plug ends.

2)       We definitely needed a thermostat.

3)       We need allot tuning on the updraft Wind fields.

4)       Transmission was extremely noisy. We needs 600 weight oil.

5)       Never Go to PCH on Sunday ahain!!!!

 

Check out PeeWee and I in the picture gallary!

 

Next:Test Beverly Hills Car Show or Bust