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Big automotive benefit yesterday!

 

Got a call Thursday night that my friend Jonathon Burnette was in town. He is probably one of the most experienced and knowledgeable vintage French car mechanics (particularly Renault and Matra) in the U.S. and has a shop in Austin, Texas. I have been trying to coax him for a visit to check out my Caravelle for a while and if anyone fits the profile of a PuristS, it would be him. He came down to drop off an Alpine A108 (one of only 26 made) he just got through going over. Wish I were the lucky guy that was buying the car.

He dropped by yesterday morning and proceeded to jump into my car sorting out all kinds of minor problems. I had been waiting until I installed a new lift in my garage (have it in a crate now) to tackle the clutch cable, but Jonathon kindly offered to do it right then and there. Besides having a new clutch cable (the old one was frayed and original -it now works like butter!), he also gave me a list off other things to do. We also serviced the shocks in my Morris (what a difference), and since he had just finished doing a Nissan motor conversion on a Morris saloon in Austin, he wanted to compare what he did with the modification done to mine. He showed me pictures, and needless to say, mine paled by comparison.

The great thing is, he will be back out in November for our annual French and Italian car meet, and has offered to do my engine and transmission mounts! What will I do now?


















This message has been edited by mrsnak on 2011-06-25 08:51:49

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26 Comments view entire thread 

Have tools, will travel.......

 
By: DRMW : June 25th, 2011-12:58
Not only does this guy sound like an expert, he also seems to be extremely passionate about cars! With all his experience, must be fascinating talking to him. -MW

Some guys are amazing ...

 
By: bimbeano : June 25th, 2011-15:07
Snak ! Your Caravelle is really a beauty ... i'll add some pics of some more recent Renaults ... . I wonder if these little atmospheric two litres will become classics in some 40 years ... . Bim...  

You make me sad, Bim...

 
By: mrsnak : June 26th, 2011-09:11
If only Renault would come back to the US so I could buy a legal Clio.

Which one ?

 
By: bimbeano : June 26th, 2011-09:24
The upcoming Clio RS "Ange et demon" (angel & devil) Shown here with one hell of a devil-driver Or the ultimate last version named the Clio RS-R lightweight with around 230 atmospheric horses ? Drooling Bim...  

Snak, I laughed when I saw the "cardboard creeper"!

 
By: CaliforniaJed : June 25th, 2011-19:19
I use cardboard boxes for that purpose all the time! Great cars, by the way. Best, CaliforniaJed

I offered to let him use my "real" creeper...

 
By: mrsnak : June 26th, 2011-09:12
...but the cardboard gave him more headroom to wiggle around under the car.

Cool!

 
By: dxboon : June 25th, 2011-20:25
Where is my favorite Snakmobile though (little tiny truck)? Cheers, Daos

What fun cars mrsnak.

 
By: JerryW : June 25th, 2011-21:26
And better service than the Lexus dealer. JerryW

It's ironic that living near L.A., a mecca for vintage cars...

 
By: mrsnak : June 26th, 2011-09:22
...that it's relatively difficult to find mechanics with the sensibilities or even the interest to work on these older cars. It's not like they are hard to work on at all, and these Renaults are quite hardy. Jonathon drove his Dauphine from Austin, TX to ...  

Garage Benefit, part deux...

 
By: mrsnak : June 26th, 2011-10:02
My birthday present from Mrs Snak this year was a mid-rise lift for the garage so that I can do servicing inside. It was delivered earlier in the week and left crated on a pallet near the garage door. Only took an hour or so to unpack it and use a furnitu...  

Mrs. Snak is so thoughtful!

 
By: dxboon : June 26th, 2011-12:58
It's not every wife that buys their honey a lift for the garage! Have fun tinkering on your cars! Cheers, Daos

No 108 photos? :-)

 
By: BDLJ : June 26th, 2011-16:35
I can't see how that scissor lift adjusts to meet the pick up points? Does it have a mechanical lock-out for when you get underneath? Looks like something I need to consider.

Yes, mechanical lockup...

 
By: mrsnak : June 27th, 2011-07:54
I'll post pix when I hook up the hydraulics this week. Sadly, I was only able to see pictures of the A108 from his camera. He had dropped off the car prior to seeing me. Here is a catalog shot The compressor and fluid tank come on a dolly for mine, not on...  

That A108...

 
By: mrsnak : June 28th, 2011-07:51
The fellow that bought it lives not to far from me, so I may see this car soon. The motor is was hand made by Alpine in France, which will make a full engine rebuild very difficult. The car lived most its life in Brazil. Even though it's basically a Dauph... 

Didn't they make Alpines in Sth America somewhere?

 
By: BDLJ : June 28th, 2011-17:59
...not sure if it was 108s or 110s or where it was, but I recall an old, old article (Classic and Supercar?) talking about how the bodies were made a little beefier (or was it flimsier??). I was actually commenting on the lift, but that info is fascinatin... 

I want to say that this car was made in Brazil...

 
By: mrsnak : June 28th, 2011-18:44
...but the engine was made in France and shipped to them for installation. As I understand it, this was one of two cars in that configuration.

If they ever...

 
By: BDLJ : June 28th, 2011-18:56
...rebuild that engine, please please see if you can get some shots of its innards. Alpine...Brazil...+ google=Willys Interlagos. Thanks, snak, I have that one out of my head now.

Don't I know I'm lucky...

 
By: mrsnak : June 27th, 2011-07:55
..if I could only interest her in watches or expensive jewelry...

You're definitely lucky mrsnak

 
By: ED209 : June 27th, 2011-18:59
Very cool of the Mrs. to get you such an awesome b-day present. And Happy b-day! Regards, ED-209