Success!

After a full day Sunday, the Landshark is running.  The timing was seriously off causing there not to be fuel in the engine when the spark arrived.  More precisely there was no fuel when the spark reached the cylinder during the compression part of the cycle.  That's enough technical terms for the day.  I spent the remainder of my day enjoying the simple pleasure of figuring out a somewhat complex problem and taking something that was broken; making it work again.  

I don't know when I got interested in cars.  As a teenager, I wanted a '65 Mustang, who doesn't?  I ended up with a Triumph TR4A convertible.  It never got to the stage of being street legal, but it was a great project.  Working on cars and enjoying them was something I shared with my father, although vicariously.  We were separated, and he would give me tips and occasionally tools when I would visit, but we never worked together.  He had his own little project a Sunbeam Alpine.  It was great to have this together.  

We both were despondent and angry that the Mazda Miata's were just barely too small for us to fit in.  As I've been working on this car I've thought of him and how he'd enjoy it as I do.  My mother has told me stories of the 1970 something 2002 series BMW they had and what a pleasure it was to drive.  I'd like to think that I'm following generationlly in his footsteps with my little 320i.  

I drove it to work today and am making plans for further repairs this weekend.  New fanbelt, re- gap the spark plugs, possibly repair a small portion of the wiring harness.  It's nice to share this with your son.  I'm looking forward to sharing these skills with mine.