Maybe 5 Notes?

This morning was spent trying to get a CT driver's license since I have to become a resident now. I cannot believe how much they require to prove that I am a resident here...passport, social security card, two pieces of mail, marriage license, blood sample...oh, and about $120 for each one. And, if you don't have everything they require...come back when you do. If I was an illegal alien...yeah, I'd get a license WITHOUT any of that stuff. That's all the politics I'll say about that.

Turns out my wife had a "prior" from when we lived in Charleston, SC about 12 years ago and they suspended her SC driving privileges (she never had a SC-issued license). Either get it resolved or pay them $100 to "make it go away". And CT, being the stand-up state that it is, won't give her one of their driver's licenses until it is resolved. Of course, she has renewed her NJ driver's license THREE times since we left SC with no issues, but then again we all know that NJ is rather shady. We came home empty handed and quite frustrated. But, USAA (the best company EVER) took care of the "prior" thing (an insurance mis-understanding) and we should be good the next time we try.

Sadly, however, there was no joy on the brake line. Guess my flare wasn't as good as I thought. Think I'll give it one more shot of brake line and then I'll break down (ha, get it?) and buy one. The Roadster Factory are the only guys that I've found that seem to carry that single line, however. But, it's about $14 and with shipping...talking about a $25 brake line. That's like $3.50 and inch. Maybe, though, I'll just put my gifted one back in and call it good for now. Not like I'm driving her anywhere soon.

The rest of the day I went about figuring out why the speedometer didn't work. That took about 30 seconds and was quite obvious.

Well, there's your problem. Sorry about the crap focus.

Because the oil light in the speedometer no longer had the green "crystal" over it (I found it in the bezel), I decided to take my spare one apart and see what I could see. Cleaned her all up. The rubber in it, however, was shot. So, taking a cue from the forum, I emailed Nisonger Instruments to get a quote for both dashboard and bezel rubber. I can get dashboard rubber at a few places, including SpitBits, but I'll see what Nisonger has to offer on the "whole package". The green crystal on the one I was cleaning up had been glued at some point using some nasty epoxy. Got most of it off, but I want something that will look better. Any ideas for gluing plastic to painted metal that won't destroy either and that I don't have to glob on?

My cleaned on on left. One from car on right. I just love the look of the old gauges!

The two were very similar in condition before I started. I used steel wool on the bezel. There are some pits and stuff still there, but most of it cleaned right up. The one that came out of the car has a bit more personality to it, however. Some "petina" on the odometer and trip meter, so I may clean that one up and see how it goes and then make my choice. I would like to reset the odometer to 00000, but I don't want to sit there forever nor do I want to do it wrong and end up breaking it. Any ideas on an easy way to roll it back since I'm much closer to 00000 than 99999 on both. Also, the main beam crystal in the original has faded to a "no longer blue" color so I may have to swap them out...without breaking either, of course!

Final question. What's up with the rubber in the picture below?! I've found this on several areas of the car. Enough of them, and in unique enough positions that I find it odd. This is the bottom of the wiper motor. I've found a few grommets that looked like this and part of the old trunk seal. Also, the original speedometer rubber seal on the inside looked like this in spots (second picture below).

What happened to the rubber?

More leaking rubber...held upside down, sorry.

I've never seen anything like it and, frankly, it makes me a bit nervous. The car was a FL/GA car for almost all of its life as far as I know...and coastal at that. Maybe some odd salt-spray and heat reaction? Just too many odd places, I think (like the speedometer) it may be something the PO sprayed or otherwise applied. Other pieces, however, like the speedometer cable grommets I yanked out today, were just old, hard and crusty, like I would expect. Curiosity!