Set a new record yesterday at my shop

[bracketracer]

I have one more takeoff than landings in my logbook!!!

I'm sure it's not a feat you'd like to repeat. Holy crap, I rhymed.

My dad had 2 E types. 62 and 67. Pretty sure the 62 was still a crashbox, or maybe only 1st gear was non-scynchroed. He had plenty of electrical adventures in both.

 

[northshore]

I flew the A-7E Corsair off of the ship - It had an Allison/Rolls Royce engine. I owned two XK-E's at the time, so I was VERY familiar with the "Prince of Darkness". I always loved preflighting on dark, stormy nights - as the lightning was flashing and the deck pitching, I would open the small door by the fuel control unit, shine my flashlight in, and see the Joseph Lucas Logo and I would turn and look at my plane captain (the enlisted man that helps you preflight) and say "I'm flying with the Prince of Darkness tonight". I'm not sure any of them got it, but it really tickled me! Going down the catapult 0-160 in two seconds, I always hoped "old Joe " would take care of me!!! LOL at the memories. I only had to jump out of one of them - so I'm not a successful pilot - I have one more takeoff than landings in my logbook!!!

You flew a plane with Lucas Electrics in it!?
Balls of steel my friend.
Thank you for you service to the country.

 

[sbw1]

I flew the A-7E Corsair off of the ship - It had an Allison/Rolls Royce engine. I owned two XK-E's at the time, so I was VERY familiar with the "Prince of Darkness". I always loved preflighting on dark, stormy nights - as the lightning was flashing and the deck pitching, I would open the small door by the fuel control unit, shine my flashlight in, and see the Joseph Lucas Logo and I would turn and look at my plane captain (the enlisted man that helps you preflight) and say "I'm flying with the Prince of Darkness tonight". I'm not sure any of them got it, but it really tickled me! Going down the catapult 0-160 in two seconds, I always hoped "old Joe " would take care of me!!! LOL at the memories. I only had to jump out of one of them - so I'm not a successful pilot - I have one more takeoff than landings in my logbook!!!

Jaguar is bringing back the XKE as an electric car. You should get on the reservation list.

 

[carterchapman]

I'm sure it's not a feat you'd like to repeat. Holy crap, I rhymed.

My dad had 2 E types. 62 and 67. Pretty sure the 62 was still a crashbox, or maybe only 1st gear was non-scynchroed. He had plenty of electrical adventures in both.

The 62 had the Moss gearbox - non-syncro first. I had a Series 2, a '68, and a Series 3 V-12 '73. Wish I still had them both! And my '55 XK-140 C Type!

 

[Creekwood]

The 62 had the Moss gearbox - non-syncro first. I had a Series 2, a '68, and a Series 3 V-12 '73. Wish I still had them both! And my '55 XK-140 C Type!

My first car was a 53 chev with "3 in the tree" non-synced first gear. Double-clutching the downshift to first is a skill you had to learn to be able to drive it smoothly.

 

[bracketracer]

My first car was a 53 chev with "3 in the tree" non-synced first gear. Double-clutching the downshift to first is a skill you had to learn to be able to drive it smoothly.

Despite never having a car with a crashbox in it, I've always heel-toed/double-clutched every manual car I've owned or driven. It's a satisfying skill, sort of like stern docking in a crosswind with no thrusters.

 

[northshore]

It's a satisfying skill, sort of like stern docking in a crosswind with no thrusters.

It certainly is and it is getting to be a lost art....

 

[JeffM]

Despite never having a car with a crashbox in it, I've always heel-toed/double-clutched every manual car I've owned or driven. It's a satisfying skill, sort of like stern docking in a crosswind with no thrusters.

Many years ago, when I was in school, I drove a coach bus to earn spending money. They were typically GM 4104s and had non-synchro transmissions...in the rear...about 35 feet from the driver. The linkages were long and always loose, so shifting was a...um..challenge. And you had 41 people listening to your attempts to find a gear...any gear! You definitely had to get it back into first before you stopped or it ground something fierce when you tried to put it in gear. And then you had to hold that damn clutch down the entire time you were stopped. After a while I got the hang of it, and was even able to downshift. Not sure I could do it now, but it was fun to learn.