Dan,
I have a feeling the Centa swap is going to drag out going in for the first time...probably will go smoother and gain speed after I've been in and out of it the second or third time. I'm not going to rush the first event as I want to take my time and check hose and harness routing, inspect chassis, mounting tabs, etc. as I've already corrected what was visible and only wonder what I'm not seeing. Without a service manual, I'm sure there will be some Easter Egg hunting. Guess I could generate my own service manual since there doesn't seem to be any other source. While at it, I want to evaluate the charging system as I plan on drawing on it (heated riding gear for winter)...one step closer to being bullet-proof and I want to approach it as if I'm eventually going to have what I bargained for. Sometimes, I can close my eyes and see a Morgan that can take more than I can give it...but for now, it's just an illusive vision.
The Iron Butt event was good. They call it their "international" meet. It was more of a seminar on different aspects of the "big rally" (11,000+ miles in 11 days....routing, bonus points, sleep management, hydration, farkling, etc.)along with some fun. There were riders from all over the country and Canada. Many flew in from over-seas. No matter where in the country you go for the IB events, you see a lot of the same faces. The Iron Butt community is prolific as it pertains to covering ground. As weird as it may sound, the riding style is addictive. When I was younger, it was hotrod motorcycles....I switched gears in to doing long distances instead of warp speeds. That and it helps me utilize my few days off from work more effectively as now I'm not burning up my valuable time off just getting somewhere and back. I went to Denver via Albuquerque, NM, up the Million Dollar Highway (Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Montrose...to Grand Junction then headed east back into Denver). On the way home, I needed to stop in Arkansas to setup a party/ride to eat event. I came through Wichita and spent the night just north of Joplin...next day I was seeing 103*F coming through Missouri. When I get the detail put together on the RTE, I'll forward them to you...it will be just south of Harrison, AR on Scenic Byway 7...an easy ride for you.
I like to travel (keep my foot in the road) and had visions of doing something similar with the M3W but that hasn't gone so well so far. I can't just blindly ride off into the sunset pretending everything is going to be fine. I suspect the SlingShot will do it with ease but it sure as hell won't be as cool as doing it in the M3W. I'm going to take out my Morgan anger and frustration on the Slingshot just as soon as I can get my grimey hands on it. I, also, suspect that riding in the SlingShot will be like riding in a Jeep as compared to the low seating position of the M3W which I like.
With my Morgan like it is now. I don't pick where I'm going in it...I just try to stay on roads that are smooth enough not to beat the chassis to pieces, I stay away from traffic and any stop & go stuff, I try to stay on fast enough roads where I can keep the throttle pinned, drive train loaded and rpms up. That limits where I can go in it but its good enough to keep me interested in it. Above 45 mph, it does okay...it's the lower speed stuff (that you can't avoid forever) where it's weaknesses rear their ugly heads. Mine feels more sanitary at 75 mph than it does at 35 mph. In a nutshell, it has a chassis & suspension that is happier at lower speeds and a drive system that is happier at higher speeds...one doesn't compliment the other. Our road quality is not that great in this part of the country so keeping the slack out of the system isn't always a good option.
After this evenings ride, the bevel box general temp was about 160*F...the front pulley for the belt was around 120*F, the temp in the bearing area at the back of the input shaft was around 170*F and the bearing area of the box at the output shaft was around 175*F (hottest measured temp). It has fresh RedLine HeavyDuty Shockproof gear lube in it for now but I'll be swapping back to RedLine 75w140 after one more cycle with the Shockproof. I drive the M3W in a manner to try to stretch it's life out and try to stay out of the back-lash of the BB. It's not dead yet but suspect it's got one foot in the grave. I still haven't heard back from the dealer on a replacement box which I will order as soon as I get feedback. I don't have any reason to believe the new BB will be any quicker delivery than what I saw on the Centa. Order early and order often, I suppose. I prefer to have parts on the shelf before the existing ones give up the ghost.
I guess if I only had one toy and it was a M3W, it would be a gearhead's dream. I'm still bum-fuzzled over what I got for the money I spent. I spend a lot of money on other toys and don't have any remorse as they work as advertised. The M3W was the same price as a base model C7 Corvette with 455 hp, traction control, stability control, 7-speed manual transmission, variable fuel mapping, cruise control, air conditioning, a removable roof, G-force meters, gobs of instrumentation...and Chevrolet encourages you to take it to the track. They are on the opposite ends of the "bang for your buck" scale...but the M3W is retro sexy. The Corvette and the SlingShot are a glimpse into the future and the M3W is a glimpse into the past which is equally appealing to me.
I'll keep you posted on the ride date (mid-Octoberish).
Z
