Call me crazy -- just bought 1973 412

[19super73]

[UltraSheen]

I did have something else happen over the weekend.

I took the car out on Saturday with my son. There is a road by the airport, which is parallel to the runways and is necessarily long and flat. I stepped on the gas and the car topped out at 60 mph. There was nothing I could do to get it up to highway speed.

I went to Autozone and picked up new plugs, wires, and ignition coil. Installation went fine. It ran a little rough, but not too bad. I assumed I was going to have to take the next step of diagnosing the FI system.

I got it out on the same road. My son decided to sit this one out. That lightened the car about 90 pounds, but it is simply not possible that the small weight reduction is what helped the car propel to 80 mph! I was so pleased. Finally, I had cracked it!

As I was returning home, the car lost power and quickly died. I thought I had really killed it this time. The engine was hot and unhappy. I pulled to the side of the road and believe it or not, an air-cooled Westphalia stopped by to check on me. I said all was okay.

About 15 minutes later, I got the car cranked and off I went. For about 50 yards. Then it died again. It was down a small hill, so I was able to coast off the road. I let it sit even longer, fired her up, and away I went.

For 20 yards. This time I was stuck in the roadway as I didn't make it to a pull-off. Undeterred, or perhaps under the influence of great stupidity, I was not going to stop. A fellow stopped and with his SUV and tow-strap, I was safely moved into a gas station parking lot. I called my wife to come get me in the truck. I was going to pull it home.

She was not thrilled about the idea. Wise woman, that. The chain slipped off right as we enter the road and I had to push the car out of the roadway.

Good times.

I got home and let it sit for a few hours. I returned with my wife in the truck. It cranked right up. Success! Again, off I went onto the main thoroughfare, and sputter! I rolled into a veterinary clinic.

Again, this car is not going to defeat me! I have to come up with something. I asked my wife to take us back to the house. I opened up the garbage can outside to find the old ignition coil. I'd give it shot.

Let me pause the story for a moment and let you think about what I had just done. A week's garbage. It was almost 90 degrees that day. And we have a 6-month-old baby filling her diapers at an alarming rate. Few people have suffered like I did in that moment.

We return. With a flashlight in my mouth and a screwdriver in my hand, I replaced the old ignition coil. I sat down in the car to try it and, wouldn't you know it, the car fired right up and ran like a top.

I made it home. The distance from where it died the first time to my house was less than a mile. Less than a mile! I have never gone to such distances to travel so short a trip.

The adventures continue.

[KTPhil]

Check the resistance of the rotor and the spark plug leads and bakelite connectors. Rotors and connectors have resistors in them and can go bad, especially with heat.

[UltraSheen]

Sadly, I don't have the time or ability to do what I want to do with this car. It's for sale in the classifieds.