14-02-2023, 09:51 PM
My 1934 Ruby is my regular driver, aka my "modern" and covers around 6,000 miles a year, in all weathers.
I have improved the lighting by fitting LED bulbs all round, including headlamps, so night driving is great and being a Ruby, the slightly elevated position helps reduce blindness from on-coming traffic. My front side lights are now the front indicators and I have pilot bulbs in the headlamps, so any daytime out-of-town driving, I have the side lights on, which gives the entire headlamp a glow, so highly visible, particularly as most cars now have DRLs, other drivers are expecting it now.
I have a close-ratio gearbox, so hill climbing is not an issue and I have the flatter tappet blocks so valves open & closer quicker - that gave a noticeable improvement to performance. The car keeps up with town traffic no problem. Hydraulic brakes mean the car pulls up well, good in traffic.
On non-local journeys, I plan my route, if I am unfamiliar, I rely on the satnav (TomTom) and pick the shortest route & avoid motorways and I select key towns/villages as steps using google and I end up on some brilliant roads that have hardly any traffic. I avoid dual carriageways, but the satnav has let me down on occasions and I did use the motorway around Reading on the way up to Moreton in Marsh last summer, the traffic heading into Reading was at a standstill, the motorway was empty - I should have avoided Reading totally, but the satnav was having none of it so despite my planning the route did not work out totally! Rather than sit in the traffic, I opted for the motorway and it was great!
I use "slime" in my Ruby tyres, having had a blow-out several years ago (on a dark & wet November evening in rush hour) and experienced some very unnerving swerving before coming to a halt - luckily, there was a break in the on-coming traffic - I had never ever had a blow-out before, slow punctures, yes - loads, but not an immediate & complete deflation and I can now see how easily cars lose control & crash, particularly at higher speeds (I was doing just over 30mph).
A Ruby is probably an easy driver for regular use, but now my Swallow is back on the road it will take over the role very soon (still a few jobs to do to make it "all weather" and alter the wiring to headlamps to use pilot lights as DRLs, I have already fitted indicators and brake lights), got to get the miles in before we are told to stop!
I have improved the lighting by fitting LED bulbs all round, including headlamps, so night driving is great and being a Ruby, the slightly elevated position helps reduce blindness from on-coming traffic. My front side lights are now the front indicators and I have pilot bulbs in the headlamps, so any daytime out-of-town driving, I have the side lights on, which gives the entire headlamp a glow, so highly visible, particularly as most cars now have DRLs, other drivers are expecting it now.
I have a close-ratio gearbox, so hill climbing is not an issue and I have the flatter tappet blocks so valves open & closer quicker - that gave a noticeable improvement to performance. The car keeps up with town traffic no problem. Hydraulic brakes mean the car pulls up well, good in traffic.
On non-local journeys, I plan my route, if I am unfamiliar, I rely on the satnav (TomTom) and pick the shortest route & avoid motorways and I select key towns/villages as steps using google and I end up on some brilliant roads that have hardly any traffic. I avoid dual carriageways, but the satnav has let me down on occasions and I did use the motorway around Reading on the way up to Moreton in Marsh last summer, the traffic heading into Reading was at a standstill, the motorway was empty - I should have avoided Reading totally, but the satnav was having none of it so despite my planning the route did not work out totally! Rather than sit in the traffic, I opted for the motorway and it was great!
I use "slime" in my Ruby tyres, having had a blow-out several years ago (on a dark & wet November evening in rush hour) and experienced some very unnerving swerving before coming to a halt - luckily, there was a break in the on-coming traffic - I had never ever had a blow-out before, slow punctures, yes - loads, but not an immediate & complete deflation and I can now see how easily cars lose control & crash, particularly at higher speeds (I was doing just over 30mph).
A Ruby is probably an easy driver for regular use, but now my Swallow is back on the road it will take over the role very soon (still a few jobs to do to make it "all weather" and alter the wiring to headlamps to use pilot lights as DRLs, I have already fitted indicators and brake lights), got to get the miles in before we are told to stop!