Broke down

[Ignatzcatz]

Last Friday I scooted off to my local Moles country store to get some kitty litter, my cats do s@$t a lot. The old girl had a couple of splutters on the way there which I thought no more other than perhaps a sooty plug. On the return journey, on the single carriageway, uphill, A29, it died. Absolutely no go, nil, zilch, nada and a big line of cars stacked up behind me. Just the scenario from hell. Fortunately there was a small company a little way back so when there was a gap in the traffic I let the old dog roll back until I could run into their driveway. At least I was off the road. Spanners out but I couldn't get fuel up to the carbs so I had to go into this company and borrow a phone to call up the breakdown people. The journey was so minimal I hadn't taken my mobile with me - Dooh! I only had to wait 20 minutes before the wrecker turned up and with a bit of juggling like wood blocks under the wheels because the car is so low we got it up onto the truck and headed for home.
What to do? I run a USA Carter electric fuel pump which I think I had on my old V8 Pop street rod. Anyway it is old so I reckon it just gave up the ghost. So that evening I got on the phone and called Jegs Automotive in Ohio. Yep they have a Carter in stock and they can get it out for me today. Great, so I wait and this week I get a tracking code from FedEx and see my pump went from Ohio to Indianapolis, then flew to Stanstead and on to their distribution center in Camberley. Next thing I knew was a knock on my door Thursday morning, and Voila, my new pump. Deep joy. So I fitted the pump on Thursday evening and on Friday, one week after the breakdown I'm zooming around a very happy teddy.
The breakdown cover is included in my insurance which is Classic Line who I used when I was running a street rod, they are the main insurers for the National Street Rod Assoc. But their rates and cover are very good and I have all my Porkers with them now.
This means, of course, I can bring my 356 to the first Southern Cars and Coffee meet happening next Saturday. You will be there???

[mycar]

Ugh, that sinking feeling when the car fails to proceed. Then the process of elimination, trying to fathom which one of two dozen things could be the cause.

Sounds like the diagnosis was pretty swift in this case, as was the international rescue. Is the Carter pump unusually good ? Is there not an UK/Euro alternative ?

Glad that you got it sorted, let the springtime driving commence.