Wolseley Across America 4: MORE FLORIDA

While waiting for the Mini to arrive I took a few drives and played tourist. Museums, beaches, everglades. All the usual stuff. Do it if you ever get the chance. Here's a challenge for you though. Every chance you get ask whomever you are talking to if they are native Floridians. You won't find many!

The ship carrying my car finally arrived at the Port of Miami on Thursday the 11th. Normally, I don't work with a broker, but having a car come into a port I didn't know in a container that I needed moved someplace where I could unload it tipped the balance in favor of using one. I'm glad I did. He had the car pre-cleared and arranged for a warehouse where I could get the car out of the container. By Friday noon the car was at the warehouse where the nervous steps were taken to cut the seal on the container and see how EG survived the trip. The car I remember or a ball of metal? No problems! Hooked the battery up. Turned the key, and EG was on the road again.

After getting fuel it was back to the hotel to install the roof rack. Because of the things shipped in the car from South Africa and all the things I had with me to get to and from Florida I decided a roof rack would help. I probably could get everything inside the car, but getting to anything would be awkward. So, I ordered a roof rack from Mini Mania and had it shipped to the temporary Florida address. The roof rack went right on; although, I did pad the gutter mounting brackets with some duct tape in an effort to protect the paint. Well, everything wasn't quite as easy as all that. When I left the room with the rack it was sunny. By the time I had the rack 1/2 installed the usual afternoon thunderstorm had moved in and I was quickly soaked. Florida. Love it.

About the time I had retired to the room and recovered from the outdoor drenching, I received a call from another Mini owner. Windsor Coffin from Key Largo was on his was through Miami back to the Keys and wanted to know if we could meet. Windsor and I have been talking via email about the Wildgoose for some time. I didn't get to see any of his Minis and we only talked for a few minutes but he is interested in the unusual so the Wildgoose would fit right in! He had deadlines and I was trying to get things together for an early leaving the next morning so off he went. Maybe my next trip will be driving the Goose from Seattle to Key Largo!

Saturday morning I was up early and on my way north to John Rowland's. (Remember John?) He had offered his garage so that I could check over EG and install a couple of electrical items. Upon leaving the hotel the odometer read 1882 miles, all but 5 of which had been put on the car when I was in South Africa in May.

John and I spent some time looking over the car and everything was in shape for the trip. The LR wheel bearing was a little loose but the torque was OK and the bearing was new and well greased. The hub might have some wear in it. I just made a note to keep an eye on it during the trip.

Next we tackled installing the CB radio and the DC electrical outlet (phone charging, etc.). They went in with no trouble. That was the good news. The bad news was that the entire electrical system on the car is not suppressed and the CB has turned out to be useless unless the engine is turned off. Sort of defeats the purpose! On the other hand I only have to explain what the car is when stopped, not when on the road, too!

For another chore, John and I drilled out the rivets on the old style seat mounting brackets for the passenger seat. The driver's seat had been done in South Africa so I could install seat extenders. My 6' 2" frame doesn't like long Mini runs without getting the seat back a bit! My thought was that since the two seats are slightly different in feel I could swap them over on the road for a change of feel. I seem to fit the Mini seats OK, but 4,000 miles in any seat becomes a bit of an ordeal.

For one last chore, John and I wrapped the items on the roof rack with a tarp. Just in case it happened to rain. Rain in Florida? About that time as I was getting ready to leave we checked the sky, and sure enough. If it is a Summer afternoon, it must be thunderstorm time! Fortunately, this one passed by to one side and as I was driving north on I-95 I only caught the edge of it.

John Rowland saying good-bye to EG

The next step was to try and link up with Mike and Joyce Priest in Orlando. Unfortunately, they had been working hard and the two of us hadn't been able to connect. I was still hopeful. I had, on short notice, been able to get directions to Satch Smyth's near Melbourne so I made the uneventful and boring trek up I-95.

Chuck Heleker
Article Date: Aug 21, 2000
Car Accociations: MGB,MINI,MORRIS,SPRITE
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