Throttle return spring question
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 1,605
From: Eastern MA
I've been doing this since 1989 and while it's not as long as some folks here, it's not a hot minute either.
I'd never dream of not having double springs and none of my old cars, from '66 to '78 drove a yard without them already being in place without me installing them. Not only is the redundancy a good idea and it's cheap and easy, if you want "correct" appearance for judging it's so easy that it's a no-brainier to just swap out as needed or wanted.
I have often wondered if in the mid 70s or thereabouts, it became just SOP for Mr. Goodwrench to install them when a car came in without the double spring, like a silent 'recall' for want of a better term.
I'd never dream of not having double springs and none of my old cars, from '66 to '78 drove a yard without them already being in place without me installing them. Not only is the redundancy a good idea and it's cheap and easy, if you want "correct" appearance for judging it's so easy that it's a no-brainier to just swap out as needed or wanted.
I have often wondered if in the mid 70s or thereabouts, it became just SOP for Mr. Goodwrench to install them when a car came in without the double spring, like a silent 'recall' for want of a better term.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 8,887
Likes: 5,421
From: Richardson Texas
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,658
Likes: 3,117
From: Shamong, NJ
I had an accelerator cable break on my 71 El Camino, I don't want to think what might have happened if it hadn't had a good return spring.
I was on a road rally on a Saturday night with my Corvette club, when a rear brake line failed on my 62. I was lucky because the 62 has a good parking brake. And this was before cell phones! I was lucky, I found a pay phone near by and I called a friend to bring me some brake fluid and a vise grip. I clamped the rear hose closed, topped off the single reservoir MC, and limped to the rally end point to have a couple (much needed) drinks.
Another time I had a rear caliper seal blow out on a 74 Corvette on my way home from an IMSA race at Lime Rock Park. I had to drive the 200 miles home through New York City and north Jersey in Memorial Day traffic with just front brakes. The 74 was only 4 years old and only had about 30,000 miles on it. I had a dual reservoir MC fail once too, leaving me with just rear brakes.
I've drag raced and autocrossed, but I've always serviced and taken care of my cars too. Every problem I've ever encountered happened in normal driving, not on a track. Stuff happens and I learned long ago not to take anything for granted when it comes to cars.
