BritishMcce - Advance Auto Wire Blog

The Mamas & Papas R Back!

2007-12-31T09:37:00.000-05:00

Performing The Who's "My Generation"

Don't Let This Happen to You!

2007-12-30T09:40:00.000-05:00

Do you know me? I’m Karl Malden and I carry the American Express card. Don’t leave home without it!

That's Right, Karl. British Classic Car Owners shouldn't Trust their Investments to 30 year old Wiring Hardware & Systems Either... But They Do.

Karl, Our Powerblock comes with seven relays, two flashers, eight fuses, all the connecters, terminals, and wiring needed to completely replace ALL the wiring in your car, this wiring setup will put an end once and for all to your British Car electrical problems!

Our Powerblock Upgrade does not contain the wimpy wiring originally found in British cars - our wiring is all heavy gauge, top quality SXL wire, made to handle the environment as well as the electrical loads. Heavier wire, combined with proper fusing, provides a definite improvement over the stock wiring! Electrical reliability in a British car!

..

_{(click to Zoom)}, from One of our Vendors American Auto Wire

I thought that this Diagram was very Informative about Heat Zones.

Follow an Online Forum Thread at the TR Register of the UK.

Follow Another Online Forum Thread at the MG Experience of the USA

... Where Curtis Jacobson at the British V8 Group of the USA makes a Compelling Clarification between PVC & CrossLinked wire products.

The Moral of the Story is: Whenever you Replace any Wires on your Car... make sure it is Not PVC! Ask your Retailer before you Buy any Piece of Wire to Protect your Investment. A Cockpit full of Smoke while you Are Driving is Not the Time & Place to Be ;-)

GXL has a Thinner Jacket than SXL, but the Ratings are the Same. GXL has replaced most SXL applications; therefore, we will be Migrating in that Mainstream direction as well.

Why seven relays? OEM replacement switches for MGs and Triumphs are expensive and they are rather difficult to replace. By taking the electrical load off the switches and transferring it to the relays, the life of the switches is greatly increased. With relays, the switches only have to switch the very small load of the relay coils, letting the relay contact do the heavy current switching. In time, though, even the relays will fail and require replacement. Unlike the switches, relays cost around $5 or so, and takes all of 30 seconds to replace.

Karl, the switches in most cars have already aged to the point that the lights are dim as a result of contact degradation. Relays will operate with as little as 6-8 volts, so even your already bad switches will still operate them. Not having to replace your switches can save a lot of money.

Our power block wiring kits do not have relays for all functions, as some loads (such as the windshield wipers) are small enough not to need the benefits of relays. We supply relays for the following loads:

High beams

Low beams

Horn

Cooling fan

Ignition

Starter or Overdrive (depending on application)

Fuel pump

Why eight fuses? Because eight are enough. Unless you are adding extra, high current draw loads, eight fuses adequately protect your wiring. The 12, 18, or 21 fuse panels offered to the "street Rod" folks have fuses that you don't need in an MGB or a Triumph TR. If you wish to add extra, hight powered loads, you'll want to consider one of our auxiliary add-on systems - either the extra four-fuse auxilary fuse block, or the driving/fog light add-on relay/fuse block.

The diagram below shows the heart of our upgrade system, what we refer to as the "Power Block." They come in two flavors, the one shown below with a starter relay, and one with an overdriver relay for earlier model Triumphs with an "A" type overdrive. In addition to a complete, pre-wired power block, each kit comes with the additional wire need to do the remainder of the car, interfacing with the power block. Also included with each kit is a complet set of terminals, connectors, mounting screws, etc.

(Click to Zoom)

Don't Let This Happen to You! Minimize the Danger by Investing in our Advanced Relay Switched Powerblock Today.

ORDER Confidence...

Spring Break is Here!

2007-03-19T10:33:00.000-05:00

..

Spring Break is Here!
Be Sure to Drop In with Jaws ;-)

Head to the Bahamas...

Hang out with James & Barbara for Dinner

Barbara will Pick You Up from the Airport

She knows a Short Cut to your Hotel.

While James is Away on a Minor Detail... You & Barbara can Catch Up on Old Times ;-)

Later... Hugo Drax will Take Care of Any Needs you May Have to Make your Visit a Most Memorable One ;-)

I'll See Ya There!
M

Where Are All My Aussie Friends?

2007-02-15T10:35:00.000-05:00

Simon from New Zealand says that there are Plenty of Aussies with MGs & Triumphs Humming all around Australia & Tasmania? I asked Simon, "How come I don't Hear Nothing from our 'Good Day' Friends? Wassup?

Be Sure to Visit their Forum Site for Pics & Bios on Prized Processions at,

TRIUMPH-Owners.com

BTW, Do you have Anything better than Fosters?

Cheers!
M

Viva Bogota Colombia!

2007-01-17T07:35:00.000-05:00

Bogota 2006 was the Best this Time around-- my 5th Time. I hadn't been to Bogota since 1998... and Low & Behold the Changes I saw firsthand ;-)

Enjoy the 1st Photo Show installment... More to Come.

Our Familia in Bogota is Famous with the likes of Tom Cruise, John Kerry, Elton John, & Don Johnson! See if you can Spot one ;-)

Visit a Better Way to Move the Masses via Bogota's "TransMilenio System".

(click to Zoom)

This Man is Performing Miracles within (5) years of his Administration.

Construction is Up... Foreign Investment is Up... Foreign Tourism is Up...

Great Place for Ex-Patriots!

Views from La Calera above the City

Take a Trip to See for Yourself ;-) & Colombia Link.com

Cheers!
M

Missing Dennis Already...

2006-10-18T07:51:00.000-05:00

Folks,

That Dreaded Phone call finally arrived yesterday afternoon, October 17th... It was a Woman's Voice that was Soft to the Ear & it Slowly Trembled out my name, "Is this Mikey?"... at that moment I knew I had Indeed Lost One of My Best Friends in the Whole Wide World.

Dennis Alsup was an Intimidating, Overbearing Paradox to Some, but when you Put your Paw in that Lion's Mouth... He Licked it. Being a Man of Immense Proportions myself, I figured two Lions could Get Along just Fine with Enough Distance to Roam. We finely had our Run In at the Office--- Dennis just happened to be my Big Boss at the Time, EVP of ICS for a Budding $500M company in 1993.

The Trap had been Laid-- it was "Fight or Flight" Time for Me... I Stood my ground with these Immortal Words, "Do you think I am a Dick with Ears?" Dennis just Paused for a Moment and Brushed the Issue aside ;-) I am sure there was a Broad Smile somewhere on his Face when he later left our Bull Pen area, down the hall, on his way upstairs to Executive Mahogany Row.

Soon, Dennis, Carl, & I became the "Three Amigos" with Full Metal Jackets--- Corporate Style during the Trism years. We became Brothers in Arms against A Whole Bunch of Corp Stupidity through the years while trying desperately hard Not to get our Bosses Fired ;-) ... Only One later Survived & Triumphed before the Auction Block Days.

After our own Individual "Dog Day Afternoon" sketches at Trism, We kept in Touch across the Country. Visited a Few times in-between... Hoped to Link Up when Better Times came Calling for a Few Good Men. Yeah Right, Bullshit.. bullshit, bullshit-- Man, this Stuff really does Taste Terrible after all these Years.

Our Motto to Keep a Sense of Humor on our Faces during the 21st Century??

OH, Well....

For Everyone that has Such Good Friends in your Heart... this is from Dennis to You too-- We Lost more than mere $Millons$, but We Gained something Priceless Over the Years,

Thursday, November 11, 2004 11:41 AM

To the special people in my life, I am sending this to you to see how many of you actually read your emails. Is anyone really out there? Your response will be interesting! Pay close attention to what you read. After you have finished reading it, you will know the reason it was sent to you! Here it goes:

People come into your life for a Reason, a Season, or a Lifetime. When you know which one it is for a person, you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend, and they are! They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered, and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow, or learn. They bring you an experience of peace, or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons: things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life!
Dennis L. Alsup

The Trism Waltz

Dam.... You know it Don't Come Easy.
M

Here Comes Fred to Salvage Dale's Crypt Car ;-)

2006-09-28T07:13:00.000-05:00

"Dale, I'm Coming to Ya! It's the Big One..."

It doesn't Get any Better than This, Folks.

_{Dale's Crypt Car}

The 1st Order of Business before we begin Operations... will be to Zip Off to Old Towne, San Juan and...

Pick up Miss Molly for some Very Special Medicine to Rid the Bad Thangs influencing the Crypt Car before I even Touch It!

And if Miss Molly can't Put on Spell on that Old Girl-- then...

I reckon I'll have to Make an Important phone call to New York ;-)

Of Course We can Always Count on the Wizard of Lucas Electronics, Dad (Dan Masters). Hehhehehehheee

And if all Else Fails...

Burn It!

Planning Sessions throughout the Duration of the Project will be Held at the Tiki Bar!!!!

DTBanks

The Project...

More Sanford & Son Sounds...

Remember the British Invasion of the 1960s? Well...

2006-09-24T07:15:00.000-05:00

_{MG TF Coupe will be assembled in the US in 2008}

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanjing_Automobile_Group
MG Motors North America: Ardmore Plant

On July 12, 2006 senior officials of Nanjing Automobile Corporation announced the revival of the historic MG brand of vehicles, as well as plans to build a new MG product in Oklahoma, with the formation of MG Motors North America, Inc., in a ceremony in Oklahoma City.

MG vehicles will not only be built in Nanjing, China, but also at the Longbridge assembly plant near Birmingham, England and at a new American assembly plant to be built at the Ardmore Air Park in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Headquarters for MG sales, marketing and distribution (outside of Asia) will be located in Oklahoma City. Research and development will be in Norman at the University of Oklahoma.
[snip]

More from the BBC...

Huh? PoppyCock!!

_{http://www.britishmotoring.net}
_{Online PDF of this Magazine Issue}

Well, Thanks to Dan Kahn, the Editor of British Motoring -- a Moss publication, this Revelation caught my Eye ;-)

Wikipedia states that Nanjing Automobile is the Oldest Automobile manufacture in China. Founded in 1947, Nanjing Automobile is a state-owned enterprise with 16,000 employees. The group occupies an area of 4,000,000 m², has fixed assets amounting to RMB 12 billion and an annual production capacity of 200,000 vehicles. The group's major products are cars, trucks, and travel buses.

Well again, if anybody remembers How the Brits regurgitated Delta Blues from Us and Sold it Back to Us in a Different Package... like the Beetles, Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Cream-- You Name It! The Chinese just might have Something here on the Up & Coming Retro Market ;-)

The Immediate Question I have on My Mind is,

"What are the Short & Long Term Impacts on Keeping the British Automotive Legacy Alive as a Direct Result of this Chinese Investment?"

Personally, I see... Blue Skies Mixed with a Lil' Stardust ;-)

Blue Skies
By Irving Berlin

Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see
Bluebirds singin' a song
Nothin' but bluebirds all day long

Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
(Blue skies smilin' at me
Nothin' but blue skies do I see)

Never saw the sun shinin' so bright
Never saw things goin' so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly

Blue days, all of them gone
Nothin' but blue skies from now on
Nothin' but blue skies from now on

BUT Most likely with the Chinese... This will be My Luck ;-)

Brought to you by... i-am-bored.com

Dale's Beast of Burden

2006-09-18T07:12:00.000-05:00

Folks,

Is this Dale peddling is Way around Puerto Rico or Just the Way he Feels about his Crypt Car?

Dale has had a Love/Hate Relationship with his TR6 it seems like for a Decade. After the many Months of Conversations we have had over his Refurbishing Woes...

_{Click Image for Slideshow}

I have come to the Conclusion that this is the Way Dale must see his Car... Each & Every Morning ;-)

Several Months ago, Dale made one of his Best Decisions regarding his Crypt TR6...

Dale sought the Advise of Dan Masters' Electrical Book & purchased our Replacement Wiring Harness Kit.

Dale can Clean, Tune, & Re-Assemble a fine Swiss Watch, but when it comes DC Electricity...

then "... the Worms, They enter his Brain".

But on the Other Hand...

Dale can Take a Priceless Object like this and...

Take it Apart & Put it back Together again with No Problem... Yikes!

It is not Uncommon for Dale to Improve the Object as Well ;-)

Dale & I have come to the Conclusion that a House Call is in Order... So, the 1st Week of October, I will be in Puerto Rico Examining the Crypt TR6 and Providing Recommendations for its Immediate Electrical Recovery.

Eat Your Heart Out, Folks! Hehheheheheheheheheee...

Roger Williams has Already Offered his Mechanical Expertise if Needed ;-)

Are There Any Questions?

We Added the Chatter Box 4 U!

2006-09-10T07:53:00.000-05:00

Try it Now!

Folks,

I have always wanted to Add a Nice Webchat interface to our site... and yesterday I found a very, very nice one indeed ;-)

(Click to See)

This Webchat is fully functional with a Main Lobby, Defined Rooms, & even allows you to Create your Own Rooms... plus, you can have private conversations as well--- but the best (2) things are: (1) this is not a Mainstream messenger/chat application; therefore, No Nasty Kids to Break in on your Privacy, (2) It supports Voice & Video-- now, this is Awesome!

Take it from a 25 yr IT Guy--- this application is just about as good as Sliced Bread!

Here's my Vision for Everybody to use the Chatter Box,

o To be a Primary meeting place for Our Customers & Friends to Gather
o To Provide Tech Sessions Online-- Real Time!
o To Sponsor Real Time Interviews!
o Allow our Customers & Friends to Troubleshoot/Share their Experiences from their Garage via Audio & Video Link, again in Real Time!

If you can think of more Opportunities this Chatter Box can be Used for--- Please comment below and Tell Everybody your Secret!

The last Bullet item is really interesting to me-- seeing & hearing is Believing! Just imagine how much time you could cut from troubleshooting if you could Illustrate your Problem in Real Time by using a Laptop (with mic & speakers included) with a Webcam all linked up to Broadband Internet via WiFi--- Wouldn't that be Awesome???

Imagine this setting: the Patient is on the Table before the surgeons below. Above in the Gallery are the Resident Professors-- Observing & making Recommendations. Could you do that Yesterday with a Portable Phone? Hahahahahhaaaa!

Okay, I hope somebody takes up the Challenge! I'm available to Help you Folks achieve this Communication Breakthrough... just Buzz me ;-)

According to this article from Cnet for around $100... this is all you need,

Webcams

Source: http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-6459_7-5583251-5.html

Miss the sight of your significant other, who's across the country? Need to videoconference with your boss (so that she can see that you're actually working)? Either way, these Webcams are specifically made to work with your laptop and can make you an online star (or at least broadcast your face to anyone who cares to see it).

Cheers!
Mike

Update 09/11/06

Ah Ha!! ...I have found this Morning another Piece I was looking for... A Seamless, Reliable Event Sharing Application ;-)

What does all this Techno Babble mean?

In the old days you paid a Premium for Collaborative Tools... Now, they are less expressive to being Free--- if you know where to find them ;-)

This particular collaborative tool I was looking for would allow anybody to Host a Presentation from their Desktop to an Audience around the World-- Like Microsoft's PowerPoint. Another handy tool is anything you can use as a White Board to effortlessly scribble on, draw lines, shapes & symbols with Text & Images.

Well, I found this little Goodie called, "Unyte" which is supported & endorsed by Skype!

Skype is a professional grade chat/voice/voip application that is currently used by professionals all over the World. You can call most large cities for under 2 cents a minute-- with excellent voice quality! You can VoiceChat with anybody around the World for FREE! ... and it is Kid Free!

So, this "Unyte" application can serve our Visual needs whenever we hold an Online Tech Session within the Chatter Box ;-) Imagine being able to be Heard & Seen... Communicating visually like a Virtual Professor-- actually I saw this once used in a Class at the University of Tennessee; however, it was a Bit Low Tech at the time--- It was a VCR plugged up to an Array of TV sets stationed within the Classroom. This Economics Professor was so highly praised that he Video Taped his Lessons from the Caribbean and sent them to the University ;-) You had to keep up take Notes... because his Left hand wasn't very far behind is Right hand when he was Writing on the Chalk Board! Oh, well....

This Tool allows anybody to be an Host and present any application running on their Desktop to the Masses. The Masses are passed a Hyperlink via Email/Chat Session/Website to View the Presentation is Real Time. Now, how Easy is That???

Does everybody understand and/or appreciate these wonderful Tools for Sharing/Learning/Troubleshooting?

Cheers!
M

The Brit Box -- Great Source for British Classics Advertising

2006-08-18T07:25:00.000-05:00

http://www.thebritbox.com

Sweet!

What a Shame these Beauties Left Us Wanting More?

Sir Ian Fleming

I say,

"Bring 'em Back!-- I'm tired of Spaceship-looking Cars!!!"

(click Drax for
some Intriguing
Insights--
What a Guy!)

Hey, everybody jump on over to The Brit Box-- He has AWESOME vintage pictures you won't BELIEVE!

(Click 4 the Most Awesome Broadband Trailer I've Ever Seen!)

EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA!

A Slice of Redneck Heaven!!!

I Just Found the Jewel on BritBox Today!!!!

http://www.thebritbox.com

Enjoy!
M

PS: Be sure to Checkout the 2006 BritishV8 & MG2006 PhotoShow

British V8 & MG 2006 June in Smoky Mtns, Tennessee

2006-07-24T09:58:00.000-05:00

From our Friends at Reborn,

Legends of the Fall

2006-07-16T12:16:00.000-05:00

In Memory of Strother Martin, March 26, 1919 – August 1, 1980

In Rearing this Son

One of Anthony's Creations

Little Shop of Horrors!!!

2006-07-13T08:13:00.000-05:00

Looky at what we have for You...

(Click to View)

Lastest News & Updates

2006-07-11T15:50:00.000-05:00

IEWC Post Vendor Blues

I have decided to separate Accessory Only orders from our mainstream Wire Harness orders to improve the efficiency of our production line, while allowing other activities to occur in parallel.

Soon, I will share with you pictures of our Little Shop of Horrors where we actually build these wonderful needful things for your pleasure. You will see from the pictures actually how much room one, single Wiring Harness Kit takes up to Build, Terminate, Connect, Test, & Package.

I hope to restructure our workspace to accommodate space for parallel Accessory manufacturing that will make our Customers and Elves Happy & Content.

_{Find the Secret Doorway in...}

Mr. Fowlkes Traverses the Moors Home, Cross-Eyed with Heavy Disquietude

Brain Salad Surgery

07/25/06 Update

It must seem to you like we are stuck in the Mud again, but like I said previously... these are symptoms of Growing Pains.

As you can see below, June was pretty brisk with activity in pushing orders Out the Door-- even though I attended the week long British V8 event in Townsend & the MG2006 event in Gatlinburg during June 18-25.

Once again, the sheer volume out stripped our supply-- you guys are Hungry!

As a Result, we have placed replenishment orders with our suppliers to a the tune of $2,000... and still climbing.

Meanwhile, we have been migrating depleted wire spools, one by one or in clusters, to our new Ronco Cut-n-Dice wire supplier. Once I place the orders, he has to order 1,000 feet spools from Craig our Wire Supplier from the Factory, Wait, Cut, & Ship to Us. Eventually, he will have all of our wire needs instock and this Waiting game will End... and Flow like a perfect Design Should ;-)

Second, a wire order I made directly from Craig came to me improperly labeled & the wrong class of wire... we Only use SXL guys :-) I don't think Craig enjoys being embarrassed by the Factory and he took it on his own to Manage the Situation, but... I'm still waiting on that Fix ;-)

It maybe time to bring out the Cattle Prod, eh?

08/04/06 Update
Craig promises me that the UPS man will be at my door today Bearing Gifts... I certainly hope so, don't you?

08/07/06 Update
Half of my Wire Order showed up... I need the Rest. Craig on Vacation this Week. Lets try next week, shall we?

08/21/06 Update
Well, after last Saturday's wire order verification by Craig with our wire cutter, my order should arrive the first of this week-- keep your fingers crossed... and remember: this is Just Growing Pains during a Chinese Resource Grab on Copper!

08/23/06 Update
Oh Lord, won't you bring me my Wire Order Today?
My Friends all Drive Porsches, I must make Amends
My UPS man Passes by my Cul-de-Sac, but he don't have Nothin' for Me
So Lord, won't you Bless my UPS Man?

Download to Listen
Definitely, the One Thing China, Inc. can't Imitate is the Flying Burrito Brothers from Texas ;-)
_{(for Dam Sure-- They don't have no "Sneaky Pete" on Steel Guitar)}

08/26/06 Update
Well, after blowing a HeadCasket & Apologizing for Expressing Myself at the Same while Shouting at Craig over the Phone... we got some Movement.

At 9:45am the UPS Man rang my door bell... Craig had managed yesterday to locate 600ft of 14ga White/Green from one of their many warehouses and had them Urgently ship it overnight for morning delivery--- ghee, it is nice when things work as expected ;-)

This one wire is critical for panel function and cannot be substituted... I had been waiting (3) weeks for delivery while exhausting my Odd-Ball-Bin of wire under the Workbench.

The rest of my Wire Shipment Should arrive this Tuesday, but I don't expect it to Get here by Wednesday.

Once again, let us understand the problem:

We are still Transitioning our onsite wire inventory to our Wire Cutter's onsite Inventory worth 1,000s of dollars... this is not an Over-Night Sensation.

I must Apologize to my Very Patient Customers... I have used many Tactics to Heighten the Urgency level with our Vendor folks by Splitting the Open Orders into Subgroups & Advance Shipping status in order to Pass the Pain around a bit.

Hopefully, these Tactics have Worked... and we will continue to Measure the Performance in the many Months to Come.

09/02/06 Update
I received a wire package last Tuesday, but guess what?... It's only Half the Order. I called and made my Inquiry... answer is the Rest will come this Coming Tuesday. Okay, we must Wait for our Red 14ga 30 feet of wire-- that's a lot of Critical Wire.

Sorry Folks, but it makes no sense to Ship Now when We need that One Off-Panel wire... so, We will Wait.

On the Plus side of Wire World--- we are about at 75% Offsite Inventory with the Wire Cutter... We are almost to Home Base.

09/10/06 Update
Good News! I received the much need 14ga Red 30' sections of Wire, plus others yesterday--- Production is back online. I will be sending out Backorders for this Critical piece too!

Thanks for Hanging in their Guys!

09/29/06
A Rare Opportunity has Presented itself: I will be making a House Call to One of our Customers in Puerto Rico all Next Week. I look forward to Learning more Hands-On of what our Customers go through Implanting one of our Kits, successfully.

I hope to Return from the Project with Lessons Learned and some extra Insights that can be Used to Update or Add to our Manuals and other Publications.

I believe this will be Just the Beginning for AAW to Expand in our Market by providing Added Value such as House Calls to our Customers when They are In Need.

More...
More...

11-16-06 Update - Waiting on the Wire Blues again... It must be that Holiday Rush! I Re-shuffled the Deck to Reflect the Impact.

Have a Great Turkey Day!!!

12-1-06 Update - Thanks to Craig of AWC & Ken of Type C-- WE HAVE WIRE! How about $1k worth of Wire? Hummmmmmmmmmmm.

Craig & Ken Humped It Thanks Giving Weekend-- Let's Give them a Big Hand!!!

Now, I have to Start Humping this Weekend--- Oh, Nooooooooooooo!

Just a Heads Up 4 Y'all -- I will be Flying Way Down South on Christmas Eve, so don't wait up for me ;-)

Cheers!
M

12-2-06 Update - Oh,... Sing me that Song, "The Crossroads"... just One more Time. Well, we have a Mix up on about 100lbs of Wire-- 15 pieces of Useless 8 gauge pre-cut cable instead of 15 pieces of Required 10 gauge pre-cut cable.

I'm Sorry Folks, but Pulling Cable can be Confusing at Times with 100s of color combinations to Choose from... and we definitely missed this One ;-)

I called up Dad to see if we could substitute the 8ga for 10ga-- which I wasn't in favor of doing, but I wanted to get a Sign off from the Chief himself... and he agreed-- Bite the Bullet and Waiting for the Correct Replacement.

12-9-06 Update - YES! I finally received the 10ga Yellow wire from the Mail Lady!!!! We are Back in Business ;-)

02/17/07

After waiting for (2) weeks, we should receive the 2nd part of our wire order this coming week, which should allow us to Split-Ship some (12) Orders and Help meet our Deadline Goals for February.

This Cold Snap hasn't Helped either. My huge basement doesn't have Heat or Air, so it is like the County Morgue down there lately. I finally went to Home Depot and Purchased me a Kerosene Heater-- some 22,000 BTUs or So. Hopefully, I'll have the Windows cracked open just enough to let the Carbon-monoxide Escape; otherwise, there will be a Loud Thud when I Pass-out on the Concrete floor ;-)

I remember one day recently, I was so Fed-Up with this Artic Blast, that I brought down my Weber grill from the Deck and Fired it up in the Basement. Next, I visited my Deep Freezer and pulled out a 5lb Log of Hamburger I've had in there for over a Year.

I Carried the Ham log downstairs to basement which was full of smoke by that time... no problem. I just opened the side door and placed the Smoker outside for a Spell as I opened the Windows & Turned the exhaust Fan on Full Blast to Expel the Smoke.

When the Weber ceased to Smoke-- I pulled it back inside and Threw on the Hamburger Log. With the Windows cracked Open & the Exhaust Fan a going-- I had made myself a Warm Spot near the Bench... and now my Basement smells like Hamburgers-- Not Bad!

Stay Warm,
M

02/26/07

Saturday was a Disappointment-- Wire & Assorted Sundries did not Come to my Door... Keep the Faith ;-)

We will just have to Assume that all my Gifts will Come this Monday or Tuesday... therefore, I'm gonna Release the (12) Split Shipments I mentioned earlier.

My Son just Returned from Spending a Week with Grand Ma & Grand Pa (Dan Masters), so I will have my Elf back! Nico Pulls & Cuts Wire like a Dragon Slayer-- Packs Hardware like a Ground Hog... Not to Mention-- He Needs Money, Again ;-)

While attempting to Stay on Schedule and After the Domestic Split Shipments are out the Door-- I plan on Shipping out My (4) International Orders ahead of the Others in Line, due to the Fact that it takes Weeks for their Orders to Arrive. Whereas, Domestic shipments usually take about 3-4 days-- So, everything should Balance out in the Process ;-)

My Wire better Be here No Later than Tuesday or I'm Gonna call on My Relatives, Uncle Lurch & Uncle Fester. Uncle Lurch will Proceed to Bend & Break a few Legs for Me...

And After That...

I'll Loan them Out to Uncle Fester for Science Experiments!

Cheers!
M

04/11/07

Last Thursday, April 5th, was another Disappointing Wire Day-- (10) Boxes on the Floor with NoWhere to Go...

I received my (2) Wire Orders the Day before and Got around to Opening up the Box the Next Day-- Oh, Boy... This doesn't look Good. I placed (3) orders for a Ton of Wire on 03/08/07, 03/29/07, & 03/30/07... and What I got was Some of That Order, Some of the Other Order, & Stuff I didn't Order-- but Critical Items were Missing from All of my Orders and for my (10) Boxes on the Floor & My Powerblock Dreams.

What to Do? Oh My,... another (4) weeks behind the Curve, plus another week-- I don't like this Feeling.

My Next Least Favorite thing to do is... Chewing Out Somebody. After the Chewing, I have been Promised that I will Receive my Critical Items by this Friday, April 13th-- Oh, Swell... Friday the 13th-- I'm Feeling better already.

On Monday I was Planning on Shipping what I had and Fulfilling the Rest whenever it would Come from the Wire Gods. But after talking with Craig, I decided to Hold & Wait for this next Shipment and Do It Right.

If anybody would like for me to Ship their Split Shipment NOW-- email or call me before Friday and I will do as You Wish.

Sorry about this Fine Mess Folks...

However, this Event has given me an Idea-- Create an Expedited Service that would Maximize our Production Line & Supply Chain.

Meanwhile, I will work on this Process Improvement Idea and Provide a Link here later.

Cheers!
M

04-18-07

Never Kick a Man when He is Down... Worst Fears becoming Reality.

Last Friday I was Promised Delivery of Much Needed Wire that was Missing from the Prior Shipment from my Wire Guys... it never Came. I tried to Contact Craig in Greenville all afternoon... Ring, Ring, Ring.

I Hoped for a Better Day Manana and I Retreated to the Deck & Grill with some Suds to Cool Me Down-- I even Invited my 'Once N While' Neighbor Over to Pickup my Spirits. The Roasted Jalapeños came off the Grill Great-- my neighbor was Impressed! After he Drank half of my Beers, he finally Trotted off Home and I shared my Grilled Fest with the Fam, watched some Tube, & Nodded off in my Recliner... Waiting for a Better Day to Come Saturday afternoon.

Saturday Came & Went without Bearing any Gifts... What to Do? Do Something Else...

Monday Rolled around... I began calling for Craig in the Morning-- More Ring, Ring, Ring... "...Leave a Message and I'll Call Ya Back". While working on Other Things in the Dungeon, I repeated Making the Same Call Over & Over until I couldn't Stand it anymore... and Called it a Day.

The Sunrise came Tuesday... and I did a little Net Research which led to some Surprising Results that Picked up my Spirits-- like an Exit Plan ;-) I continued to Wrap up a Few things in the Office and Headed down to the Dungeon for my daily Dial-a-Rama exercise period. I finally pushed Myself to Call Craig's number again... Ring, Ring-- "Hello?"

The Voice on the other side of the Line didn't Sound Right and I Inquired, "Everything Okay on your End?". The Answer was a Weak "No".

I've known for Sometime about Craig's concerns about his Mother's present Medical Condition & Elderly Care. Things continue to Go from Bad to Worse-- and this Time She was Placed in Intensive Care last Friday. Craig Lost his Father in '92, Quickly... But his Mother has not had that Luxury... Looks like We are Down to Days here.

I gave all the Comfort I could over the Phone to Craig and Wished him Well. Moments such as These Requires Us to Stop the World out of Respect. Therefore, I will Wait for Craig's Follow Up Phone Call regarding our Wire Issues by the End of this Week or by the Beginning of Next Week.

So Sad,
M

04-19-07

Well Folks, I plan on Heading Down to South Georgia... Jimmy Carter Land in Search of a New Business Parter-- Conversation seems to be Mutual... Lets See. I'm Tired of Growth Pains that my Vendors cannot Keep Pace with-- I need Somebody that Takes my Customers Seriously.

Therefore, I will Consult with Uncle Jesse and...

Hang Out Later with Daisy & the Boys under the Pale Moonlight ;-)

Cheers to Waylon ;-)

Cheers!
M

04/25/07

Great Trip This Monday to Flex-Tec in Byromville, Ga. Looks like they have Plenty of Equipment, Room, Warehousing, & People to Service my Business Needs beyond Wire!

I will be Pulling Together Technical Specs for Chuck (the Prez) so that He can Tell me How much $$ & What he can Do within a Given Timeframe to Service our Needs ;-)

I called Craig (Wire Guy) this Tuesday for an Update... and he Says that a "Package" of wire is on its Way. It appears that His partner is also Down... Spent 2 1/2 hours on the Kitchen floor because his Back went Out! Looks like Both of my Wire Guys got hit by a Truck recently, huh?

I just Hope that Things Get Better for Everybody, but I know that Certain Plans on the Horizon are Gonna Insure that Better Things Coming for Everybody-- Even Me! ;-)

Cheers!
M

04/28/07

"Ahhh, Houston... We have Wire--"

The 2nd box came Friday, but we are still Missing (2) types of Wire... They are on the Way.

Now, it is Hump Time through FIFO Hopper Jungle,

Run Through The Jungle
By Creedence Clearwater Revival

Whoa, thought it was a nightmare,
Lo, its all so true,
They told me, dont go walkin slow
cause devils on the loose.

Chorus:
Better run through the jungle,
Better run through the jungle,
Better run through the jungle,
Woa, dont look back to see.

Thought I heard a rumblin
Callin to my name,
Two hundred million guns are loaded
Satan cries, take aim!

Chorus

Over on the mountain
Thunder magic spoke,
Let the people know my wisdom,
Fill the land with smoke.

Chorus

Cheers!
Mike

05/04/07

A Prime Example of One being Proactive-- Just Send It... and We'll Discuss the Details later ;-)

While Praying & Dancing to the Wire Gods, I remembered that Flex-Tec had a Pile of Wire on the Shelf that was from an Old Project. So, I emailed Chuck at Flex-Tec and Inquired about a certain color of wire. He responded back that he had that color but wasn't sure what type it was... so, I asked him to Verify and Report back.

In a Few minutes he Replied that he had this color of wire in GXL. I told him I would get back with him after I sorted out some other details. Later, I decided that I would like to have Some of that Wire and I placed a Call... Chuck was not Available. I tried a Few other Times too, but Nada-- I knew he had some VIPs show up that Day, so I knew we could revisit this issue the next day... no problem.

In the Evening I check my emails-- and low & behold, there was an email from Chuck. Chuck apologized for not being available and told me that he just Shipped 991 feet of Wire to Me-- No Questions Asked ;-)

Yeah! That's the Kind of Business Partner I Need ;-)

Cheers!
M

PS: I'm Gonna Push out the Previous Batch of Split Shipments and Eat the $4.05 Shipping Charges per Order when I receive my Wire Fulfillments-- with Chuck's Help... I believe there is a Brighter Day Dawning for Us!

05/04/07 News Flash! Our New Business Partner - Flex-Tec

I’m Chuck and I am the President of Flex-Tec. Our company is located in middle Georgia just south of Macon in a rural setting off Interstate 75. Our company was founded nearly 25 years ago by a retired employee of one of the largest lighting fixture corporations located near us.

Our corporate headquarters and primary state of the art wire processing manufacturing facility is located on 13 acres. Over the years we have expanded to multiple locations and added warehousing space.

We proudly employ an average of 100 people from the local community. We are equally proud that our products are still made in the ol US of A. While not all customers require the certification of Underwriters Laboratory, we do manufacturer and have registered all Flex-Tec facilities with this agency. It’s that little marking, “UL” that tells our consumers that this product has been reviewed by an engineer and meets stringent electrical safety standards. Additionally, all quality systems are ISO 9001/2000 compliant.

We thoroughly understand Mike’s supply chain and growth concerns and are excited to be presented an opportunity to align Flex-Tec’s capabilities with the needs of Britishmcce-Advance Auto Wire. As this is being written, we’re cooperatively working to develop mutual supply chain plans which include accurate forecasting, product stocking with computerized bills of materials and inventory control in order to facilitate highest possible product availability while maintaining affordable cost to the end customer. It’s clear to us at Flex-Tec that Britishmcee - Advance Auto Wire has a great product with significant future potential and we want to be part of that.

Flex-Tec is a turn key manufacturing solutions provider with core competencies in the wire configuration arena. We serve small customers to the fortune 100’s. Find us at www.flex-tec.com.

05/16/07 Overnight Sensation... Not ;-)

Last Friday I received my 1st Emergency Shipment of (1) Pre-cut wire from Flex-Tec... and it is Once again, nice quality wire from IEWC, whom was our 1st Wire vendor which I fired last Year and Replaced with AWC. I am told to Expect more Emergency wire this Week... It's Wednesday, so Today could be Interesting ;-)

Flex-Tec is estimated to Invest some $5,000-10,000 in Wire for their On-Hand Inventory in their Warehouse to service our Business--- definitely, not Small Potatoes. Chuck is currently on the West Coast-- Pressing the Flesh, drumming up some Business there... when he gets back he has (20) Split Shipment Orders to fulfill ;-)

Once Flex-Tec gets an Handle on fulfilling Split Shipments, then I want them to Learn how to Provide Prep materials for Powerblock production... like in (2) weeks?? I've already Told Chuck that I Plan on Camping out with them down there for a Few Days. I believe a Little "Hands On" Coaching will Ramp up their Learning Curve a bit-- and Maybe I can Walk Away with a Few Pieces & Parts to Use ;-)

Next on the Agenda is for Flex-Tec to Pack the Contents of a Kit: Invoice, Manual, & all the Hardware and Extra pieces that Goes with it... the Finale will be when Flex-Tec is in the Groove & they can take over Powerblock Production and Set Me Free to Really Grow Mcce to... Z2000mcce, HRodmcce, & Marinemcce.

I Expect that June 2007 will be the Month We make Huge Progress in Fine Tuning our Supply Chain & Production Line to be able to Support 20-30 orders a Month... and Beyond.

I want to Thank Each & Everyone of You for your Patience during this Transition while we Move Up to the Next Level of Doing Business & Continued Commitment in Providing Classic Craftsmanship in our Products.

Cheers!
M

05/30/07
Folks,

Our Kits use about 800 feet of wire per order-- the Availability & Volume levels of pre-cut wire for these kits is critical. Flex-Tec is still in the procurement mode of $5-10k worth of wire. I spoke to Chuck today and I told him that I would like to come down this week or early next week to help train them to produce 20 or more split shipment orders ASAP. He said wire is coming in the door everyday... maybe this weekend it will look good for my visit.

Hopefully, I will bring my Camera and take some Pictures for you to See the place-- Flex-Tec has a very big Facility, a Loading Dock, and about 100 Worker Bees. We have formed a Mutually Beneficial Partnership with Flex-Tec: I need warehousing & assembly muscle-- they need new markets to Stay Busy because China is Eating their Industrial Lighting market.

If anybody has wiring assembly needs, drop me a line and I will pass it along to Chuck. Because of their Low Overhead Flex-Tec can be pretty Competitive & Nimble... and they are interested in other mass assembly work too. Together, lets try to Save a 25 year old "Made in the USA" company from the Jaws of The Far East while at the same time allowing Britishmcce - Advance Auto Wire to have a much better Supply Chain to Keep Up with our Growth.

Keep your Fingers Crossed... I know Everybody is Excited to Hit the Road for this Summer's Events ;-)

Cheers!
M

06/04/07
Folks,

The Owner of Flex-Tec, Chuck Fitch, has been working the entire weekend to be prepared for my visit this week to carry back with me some (40) bundles of Split Shipment wire-- I'm Excited!

Lets Give Chuck a Big Hand for his Efforts to hit the Pavement running with our Orders-- Now, that's what I call Dedication ;-)

Cheers!
M

06/06/07
Folks,

Manana, I will be Heading down to South Macon, Georgia to Pull Massive Quantities of Wire at Flex-Tec. Plus, we hope to have enough Time to go Over Speeding up my Powerblock production by Outsourcing (8) wire bundles-- If I could have these Puppies done, on a Good Day I could Produce (3) Powerblocks and Catch Up very Quickly ;-)

Thanks to One and All for your Dear Patience during this Fiasco and Transition.

Cheers!
M

Spinning Wheel

Written December 2005

Currently, I am averaging about 4-5 orders on my bench to be fulfilled at any given time-- plus, they are sorted in order on a first in-first out basis. Our production line is averaging about fulfilling (2.5) orders per week...
[snip]

Ah... the Good Life!

Since December 2006, I average about (20) Orders on my bench to be fulfilled at any given time... Our production line's Output is averaging about 2 X (2.5) orders per week depending on the AVAILABILITY of Wire _{the Chinaman & I Mud Wrestle quite Frequently for our Piece of the Copper Pie ;-)}

Be Sure to Click-the-Rat to Listen to a Timely Tune ;-)

Cheers!
Mike

06/12/07 Flex-Tec & the ABCD Orders

My Thursday visit to Flex-Tec was Postponed for Friday. It took me 1 1/2 hours to get to the South end of Atlanta... I left at 6:30am-- Go Figure! I landed on the Scene around 9:30am. I met with John Fitch (Chuck's brother & Production Mgr) and we had a Quickie Planning session on the whiteboard before we Headed to the Production floor.

Gobs & Gobs of Paper inserted into Floresent Orange plastic envelopes followed us to Ms. Mary's work station. I was also looking at (4) pallets of Beautiful IEWC wire... 4 pallets-- WOW! Before we could Snap the Ball, John & I huddled on the Sidelines about what was the Best approach to Train Ms. Mary-- Whoops, my 1st mistake was not introducing myself ;-)

Before Ms. Mary was this wonderful, 21st Century wire cutting machine I have been Dreaming about... just punch in the desired length in Inches and let her Rip! We should be done by Mid afternoon, right?

Well, as Minutes turned in to Hours and Hours turned into Paper-Bound Misery, I began to Realize that I was watching Paint Dry. For the rest of the afternoon I just Allowed the Train to derail off the Tracks. After 5:30pm, I put the Brakes on the Train and John & I headed for some Serious R&R at the Lake Blackshear Retreat.

Lake Blackshear Retreat, Cordele, Georgia.

John & I got into some Skull sessions and got to Know one another as the Evening went on. The Blackshear Retreat was just a Wonderful place for the Seeds of Re-Engineering to take Hold ;-)

Saturday morning I awoke from a nightmare which include yesterday's events... hummmmmmmmmm. I just told myself to Put one foot in front of the Other and that's how you stumble through the Morning Funk. My feet took me to the Breakfast Buffett... swell. Next, my feet took me to my room and from there to the Car. I dropped off the room keys and took some pictures of the Military Aircraft & Cool Tanks at the Entrance of the Retreat for my Son, Nico.

I crossed the Road and Gassed Up. Decided on my return route to the Flex-Tec plant via there, there, & there... I try to get Lost, Folks ;-) Low & Behold after 30 minutes of Agriculture County Driving, I turned right at a Familiar road just in front of Flex-Tec. By some Miracle, John popped out of the Front doors to Greet Me. John had to leave the Retreat earlier because he had to open the Gates at 7am-- poor John... I felt for him. John only works like (8) days a week ;-)

We stumbled back onto the Production floor and there is Ms. Mary again... working on a Saturday. Later, Ms. Mary will be Cooking a Feast for Family & Friends around 5pm, so I was Surprised to see her here Today. Today started off pretty much the Same and I felt the Pain for just a little while until I took the Keys out of the Train... and said, "Enough is Enough... the Procedures wrapped around this Process is Flawed... this is Unacceptable. This is How we are Going to Do This from Now On."

John & I conferred and agreed on an different, streamlined approach and I walked away with (3) out of (5) boxes of Product I needed and Headed North for Atlanta. The Rest will come up later... I have plenty of Product Now to Flush Out some more Orders ;-)

Patience & Understanding are Virtues to Cherish when Applied Correctly... this was our 1st Pass at Flex-Tec. Flex-Tec Learned very quickly that what it Takes to Build & Craft a Powerblock Kit is a Bit Wee more than punching out Utility Cords & Lighting Fixtures... Day In & Day Out ;-)

Until Next Time, Thanks John for All your Wonderful Help & Friendship-- and Most of All... Keep the Faith ;-)

Cheers!
M

06/15/07 (5) Additional Boxes from Flex-Tec, Yesterday

Well Folks, I was Stunned to say the Least. I would estimate that there must be some $100 in UPS Freight cost associated with those boxes ;-)

I'm afraid to look inside, but I would rather have More than Less these days!

There will be another Flood of Split Shipments going out Next Week... followed by more Powerblocks-- Now, the is what I call Rock N Roll!!!!

Thanks to All & Everyone for Hanging in there... It's the Longest Yard Time-- Let's Catch Up from the End Zone with the Current Score at 6 to 47 and make those Field Goals!

Where are the Cheerleaders?

Cheers!
M

07/30/07 Please Give a Warm, Nice Welcome to our New Elf-- Sherry ;-)

Good News! I just interviewed & hired a Gal to help part time to Prep & Terminate my Powerblock wire bundles for me this past Sunday-- She is Awesome and I believe she can move up the Latter within Britishmcce and our other ventures.

Sherry's BIO:

I am a certified solder tecnician by trade. I have been in the wiring business for about 15 years. I'm very skilled in my trade, and do very nice, quality work. I build wire harnesses on a daily basis in addition to my other work duties. To tell you a little about myself. For starters, my name is Sherry. I am 39 years old. To name a few of the places that I have worked for; Scientific Atlanta, NCR, Manufactured Assemblies Corp., Atlanta cable company, and I've been at my current place of employement for 4 years (Fire Arms Training Systems).

Sherry has a full time job working for a Defense Contractor. She will be assisting our needs on an as needed basis.

I trained Sherry on (2) sets and gave her (5) sets to take home and bring back next weekend. I hope I can find the tools she needs at Home Depot & FedEx them to her.

Next weekend I hope to train Sherry on building the Fuse block portion of the Powerblock. When she masters that-- I can build (3) Powerblocks a Day-- Yippie!!!!

Just as Ringo sang, "I get by with a little help from my Friends" ;-)

Cheers!
Mike

08/06/07 Flex-Tec & Worker Bees

Folks,

I had a Blast this Sunday in the Little Shop of Horrors-- there were (2) Worker Bees working hard away at their individual tasks that allows me get your orders out the door sooner. I almost took a Picture because I was so Excited!

I now have (2) people (Sherry & James) I can count on for aid when I need it-- and they are Dependable too! I should receive my latest shipment from Flex-Tec Today (Monday). Once that is in, then I can stuff the boxes and ship them out.

I can't wait to get caught up this Month of September... with Good, Quality Help like I witnessed yesterday... that Dream can become a Reality ;-)

Cheers!
M

08/25/07 Flex-Tec & Elves

Folks!

I'm happy to announce that I have (2) Elves working for me now. Each is specialized in the areas of building a Kit for You. James helps me with Split-Shipments, TJ & Sherry helps me with building Powerblocks-- We are Coming around the Bend! I am so Excited to have these fine Elves assist me in getting out your Orders with Quality & Finesse.

I expect to get caught up on my Orders by the end of September-- From that Point On Flex-Tec, James, & TJ will be able to handle your Demands going Forward-- I am so Excited to finally get Caught up and get the Right People in Place to service our Customers and give me a break from working weekends!

Soon, I plan on seeing you at Cars Shows near the Southeast with the knowing that these Guys & Gals will take care of Business Behind the scenes when I am Gone-- No Powerblock will be shipped before it's Time of being Custom Built, Carefully Crafted & Tested... I will not Sacrifice Quantity for Quality Ever!

Cheers!
Mike

Let Us Welcome Craig and Allied Wire & Cable to Serve Our Future Needs

2006-07-07T09:34:00.000-05:00

Folks,

I would like to introduce our New Business Partner to provide us with our wire needs.

Craig Smith sold the very first wire my Father bought back in 1999. Oddly enough, Craig used to work for Industrial Electric Wire & Cable at the time too. It is very Unfortunate that IEWC broke away from our Expectations of Service & Reliability. Full details of our recent Discourse is available below.

Craig says,

"I met Dan through the Major Domo Spitlist on the internet.

I had purchased a 1971 Spitfire in 1996 out of a barn, Dan was a major help in trying to sort out the tangled mess made by Lucas and the DPO’s. I finally had to give up and purchase the Power Block in order to get all my wiring straightened out.

I actually bought my own wire back!

Here at Allied Wire & Cable we supply the Automotive market and the Aerospace industries. I supply a couple of the major NASCAR teams with Teflon wire for their harness’s. Every Ford or Chrysler auto has my wire installed in the seatbelt sensors and airbag sensors. If I can be of any help please give me a call."

Craig can be contacted by phone at 866.570.7924 or email for your individual wiring project needs that I can't fulfill.

Personally, I'm gonna hang Craig's picture on my Workshop wall in my Vendor Target Zone that I Frequently Use when I need to Vent my Frustrations at any given moment with a handful of Darts.

More to Come on the IEWC vendor issue...

A TR6 Solution & Evolution by the Todd Family

2006-07-07T09:31:00.000-05:00

I was ROTFLMAO when I received this wonderful email from one of our Customers,

"Hey Mike !!

Them two boxes arrived today. The wife sends a big thanks for the
cookin' sissors. Mighty fine gift indeed!

I put your wire harness into my buggered up 69TR today as soon as it arrived.

But dang it all, the TR still won't run, the lights don't light and the horn don't beep.

So I'm gonna head down to the beach and check out the sights while I ponder the two boxes of wires.

It has been said by folks much wiser than me, that Puerto Rico has the most beautiful women in the world. Four Miss Universes kinda drives that point home.

Here's two local girls for your Memorial day viewing enjoyment.

Oh yeah, I'm pretty good a plumbing also. I found the problem with one of the jacuzzi jets that was not functioning in our master bath. I located a loose pipe connection. After I got to the bottom of things. I saved a bundle not hiring a plumber.

thanks for your great effort and service.... much appreciated."

The Todd Family,
Bayamon, PR

Here are the pictures that followed...

_{The Installation}

_{Beach Riff-Raff & Distraction}

_{The Begotten Tub of Misery}

Bonus Insightful Pictures of the Moment,

_{Spaghetti & Sissors (the mystery gift)}

_{The Wiz}

_{With a Little Help from a Friend}

_Evolution!

It doesn't get any better than this-- Thanks, Dale!

Cheers!
Mike

June 2006: It's Time to Flip Hamburgers & Hot Dogs with Daddy-O!

2006-07-06T09:11:00.000-05:00

The Tally Ho British V8 Slideshow

o Click on Picture for Details
o Click Here for British V8's main site

Meet Two Incredible Guests of Honor:

Roger Williams - Author of "How to Give Your MGB V8 Power"

Ken Costello - The "Inventor" of MGB-V8's, He Showed Abingdon How-It-Was-Done!

On June 18th I am looking forward to seeing everybody & then some since our last shindig back in May 2003 in the Smoky Mountain foothills of Townsend, Tennessee. The event went way beyond expectations-- of course I had none at the time because it was my first time. More than 50 cars showed up and I had a blast watching all those 'Grown Ups' running around like 'Kids' at Disney World-- up early in the morning, and off to bed late after Sundown.

Dad expects about a 100 cars to show up for this year's British V8 show. Following Dad's show will be this huge MG gathering 45 minutes away in Gatlinburg for the MG 2006 Show-- in the Heart of the Smokies... how about around 1,000 MGs buzzing around? They might have to invent a Hillbilly Bug-Zapper for all those pesky MGs roaming about town at all hours of the day & night... heheheheeee.

To Top it all off-- there will be a special guest arriving from good ole bloody England... Roger Williams, said to be one of the Godfathers of British V8'ers. Dad made minor contributions on Roger's latest book, "How to Give Your MGB V-8 Power- Third Edition". I have added Roger's book & links to the right panel of our site. I look forward to seeing both the book and Roger himself at the show-- I'll slip him a little bit of Americana with his Burger! So, it looks like there will be plenty to do that could compress a week plus into a Gala to remember!

If you can attend, you better make reservations NOW! The Gatlinburg show has already booked up-- exclusively (3) huge hotels! Here is the reservation link for the British V8 show in Townsend, Tn. If you have any questions, you can email Dad at danmas@aol.com.

Checkout Daddy-O's New Map! of the surrounding area!

Advance Auto Wire with have a Booth setup amoung the other vendors that will be available during both Shows in Townsend & Gatlinburg.

AAW Walk-Ins Welcome... purchase any of our kits and get a FREE Meal Ticket during the British V8 Show!

Come See what we Got 4 U!

Cheers from the AAW Crew!

(Dan - Chief Engineer & Electrical Witch Doctor)

_{(Nico - Chief Elf)}

_{(Mike - Chief Banana)}

Spinning Wheel

2006-03-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

Recently, a customer asked me this question,

"once an order is placed, how long does it usually take before it ships?"

Well...

Business is Brisk! To answer your question, since we have introduced PayPal to our websites--- we have (3) of them.

I am glad you have asked this question and I hope that I explain our situation to you very well.

In a perfect world it takes about 3 days to pull, build, test, pull, & ship a single kit with no additional accessories-- this perfect world also requires that there are no parts or wires to order to fulfill the finished kit. However, when the production line gets flooded-- resources appears to fly off the shelf very rapidly-- it is not unusual for me to place 100s of dollars worth of supply orders on any particular day to my half-dozen vendors... and this stuff is not cheap either. We have to maintain an inventory of about $4,000 in supplies at all times.

Our business has grown from an average of (2.5) kits a month to an average of (11) kits-- I am running out of supplies left & right... and unfortunately, I can't find local resources in the Big City of Atlanta to go pick up these items when they are desperately needed. I believe we have over 100 parts & items that maybe required to fulfill a single kit-- each kit's requirements varies by make, model, & year of the customer's vehicle.

The only thing I am able to source locally is the fuse box & flashers at any AutoZone or Advance Auto store-- because they only stock (2) of each, it is not unusual for me to have to drive around northwest Atlanta for 5 hours to track these items down... but I finally got in tight with a manager of an Advance Auto store to stock my stuff after (2) years of relationship building efforts at (5) stores in my immediate area!

Second, I was able to improve my supply chain throughput on my wiring procurements via South Carolina which also warehouses about 95% of the wire I order. I can usually have my orders delivered to me at a reduced freight cost within 2-3 days, unless the wire needs to be striped.

Currently, our wiring business is an one-man-army with my occasional 11 year old son, Nico, helping out when he is available-- not playing outside ;-) Since this business venture has expanded, I am in the process of recruiting some homebodies to help out when we are flooded with orders-- I have met one fella thus far... I'm still waiting for him to ramble down the hill to visit our production facilities... my basement!

_{Me After Soldering a Few Wires}

Advance Auto Wire is not the only business venture I am currently managing at the moment, so I try to timeslice the best I can between ventures & the home life... you can visit my other interests at Masters & Masters

Currently, I am averaging about 4-5 orders on my bench to be fulfilled at any given time-- plus, they are sorted in order on a first in-first out basis. Our production line is averaging about fulfilling (2.5) orders per week-- I realize that this needs to be improved, and when I have a little help from my friends & neighbors that provide me with a good base assembled unit... we will be off & running to expand our business into the Electrical Marine market. If anybody is interested in supplimenting tier income-- let me know!

Once successfully entrenched in the Electrical Marine market, I plan on double-backing to offer our unique, handcrafted products to the Hot Rod market and slowly fill the gaps between the Datsun Zs & other antique cars-- and then take a well placed vacation on some deserted island for a month!

I hope I have answered your question to your satisfaction.

Cheers!
Mike

Jan 2005: Humble Tales Told

2005-01-05T10:54:00.000-05:00

Quiller Triumph of Plumstead, Woolwich London

And Who is Dan Masters?

Bob D.(1975 TR6) says,

For any listers that are relatively new (since 2000) to the list, you may wonder what all the electrical references to Dan Masters and his wiring diagrams are all about. It was around 2000/2001 that Dan "dropped off thelist" to devout a lot of time to writing his Electrical Maintenance Handbook for all makes and models of the TR.

These books correct the mistakes of the original diagrams and include not only a correct wiring diagram, but hundreds of pages of troubleshooting procedures. To give you an example of the completeness of his handbook, the book I have covers the TR250-TR6 and includes separate wiring diagrams for: TR250, '69 TR6. "70-'71 TR6, '72 TR6,'73 TR6, '74TR6, '75 TR6 and '76TR6. In addition to 8 separate wiring diagrams (each one on 11x17" paper), it has 180 pages of electrical maintenance and troubleshooting procedures...written in simple terms i.e. Triumph Wiring for Dummies.

I believe that Dan has done the same book forthe TR2/3 and the TR4. I don't know if he's done the TR7/8. I'm sure someone else on the list can answer that. Once Dan did the manuals he moved on to developing a "state of the art" wiring harness for assorted TR models that should eliminate all of the Lucas "demons". Unless you're maintaining your car for concurs correctness, I don't know why anyone would re-wire their car with any harness other then Dan's. His costs less and is of far superior quality.... Plus he provides email and phone technical support!

Sorry about the shameless plug for Dan but I felt that there may be a bunch of newer Listers who have never heard of Dan, his expertise or his products.

Fred, Randall, Ken, Irv.... Anything you guys care to add? You know Dan way better then I do.

NFI..but a fan of Dan :-)and diving back into finishing my new harness after a holiday break.

A flurry of snow in West London - Late December

Tom W.(72 TR6,67 MGB) says,

I too have to give a BIG PLUG for Dans’ book and his excellent technical support. He has helped me a lot and at different times of the day. I have had his book for the last couple of years and useit all of the time.
Even though he is retired and likes to spendtime with his grandkids, he still has time tohelp us out with our technical issues on these cars.
He truly is an asset and his book on the TR6is worth every penny or dollar that is spent on it.

Now if someone could only do the same for the MGB....
Thanks for the help Dan.

Ken G.(Proud owner of prototype #1 or #2, depending on how you count :)) says,

Not a lot to add, except to note that Dan's design was a "clean paper" startover and is built with heaver gauge and better quality (higher temperature)wire. I agree that there really is no reason to use any other harness.

NFI, (except a few extra copies of the book in the boot :)) but a ton of respect.

The MGB charges forward, undeterred by the snow...
Steve T. says,

Every group has a few people who contribute much, ask for little and expect nothing in return. Dan is one of those people.

Several years ago I wanted to show my TR6 in the 6Pack TRials. I could getthe car there, but could not attend the show. It is a long story, but I posted
a note on the List and Dan offered to help. We had never met before that.
He is a first class guy and will be embarrassed by all of what we have said about him. However, it is well deserved.

Jeff J. says,

I had the great fortune to meet Dan at the 1997 Trials in Nashville, Indiana. I can attest that he is one of the best persons to be involved with Triumphs, ever.

I bought one of the first copies of his TR6 electrical manual when it came out, and can certify that it has taken a lot of the mystery out of TR wiring (my weakest point. I guess I'd rather pull an engine or transmission than chase down a short circuit). Well written, succinct, w/lots of diagrams that explain everything. If you own a TR, get one of his manuals. If it's not available, be patient, it will be worth the wait.

Straight up- It's one of the best investments you could make in your car- No financial interest -your mileage may vary, etc.

Yours in Triumph,

Dr. Stephen M. - November 2004

2004-11-08T07:35:00.000-05:00

Sunday, November 07, 2004

Hi Dan,

The wire loom arrived Friday as expected. To say the very least, I am impressed with the kit. I did not expect to receive all the wire and fittings to build a whole new loom. I was going to splice the new fuses and relays into the original loom that came with the car. However I now will spend several happy hours constructing a completely new loom with very high quality, heavy gauge materials and can forget the frustrations of sorting out the old stuff. Thanks many times over.

Do you happen to know a source for the bullet end crimping tool that you picture in your very thorough instruction book? I’ve always soldered every bit that I put into an English car but am quite willing to believe your recommendation and abandon this practice.

Best wishes,

Stephen M.

Bob D. - Oct2004

2004-10-22T06:22:00.000-05:00

Thursday, October 21, 2004

Well.... UPS just dropped off Dan's wiring harness and all I can say is WOW.

Top quality everything from the new power/fuse block to the wire itself. He also includes all grommets, bullet connectors, other modular connectors, heat shrink tubing, wire ties etc.etc. It's a bit overwhelming to look at all that wire that needs to be routed, cut, soldered and connected but it'll make a good Winter project now that retirement has taken place. I got lots of time now :-)

Bob D.
1975 TR6
http://pages.cthome.net/BobD/

The Customer's Horn

2004-10-22T04:58:00.000-05:00

November 2004

Dr. Stephen M.

October 2004

Bob D.

January 2005

From "The Club Forum"

Better Than Expected Results After Panel Transformation

2004-05-22T07:49:00.000-05:00

After working a few weeks with our new ABS plastic plate
provider, we have been able to convert this:

In to this:

Thanks to Dale's folks at Burrell Enterprises:

Oh, here's Dale & I . Dale Burrell has over 30 years experience in the fabrication business and he still enjoys every minute of it. Dale has been very blessed to be able to pick & choose his projects carefully and he has walked away with some engineering triumphs during his time. If anybody thinks hey can stump him --- give him a try.

Click here to see the Burrell Photo Album.