® Even the Little Things Count

Recently I had the privilege of helping a well-known vintage bike restorer get one of his projects running correctly. It may surprise you to learn that restorers as a type tend to not be mechanics so much as uber detailers. You may not agree with that, but as a lifetime technical trainer I think I can make this assessment; it is not intended as a judgement, only an observation. I know three restorers personally and professionally and so far it's three out of three. :-)

While at his shop I went over the basics of the engine and found a number of things I didn't like: corroded ignition coil wiring, wax oozing out of the ignition coils, aftermarket ignition points, the valves incorrectly adjusted, poor fuel flow to the carburetors, and a few more little things. I say "little" because these were in fact little things, and save one (dirty points), not things that by themselves were making the bike run badly. But, they do add up in their significance and for sure they had to be attended to so no unknowns remained.

So the little things, seemingly unimportant, are not to be discounted because they do add up. Also they clear the way, eliminating clutter from the drawing canvas, and ensuring and empowering the troubleshooter to reach a good outcome.


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