We last drove our Clenet...

Mario and I last drove our Clenet in mid-November. The weather just prior to Thanksgiving was very cooperative, considering how cool and wet the Fall season turned out to be. The past week has brought Southwest Michigan a daily deluge of lake-effect snow that's amounted to about 20+ inches, with more expected. I want to drive our Clenet!!! With the rate of snowfall and the daytime high hovering in the low 20's, I'll most likely not get to drive the car 'til March or April.

Last winter was cold, however towards the end of February the snowfall had let up a bit giving us clear roads and streets. There were a few weekends where Mario and I were able to take the car out for a drive, snapping pics along the way.

Let's hope we have a few days where I can satisfy the need to drive the Clenet, even for a short drive around the Harbor Country area.

We're still spending time with Cleo...

.This past Saturday, Mario and I spent a few more hours with the Clenet. We were lucky that the temperature in Lakeside climbed well into the mid-30's giving us a "warmer" garage to do the work. The only task we chose to complete was installing the rear fender-mounted tail/stop lamp assemblies.

The original pieces sourced by Alain Clenet on the Series I Roadsters are actually from Harley Davidson. Last Summer I had posted an entry on this blog where Mario and I added chrome sleeves on the rear tail/stop lamp assemblies. The chrome sleeve added a bit more chrome to the rear fender to help balance the sheer amount of chrome up front and the sleeve helps cover the clear window on the lens that is originally used for the motorcycle rear plate illumination.

Reattaching the tail/stop lamp assemblies to the rear fender is not merely tightening a few screws and wires. The task is just a bit more involved and requires an added ground wire and copious amounts of RTV silicone sealant to ensure the assembly and wiring are watertight.

The process began with us raising the car and removing the rear tire to gain access to the underside of the rear fender. Mario chose to work on the underside while I worked on the outer side. In tandem, together we accomplished our goal in about three hours.

We will most likely spend more time with the car before the spring season arrives here in the Midwest. We are hoping to upgrade the original roll-up windows to power and are awaiting an original metal spare tire cover for the rear continental kit. That will be another blog entry!

The car is now road-worthy and we are eagerly awaiting a clear spring day to take the Clenet out on a leisurely drive!