Hi list,
Whenever I drive a modern car they always feel like they lack torque and
need the gearbox stirring more than my Sprite does to get a move on.
Friday on my way back from Silverstone I was joining the motorway (3 lane)
with a really slow car joining the motorway in front of me and an Audi
behind me that was itching to get past. Normally I'd let anyone in a hurry
get
past me and then get a move on myself. However, on this occasion I could
see that if I did that I'd have to slow right down behind the slow car and
then wait to get out into the middle lane. So, I though the car in a hurry
can wait for me and I pulled out sharply into the middle lane and floored
the Sprite in 4th from I guess about 50mph. The Audi disappeared from my
rear view mirror so I guessed he'd found a gap in the outside lane was going
to overtake me. The thing was by the time he was level with my car I was
still in 4th and now up to I guess 4,500 rpm (about 70mph) and the engine
was coming up on the cam. At first it was level pegging then sure enough my
Sprite started to nose ahead inch by inch. I pulled about 5500 maybe a
bit more having nosed about a foot ahead and grabbed fifth. So, in 5th,
doing ninety, pulling nicely and holding steady with the Audi. I guess at
about a 100mph or so I could see the Audi wasn't going to give up so I lifted
off slightly to let him overtake. I looked dead ahead but I saw the Audi
driver look across at me and he was grinning and laughing. Once he was ahead
he give me a friendly 4 way indicator flash and he was gone. I guess his
idea of fast motorway cruising is well in excess of a 100mph and mine is
more more like 85-90mph.
So,old Sprites can give modern cars surprises.
Oh Yeah, the next morning I have the guys in a little Peugeot a surprise
too.
Weslake-Monza 1330 (modified)
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