I only found about 30 minutes out of the entire weekend to drive my Spit,
but it was enjoyable, none the less. Long post to follow:
After, yardwork, band concerts, soccer matches (which I really wanted to
drive my English car to but couldn't), car washing, etc. I wound up on
Sunday night with a cloudy sky at dusk and had not driven my Spit in the
excellent weather. My 26 year old daughter was visiting, and I thought,
well, at least I will push it out of the garage and let her see how the new
wheels and tires look. She and my son come out and say "Let's go for a
ride". Just then I felt a drop. Then two more. Hey, it's raining! "So
what it won't melt". So we threw the tonneau cover in the garage (the
softtop is in the attic), my daughter sat in the passenger seat and my son
hopped in the 'back'. He's 13, so sitting sideways was 'way cool'. I turn
on the wipers, wondering how well they will work. I take the sidestreets
for a few blocks. No good ...they want to cruise on the main drag past the
ice cream parlor that is sure to have a long line out the door on a Sunday
evening. OK! I do a quick rolling stop and right turn through the stop
sign. Then I see the approaching car is a local police car. He got a good
look at me. So my son tells me "he is turning around". But I'm perfectly
legal now, so ...well he didn't turn around. (It's quite possible they
"know" me by now, EVERY time I go out they appear, no matter how short the
drive or street). Past the ice cream place..."Yeah! Cool car Dude!" We
continue up the street...the rain has stopped by now. I'm looking for a
place to turn around before we get to the expressway interchange. I see a
funeral home that I designed some years ago. It has a large parking lot
with landscaping, etc...perfect I'll just whip in there and with my tight
turning radius come right back out. Once I'm in, though, it hits me...THIS
IS A GREAT PLACE TO SLALOM! So I take off. Around the first turn
(landscape island), accelerate in the straight-away (parking aisle), brake
going to turn #2 (curb at HC ramp) and accelerate down the back stretch to
the next turn (dumpster screen). The new Pirellis are just slightly
squealing as we round each turn, but the Spit is extremely surefooted. Then
I figure it's time for the checkered flag. So we head home. I was
impressed at the handling and even with an 'extra' load the rear end never
bottomed out. Maybe those old shocks aren't as bad as I thought.
Now, let me point out, I have dramatized the racing aspect here somewhat
(except the tire squeals ;-)) and the parking lot was totally empty, so no
one was 'at-risk'. Anyway that is the most fun I've had in the car and I'm
glad I could share that with my kids. For once I forgot about "What was
that noise?, Is that the fan belt? Hmm..I'll have to check that later".
Nope...just driving and enjoying it!
The engine sounded a little 'funny' when I pulled into the garage, maybe a
noisy water pump, but I'll check that out some other time, right now, it's
great to drive a fun, spirited car like this! Hope to do it much more
often.
> Terrence N. Banbury
> 1967 SPITFIRE MK III
> 1988 Honda Accord lX
> 1998 Ford Expedition EB
> 2000 Ford Mustang GT
> 1973 Honda CB350G
>
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Fred Thomas <vafred@erols.com>
> > To: <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> > Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2000 7:02 PM
> > Subject: weekends
> >
> >
> > >
> > > I really hate it when the weekends come around, you working guys &
> gals
> > are
> > > not posting to the list, the mail count is about 1/20th of normal, and
> it
> > > just leaves too darn much time for what ever that list she is always
> > > carrying around for her too yell about what needs to be done, much
> nicer
> > > during the week when all you guys & gals are doing something worth
> while
> > and
> > > interesting, "posting to the list" "FT"
> > >
> >
> >
>
|