1. It Ain't Easy Bein' Green 2. Hot Wheels 3. Details, Details 4. Sound Blaster 5. Road Test 7. 2010 Snowball Rally 8. Engine Woe/Getting Even Chapter 5, Road Test (1972 GT vs. E55)
I drove 200 miles south from the SF Bay Area to San Luis Obispo, in the central coast of California last night on highway 101, which is mostly divided highway with two lanes in each direction.
April 24, 2009
I have reached substantial completion on my car and am incredibly happy with it so far. The car is still waiting for the custom (thick) anti-sway bars that I will be getting in June.
Anyway, the car was built and rigged to be a true GT, or Grand Touring car, and it is very comfortable, sure footed, and confident on the open road. A bit more floaty than modern cars, but I'm not scientist enough to redesign the front and rear suspension (yet), so as long as the wheels stay on the ground, I'll put up with the wallow that I get going over larger heaves in the road.
Driving south, there is a significant area of CHP activity south of King City, and judicious throttle application and the radar detector got me through that just fine.
The last portion of the drive goes from an inland valley over the coastal mountains and drops into San Luis. The road there is the steepest section of true highway (and not "road") that I've ever been on, and it's called the Cuesta Grade.
About 5 miles from the base of the grade, I was tied up in traffic when someone in a tarted-up Mercedes Benz stormed up and braked hard on my rear bumper. Acted as if I was blocking him and was quite impatient.
I decided to stay put in the left lane and wait for the ambulance and other 4 cars in front of ME to move, even if he was pretending that I was the only one in his way.
Just as we passed the last onramp that I tend to check for parked police cars before the road narrows and prevents effective speed enforcement (no billboards to hide behind, almost no shoulder to pull people over onto), the traffic cleared and I leisurely moved to the right.
The guy stomped on it and took off.
I waited 10-20 seconds and then sped up and shadowed him without challenging him.
Several miles later, as the base of the hill appeared, I goosed the tach and started gaining on my mark.
As the car rotated and pointed up the hill, I was obviously gaining and I floored the pedal.
The grade is about 2 miles long and about midway through I sailed past Mr. Merc, looked over at the driver, grinned at him, and just kept on going, since there wasn't anything that he was going to be doing about it, apparently.
I don't pay much attention to vehicles that require loans to buy, but I think that it was an E55, which I suspect is their performance sedan car?
Anyway, we crested and went down the back at a little over 100 and he eased up near the bottom, as did I, since there is a right hook at the base, and my car leans like a drunk on hard turns.
My car might not do hole shots well, and might not have the top end of a modern car, but dragging its carcass up that hill and bombing down the other side leveraged all of my advantages and none of his.
Very satisfying after 2+ years of rebuilding and NOT driving.
