Anyone east of the Rockies and north of the Smokies has a limited number of days before our toys go into a 5 month lay up. I went out for a nice drive this morning to take in the fall colors before they disappear. Fell free post your picks here too.
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Nice photos, Marty. Love those wheels.
That last pic needs to be in an IM catalogue
Spectacular!
Jeez Marty, is there a 'locking nut' on each of those wheels?
I would think that your insurance carrier would insist on such a precaution.
Just had the boat hauled out yesterday, and since I've only had the speedster since last month I'm going keep it on the road as long as the snow and ice stays away from the jersey shore. Just a touch of heater and a sip of single malt irish I'll be ok.
Bring your cars to Florida ..... the season is just beginning 
....or to Tennessee. We have a brief and mild Winter here. I usually put the lawn mower away the first week of December and bring it back out the first week of March. Driving is year-round unless we get a little snowfall. Even with a half inch or so, the roads get salted and the schools close. No Red Man driving on salty roads. Period.
Great pics, Marty! Your car would beautify any scenery (just as Sandy does)! 
Here's me and my good buddy, SOC'er 'Dutch', out for a cruise along Pacific Coast Highway yesterday morning!
Yep. Season ended for me a couple of weeks ago. Natalie's carbs have been acting up all summer, boiling over, etc. Decided to park her and instead of driving her back to Bremen and taking the train home, I'm lucky again, Carey is delivering a new car to the Detroit area soon and has agreed to pick Natalie up for the return trip.
Weather has been crumby anyway. Hoping for a MUCH easier winter, earlier spring, and better summer next year.
Not much on my list this winter after usual maintenance except the carbs, upgraded center high mounted stop lamp (CHMSL), a preemptive pulley upgrade, a new driver's door seal, and a couple of other minor tweaks. My shortest list ever.
I'm looking forward to the spring and taking the train from the new Dearborn/Greenfield Village Amtrak station. Always one of the best days of the year :-)
Not giving up yet. Just completed a new front end and got the ride height adjusted to my temporary liking. Now I've got to drive and make it all worthwhile (great timing huh?) Today was top up day after a short ride with the frau. Takes a bit of getting used to but it'll get me deeper into the fall.....now to find all of the air leaks and slowly make her more seaworthy....
Marty, beautiful pictures of the season and your ride.
Daughter just recently moved to Lake in the Hills, so maybe next fall we can ride our VS from Orlando to IL and enjoy the fall season. Moved down to FL in 2001from a life time in the Chicago Metro area. Enjoy your last few weeks of fall, Marty.
Cool pic's. But, what's the top doing up? Whimpy!
I just returned home after driving the Speedster to an early C&C and through some Northern VA Mountain areas all day top down my right seater was there too . It was sunny but very windy 45-50+- pretty nice.
I only whimped out once last year in a late November ride to NE PA and back to VA. On 81 coming back at night it was 30 degrees so I put the top up....
You people down south are a bunch of sissies.
Up here in the Great White North we think of October as the month to switch from a tee shirt to sweater when driving with the top down.
I have to confess that when the temperature gets close to freezing I do put a jacket, gloves, and toque on.
A friend took this photo on a 'top down' cruise, with the temperature hovering around the freezing mark. The only part of me that got really cold was my hands.
A cool day in Connecticut. "Cranked" the heat and used the tonneau cover which actually was not that bad for a 120 mile round trip to a car show in 50 degree weather.
It was in the 30's this morning and I was not dressed for top down, plus a Roadster is an easy place to be top up. It was sunny and fiftyish in the afternoon but I was home watching the Bears get their ass kicked by Miami.
You people down south are a bunch of sissies.
Up here in the Great White North we think of October as the month to switch from a tee shirt to sweater when driving with the top down.
I have to confess that when the temperature gets close to freezing I do put a jacket, gloves, and toque on.
A friend took this photo on a 'top down' cruise, with the temperature hovering around the freezing mark. The only part of me that got really cold was my hands.
Is that a Boxster?
I don't know about anyone else but my Sidewinder exhaust does not allow for heat so I got nothin'. I'd love to have some heat or heated seats to rely on to keep at least part of me warm..
I have a Sidewinder with lousy heat, but I haven't done Tom's mod yet. Heater boxes work fine with Sidewinders if you get them flanged.
Not sure what you guys have but mine has the equivalent of J-pipes. There is no provision for heater boxes that I can see. Would love to have some heat though.
Hmmm.... Mr. October, maybe?
I like to drive the tub year round as long as the roads are dry. I wear electrically heated motorcycle gloves that I plug into the under dash receptacle when its freezing. I made the heater mod bypassing the frame which gives much better heat. Today I installed 100 watt each running lights so I can stay out later. I made hidden brackets to install them to the bumpers-didn't want to drill into the body! Will wire up fuses,relay, switch, and 10 gauge wire tomorrow.
I 've ridden motorcycles at least 5 times from N.J. to Daytona for bike week in the winter. Did the Dragon at Deals Gap 3 times on the way-was younger then. Only hit snow one time -my buddy yelled don't use your front brake-I yelled back I have linked brakes-we survived to laugh about it.
Happy motoring everyone!
Joel
I don't know about anyone else but my Sidewinder exhaust does not allow for heat so I got nothin'. I'd love to have some heat or heated seats to rely on to keep at least part of me warm..
Frank - if you don't already have a power take-off (cigarette lighter plug), install one (easy). Then get yourself a 12-volt electric blanket. Easy, inexpensive, works great! Can be found at most any big-box store (Wal-Mart, Costco, etc.), to auto parts store. They typically draw only 4 amps.
I keep mine on the road year round and get to drive a couple times each month in the Winter. If it snows here it's usually gone in a few days and we get over 45 degrees fairly often. The car likes the cool air and you can dress for it. I had heat on my old engine but didn't bother with it on the new one cause I never put the top up unless there's a threat of rain.
It's 48 and bright blue sky this morning. I'm going for a ride before the 4 day Nor'Easter comes in tonight and focks up the works. We don't need no stinkin' heat.
Atta boy, Al!
Al, I'll bet there are cars in Fla and So Cal with heaters that they use!
Doug, it's my old (and now sold) street/track Miata.
Frank, as someone mentioned you can replace those 'J' tubes with heater boxes. Depending on the size of your exhaust tubing it can get expensive and anything larger than stock are hollow and don't produce as much heat. Mine do keep the cabin comfortable in cold weather, when the top is up, but are totally useless when the top is down.
Jim,
Yeah, that idea has something my wife would like written all over it. I also thought of an electric vest that motorcycists use to keep the core warm.
Ron,
I dont have J-pipes per se but maybe a header system with a side can (located on the passenger side). I'd think with this one it would have to be replaced.
Frank - if you don't already have a power take-off (cigarette lighter plug), install one (easy). Then get yourself a 12-volt electric blanket. Easy, inexpensive, works great! Can be found at most any big-box store (Wal-Mart, Costco, etc.), to auto parts store. They typically draw only 4 amps.
Now, there's an idea we Northerners can appreciate! Never thought of that, but I'll look into it asap.
Frank - if you don't already have a power take-off (cigarette lighter plug), install one (easy). Then get yourself a 12-volt electric blanket. Easy, inexpensive, works great! Can be found at most any big-box store (Wal-Mart, Costco, etc.), to auto parts store. They typically draw only 4 amps.
Now, there's an idea we Northerners can appreciate! Never thought of that, but I'll look into it asap.
^ We have one for the IM but since it has real heat and a nice Roadster top we use it more in the back seat of the VW Tiguan to keep the back seat passangers tushes toasty in the Winter. Menards has the the nice red/black plaid ones in the stores ussualy this time of year.
Frank - if you don't already have a power take-off (cigarette lighter plug), install one (easy). Then get yourself a 12-volt electric blanket. Easy, inexpensive, works great! Can be found at most any big-box store (Wal-Mart, Costco, etc.), to auto parts store. They typically draw only 4 amps.
Now, there's an idea we Northerners can appreciate! Never thought of that, but I'll look into it asap.
^ We have one for the IM but since it has real heat and a nice Roadster top we use it more in the back seat of the VW Tiguan to keep the back seat passangers tushes toasty in the Winter. Menards has the the nice red/black plaid ones in the stores ussualy this time of year.
What's a 'top'?
Snapped a few in the driveway on the way out for a quick after work cruise. My nuclear seat heaters make crisp days enjoyable.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm finding, as I get older, that my hands can't take the cold.
My wife bought me a pair of deer skin driving gloves 2 wks ago. they helped alot.
By the way the venison with apple and walnuts was terrific.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm finding, as I get older, that my hands can't take the cold.
I don't know about you guys, but I'm finding, as I get older, that my hands can't take the cold.
Yes, I had to dig out a pair of gloves last night for our evening walk. We try to do an hour a day and now with the temps dipping down, it gets quite energizing, to say the least.
I haven't put the car away yet, but it's only a matter of time.
