The Speedster Stays Home

Rich:

 

At least you'll be driving a Porsche.  As we are heading to the Outer Banks for a week's vacation after Carlisle, I've decided to not bring my Speedster also.  It was a difficult decision, but with the twelve to fourteen hour drive from home to the Outer Banks, I'll be taking my Mustang GT.

 

This is certainly not what I had planned; however, it's what I have decided.  I'm not worried about the Speedster, but I guess I am overly cautious.

 

Rich, I'll show you my side curtain & top mods.  I believe I have these all licked.

Yes, Tom, anxious to see all your upgrades. Perhaps they are in my future. I wish you well out there on the turnpikes this coming week. We'll discuss your opinions then.

Then there's always the # 2 fall back position, the trusty Beetle, but I think the 911 is a better choice.

I don't blame You.  Sounds like it would be miserable trying to keep everything together which could make it unsafe.  That beetle sure would be cool to take but how could go you go wrong in a 911.  And you might be able to keep up with Corey when you get there!

Bob, you and I can sulk in the (dry) corner somewhere.

I'd like to see the Beetle

P.S. I forgot to mention the draft I could feel coming through my windshield bow.

Yeah.  I fixed that too :-)

Rich, do you have heater boxes?  I don't remember my Vintage windows wanting to pop off.  At speed the top tightens up firm from the pressure and everything for the most part stayed I'm place.   I don't drive fast in the Intermeccanica. As comfy as my car is, its still a 1950's design and I don't go over 70 very often.  It's almost gonna be nice enough for top down riding but I don't have the luggage space for that.  I take my time and that's why I allow two days for travel. In 2008 we drove topless in the Vintage from Chicago to Tail if the dragon in NC over two days.  It was 50 & sunny when we started out, but it did get progressively warmer as the day went on.

Well damn---nothing worse than a car that is so useless in poor weather that it can't be driven. 

 

I know the feeling though---5-6 years ago I ondce had sloshing water on my floor and the water ran in at the bow/windshield connection that was so heavy that it soaked 2-3 towels inside an hour.

 

These cars are delivered as fair weather cars.  From reading bhere some brand new Speedsters are really only toys good only for a drive for ice cream in good weather.  OOnly the foolhardy would dare to put them on the interstates.  Plus they leak.

 

Tom Blankenship and Lane Anderson have both made their cars driveable in any weather--those are Becks---and I have done the same to my Vintage Speedster.  The point is that there are fixes to each problem with each car.  They have all been covered here too so some searching will provide a good tutorial concerning water-issue remedies..

 

One of the experts on advising about leaks is John Steele (who knew?) who will be at Carlisle---he gave me the key to perfectly dry Speedater floors, which I now have.  Make a point to say hello to John at the JPS display at Carlisle and ask him some questions anti- H2O questions.

 

Rich---it's a good thing you learned about your car now, before launching for Carlisle.  I'll have to wait until Corn Daze to see than 10 Liter Raby Type IV you have in that baby.

Bob - bummer! It may be too close to the event, but consider having a VW tow bar modified so that you can tow the Speedster behind the mustang. You'd have the best of two worlds, the ride comfort of your Mustang towing Speedster for use at Carlisle! That would be a sight to see on the highway. There are several of us on that have done this, so lots of help for you!

 

 

 

Ah, our California Master of Blue Painter's Tape!

Jack, Tom, Lane, Gordon, Cory, Marty, etc...all you guys, I've read the posts, I know the drill, you must work on these shortcomings. If the weather predictions weren't so miserable, I might have tried the trek. I just think it's a little prudent to be safe. Getting wet is fixable. Getting undead is another.

A little later today I went into town to get some oil for the 911. As luck would have it (it was sunny when i left), some rain clouds quickly appeared and on my way home I was caught in a very short but heavy downpour. I was minus the side curtains at that point, but top up, it was miserably cold and windy also. Anyhow, I got a real quick lesson in where the water comes in at the windshield bow...mostly on the passenger side. I don't want to say I'm a whoos, but for my first time caught in a short downpour...disappointing to say the least. But I did get the oil changed on the 911 so I should be able to travel in relative civility provided the 77,000 mile, '86 911 doesn't decide it needs some attending to. And BTW, the water coming over the windshield bow out-numbered the stuff coming in the sides...not to worry though, the new red Cocomats held up just fine.

Marty, no. No heater boxes on my car. No gas heater. No heated seats. Just bare bones, raw power. No ivory knobs just yet. The red Cocomats are my foray into posh (which look damn nice, I might add. But, I did buy a nice pair of deerskin gloves today that I used on my return trip home from the store. I'm trying to decide if I want to cut off the fingertips  and make 'em look real racy.

Don't get me started.............sorta :-) and Francine was just reminiscing our travels over the last two 1/2 seasons. You don't want to hear what she just called ya Rich...whoo....

Does my Speedster leak - yup!  In fact, I haven't even installed the rubber trim under the top of the windshield trim.  What do I do - blue tape when it's going to rain (one day I'll find beige).  Does it still leak - yup!  If it rains real hard for a long time, when I get home it only takes eight bolts and the seats are out, pull the carpet, run a fan, reinstall seats.  Even the originals 356's leaked.  I used to suffer from the problem of the rear tires throwing up water on the back of the pan.  A couple cans of crack filler and that problem's solved.   

 

Now where is that photo of me with the blue tape and wringing out the sponge rag...  

 

Yup.whooos, that's me. You guys can whoop on me next week while we're dodging showers. I'm just getting old am not as mechanically inclined as the rest of you.

While I think about it, you guys are all invited to drive 1,500 miles round trip to Corn Daze Part Deux this year...it's not supposed to rain there either 

Rich:

 

I'm sure you'll get a lot of takers.

 

"Takers", Bob? Are you referring to the guys who will want a ride in my enclosed 911 come Thursday on the ride to the Caddy Shack? Carl Berry already called shotgun (I think). From my limited experience out in Carlisle, I only know the wet roads on the way over there. BTW, you do have a top and side curtains on that Mustang, right?

Sure do.  I also have a very snug top and wind up windows in my IM.

 

 

I've had enough British sports cars (Bugeye, MGTD, MGB, TR6) to appreciate the 'leakage' factor. I used to drive my Bugeye all winter with a soft top, side curtains and no heater, but I was seventeen at the time.

 

Age has its privileges.

Bob:

 

Me too, in my Bugeye, but in SoCal. Dropped a semi race Lotus engine built by Hollywood sportscars in the thing and kept breaking axles. Wish I still had it! 

 

Rarely rained, but always seemed to happen when I was on the 405 freeway around semi's. Might as well have been in a pool. Water came in from every angle!

SoCal?  That's not winter.  We're talkin' snow, ice, sleet, freezing temperatures up here...what's a little water leaking in?

 

Good thing I was seventeen at the time.

 

"Age has it's privileges. " 

 

I like that.  That's why I'm willing to trailer my car to the show and then drive the heck out of it when there.  That doesn't make Drewek any less of a whus, but with all of the skeletal damage I've had from motorcycles, cars and bicycles (those were the worst) in two or three different countries, I think I've EARNED a nice ride to this show.

 

Rich, take your 911 to the show.  You'll be dry, sort-of.  

 

You're probably a fun guy to have around.  

 

But you're still a Whus.

 

The Speedstah Guy from the land of Dropkick Murphys (youtube them)

and "I'm goin out in STYLE!"

Gordon:

 

If I had a Lincoln Continental, I would drive it to Carlisle.  Comfort and class in a nice cruising car.

 

Gordon, the 911 will be arriving on schedule with Marty from the west.

Whus? Precisely. We'll decide when I get there if I'm a fun guy to have around 

I'm expecting that retirement allotment of Miller beer to be along for the ride.

Bob: You're right it is nothing like a Canadian winter, or even an Illinois winter where I live now. Heavy precipitation, in any form, seems to get into my Speedy at about the same rate and from as many directions, as it did in my Bugeye.

 

I was 20 at the time and virtually indestructible (or so I thought).

"Bob-the-Canuck":

 

My tow vehicle is a Diesel, "King Ranch", Ford F250 pickup.

 

Think Lincoln Town Car with 4-wheel-drive and a wicked big trunk that gets 18mpg.  

 

If we were in New Jersey, this would be considered a " 24-body trunk".  

 

Saddle leather seats, moon roof (although I haven't yet figured out how to get my butt up that high to "moon" anyone), climate control, 752-way power/heated/vibrator seats, built-in trailer controller, Sirius/XM satellite radio, a CB radio and a 1,200 watt stereo I can plug my iPhone/iPod/GPS into to rock the area within a 1,200-foot radius.  

 

Yes, Speedstah Guy fans, it's my "Cowboy Cadillac" and it gets me to Carlisle.....in friggin Style.

 

Do I blame Drewek for whus'in out and driving his 911 to Carlisle?

 

Heck, NO!  Is he afraid of a little water?  You bet'cha!   BUT!  Will that stop him from making the trip and meeting all of us SOC knuckleheads and finding out that we're even weirder than he is?  

 

Hell, no!

 

See you at the Marriott, Rich!

You need to own or rent a nice trailer! (or a towbar)

Cleaned and ready to get wet.

Rich-

 

Sell me your 911. Really.

"Well damn---nothing worse than a car that is so useless in poor weather that it can't be driven."

Jack, sometimes you say some assinine things.....

 

Some of you East coasters really crack me up. these tubs are fair weather cars, leave it to you guys to try to make them into something they are not....Next thing I'll be reading is that one of you made yours AWD or how about one for off-road....

 

 

Damn, that's pretty.  I have to sell my C4 Cab to make room for the new cars and it's breaking my heart.  If the Speedster doesn't get here in time, I'll bring it instead. Are you parking outside or bringing it onto the field?

I will be on and in the field, we're all related.

Stan, we've had this discussion...

I see where the weather is looking much better...here's another secret...my Speedster gets awfully uncomfortable for my six foot frame after about 4 hours. I have resigned myself to the fact that my Speedster is a fair weather, rather short trip vehicle.

Rich, I'll see you in the morning.  

 

Vince, you spoiled Biotch. I am sure its easy to forget how wet it is living east of  " A Van Down By the River" and take for granted where you live.  Can't blame guys for trying to make their cars more comfortable and for trying to get a few more days out of a very short driving season.