Just before a trip home [VA to FL] from college the starter died on my 1960 Alfa Romeo Spyder. No problem, I figured to just push start it and make sure I stopped on hills. Did fine until I filled up in N. GA. As I popped the clutch it went. I made it from there to Ocala with no clutch or starter, though I did have a few anxious moments when I discovered that two new stop lights had been added to my carefully chosen route from the interstate to the house. Not something I'd want to do again. BillR
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Kevin J. Slater Sent: Wednesday, June 07, 2006 9:20 AM To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: Re: [MBZ] need advice & A possibly entertaining story. Part of that trip reminds me of a trip I took from State College to Virginia Beach one night while attending Penn State. The rest of my family was down there at a house along the beach and I wanted to join them. My car at the time was an old Austin Marina 4 door, 4 cylinder, 4 speed. Sometime after I left I lost the brakes or at least most of them. Since I was driving in the very early morning during the week on mostly 2 lane roads through the countryside, I made it without incident. REALLY STUPID, REALLY FORTUNATE (God's grace if you ask me) and I hope my own kids are smarter than that. ...Kevin John Berryman said: > > This is why I ship UPS, Fed-Ex, etc. I sometimes ship my luggage and > personal effects to travel destinations and travel real light on the > plane. I had my luggage misplaced and as a result, had to spend a > couple of days in a hotel in New Orleans. On the airline's tab, meals > and drinks included. > This was when I bought a 300CD from Jason Stearn. It was the day > after Christmas 2001 when I flew out, they had just started checking > peoples shoes for explosives. I was checked. Being right after > 9/11/01 their was a lot of tension regarding security. I knew I was'nt > getting on the plane carrying tools and license plates. All legal > paperwork and stickers were in there too. I NEVER, EVER checked > luggage up to then and since. The airline delivered it to the hotel > intact. > It was an adventure from the start. There was noise, sounded like the > diff was gonna blow, it didn't change no matter how I hammered it so I > sucked it and kept moving. I'm heading out of Baton Rouge to the > Adirondack Region of NY (note the date). I did'nt realize that there's > no heat until.......yup, you got it. There right rear caliper blew. > Brakes, who needs 'em? > I'm running all Interstates all 90-95mph until Tennessee, they'll > tolerate 80-85 in a 75. The driver's seat is shot, BAD and there's a > nasty winter storm coming. If I drive straight through, with no sleep > I can miss the worst of it. Did I mention window regulator broke > leaving the window jammed in a cocked position? Well any way, I'll > have some nice crisp air to help keep me awake, no time to fix, gotta > beat the storm. Worn Michelin MXVs don't do much on snow and ice. > You should always behave while driving through Virginia, somehow this > always slips my mind. The weather got uncooperative in Northern Va. > and stayed that way for the duration of the adventure. It was a weak > attempt at a "Wintery Mix" but still enough to keep one from becoming > bored riding on those skins. The Norther I go the Colder and icier it > gets. I'm getting a hint of warm air to the defroster vents so I had > some de-icing capability and a somewhat clear area for forward vision > most of the time. > I- 81 through Pa was no day at the beach, the icy hilly roads are > unforgiving and cause massive pile-ups, often with resultant > fatalities. Those familiar can give testimony to that. Fate would have > it, as I crest a hill I see about 1/4mile ahead that there's a car on > its side , half on the median and two young guys who stopped to help. > I was driving way ahead of myself and keeping the speed real sane but > it was a real challenge to get her stopped on front brakes only and > those lovely tires. > The kids waved me on saying help was on the way and no one was > seriously injured. In my mirror, I watch a 17 car pile-up as I drive > off, I heard the number on the news. There were two more pile-ups > which I was able to navigate around to avoid being the next crushed car. > Finally I hit the NY border and settle into a good groove, only 3 > 1/2 hours from home and my Sugar Pie. Now that the Demo-Derby on ice > is far behind me, I realize it's colder than a mother-in-laws kiss and > my feet are numb. I stop in Binghampton for fuel and drive the rest of > the way home with sweaters wrapped around my legs. > We're real generous with the salt up here and this coupe had no idea > what she was being driven into, as she spent her rust-free life > between SoCal and The Big Easy. She hasn't seen road salt since that > night. The rest of the ride was relatively uneventful. > I got in before the brunt of the storm and awoke the next morning to > 18" of snow. I'm always happy to be home after my many sojourns but I > was ecstatic after this one. > Aside for the few mechanical inconveniences I mentioned earlier, I > had no mechanical trouble, no need to pick up a single tool. The > horrendous sound that I listened to, trying to ignore all the way home > wound up being a broken tranny mount. > > > Johnny B. > I Mac Therefore I am > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > -- "Thank God for Microsoft" -- Linus Torvalds _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
