cars
June 12, 2010
May 04, 2010
April 29, 2010
April 03, 2010
March 05, 2010
Out Of Hibernation.
Out from the car cover and into the fire.
(written for challengerforumz.com)
One can only take too much folks. You can only push a man so far before
he snaps like a frozen Charleston Chew. In this great area of the U.S.
known as the "Tri-State Area" we have been pounded this winter people.
POUNDED. Never mind the literally weeks of constant snowfall resulting
at one point, of over 10 inches on top of the California car cover
which I am sure desperately wishes it was in California covering some
kind of boat. Hell, it's the right size. Forget the blistering
temperatures which froze my local pond in 48 hours earlier this winter.
Parts of the Hudson River around Manhattan were frozen and the debate
is still out over weather that's even water or not. Forget the potholes
the size of small Volkswagens and a layer of salt over the roads so
thick you could keep a billion fish fresh for years. Or make a huge
California Roll for Godzilla, whatever you want. (is there salt in a
California Roll? Actually, who cares) Forget all that normal winter
crap we deal with every year. I took advantage as much as I could but
it's the time. It's the weeks bleeding into months bleeding into dreams
of driving your car.
Now let's get something straight right off the bat here, the Tie
Fighter is NOT a prissy little museum piece that wont go though puddles
let alone rainstorms, not in the least. She has some police interceptor
rims and good snow rubber on there to do what she has to do to get me
where I need to go. She is no stranger to the harsh winter conditions
here in the North East. That being said it's just been so bad recently
that I haven't been able to so much get to my car let alone turn it on
and drive away. I was plowed in at the parking lot for a few days, the
I shoveled it out to receive more snow. This went on for a mind numbing
week and a half so I just said screw it and left town. But today, today
it all changed.
Today the cover came off revealing a car so ready to hit the road I
swear I heard it prop up and get all excited, like it was cracking it's
knuckles and arching it's back after a good nap. She started right up
on the first crank and settled down to idle quickly. Oil temperature
was a hot 44 degrees. A good 20 degrees warmer than I had seen it last
time I started her up. After hitting the 140 mark I rolled out the
driveway and hit the road. I found myself on the highways headed out of
Manhattan, which for 1:30 in the afternoon were empty. I hit Rt 3 past
(currently) both Giant Stadiums and settled into the buckets. Not 10
minutes into my drive and a Viper with apparently the same idea about
today pulls next to me with a fury of honks and waves. I followed him
for a good 10 miles or so. The tires on that thing are about 1 and a
half inches from laughable. There is less negative space between each
rear wheel than wheel itself. Amazing. Anyway, we were just chillin at
about 80, laid back with marker lights on enjoying the fist rays of
warm sun I have seen in months.
Off the highway with a flash of the lights for my reptile friend, I
take the corkscrew extra fast because I am making up for lost time. The
snow tires hug really well once you learn about "the snow tire lean"
and realize your not tipping over, your tires will hold....eventually.
I was downshifting and rev matching at every shift, making the Hemi
work a little. I just parked it outside and it's filthy but I am so
glad I went for a drive instead of spending that time at the car wash
or washing ti myself. I needed this more than the car did, more than my
fiance did and more than my friends and neighbors did dealing with me
for the last few weeks without my car. Good news is that next winter I
will finally have a garage of my very own and I will reward my car for
all it's hard time in the weather. I will still drive her in the winter
but at least I will be able to get to it to do so!
My hibernation is over and even if we get 30 more inches of snow the
cover is hereby ceremoniously off for good. Screw you Old Man Winter,
you thought you had me crazy but you failed. My Hemi-tation (meditation
via Hemi-ness) saved me. All of you, as soon as you can, go take your
cars out for a good romp for all our brothers and sister who still to
this day must wait to get to their cars from snow banks, wait to get
home or whatever reason are Challenger challenged at the moment. To you
my brothers and sisters I raise my tac to 6 grand and scream at the
same time. Soon my friends, soon there will be melt and then sun and
then burning rubber. Stay strong, there is a break in the clouds.... I
saw it today.
March 03, 2010
January 14, 2010
December 26, 2009
December 10, 2009
November 30, 2009
Cops & Robbers
Well, more like Cops and not not a cop but that made for a crappy title.
