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Re: Long distance Spits

To: Gary Tash <tashg@bmi.net>
Subject: Re: Long distance Spits
From: Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 22:20:33 -0700
Ask me about my longest Spitfire trip in August when I get back from
Portland !

Joe

Gary Tash wrote:
> 
> I done several (3 - 4) 3000+  mile trips mostly down the west coast, northern
> Washington to LA, or so, and back to eastern Washington, through the mountains
> and high desert.  One time had a water pump leak in Altura CA, but it went 
>away
> and no problems since, with the water pump.
> 
> My experience is it is a very dependable car.  Oh yeh, its a 78 1500.  I'm the
> 2d owner, at 40K.  It now has about 80K  Had a sticky gbx problem for which it
> is now disassembled, plus maybe a preventative engine overhaul.  I'm sure it
> needs one, at least to restore compression.
> 
> --Gary
> 
> Mike Welch wrote:
> 
> > Longest I've done is about 900 miles from Ft.Rucker, AL up to Ft.Eustis, VA
> > back in '86.  Me and an army buddy were transferred and went in my '78
> > Spitfire.  4 duffle bags strapped down on the luggage rack.  The only
> > problem we had was about 50 miles from Eustis we took the top down and
> > stowed it in the trunk, about 5 minutes later we ran into a storm and
> > couldn't get the duffle bags untied fast enough to get the top out.  Had
> > about 2 inches of standing water in the floor boards.
> >   On a side note, the engine blew when I was there, and I ended up leaving
> > the car in the Ft.Eustis gas station parking lot when I was transferred out.
> >
> > Mike Welch
> > http://home.turbopower.com/~mikew
> > '68+/- Triumph Spitfire
> > '60 Jaguar MkII 3.8 auto
> > '87 Jeep Cherokee
> > '96 GMC Suburban
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: SJagGo@aol.com [mailto:SJagGo@aol.com]
> > Sent: Friday, February 18, 2000 11:58 AM
> > To: spitfires@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Long distance Spits
> >
> > Greetings:
> > What's the farthest drive any of you have taken in your Spitfires?
> > My personal best, no CO-driver has been 6100 miles, including the last 1500
> > (Lava Hot Springs, ID to Springfield, IL) stopping only for gas, oil, and
> > fast foods.  That's what the 1500 really stands for-1500 miles.
> >
> > The quirkiest has been Springfield to Macon, MO to Columbia, MO to St. Louis
> >
> > back to Springfield.  Over 500 miles.  Why?  A girlfriend called and wanted
> > to go for a drive. "How far?" I asked.  "Till I say to turn back," was her
> > reply.  She fell asleep about 50 miles out and never told me to turn back
> > until she woke up near Macon.  We ate a very late dinner at a country bar
> > with live band in Macon and headed home by way of St. Louis.  Great
> > sunrise-darn those bucket seats and parking brake handle!
> >
> > If you've gone 1500+ miles, what breakdowns occurred.  In my case, the
> > gasket
> > between the head exhaust pipe and the exhaust manifold blew out.  Found one
> > in Missoula, Montana.  A couple thousand miles later on the return trip, the
> >
> > headpipe broke away from the flange attaching to the exhaust manifold.  I
> > had
> > it welded in Arlington, Oregon.
> > Bill Brockschmidt

-- 
"If you can't excel with talent, triumph with effort."
 -- Dave Weinbaum in National Enquirer

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