How embarassing is this?

Out for a quick blast, exploring the limnits of the throttle when, you guessed it, snap, broken throttle cable. Great, Sunday evening, a deserted industrial estate, forgot the mobile and the roofs at home. What do you do? Simple get the gas meter box key you keep in the glove box (don't ask, I don't know why I've got it either) and wedge it under the throttle arm, hey presto 3,000 rpm. So off I go, first set of ligths are red of course, no problem I sit there happily at 3K, and yes I do have a sports exhaust, when the embarassing bit begins. I look to my right to see a max power Nova complete with 3 backward wearing baseball capped occupants thinking I obviously want to race. The lights go green and off they go deploying all 1.1 litres of Vauxhalls finest. Me, I trundle off to the next roundabout where I find the victors of the traffic light grand prix waiting, laughing there @rses off and greeting my arrival with the universal slowly waving loosly clenced fist gesture, you know the one. Now they decide I deserve a re-match and give me a head start, no, beat me again. Every roundabout, every bus stop, every traffic light is now an opportunity to display the power advantage that an exhaust pipe the size of a bucket obvioulsy provides. Well, I'm pleased I got home under my own steam, I'm glad someone got some fun out of my misfortune but now of course I'm a marked man. They know where I live! So I look forward to a future of finding max'd out Novas and the like lying in wait ready to have a go. Next time boys it ain't gonna be such a push over, I've got 2 meter box keys now with 6,000 on tap. Bring it on!
Davidn

Nice, I enjoyed that! Plenty of threads on how to repair the cable if you do a search, good luck (you don't want to let the side down again now )!

snag is, you know the moment you meet the same car at the lights... the cable will snap again.

Had the same problem at 2500 revs. What I did, was to sit on the biting point a bit to lower the revs. Ok, I know, new clutch.

simpo two said:

My accountant, who prides himself on driving old bangers, arrived one evening in his knackerd Manta with his arm out of the driver's window and clutching a piece of string which disappeared through one of the bonnet vents....

trust an accountant to have a piece of string in his/her pocket. how long is a piece of string jokes and all...



>> Edited by tamago on Monday 8th September 22:03

Think yourself lucky - when the throttle pedal snapped off my Cerbera I had to get to my destination on tickover - yes they will run on tickover, but not very fast....

Similar event in the old S for me .... Max Powered Nova next to me at the lights who wants a race ... fair, off I set in the S leaving sad Nova boy at the lights, change up to 2nd, plant foot firmly to floor expecting to dissapear and the cable snaps.

As I peeled my face off the windscreen there he was ... sailing past with a slight blue mist from the bucket exhaust and a gleeful grin on his face .... grrrr