RE: Use it or lose it: PH Blog
Monday 13th October 2014
Being woken by rain hammering on your bedroom window is never a good sign. Being woken by rain hammering on your bedroom window knowing you're going to be driving someone else's treasured 911 SC in typically dog-eat-dog M25 traffic just adds to the sense of Monday morning dread.
Too nice for a daily? Don't be soft says owner LioThe lead picture is from the first few miles of my drive this morning. Even if the cough-cough-BANG! start-up procedure of a carb-fed flat-six (sorry neighbours) hadn't woken me up squinting through the spray as per the lead picture certainly did. I'd like to say the view was improved framed by classic 911 wings in the rather delightful yellow paint but, frankly, I'd have much rather been in the SEAT I swapped it for at that moment.
Safely at PH Towers ... and breatheThen this morning and suddenly the burden of considerable responsibility weighing on my shoulders was rather less welcome. Gifted a rather lovely 911 to razz around in I'm aware of exactly how much sympathy I deserve... And though the drive went fine, the 911 was never even remotely sketchy or truculent and 90 minutes of stop-start traffic means my technique for smoothly shifting a Porsche 915 gearbox is now nailed I was very, very glad to reach PH Towers with no dramas. Over the weekend the sight of this car stationary seemed accusatory and an incentive to go for a drive. In today's context it's a relief.
Use it or lose it: PH Blog
Should you use a car this nice on a rainy M25 commute? Dan has no choice but to MTFU...
Too nice for a daily? Don't be soft says owner Lio
I'd been very much enjoying this 911 all weekend, having picked it up from builders Autofarm on Saturday and met incredibly affable and laid back owner Lio Di Mascio. The full story will follow but in its previous incarnation as a 2.7 replica he used it to commute every day into central London and racked up 35,000 miles in his first period of ownership and another 20+ since buying it back in 2012 from the chap he sold it to. This interim custodian, clearly of a different mindset, put just 4,000 miles on it in nearly six years.
Clearly then Lio's not the kind of man to own a car like this and not enjoy every possible excuse to drive it. Bravo Lio! As well as the commuting he's done several Le Mans runs and roadtrips back to his native Scotland. And I was keen to follow his example over a mainly dry weekend with several 'errands' turning into rather more extensive drives than first envisaged.
Safely at PH Towers ... and breathe
So respect to Lio, and those like him with such a pragmatic approach to running PHey cars many would say are too precious for daily use. I'd like to say I share such a pragmatic approach but the currently seized rear calipers on my Eunos (a common problem if you don't drive 'em enough) would suggest I'm talking the talk rather than walking the walk.
Dan
Discussion
xRIEx said:
Someone else made it in a Caterham - stop your moaning.
No he didn't, he drove in with the GT-R! And not moaning, just very glad to have made it in!Definitely carbs too - see pic! As I say, full story on the car to follow but it started out as a '79 SC that was crashed, turned into a 2.7 RS lookalike by Autofarm with the engine bored out to a 3.2 and the carbs fitted and then rebuilt into its current spec by Autofarm to Lio's personal spec.
Cheers,
Dan
Dan Trent said:
xRIEx said:
Only messing, I missed off the 
Taken as intended, as I said in the blog I know how much sympathy I merit for posting a story saying 'life is tough when you've got a lovely old Porsche for the Monday commute...' Which is to say absolutely none whatsoever!Dan
During dry weather, please.
Having similar dilemma - very much of the 'first world kind / nice problem to have' I understand.
Have an older Maserati. Huge fun on early summer morning blasts, cross country commutes etc. Totally addictive so miles have just piled on since April. Now the weather is worse, the mornings darker and the roads more slippery, am re-evaluating.
I know rain isn't going to dissolve it but getting it blasted by crap down motorways isn't helping the paint. Not that keen either in taking it out for a soaking then having to leave it dripping wet in the garage for week or two. I don't need to use the car but know that garage queens tend to get glitches. So I compulsively scan BBC weather, looking for dry days to sneak out on, or opportunities to visit that client who happens to be based near an interesting road...
Like I say, a nice problem to have.
Or, as my pal said on hearing me moan about 10mpg after a spirited run: "You have a Maserati. Now **** off and get the drinks in. Its always your round, by the way."
Have an older Maserati. Huge fun on early summer morning blasts, cross country commutes etc. Totally addictive so miles have just piled on since April. Now the weather is worse, the mornings darker and the roads more slippery, am re-evaluating.
I know rain isn't going to dissolve it but getting it blasted by crap down motorways isn't helping the paint. Not that keen either in taking it out for a soaking then having to leave it dripping wet in the garage for week or two. I don't need to use the car but know that garage queens tend to get glitches. So I compulsively scan BBC weather, looking for dry days to sneak out on, or opportunities to visit that client who happens to be based near an interesting road...
Like I say, a nice problem to have.
Or, as my pal said on hearing me moan about 10mpg after a spirited run: "You have a Maserati. Now **** off and get the drinks in. Its always your round, by the way."
All very well if you have the money. If you don't have the money then you wouldn't be able to own a classic 911 such as this, but the principle remains the same....
For the rest of us out there who have to invest our love into something less exotic where family and home take priority over our petrol headed dreams, commuting and the rain are the difference between owning something you can love and not.
Water kills metal. I can't afford to keep my car if I have to factor in bodywork repairs caused by rot. On the flip side I can afford to keep my car by running an a commuter car I care less about, which reduces my insurance premium for my fun car substantially whilst my pride and joy dodges the rain.
I would much rather be in my fun car all year round but this way I don't have to repair rot for many years.
Not all people who don't drive their cars in the rain are just pampering them, some of us cannot afford to deal with the consequences of what rain does to metal!
For the rest of us out there who have to invest our love into something less exotic where family and home take priority over our petrol headed dreams, commuting and the rain are the difference between owning something you can love and not.
Water kills metal. I can't afford to keep my car if I have to factor in bodywork repairs caused by rot. On the flip side I can afford to keep my car by running an a commuter car I care less about, which reduces my insurance premium for my fun car substantially whilst my pride and joy dodges the rain.
I would much rather be in my fun car all year round but this way I don't have to repair rot for many years.
Not all people who don't drive their cars in the rain are just pampering them, some of us cannot afford to deal with the consequences of what rain does to metal!
Driven as intented. You are right, though, manning up and driving in sketchy conditions does take a different kind of bravery. Some of my favourite Caterham drives were in the rain, where you have to concentrate like you are riding a motorbike. Makes for an all consuming driving adventure.
Zircon said:
All very well if you have the money. If you don't have the money then you wouldn't be able to own a classic 911 such as this, but the principle remains the same....
For the rest of us out there who have to invest our love into something less exotic where family and home take priority over our petrol headed dreams, commuting and the rain are the difference between owning something you can love and not.
Water kills metal. I can't afford to keep my car if I have to factor in bodywork repairs caused by rot. On the flip side I can afford to keep my car by running an a commuter car I care less about, which reduces my insurance premium for my fun car substantially whilst my pride and joy dodges the rain.
I would much rather be in my fun car all year round but this way I don't have to repair rot for many years.
Not all people who don't drive their cars in the rain are just pampering them, some of us cannot afford to deal with the consequences of what rain does to metal!
Agree, but I view it as having the choice NOT to use the classic (in my case a none too watertight convertible) on wet days, with the knowledge that I could, if I wanted to.For the rest of us out there who have to invest our love into something less exotic where family and home take priority over our petrol headed dreams, commuting and the rain are the difference between owning something you can love and not.
Water kills metal. I can't afford to keep my car if I have to factor in bodywork repairs caused by rot. On the flip side I can afford to keep my car by running an a commuter car I care less about, which reduces my insurance premium for my fun car substantially whilst my pride and joy dodges the rain.
I would much rather be in my fun car all year round but this way I don't have to repair rot for many years.
Not all people who don't drive their cars in the rain are just pampering them, some of us cannot afford to deal with the consequences of what rain does to metal!
Not a classic, but similar sentiment to what's appearing in my mind should work decide to get rid of the Works but from one side of the country to the other and I have to resort to using my current steed over the winter here in Scotland. That vehicle - a Lotus Elise.
Not sure how winter capable they are, but I guess I may find out!
Not sure how winter capable they are, but I guess I may find out!
Generally I'd be more concerned about the car than about myself.
Driving an old car in these conditions or worse will do it no good. No matter
how carefully it gets "cleaned" afterward. And to be frank. What enthusiast cleans
his daily after a wet commute es thouroughly as an italian nun would?
One of my neighbours (stupidly) insisted on driving his classix all year round.
During 8 years he ran a nice Giulia and a freshly refurbished Taunus GXL to
the ground. Thank you Chap!
Those did last 30+ years before you got your hands on them. Having that rust on
my fingertips would make me feel guilty, but to each his own.
And you can't ask for Government to put a fine on damaging heritage items, otherwise
historic racing would be dead.
Martin
When I had my TVR S3, my budget only extended to running one car so it had to deal with whatever the weather threw at it, although it did at least get to rest in a dry garage overnight. I had one particularly memorable journey in increasingly deepening snow that I was very thankful to complete! 
However, when my (very generous) friend lent me his 1973 Taimar for a week over a winter period, I was reminded of the challenge of trying to start an engine equipped with points and carburetors on a cold, damp morning and I therefore think that the presence or lack of electronic ignition and fuel injection is a major consideration as to the everyday usability of an older car.
However, when my (very generous) friend lent me his 1973 Taimar for a week over a winter period, I was reminded of the challenge of trying to start an engine equipped with points and carburetors on a cold, damp morning and I therefore think that the presence or lack of electronic ignition and fuel injection is a major consideration as to the everyday usability of an older car.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff