Jump to content

Maybe We're All a Bunch of Wussies


xcarguy

Recommended Posts

Had to be out of the apartment by Jan 1st this year, and we had a foot of drifting snow on Dec 30th. So I drove my Westfield to the new house that night, about 12 hours after getting my wife's Mercedes 300D stuck. It was only about 10 miles, but in the dark with refrozen slush in random places. I almost high centered the Westfield twice and noticed after the trip that the front license plate was folded against the lower nose.

 

Was it fun? yeah. Was it cold? yeah. But I never would have chosen to to it. The guy in the video is all over the road; not a good idea if you can't see what's coming.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Snow tires? What a wuss. :D

 

I've driven my Caterham up, over and down two 11k'+ passes on Dunlop Direzza summer tires. I did have the half hood on it but it was snowing much harder than that. I could barely see the tail lights of the Lotus S4 I was following.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Driving over those passes was planned, going over them in the snow was not planned. It was an early Fall drive with LOCO (Lotus Colorado club). It was sunny and warm for most of the 3 day trip. We started up both of those passes in sunshine, it was only near the top that we drove into an early snow storm. Monarch Pass is a major highway (US 50) with a summit of 11,312'.

 

Driving over Slumgullion Pass (11,531') was surreal. There was about 4" of fresh snow as we neared the top. We broke out of the clouds a couple of miles before the top. The sky was bright blue but very large snow flakes were still falling and the sun turned the aspen leave brilliant gold. I wanted to take a picture but was afraid to take a hand off the steering wheel to take a picture and I didn't want to risk stopping.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish my Storker had windshield wipers and a heater . . .heat from my farts.

 

Well, Mike, that would be two too many creature comforts...and probably a good idea to lay off the salsa. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Living in Montana I'd never drive my car if I waited for warmth.....but I draw the line at snow covered roads.

 

dave

 

I would like to try my S1 in the snow, if it were not for the caustic salt and liquid paint remover they put on the roads in MD/PA. I put it away at the first application of that stuff and keep it there until the rain has cleaned the roads off. I had a 95 Mitsubishi Montero SR that I loved. It was the best all round vehicle I have ever owned. That crap took all the paint off under the vehicle and it was falling apart from corrosion. I took it to a metal recycler and the worker who told me where to drop it off, asked me why I was getting rid of it. I told him to go look under the vehicle. He turned white when he saw how bad it was.

 

I have seen video of sevens in the snow and it looks like, with snow capable tires, they would be a lot of fun as long as it does not get deep enough to turn it into a toboggan:eek:.

 

 

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are lucky that in Montana they do not salt the roads - they put sand and gravel down on corners but nothing on the straights. So there is no worry of corrosion being an issue.

 

I have driven my Westfield over short sections of hard packed, snow covered roads and it's doable and novel for the first 200 yards and then is just seems silly. I think if I had real snow tires on the car it could be fun if there weren't other big cars out there slipping around on all season tires (they suck in all seasons!). But winter is ski and fatbike season and spring will be here soon and I can drive the car the way it's meant to be driven - hard.

 

dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my s1 is raised up with 15" rims and higher street profile tires. Will clear a 5" rock but no more. Has a rear so tight it might as well be a spool, and has been on snow, ice, sand, mud and dirt. It is as good as it gets hydroplaning , and has been over the Burr Trail (75mi) in southern Utah at speed, is great fun on gravel sweeps and esses but not necessarily fast as some. Still handles better than almost all on the road. Life is a compromise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are lucky that in Montana they do not salt the roads - they put sand and gravel down on corners but nothing on the straights. So there is no worry of corrosion being an issue.

 

 

dave

 

I am jealous! Maybe one day I will move to Montana where a vehicle driven year round will last a while before it turns into a pile of rust!

 

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are lucky that in Montana they do not salt the roads - they put sand and gravel down on corners but nothing on the straights. So there is no worry of corrosion being an issue.

 

I was under the impression Montana switched from magnesium chloride to salt brine several years ago.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know what is used statewide but here in southwest Montana no salt is used to my knowledge. One of the big draws to this area is fly fishing and there real concern about what road chemicals can do to the water and the fishing.......and no one wants to risk the big cash fishing brings into this area.

 

It's fun to see 40 year old cars still on the road being used as daily drivers and while the paint is faded rust is extremely rare. We are technically a high alpine desert in this area so the humidity is very low and desert dry so even wood doesn't rot let alone metal.

 

dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Montana is a beautiful state, one of the nicest I've been to. Lots of scenery, awesome roads, and not too many people.

 

I work for the Colorado DOT and we really limit the use of mag chloride for environmental reasons. Our roads suffer a little in the winter, but it's worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...