Red Alert Storm: Come on, That's All You've Got???

Well, my work (wich allows me to have the 348 and some other classic cars) keeps me 7.000 kms far from home about 300 days per year. So, basically the job that provides also deprives... So, I do not have the possibility to choose not to drive on days that are threatening to rain.

Last Saturday I spent the entire day on the OPorto Autoclassic motorshow, and I took the 348.

When it closed at 22 o'clock, I left the facility garage only to take the first drops of rain on the windshield. I decided to try and outrun the rain on the highway, so went for dinner in Spain (about 150km).

As we went along, the rain just got more and more heavy.... as did the wind...

We had dinner and got back to OPorto (another 150km), under even more heavy winds and showers.

I was under complete rage for having such bad first run after the belt change and complete overall.... but no way this rain would win over me and my 348..

OK... I couldn't ever again say that I do not drive on the rain, but at least I am DRIVING it, I thought, and no way will I park it on the garage completely soaked!

So, I decided to continue my driving experience during the night to Lisbon (under increasing bad weather) to meet my girfriend (we are having our baby this week) for breakfast.

Along the way I only kept thinking on the Ferrari Press Photos that show the 348 in big power slides on the wet track, and telling mysef: It was tested and driven under the rain then... so it should handle it now! It's better to be used that to rot away in the garage.

When I arrived to Lisbon (350km) the TV news was anouncing Bad Weather Red Alert for half the country and Yellow for the other half... I was just literally crossing the country from top to bottom!!!!

After breakfast, me and my girlfriend went for a drive (150km) on the seashore and stoped for a bite on a nice small cafe, and thru it's door I could see the rain just pounding the 348's shell ....

After dinner I returned to OPorto (350km).... (yes I did not sleep)...

So, I drove the 348 the entire 1.150 kms on the worst storm day of the recent months, and guess what: It did not gave any problem whatsoever!!!

What a run! Great car...

PS: my car had about 12.000kms when I bought it, and did the belt change, trasmission fluid, new tires, etc. The slow down light showed up sometimes but finally today I tuned the balance of the thottle bodies (wich I did not before, because I wanted the car to have recent road usage first) and did a new idle procedure as well as installed the Check Engine lights and exchanged sides for the exhaust ECU's . Tried again for 100km and it not even blinked...
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I just put on a net set of tires, so I am breaking them in still. Just small ones (slides) for now....

 

Well.. I am not Spanish, I am Portuguese. So, what I can tell you is that stooge has at least 4 translations to Portuguese: puppet (fantoche), lackey (vassalo), idiot (idiota) and party animal (estarola)... what is it?

There was the odd drop either side every 5 to 7 minutes only whem completly standing still in traffic.... wich I believe is completely acceptable.

Cheers,
R