Decided Friday afternoon that i would journey up to the Olthoffs, so begged off from the Sat Chores, and called Mike S, and Chuck D, other SPF drivers, and we planned to meet up and trek together. Set the alarm, and got up about the tenth time i hit the snooze button, fixed some waffles, poured molassass over the melted butter (only whimps use maple syrup, real men top with Blackstrap Molassass), then put on the long johns, it being a bit nippy out, say low 40's here in Upstate SC. Gave Abby her morning biscuit, scruffed her up as a reward for watching over the Great Stroker, and giving a heave-ho, and rolled it out and climbed in, and after bring up the
oil pressure with the Accusump, lit it off, and headed out to the interstate, where i met Chuck, idleing at a Ford dealer, his son with him. As i backed out to return to I-77 northbound, several of the sales reps gave me the "spin'em" sign, so i obliged, leaving them in acrid hazy Goodyear.
Drove thru Charlotte to Mike's place, had some coffee, then we swapped cars, me in his 540 hp aluminum block SPF, with his TKO II and 3.08 diff, he in my car, Chuck and Son bringing up the rear.
We headed north, the three-car caravan, and soon Mike took off cross country. It was chilly, and Mike's car has the thin-rim wood steering wheel, unlike my big beefy leather Moto-Lita, so delicate and slender it was like trying to steer with a warped pencil. Found it worked best to just use my fingertips.
The roads cleared out, and soon we were running along the beautiful, very rural NC back roads. Hill and dale, curves, switch backs, and finally we were on some sort of road so narrow, that when Mike leading had his right tire at the roads edge, the SPF's driver's fender was over the vague white line. We all must have simultaneously realized that since there was no other cars or tractors out, we might as well use the whole road, so we picked up the pace, moving across the road at will. It was great, the green, the red, and the blue SPF's bellowing thru the trees and valleys, past old country churches, past horses, past cabins, down into creek valleys, sometimes running so close to the trees and woods that i found myself leaning to the left just to give myself more clearance from the overhanging branches.
Mike's car had about shunted me into the woods with a dragging right front caliper, so thereafter i stayed off the brakes, and flipped thru the Tremec. With his long long gearing, there was no need to use fifth, just back and forth between third and forth. I had no idea where we were, or where we were heading, for all i knew we were running along the Sierra Nevada after an hour or so. It was driving as it is meant to be in these cars. A good, fast Replica is unmatched for the narrow back roads of upstate NC.
Had a fine visit with the Olthoffs, Dennis being away at a Fla track event, so after donuts and Diet Coke, and looking over their selection of Superformance "Brock" Coupes, with a row of 402ci Roush engines waiting installation, we walked back to our cars, and decided that since the morning run up was so enjoyable, we would return the same way. So we backtracked, again blipping downshifts, hurtling along fences and forests, pastures and livestock. From time to time the road would straighten out for a moment, and the woods reverberated with 12 Holley venturies all wide open, then back on the brakes for the next switchback.
Eventually entering Charlotte we waved oneanother off, and went home our separate ways. 190 great miles by noon. Two donuts, three cups of coffe, and nice hot 10-40 Redline.
These are not Interstate cars, they are ideal for paved cowpaths and old Indian trails. Especially when you have one in front, and another friend following.
Long Johns and Cow Paths
Hybrid Mode
